"Okay, you've got this." Annie took a deep breath and tore her gaze away from the full length mirror hanging on her closet door.
The black dress she was wearing clung to her legs in the cold autumn air, and she couldn't help but wrap her green collared shirt tighter around her waist.
"Hey Annie." She jumped as one of her friends called her name, not expecting anybody to know who she was.
She's never been to a college party before, anyways.
"Hey, Kaitlyn." Annie replied, slowing down and facing the girl.
"Didn't expect to see you here."
"Didn't expect to be here." She was skeptically eyeing the beer bottle in Kaitlyn's hand, knowing full well she was underage.
"You want some?" Kaitlyn asked, noticing Annie's gaze.
"No thanks, I'm supposed to be meeting someone."
"Who?" She was cut off by the sound of someone's voice.
"Julianna LeBlanc, in the flesh."
Hayden was walking towards, his arms outstretched and eyes twinkling. She leaned into his shoulder for a quick hug before backing up.
"How did you know my real name?"
"A little birdie told me." He replied, laughing.
"That little birdie's gonna get killed later." Annie breathed, knowing it was Caleb that snitched.
Hayden led her into the crowded house, introducing her to people as they went. Everybody seemed to know who he was, and, by proxy, who she was.
"Do you want a beer or something?" Hayden asked when they got to the kitchen.
"I, uh, don't drink." She said, uncomfortably glancing at the abundace of red solo cups and empty bottles lying around.
"That's fine." He said, handing her a diet coke.
"I don't really go to parties much." She said, taking a sip.
"I can tell." Hayden said, a giggle escaping his lips. "If you did you would be used to people staring at you."
"Nobody's staring at me." Annie scoffed, looking at her feet.
"Everbody's staring at you." Hayden was now standing right in front of her, his hand tilting her chin up so she was looking at him. "You're beautiful."
It happened quickly, first they were kissing in the kitchen, then they were in the hallway, and suddenly a bedroom upstairs.
"Hayden, stop." Annie whispered. "We can't do this."
"It's okay."
"No." Her voice was firm, and Hayden knew to back off. "I'm sorry, I can't."
She was on the verge of tears, and quickly rushed down the stairs and out of the house, ignoring Hayden's desperate calling of her name.
Everything felt heavy.
a/n
tHIS CHAPTER TOOK ME SO LONG TO WRITE AND I DON'T KNOW WHY
okay so this is the last chapter i'll be posting for a few days bc i have so much to do.
