Chapter 27

A bang on the door made me jump, as Winston was trying to undo my bra. I froze, feeling so exposed, and Winston groaned.

"What?" he yelled out, and I could see the frustration on his face.

"Duke, open the door," his brother's voice called back.

"I'm busy," Winston called, avoiding my eyes.

"I got pizza," James said. "Isn't your dance tonight?"

Finally Winston glanced at me, but I looked away. "Yes. Be out in a few!" he called out to his brother.

I was glad my bra hadn't come all the way off, as I quickly did it back up and grabbed my shirt off the end of the bed. My heart was pounding, but Winston somehow looked relaxed. Happy.

"Penelope," he said, softly.

"Yeah?"

"Sorry -"

"No, don't." I shook my head. "I don't know why I was -"

Winston grinned, then pulled me close to him. I laid my head on his shoulder, sighing.

"I liked that," he admitted, his voice quiet. "You, being so..."

But I was embarrassed. "Are we together?" I blurted out.

He turned serious. "We've been hanging out for like two months. And even before that... I made it obvious that I was into you."

"Yeah."

"I basically think about you all the time."

"You do?"

"You get me, Penelope. More than anyone ever has."

I had never believed anything more than I believed him when he said that.

"Okay," I whispered.

"Okay?" he asked.

I turned my head to kiss his cheek. "We're together."

After some pizza with his brother, I put on my dress and shoes and added a bit of make up. I tied my hair up into a bun, too. I felt pretty, but I was so anxious for Winston to see me. When I walked out of his bedroom, he was dressed in a dress shirt and blue tie, and black pants. His hair was styled like I hadn't seen it before. He licked his bottom lip, as his eyes wandered over me.

"Fuck," he said, his voice too serious.

I smiled. "What?"

"You look amazing."

"You do, too," I whispered.

"We should... I guess it's time to go." He took my hand in his and we headed upstairs.

In his car, Winston kept looking at me with a look I'd never seen before. Excitement? Content? I was pretty sure I felt whatever he was feeling, too. We didn't talk about it, though.

"I can't believe we almost..." he said, slowly for a red light.

"I really... I wanted to," I told him, so he knew.

"Me too." He grinned, then his cell phone started ringing, and he answered, while driving again. "Yo... yeah... I'll be there soon. I'm driving. Five minutes."

I knew his school was further than that away, so I was a bit confused.

"We are meeting at this dude - Marcus' - house. He has a limo taking us to the school," Winston said to me before I could ask.

"Oh." I was surprised. "I thought you weren't close with anyone at school?"

"Marcus is just an old pal. He's kind of that arrogant jock guy, but I set him up with his girl, and he owes me."

I didn't know what any of that meant, really, but I nodded anyway.

Winston parked on the road by a nice house with a three car garage. For a moment, we just sat there, as if neither of us knew what we were even doing there.

"Well, let's go," he finally said, half smiling at me. "Ready?"

"I guess," I told him, then forced a smile.

I'd never been in a limo before, but it was obvious it wasn't a new experience for any of the people we were with. They passed around tiny bottles of alcohol and laughed and somehow included me like I'd been there with them before.

Marcus was a senior, who Winston had apparently know since freshman year. He was attractive in a strange, dark way. He said it was nice to meet me and also called Winston (Duke) an asshole in the same sentence. His girlfriend, Miranda, was this tiny brunette with big eyes, who hugged me like we were already friends. Another couple, Drake and Keltie, were with us, too. It was weird seeing Winston interact with people he knew from school, but also sort of nice. He kept me close the entire drive.

The dance was over the top. The gym was massive with a huge stage, a live band, fully decorated. The music was loud and the kids came in huge groups. I couldn't help but think of East, which was likely very similar tonight. I thought of Lex and Lydia and Matt and even Camilla, and how maybe I should have been with them instead of here, in this fancy school with all of these kids I didn't even know. But yet I felt like I belonged there, with Winston.

I'd never been to a school dance before, and Winston knew it. He made sure we got our photo taken and danced, close, to all of the slow songs. When Marcus pulled out a tiny bottle from his jacket pocket, and offered it to Winston, he looked at me first. I just smiled, trying to tell him I was okay with it. He poured some into his cup of punch and drank it back, all while keeping an arm around me.

An hour later, we were outside getting some fresh air, with Miranda and Keltie. They were both sort of drunk and leaning against the wall of the school. We were out in the pavilion, this huge gazebo above us.

"You two are cute," Miranda laughed, her eyes half closed. "Duke, don't screw up with this girl."

Winston pulled me closer and kissed my head, saying nothing back. It was dark and cold but I was just happy to be anywhere where he was. It was really hitting me hard that I'd never truly felt that kind of happiness.

The after party was conveniently at Marcus' house, which was where the limo took us too at the end of the night. It was late, but suddenly we were in the middle of a house party with mostly seniors from Winston's school. They were drinking, more than they already had, and smoking joints and dancing, then likely finding empty room to have sex in, too. Winston just seemed happy, in a way that I was starting to really like.

He tucked his hand into mine and leaned against the door way to the kitchen, grinning at me. He had had a few drinks and I liked how he smelled and how he made sure to be touching me at all times. It felt surreal, to be that girl who got to be at the party with Winston Duke.

"Heyyy... Dukey..." Miranda appeared from the next room, falling into us. She was plastered and could barely walk.

"Hey," Winston replied, then laughed.

"You know, I've never seen you like this," she went on, slurring words.

"Like... what?" he asked, squeezing my hand.

"Like, so lovey with a girl," she yelled, then laughed, too. "You're usually so complacent."

"Big word," he told her.

"I'm just saying... I like it. It looks good on you. Happiness," she went on, then stumbled a bit before walking away.

Winston pulled me closer, then kissed the side of my head. "I'm so happy."

"Me too," I replied, shutting my eyes to take it all in.

We fell asleep on a leather couch after 2 A.M., and I woke up to Winston shaking me gently, whispering that we should get going. The house was still filled with kids, mostly passed out around the living room and floor. He promised he was sober, so I followed him out to his car.

Driving back to his house in the middle of the night, he was quiet. Too quiet. I reached over to squeeze his leg at one point, and he gave me a lazy smile.

"Is it too good?" he asked, his voice a bit unsure.

"What?" I asked back.

"Us. It feels like it's too good, to be real," he repeated.

"Winston..."

"Penelope."

I finally smiled. "It's good. Really good."

"Yes, it is," he finished, then focused on the road for the rest of the drive.