(Complete)
After a terrible encounter at a party, one year later, Hailey Fonte is ready to return to her hometown. With everyone against her because of last year's events and horrible rumors, Hailey must overcome many hurdles, which includes coming...
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I park in front of Jana's house and walk up to the front door with nothing but my phone and keys. It is six o'clock as she asked, and when I ring the doorbell it takes five seconds for her to answer. She leads me past the living room where her parents are watching television. I greet them in the second that she gives me, as Jana is already on the stairs, telling me to hurry up.
Once in her room with the door closed, I ask, "They're letting you go to a party on a Monday night? Or are you sneaking out again?"
"I told them that we're going to a basketball game for school. I just have to be back by eleven," she says. "Here, I have your outfit."
I glance down at her bed where the outfit is laid out. "A black dress, great."
"Not just a black dress, this is the black dress. It's tight, sleek, simple, and perfect for any occasion."
I let out a short laugh. "Yeah, a funeral. Just give it to me so I can put it on."
She hands me the dress, unamused, and I slip into her bathroom. "Don't you want to look nice for Daniel?"
"Sure, but it's not like we're going to date or anything," I tell her through the door, "I mean it was a nice kiss, it didn't make me cry, so I think that's a good place to end it."
"End it?"
"Why ruin a good thing? I want to enjoy the fact that I can kiss people and not mess it up by going too far, too soon."
"But you can't just kiss people, you can kiss Daniel. Did you ever stop to think that you feel better with him because of him, not because you've gotten over what happened to you? I don't want to sound like an ass, but maybe it's not just you, maybe he's helping you move on too."
I pull up the dress, thinking about Jana's theory. Maybe it is possible, maybe Daniel is helping me. "I need you to zip it."
I walk out and Jana takes hold of the zipper. "If it wasn't Daniel, maybe the kiss would have made you cry. It's not the act, it's the person you're with. Maybe Daniel makes you feel safe."
I turn around and give her a small smile. "Maybe."
Jana grabs two hoodies from her closet and gives me one to put on while she uses the other. With masked outfits, we walk casually past her parents and throw them in the back seat when we make it to my car. By now, I know the way to Watts', and we're off.
"How many people are going to be there?"
"Jordan and Taylor, Daniel, Watts, a few of Watts' friends, you, me," Jana says. "Maybe ten, twelve, fifteen at the most. Just wait until the big parties."
