To Be Her First

Chapter 18 - Kiss Me

Journey stumbled as she walked toward her friends at the refreshment table. David was lip-locked with Abby Carter. With a blink she went from a Steven-Drake-induced schoolgirl daze to absolute shock, followed by a flash of unjustified anger. Just friends, my ass, she thought.

Kara waved her arms to get her attention. "There you are!"

David disconnected from Abby's face, and the four of them turned in her direction. She was forced to continue her walk over rather than run from the room. "Yeah, sorry. I'm back."

"Where did you go?" Kara asked.

"Steven drove us around the block so I could smoke a cigarette." She poured herself a glass of punch. "He's leaving for Dalton tonight to live with his grandmother."

David perked up. "Really?"

"Is the inside of his car as nice as the outside?" Justin wanted to know.

Journey nodded. "It's really nice. Leather and chrome everything."

"He's moving?" David asked again.

Journey ignored him and looked at Abby. "Congratulations," she said. "You look really pretty."

Abby smile was irritatingly sincere. "Thank you so much!"

Journey wanted to hate her, but she couldn't. Abby did look spectacular, and so did Dave. The pair of them looked like they belonged arm-in-arm on top of a cake. Journey grabbed Kara by the arm. "Come dance with me."

Kara scowled. "You don't dance."

Journey tugged her away from the group. "I do tonight."

When they were on the dance floor, out of earshot from David, Journey looked up at her friend with wide eyes. "Did you just see David kissing Abby?"

Kara moved with the music. "Yeah. But what do you care? You were off with Steven."

Journey didn't exactly have an answer. She wasn't sure why she cared so much. "He told me they were just friends. Why would he kiss her?"

"I think she kissed him, technically," Kara answered.

"He sure wasn't putting up a fight about it!"

Kara laughed and grabbed Journey's hands, swinging them with the beat. "What happened with Steven?"

For a second, she forgot about David and remembered the thrill of being confined in such close quarters with the guy who had dominated her fantasy life for so many years. "It was short, but fun."

"Did he kiss you?"

Journey laughed. "No."

"Ask you out?"

"No."

Kara's eyes widened, and she stopped dancing and put her hand on her hip. "Did he at least get your phone number?"

Journey deflated. "No." Maybe her drive with Steven Drake wasn't as noteworthy as she thought. Her bottom lip poked out. "We just sort of drove around. He did say he would see me again sometime."

Kara scrunched her eyebrows. "But he's moving, like two hours away."

"Yeah, I know."

"For how long?"

Journey shook her head. "He didn't say."

Kara tossed her hair back off her shoulders. "So, absolutely nothing happened with Steven."

Journey dropped her head. "I guess not."

Kara laughed and hugged her friend. "Oh, you poor thing."

The music faded to a slow song. Someone tapped her shoulder, and she knew it was David before she even turned around.

Kara squeezed her hands. "I'm going to go find Justin."

When she was gone, Journey turned toward David trying hard to not appear as annoyed-and disappointed-as she felt.

He held out his hand. "You promised me a dance."

Her face twisted into a frown, but she draped her arms around his neck, and he linked his fingers together behind her waist.

They made a ridiculous pair on the crowded dance floor. He was in a suit; she was in jeans and a black Anthrax hoodie. David wasn't offering any conversation, and she felt awkward as hell rocking from foot to foot to a song she didn't know. "Good game tonight," she finally said to break the silence.

He nodded and took a step closer to her. "Did you have fun on your little joyride?" There was a distinct bite of bitterness in his voice.

She smirked at him. "Where's your girlfriend?"

He shook his head. "I don't have a girlfriend."

Journey laughed and stopped dancing. "You may not realize it yet, but yes, you do."

His brow crumpled. "She kissed me."

Journey rolled her eyes. "It takes two sets of lips, Dave."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Will you please shut up and dance with me?"

The way his face was twisted up in frustration, almost made her smile. Almost.

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