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"You and Alex seem to be getting closer," Hazel says from the bathroom.

It's Saturday night, the night of the "victory" party, and Hazel is applying makeup and doing her hair at the sink while I flip through the latest chapter we went over in my English class.

"We're just friends," I remind her, shaking my head even though she can't see me.

"Are you trying to tell me you won't get jealous if somebody hits on him while we're at the party?"

I pause, my highlighter still pressed against the page. I hadn't even thought about how it would make me feel to see other girls hanging on Alex. I've dealt with women looking at him when we walk through campus together, but I haven't been around when they get handsy.

"What do you mean?"

Hazel pokes her head into the hall with narrowed eyes. "I mean if you have feeling for the guy you need to tell him."

Feelings for Alex? Do I? It sounds strange to me, even in my head. Since the day we skipped classes to go ice skating and I owned up about my past things have felt a little more intimate between us. Alex finds more reasons to touch me, and I don't just mean playing with my hair like he usually does. He touches my waist, lower back, or my leg when we're around each other. But I haven't had many guy friends to know if that's just a normal thing to do, and Alex already admitted that he hasn't had any platonic relationships with the female sex either.

Hazel becomes aggravated by my sudden silence. "Well, do you have feelings for him?"

I suck my lower lip between my teeth, afraid to answer. After another short pause I say, "Alex is great. He's always making me laugh, he's unbelievably smart and pushes me to do better in my classes, and of course he's handsome as hell, but..."

"But?"

"How do I know that he cares about me more than a friend?" The question leaves me feeling exposed, and I want nothing more than to curl up into a tight ball and hide from the embarrassment.

Hazel knows that I'm a virgin, but what she doesn't know is that my "game" drops to absolute zero when it's the real thing. I can flirt unabashedly when we play for money in pool or with friends, but being on real dates or being around someone I'm attracted to causes me to freeze up and become awkward and unsure of myself.

She sets down her curling iron and hurries over to me, sitting on the arm of the couch. "You just have to put yourself out there, babe. No one ever really knows what another person is thinking. What would Nichole say?" This time when she brings up my therapist it isn't for her to gain something in return.

"She would probably say something cheesy," I admit with a dry laugh. "Like 'life is all about taking risks, Mabel,'" I say, imitating her high-pitched voice.

"Exactly." Hazel reaches out to flick my forehead once. "Now get your nose out of that book and go get ready. I want to see skin. I don't care how cold it is out there tonight, we're going to get Alex to see you for what you really are: a hot-blooded woman."

I blush at her words, but do as I'm told. I close my book and toss it haphazardly back onto the couch as I scurry to the closet in my bedroom.

After rummaging through nearly my entire wardrobe I finally settle on a high-waisted pale coral colored pleated mini skirt that makes the green in my eyes. I pair it with a tight fitting, long-sleeved white crop top with an open back. Once I'm finished dressing I stare at my reflection in the full-sized mirror near my desk, and a sense of pride flood through me. Hazel enters the room with a soft knock and grins when I present my outfit to her with a twirl.

"You look fantastic," she gushes with a wide smile.

I study her face for a moment. "But?"

"One second." She holds up a finger and then dashes back out of the room. When Hazel returns she's holding a pair of thigh highs and a garter belt.

"I thought you had something against stockings," I tease, rolling my eyes.

"Oh please. Right now you look ten kinds of cute, but we need to mix in some sexy."

✖️✖️✖️

Butterflies flutter in my stomach on the ride over, threatening to crawl up my throat. I keep reminding myself that there's no reason to be nervous, that it's only Alex, but it's no use.

Hazel pats my hand reassuringly before we step out of the SUV. I'm distinctly aware as the autumn wind blows that the skirt I'm wearing is dangerously close to giving the driver a peek at my panties, and I rush to flatten it down. We flash our fake IDs to the bouncer who barely even looks at them before letting us into the packed bar.

Tyler is the first one to notice our arrival and he runs straight up to Hazel, wrapping his arms tightly around her midsection.

"Hey gorgeous," he says, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

I duck my head, feeling as though I'm intruding on their moment of pure affection.

