Chapter One

Renko

“Because I don’t want to.” I mean really, isn’t that a good enough reason not to want to go somewhere?

“Renko, you have to.” My best friend, Ashlyn wouldn’t give up on the pestering of wanting me to go to the big upcoming party next weekend.

Our friend Suri, well not really a friend but more of a rival in the social ladder competition that we were all trying to climb in our last year of high school, was supposed to be throwing this huge get-together for all the big who’s who of our school. Usually, that meant that the usual crowd would show up, like all the popular kids, and then they would be so drunk halfway through the party, that no one cared who else showed up. I mean I’ve been there and done that so many times that it was becoming routine anymore. The only thing about Tori’s that was different from all the other parties is that the group of partiers didn’t have to sneak around when parents weren’t home. Her mom, who was a hot, newly divorced and apparently, in love with that fact and could date anyone who came her way, allowed Suri to have these parties without any supervision.

“I mean really, Renko. Our senior year is our last year of school. Who knows if we will see each other after high school and you want to ruin the moment by being stubborn.” Ashlyn flopped herself down on my bed and grabbed a pillow to tuck under her head. She looked up at me with those big brown puppy dog eyes thinking I was going to cave in with just that one sad look.

Ash and I were complete opposites in our appearances. She had long blonde hair, dyed of course, brown eyes, and an almost perfect body. She could always pick out several areas that needed some plastic surgery, but no one else ever saw the imperfections.

Me on the other hand had brown hair, natural, that was shoulder length. It wasn’t silky, shiny straight like Ashlyn’s, or full of bounce and waves like some hair shampoo model. I was just normal, in all ways than just my hair. My looks were average, no exceptional facial features, no triple D cup size in the boob department, and not a Victoria's Secret model in the area of sexiness. I was a brown-haired, brown-eyed, average-at-everything girl from a small town in the Appalachians. “We’re going to the same college, Ash. We’ll see each other all the time.”

We both had applied to and got accepted into Southern New Hampshire University, home of Petey Penmen. We both had different majors, mine was undetermined at this point since I had conflicting ideas of what I wanted to do with the next fifty years of my life, but Ashlyn knew since she was a little girl that she wanted to be a pediatric nurse. So, she was off to the big world of nursing while I questioned everything that I’d done and hadn’t done up until now.

“I know, but you need to go. You know Vance wants to go and probably will end up going even if you don’t.” Ashlyn bounced up off my bed and strolled over to my desk. She opened up my laptop and got on my account on I*******m. Even if I had logged out on my last visit, she would’ve still been able to get on since she knew my password. Of course, it had to deal with me and my long-time on and off again boyfriend, Vance. “See, lookie.” She pointed to Vance’s latest posting. ‘Going to a killer party next week.’

“Okay, so Vance is going. He’s a big boy, and he can do what he wants.”

He never told me anything about this party that got him all hyped up. I glanced at his profile and of course, it still read single. We’d been back together for the hundredth time for over a month now. I had mine changed back to ‘in a relationship’ but apparently, he didn’t think of it that way. He still had a picture of us on his front page, our cheeks pressed close together, and we were smiling happily, but that was taken during the summer on one of the rare occasions that we weren’t fighting.

“You know you love Vance, and he loves you. I don’t know why you two have to make this whole relationship thing more complicated than it has to be.” Ashlyn tossed my hairbrush back down after she’d swept it through her hair about a hundred times.

“I don’t know why he thinks he has to cheat on me with every ass that wiggles in front of his face.” That was one of the main reasons that we always broke up. He’s one of the biggest players in the school, in basketball and fucking around. But, I kept being drawn back into his sorry ass ways whenever he groveled and said he was sorry, it was all a mistake with the other girl, he’ll never do it again, he loved me, and every other excuse he can think of to get me back.

“Well, because he’s as big of an ass as every other guy in the world. But even you have to admit, he has a sweet-looking ass.” Ashlyn walked over and gave me a quick hug. “I have to get going. We’re going shopping this weekend to get wicked outfits for the party.”

“Ash, I said—” My sentence was cut short by her waving goodbye and shutting my bedroom door on her way out.

I didn’t want to go next weekend, but like Ashlyn said we are seniors, and our time for hanging out and having fun was coming to an end. We graduate in six more months and then, it’s off to becoming adults, having families, and more responsibilities than I wanted right now.

Okay, one last party, or maybe two, then it was time to settle down a bit.

*  *  *

“Hey, baby.” Vance put his arms around my waist and pulled me back against his chest.

I felt the muscles in his arms twitch with each movement he made. He was really in great shape from playing basketball all through school. Also, being rated an eleven on a scale of one-to-ten in sexiness and good looks made him, even more, appealing.

“Hey, what’s up?” I scooted out from his embrace and slammed my locker shut. Okay, he might have all those great qualities that make him a sex god, but I was still pissed off at him for not telling me he was going to Suri’s party.

“Okay, what’s wrong now?” Vance leaned his back up against my locker. He looked agitated that I was ragging about something.

“You didn’t tell me about Suri’s party, and you didn’t tell me you were going.” I stood beside him, so the other students wouldn’t have to walk around me.

Vance shook his head and rolled his eyes. “First, you don’t even like Suri. Second, you said you were done partying. And third, you can come if you want, it’s not like I was trying to sneak around and go.”

He was right on two accounts, but somehow I just didn’t believe him about the last one. I think if he were truly committed to me like he said, then he would’ve said, ‘Hey, I’m going to a party do you want to come?’ But no, my oh so not considerate boyfriend decided to tell the rest of the world where he would be next weekend and not me. “Whatever, Vance. I’m going. Ashlyn and I decided since all of you were going, we might as well live it up another weekend.”

We started to walk towards our next class, which was the only one we had together this year.

Vance took hold of my hand and began to run his thumb lightly across my fingers. “Maybe we can have a little more fun than usual at the party.”

Oh, my God. Is that all he ever thought about was when he was finally going to get into my panties? I’ve told him no since we started our see-saw relationship back in our tenth-grade year. He still pesters and frustrates me to hell and back with his constant bullshit of

‘C’mon, baby. Why can’t we take our relationship to the next level?’

Well, how about I’m not ready, and you’ve been with how many other girls since we started dating?

Yes, I was still a virgin and yes, I wanted love before I decided to give all of me away to some guy. I’m just not sure if Vance is the right man.

I shook my hand loose from his. “Let’s just go to class.”

Vance let out an enormous sigh and opened the door to the classroom. There was the onset of welcomes from his fellow teammates, and he quickly left my side to be with them.

Why is it if I’m not giving out the goods, then he no longer acts interested in the total package? I took my usual seat by the sidewall and texted Ashlyn that we would be going shopping.