Melissa

“Are you going to hide in this corner all night?”

Melissa turned to face her new corner mate, easily snared by his twinkling eyes. “If all goes well…yes.”

“Why come at all then?” He leaned back against the wall next to her, his broad shoulder brushing against hers. She shifted but was already leaning against the corner so she only managed to rub shoulders with him again, sparking tingles to her fingertips.

“I was invited.” She looked back out at the crush of partiers.

“To the corner? Or to the party?” He also gazed out at the people talking and laughing around the room.

Melissa huffed. “I am going to ignore you now.”

“Aw come on.” He nudged her shoulder with his. “You can’t think that this is you being at a party. You’re just watching it happen. You could do that from outside the window just as easily.”

Folding her arms, she pointedly kept her gaze anywhere but his direction.

“You realize you are choosing to ignore the one person at this party who has come over in an attempt to include you in the very party you are pretending to be a part of. Right?”

Her jaw clenched tight.

“Am I getting to you? Maybe you can choose to not ignore me for two seconds and allow me to introduce myself?”

It was getting harder to not respond. She stared harder at the far wall, willing to have him give up and go away. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him smile and lean closer.

It startled her when he whispered in her ear. “Are you being obstinate on purpose? Are you scared? You could just go home, you know.” When he paused, she almost sighed in relief but then he kept going. “Well, since you won’t give me your name, I suppose I must provide you with one. I vote Starla. Any objections?” 

She again tried to lean further away so he couldn’t reach her ear so easily. She couldn’t decide whether she wanted to smile and laugh with him or if she was ready to punch him in the face and storm out.

“Starla, it is. Though I may have to change it to something more provoking if you keep up the silent treatment. Now Starla, the main reason to go to a party is to meet people that could become friends. If you are sitting in the corner, curled up in a ball, ignoring everyone, you are missing the point of a party, especially this party.”

“I’m standing.”

“She speaks!” He pulls her into a hug. “Hello. And yes, I know you are standing.”

“I’m not talking to you.” She scowled.

“Oh ok.” He bit his lip to try and stop the smile but it burst out anyways. “And while we are not talking, do you mind shouting your name out into the universe? I love knowing who I am not talking to, unless it is Starla. Then I am a fantastic guesser.”

Instead of answering, Melissa pushed off the wall and went into the nearby room where a bunch of people were gathered around, watching two couples playing pool. She picked a table and sat.

“Bold move. Joining the party to avoid me. Luckily, I know how to follow.” He whispered as he sat down beside her.  “I’m Gavin.”

She noticed that several people nodded or smiled his way. And there were several girls who were glaring at her. She shrunk a little.

“Are you popular or something?” She muttered.

His focus broke away from the game and lasered into her. “Why would you ask that?”

She nodded in the direction of a few glarers. The instant he looked their way their daggery gazes melted into cheery smiles and flirty waves.

“Because of them?” He shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that a group of girls who think that a pretty smile is going to win them a date makes me popular. It only means that I’m attractive.”

“Ego much?” Melissa clamped her mouth shut, realizing she was no longer avoiding talking to him.

“Not really.”

Melissa pointedly watched the pool game, not taking her eyes off the green table, until a hand landed on hers. She swiveled to look at him.

“Don’t go back to ignoring me.” He gave her an exaggerated puppy dog look.

They were interrupted by several dolled up girls flouncing up.

“Hey Gavin.” One of them cooed, leaning in and laying her small delicate hand on his forearm. “You going to come dance?”

“Not now, Tracy.” He smiled. “Besides, wouldn’t Tommy be hurt if you weren’t dancing with him? Last I heard, the two of you were still dating.”

Tracy stuck out her lower lip in a pout. “He never wants to dance with me.”

“Sounds like something you need to talk to him about.” Gavin’s eyes landed back on Melissa but before he could say anything, another one of the foursome leaned onto the table.

“I’m single.”

He flashed her a devastating smile. He wasn’t even directing it toward her and Melissa was affected by it. “Yes, Layla. I know.”

Melissa held in her laugh but from the way his eyes lit up as he watched her, she could tell that he knew she was struggling to keep it in.

“Right now, I am trying to have a conversation with….” He nodded at her across the table, eyes sparkling with amused mischief.

Melissa rolled her eyes. “Melissa.” She begrudgingly supplied.

“Melissa.” Gavin smiled at her.

Another one of the girls looked confused. “Who’s Melissa?”

Melissa thought she would die from all the laughter she was holding in.

Gavin only smiled and pointed at Melissa.

“Ohhhh.” Miss Clueless nodded. “Hi Melissa.”

“Hi.” She gave a quick half wave.

“Let’s go find Tommy.” Tracy flipped hair over her shoulder and shot Gavin a pouty look.

Another minute and the girls were gone.

“Sorry about that. The hazard of being at a party where people know you, they always want to talk to you!”

This time she couldn’t hold it in.

His smile lit up even more as she laughed. “You have a beautiful smile.” He declared with a nod. “Want to play a game of pool?”

“In front of all these people?” Melissa looked around at all the people watching the current game. “No.”

“Who brought you here?” Gavin asked with a surprising edge to it.

Instantly, her jaw clamped together and she shook her head, looking away.

He tilted his head to get back in her line of sight. “You aren’t going to tell me? I can find out anyway.”

“How?”

He shrugged. “You have to leave sometime.”

“So do you.” She quipped. 

But he was already shaking his head as he smiled. “No I don’t.” He raised his hands and presented the room to her. “This is my house.”

“Oh…” She stopped, unsure what to say. “Well, hi.”

“Now I earn a hi because I own a house.”

“You own an incredibly beautiful and classy house.” She gave a small smile.

He grinned right back at her. “Don’t think you can distract me.”

Her shoulders caved inward a little. “I came with Devin Deja.”

Click here to read part 2 of Melissa’s story!