'Hey, Andrew,' Melissa said. 'You okay?'
'Oh, hi,' I said, turning to look up at her. She looked beautiful by the soft light of the garden lamps. I felt my eyes drifting down towards her legs and somehow stopped myself before she noticed. 'Yeah, I'm good, thanks. Just came out for some fresh air.'
'Cool. Mind if I join you?'
'No, not at all.'
She stepped over the wall and pressed her short skirt to the back of her legs as she sat down. She was so close I could smell her sweet perfume. 'You having a good party?' she asked.
I let out a laugh. The beer was affecting me now and I felt loose and easy. Maybe this socialising thing was easier than I'd thought. 'Yeah,' I said. 'It's pretty good, I guess.'
She was smiling. 'Well, it sounded like you were having fun in there. I saw you coming out of the closet with Abi.' She poked me playfully in the ribs, and in that moment I felt my crush turn into love. I felt a little guilty about Melissa knowing, but she didn't seem to mind.
'I'm sorry,' I said.
'What for? Looked like you had a good time in there.'
'I don't know,' I said. I wasn't sure if it was the beer, or what happened in the closet, or the party atmosphere in the garden with the music and the coloured lights on strings hung around the place, but I felt somehow very relaxed in her company. All my anxieties about talking to her earlier were quickly drifting away. I felt like I could tell Melissa anything. 'You know,' I said. 'I've had a crush on you for the longest time.'
She turned and held my gaze, then smiled her pretty smile. 'I kinda knew,' she said. 'Girls can spot these things.'
I felt myself blush.
She stroked my cheek gently. 'Don't worry,' she said. 'It's kinda cute.' She folded her arms and crossed her legs. 'Kinda cold out.'
I guessed then that she might be hinting for me to do something, so I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She made a purring sound and rested her head on my shoulder. I rubbed her arm with my hand to make her warm.
'That feels nice,' she said, and she slipped her arm around my waist and held me. I didn't want the feeling to end, but across the other side of the pool a few cheers were thrown out in our direction.
'Get a room, you guys!' someone shouted, and laughter broke out.
Melissa lifted her head and smiled at me. 'Doesn't sound like a bad idea,' she said. 'It is getting chilly out here after all.' She stood and took my hand in hers and pulled me behind her as she went into the house.
We approached the stairs and I followed her up close behind. I couldn't take my eyes off her pert little ass moving with each step beneath her short skirt or the smooth flesh showing just above her striped stockings. I struggled not to reach out and touch her.
At the top of the stairs, she looked around for somewhere to go. We found an empty bedroom that must have been belonged to Paul's older sister who was away at college. I switched on the light. There were boyband posters on the walls, flowery bedsheets and photos of her and her friends pinned to a board above a desk.