“Would you like to dance with me?”
Selena looked up in surprise. Cameron Quiseng, lead singer of All Star Weekend and one of Selena’s good friends, was smiling down at her, holding out a hand. She forced a polite smile to her face and accepted the gesture. He pulled her from her seat and led her out to the crowded dance floor.
The young actress only kept her smile in place when Cameron was looking. She didn’t want to be at this party. And yet, here she was, at the after party for the 87th anniversary of the Oscar Awards, and she had somehow been roped into it yet again.
The first year hadn’t been so bad, she thought with a sigh as one of Cameron’s hands found her waist and the other found her hand. She absently rested her other hand on his shoulder, drawing rather closer than she would have liked so she wouldn’t have to look at him.
Cameron was nice enough, but he had never gotten the hint. She couldn’t count how many times she had shot down his advances, but he just kept trying. She preferred to ignore him now, which she could do even while dancing with him.
She looked over his shoulder, taking in the party with little interest. There were about a hundred celebrities within the palace-like room, as well as some familiar faces. Jaden Smith and Moises Arias were there, of course, hoarding the buffet table. The whole Wizards cast was there, scattered throughout the room. Her mom and step-dad were dancing nearby, both looking rather stiff, as usual. Selena sighed again, her gaze moving over the door.
She froze, hands clenching painfully on Cameron’s shoulder and hand.
There was someone staring right back at her from across the room.
“Are you okay?” Cam asked, failing to hide his discomfort.
“I uh… no,” she stammered, releasing him and backing away several steps. Her eyes were wide and cheeks were flushed. “I mean yes. I just… need some air.” Without another word, she swept past him, moving quickly through the crowd. By the time she reached the door, she was practically running. Nobody noticed someone slip outside after her.
“Selena,” the someone called, breaking into a jog to try to catch up with her.
“No,” she called back, refusing to look over her shoulder at him. “No, you stay away from me.” She didn’t even know where she was running to. The long hallways of the club were like a maze.
“Sel, wait,” he shouted, now practically running.
“Leave me alone,” she snapped, dodging into an empty room. She looked around quickly and found it to be a storage room. There was no exit. She groaned in frustration, turning and slamming the door.
“Selena,” he called through the door. “Can I come in?”
“No,” she shouted, backing helplessly into the room. She took a deep breath, turning her back to the door and fanning herself with her hands. Oh, she hated this. She hated that after three years, he could still do this to her just by looking at her.
“I’m coming in,” he said roughly.
“Don’t,” she shot back, running her fingers up into her hair in frustration. “I mean it.”
The door swung open and Selena closed her eyes. She still faced resolutely away from him. No… she wouldn’t look at him. She couldn’t look at him. Not if she got so hot and bothered just from a passing glance across a room.
“Selena…”
She bit her lip, closing her eyes tighter. She could feel him drawing closer, could feel herself reacting.
