Ariana stared at her closet. She had nothing to wear!
"Just pick something!" Macy said from her bed. "You're not going to a ball! It's just a party for crying out loud!" Ariana smiled slightly to herself. It might just be a party, but tonight someone was coming that she wanted to look special for. She had always known Kasen had a crush on her, she would often catch him looking at her. However, a few months ago, when their senior year had started, and they had been put together in Biology, Ariana had began to feel something new. She couldn't explain it, but when he was close she found herself trying to catch his attention.
She no longer thought his crush was cute, but rather reveled in catching him watching her. She loved the way he looked at her.
Today, when he was been gathering his stuff with his head down she just couldn't help herself. She wanted to get closer to him. When she grabbed his wrist she felt something go through her. She couldn't explain it, but it fueled her desire. Then, when he had smiled at her, she knew she couldn't go on the way they had. She needed more from him. She just didn't know what or why.
Finally, in the back of her closet, she found a top she had never worn. Macy had made her buy it a few months ago, and on a whim she agreed.
It was dark green, perfect for her red hair. It was a little low cut, hugging her breasts before flowing down over her torso. The sides were tied together with a brown leather string, giving little glimpses of her ribs. There was another string that tied behind her neck so the front pulled up above her navel, leaving her back and shoulders bare. She decided simple jeans, and heeled boots over them, were the way to go. However, the jeans she pulled out were far from simple. They were a dark blue, and formed to her thighs like a second skin.
Adriana smiled as she bent over to pick up her boots and felt the jeans go tight over her ass. She heard Macy wolf whistle behind her, and quickly straightened and turned.
"What?" She asked, innocently. Macy gave her a look, not buying the good girl act.
"Why don't you just paint your legs blue and tell him it's the newest look in high fashion?" Adriana rolled her eyes. Macy wasn't stupid. She knew the instant Adriana picked out the green top, that she was doing it for a boy.
Adriana plopped down on the bed beside Macy to pull her boots on over the bottom of her jeans. She decided to leave her hair down with it's natural curls, and just brushed it all behind her shoulders.
A few minutes later, both girls looked at each other as they heard the doorbell ring downstairs before the sound of bottles clinking, music starting, and people laughing, signaling the beginning of the night.
*-------------------------------*
Adriana was never a big fan of parties, but this one wasn't that bad. So far. It was only about 8:30 but the music was so loud she was afraid the cops would get called. There didn't seem to be many new people coming, and she would know if there were because she was standing on the balcony above the front door, waiting for him to walk in.
Just then, a smile crossed her face. She looked down and found him a few feet from the bottom of the stairs, watching her. He had an strange look in his eyes. It looked like a mix of pain, desire, and something else she couldn't identify.
Her face brightened when caught his eye. She smiled, and a warmth spread through her when a small smile graced his lips in return.
She descended the stairs, jumping over the legs of a couple on the bottom two steps, landing right in front of him. She actually had to steady herself on his shoulder, and his head immediately went to her back.
"You came!" She practically had to shout. Kasen just nodded. She wanted to get him somewhere quieter so they could talk. "Come with me!" She said, over the music. She wove her fingers between his and pulled him behind her to the kitchen down the hall. It wouldn't be a whole lot quieter in there, but she might not have to shout to talk to him. She smiled to herself when she felt him jump at the feel of her hand in his, but she had her back to him so he didn't see it.
She maneuvered them around the people clogging the hall, until they made it to the large kitchen. There was empty two liters of Coca-Cola bottles and alcohol bottles all around the island and counters. She got him a cup of beer from the keg and jumped up on a bare space on the counter before downing some of her beer in an attempt to calm the butterflies in her stomach.
"I don't really drink.." She heard him say, quietly. Smiling, she pointed to the empty pop bottles.
"Sorry, we're out of everything else. People don't come for the virgins." A puzzled expression crossed his face for just a moment before it was gone. "It means non-alcoholic drinks." She laughed. "I guess they don't really come for the virgin people either, though." She said, more to herself than to Kasen. "I'm glad you came." She smiled at him, making him blush. "I wasn't sure you were going to."
"You asked me to." He stated simply. As if it was obvious. Adriana liked that.
"Look, I know we've never talked much, but I hope we can be friends?" Kasen nodded after a moment of staring at her. "I'm sorry." Kasen looked startled.
"For what?"
Adriana shrugged and said, "I've never been very nice to you. I know you and Macy are kinda friends, and we have sat next to each other in class all year, and yet this is the longest conversation you and I have ever had. You're just always so quiet. I never know what to say to you." Kasen stared for another minute before a small smile broke out on his face.
"That all?" Adriana's brow wrinkled. Is that all? what was THAT supposed to mean? Kasen actually laughed at the look on her face. "Adriana you have nothing to apologize for. You've always been nice to me. At least, I've never felt offended. I'm quiet with everyone. I always have been." He chuckled to himself. "Actually, when I was younger my parents thought there was something wrong with me. I never had friends over, and I used to spend hours in my room, just reading and drawing."
"You draw?" She asked. Kasen nodded slightly before blushing profusely.
"A little."Pushing his hands in his pockets, Kasen looked down at his feet.
"Will you show me some later?" She asked around a smile. Again, Kasen just nodded. Adriana opened her mouth to ask when, but the sound of a commotion in the other room, and people run around the corner to the living room cut her off.
Adriana took one look at Kasen, and they quickly followed the crowd. In the living room the dance area was deserted as people were in a circle around a pair or fighting boys, one of which Adriana quickly identified as her brother.
"Sam!" She screamed when she watched him take a punch to the face. She couldn't tell who he was fighting. "Stop it!" She wanted to break them up but she wasn't sure how. There was a break when Sam stumbled backward against a table, the other boys back was to Adriana as she reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him from going after Sam again. "Hey!" The boy turned, and she saw exactly who it was.
Ryan was her ex. She had no idea what he was doing there, but the sight of him made her freeze. Ryan had turned around to hit whoever had grabbed him, but when he saw it was Adriana he stopped.
"Adriana get away. This is between me and your brother."