Hazel giggles girlishly beside me. I've never seen her this way with a guy. Usually she's the dominant one in her relationships, but I can tell she's eased back a bit to let Tyler take the reins.

Tyler's attention shifts to me and he shoots me a lazy, boyish grin. "Hey Mabes," he greets me using Alex's nickname. "Glad to see you made it."

I smile warmly back at him. "Thanks Ty."

He leads us to a crescent shaped booth in the far corner where Alex and their teammate Lucas are seated with two other girls. My heart drops at the sight of them laughing together, and Hazel snatches my hand to give it a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

Alex is still laughing when he turns to face us, but when his eyes land on me his smile falters. Every inch of my bare skin ignites under his stare as it rakes over me, starting at my face and dipping down to my toes which are uncomfortably squished in a pair of matte black heels. He cocks his head to one side in a quizzical manner, his brown eyes darkening.

Tyler slides in first, bringing Hazel and I along with him until I'm seated on the end, straight across from Alex. I don't catch the names of the two other girls sitting with us, but they continue to flirt unabashedly with Lucas and Alex, eager for their attention.

A bartender stops by with shots of tequila for everyone, congratulating the team members on their win. I'm the first one to down the shot of alcohol and it burns a trail of fire down to my stomach the moment it hits my tongue.

"Whoa babe," Hazel says with wide eyes.

I suck the lime, smiling at her around the peel. "I think I'm going to get another."

She laughs, but there's a concerned edge in her expression. "Looking for some liquid courage?" Her words are only meant for me, but due to the volume of the music playing in the background she raises her voice enough that nearly the entire table hears what she says.

Alex's jaw tightens. "Trying to get lucky, Mabes?" he asks lightly. His tone doesn't match his suddenly hard eyes, but I try not to read into it too much.

"Something like that," I reply coyly.

He eyes me warily as he presses the shot glass to his lips and tips it back.

"Hazel I'm going up to get another drink, do you want anything?"

Hazel has just taken her shot and shakes her head at me, fighting a grimace. "I'm going to wait it out a little bit, but if you want I can come up with you."

"I'll be fine," I promise her as I slide out from the booth.

I wiggle my way through the crowd until I reach the bar and order a rum and coke. I don't know what I had expected by coming here dressed the way I am, but I suddenly feel a bit let down. I took a chance getting all dolled up, but now it just leaves me with a sense of vulnerability having gone unnoticed. Maybe Hazel was wrong and it was a bad idea to ever think that Alex would actually think of me as anything more than a friend. Up until when we walked in it seemed as though he was enjoying talking to the two other women at the table, and who am I to try and stand in his way?

"Hey, I don't think I've seen you around before," a voice says, making me jump.

I whirl around to find an unfamiliar face staring back at me.

"Are you here to celebrate with us?" the guy asks. He's taller than me by close to a head and has very boyish features. Big blue eyes, a clean shaven face, and shaggy brown hair that could use a trim.

"Yeah, Alex invited me." I hand the bartender money for my drink before returning my attention to the hockey player.

His bright blue eyes widen momentarily at the mention of Alex's name, but then he sticks out his hand with an easygoing grin. "I'm Dave. Any friend of our future captain is a friend of mine."

Future captain? My gaze darts back to Alex and find that his eyes are glued to me.

"I'm Mabel," I say, shaking Dave's hand. I sip my drink, grimacing slightly at the strength of it.

"Well Mabel, would you like to dance?"

I shrug nonchalantly and all Dave to lead me to the makeshift dance floor. There are only a few other people dancing, but more and more people begin filling the space in the front of the DJ.

✖️✖️✖️

We dance together for what feels like forever. I allow Dave to hold me close, my bottom pushed against his front as we move our hips to the beat. I have to admit that he's quite a decent dancer, but it just doesn't feel as thrilling as I'm sure it could.

"I don't think I've seen you before at any of our other parties," Dave murmurs with his mouth at my ear.

I gulp down the last of my rum and coke. "I usually don't like parties."

"No? Why not?"

I giggle at the way his hair tickles my cheek and pull away from him slightly. "I would just rather be at home," I answer honestly, turning to face him.

"That's a shame." I raise an eyebrow in question and Dave's cheeks flush the tiniest bit. "A girl like you is too pretty to spend her Saturday nights at home alone."

