I roll my shoulders back and double check my hair as I make my way through the other partiers. I know where I am going. Now is the perfect opportunity and I am not going to waste it.
Scott is in the hot tub and none of his stupid friends or giggly groupies are with him. If I play it just right I’ll get him to actually notice me and be impressed by how I look in my brand new baby blue sundress. Sitting on a dry spot at the hot tub’s edge I smile over at my high school crush.
“Hey Scott.” I say as I slip my feet into the warm water.
Although it is slightly disappointing when he doesn’t open his eyes to see who I am, he also doesn’t exactly ignore me. I am thrilled to hear his deep ‘hey’ rumble across the water. My love-struck heart grasps hold and holds tight to that treasure of a greeting.
As I am about to launch my full scale charm in drawing him into seeing me as the potential love of his life there is a commotion over in the side yard where the side gate bursts open, letting in a huge horde of guys. Great.
I’ll have to work fast if I am going to have any chance of keeping his attention once all the guys start some sort of game or another that Scott is sure to join in.
And that’s when I spot him. Dean is in the front of all those guys, already being swarmed by most of the girls at the part which is something I thoroughly do not understand. The guy is a jerk and yet far too popular for his ego. And somehow he has figured out my little crush. If he saw me making my move he would most likely go out of his way just to ruin it.
“How’s the water?” I say to Scott with my best come-hither purr. “I was thinking about getting in but I don’t want to get too hot.”
At that, his eyes slowly blink open and settle on me. Heated chills race down and then back up my spine. His attention is all mine! I revel in my glorified power, watching his eyes skirt along my sundress, taking it all in. Preparing for this party had been an ordeal and now it is suddenly all worth it.
“Come on in.” He holds out his hand to help me in and I blink. I’m not going to get in with my dress on but I certainly can’t stand there and take it off in front of him, nor can I leave and lose my chance. Torn and frozen, my panicked mind frantically searches for a solution. All options are taken from me as I feel two large hands on my shoulders right before I am shoved into the hot tub.
Coming up sputtering for air after my unplanned plunge, I do my best to not look like a drowned rat in front of Scott. Luckily my long hair stays in the bun I had put it in before coming to the party so I wasn’t struggling to get that out of my face. Turning to see who had pushed me in I’m not too surprised to see Dean smiling down at me. Then he turns to Scott and quips, “The girls just can’t help but fall for you Scott.”
Both guys laugh and I hope that my blush is hidden behind the flush from the hot water. And that’s when it hits me; my moment has passed. Scott’s attention is on Dean and the multiple girls that had followed him over.
When Dean pulls off his shirt, I hurriedly look down. I am most definitely not going to be caught staring at the abs of that jerk, even if they are a fantastic view. I don’t look up until the water surges and I have to step back to keep my balance. And I come face to face with Dean and his stupid smile.
“Hey Shan. You need help with that dress or were you going to keep it on in the hot tub?” His slow lazy drawl has a nearby girl twittering.
As quick as I can I peel the wet fabric off and throw it to the side, plopping down as near as I dare to Scott but not close enough for Dean to make some snarky comment that would embarrass me further. I can feel both guys glance down to check out my suit and find my attention snap to Dean’s dropped jaw rather than Scott’s quick almost dismissive glance. Though Dean’s expression is gone a second later, I am glad I chose to wear my cutest suit.
In seconds Dean and Scott are deep in conversation, no room from noticing girls. I deflate just a little. Minutes pass and more girls join the guys, slowly edging me out. I stay in, hoping that maybe Scott will come over and talk to me but the longer I sit there the more I figure it is unlikely he would. As I am trying to pluck up the courage to retreat, my gaze drops to my toes. No one else has said hi to me and I am feeling more and more out of place the longer I sit there.
“Shan.” The low whisper in my ear gives me more chills than it should. I turn to face Dean, discovering that he made his way to sit right next to me and is getting closer. “You weren’t really flirting with Scott again were you?”
“None of your business Dean. Why are you here?”
“It’s a party! Where else would I be?!” With that he throws his arm around me and pulls me into a fierce hug.
“Somewhere that didn’t involve tormenting me!” I can’t help but huff.
No one else seems to notice or care that Mr Popularity-and-Life-of-the-Party isn’t basking in their attention any longer. Instead he is sucking me into his bright blue eyes, resting his forehead on mine so I can’t see anyone but him.
His voice is so quiet I was sure that no one else could have overheard him even if they tried. “Shannon Caswall. When are you going to open your eyes and see past what you think of as tormenting to see that I’m protecting you from a real jerk?”
I blink rapidly, trying to process what he said. With another blink he is back in the thick of his entourage. He sees me staring and winks.
I flee.