I study his face for a moment, my lips pressed together into a firm line, before deciding his words are genuine. There's no wolfish glint in his eyes that usually appears when someone hits on me, which that itself is refreshing. He seems to honestly just find me attractive, and doesn't appear as though he's expecting anything to come from him voicing his opinion on my looks.

"How does a cute little thing like you become friends with someone like Woodsie anyway?" Dave asks with a furrowed brow.

"How does a nice guy like you end up on the hockey team?" I shoot back with a grin.

"Touché. Hockey players are douche bags."

I roll my eyes with a laugh and hold up a solitary finger, silently asking him to wait for me, before scurrying up to the bar to place down my empty cup.

Maybe this is what I need. Someone kindhearted and who doesn't appear to play mind games. I ponder this thought on my walk back to Dave, feeling lost in my own head. Alex is a great guy, and an even better friend, but I'm not sure how I'll handle another burned ex-hook-up like Kelsey if he and I were to get involved.

When I make it back to Dave he smiles and pulls me to him for another dance. My heart doesn't flutter with him the way it does around Alex, and my skin doesn't feel as alive when Dave touches me, but he does have a calming aura to him.

"Mind if I cut in, Davey?" Alex asks suddenly, startling me.

We both turn to find him watching us with an amused expression, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Dave looks to me for approval, and I offer him an apologetic smile.

He shrugs and motions to Alex. "All yours man. I'll see you later, Mabel."

Alex's large hands find my hips and he tugs me close. "Really Mabes? You can do so much better than Davey Miller." His hot breath tickles my skin as he speaks. "The kid is a dweeb."

The music playing is by no means slow enough to be dancing this way, but I wrap my arms around Alex's neck anyway and let him lead me to his own beat as he sways our bodies side to side.

"He seems nice," I say defensively.

"Nice?" he repeats with a scoff. "Is that what you want? Some kind of Prince Charming?"

I want to say no. I want to tell Alex that what I want is him, but the words stick in my throat.

When I don't show any indication of answering, he pulls back, his warm brown eyes searching my face. "Mabel?"

Letting out a defeated sigh, I drop my forehead against his chest. "I have to pee," I mumble into his shirt.

"What was that?"

"I said I have to pee," I repeat. God that's embarrassing. "Come with me?"

Alex lets out a hearty laugh. "I'll watch you do just about anything Mabes, but I draw the line at urinating."

"Shut up. I just need you to block the door," I tell him, shoving lightly at his shoulder. "The women's room is going to have a line and I don't feel like waiting. I need you to make sure nobody comes in after me when I go in the men's room."

Understanding shines in his eyes and Alex nods, taking me by the hand to lead me to the back of the bar. He peeks inside the men's restroom before giving me the thumbs up and holding open the door for me. I step inside and am immediately bombarded by the scent of stale beer. My heels click—and somewhat stick—to the tile floor as I search for a stall that doesn't look entirely horrendous.

After I'm done I wash my hands and take a quick peek in the mirror at myself. My green eyes are wide and glassy as they stare back at me in the reflection, and my hair falls in loose waves around my face. I had straightened it before coming, but after dancing in such a confined space the perspiration from being surrounded by trapped body heat has dampened my hair. I look like an entirely different person dressed like this. It's not a bad thing, I like the girl in the mirror, but I also crave the comfortability that comes with wearing looser clothing.

"You need to work on voicing what you want," Nichole's words ring clear through my head. "Try not to let fear rule your actions. You're still young enough that you can take life by the reins and make your own decisions. You have the power to make things happen."

"I'm in control," I whisper to myself. "And I like Alex Woods."

The remainder of the small amount of alcohol I've had burns through my veins, bringing with it a new surge of confidence. I straighten my shoulders, nodding once to myself in the mirror, and turn on my heel to leave the bathroom.

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Guess who's going to be coming clean in the next chapter?

Let me know what you think is coming next—or even your general thoughts about this story so far—in a comment! and make sure to add this story to your reading list to stay updated!

Sorry for the wait that came with this update. I've been busy with catching up on the critiques I'm doing and also real world problems haha.