"Cool, lets get you a drink." Zed smiles and walks into the kitchen. I follow behind, mentally psyching myself up so I can get through this party. I wanted to stop over and curse Hardin out, tell him to never speak to me again, slap him and rip Molly's pink hair out of her head. However, he would probably find that amusing, so I decide to gulp down the entire cherry vodka sour that Zed made me and ask for another. Hardin has ruined too many of my nights, and I refuse to be that girl.

"Woah, slow down killer. You already drank two!" Zed laughs as I hold my cup out for another drink within minutes.

"It tastes really good." I laugh and lick the remaining cherry flavoring off my lips.

"Well, lets just take it slow on this one, yea?" he smiles and I agree.

"I think we are about to play another round of truth or dare." He informs me. What is with these adults and their annoying games of truth or dare? I thought people stopped playing those ridiculous games when they were in high school. The pain in my chest returns as my mind goes over all of the things Hardin and Molly may have been dared to do.

"What did I miss during the last round?" I ask him with my best flirty smile that I can manage. I probably look insane but he smiles back so it seems to work.

"Just some drunk people sucking face, the usual." he laughs. The lump in my throat rises but I swallow it back down with my drink. I give a fake laugh and continue to drink out of my cup as we make our way back to the couch. Zed takes a seat on the floor diagonal from Hardin and Molly's spot on the couch and I sit down next to him, closer than I usually would but that's the point. Hardin's eyes draw to slits but I ignore him. Molly is still perched on his lap like the whore she is, and Steph gives me sympathetic smile and glances towards Hardin. The vodka is beginning to take its effect as Nate's turn comes.

"Nate, truth or dare?" Steph asks and Nate smiles.

"Truth." he answers and she rolls her eyes.

"Pussy" she says. Her colorful language never ceases to surprise me. "Is it true that you pissed in Tristan's closet last weekend?" She asks and they all start laughing except me. I have no clue what they are talking about.

"No! I already told you guys that wasn't me!" He groans and everyone continues to laugh. Zed looks over and winks at me in the middle of his laughter. Geez he is hot. Really hot.

"Tessa, you playing?" Steph asks and I nod. I look up at Hardin and he is staring at me. I smile at him and look back at Zed. The frown on his face takes a little of the pressure off my chest. He should feel as terrible as I do.

"Okay, truth or dare?" Molly asks. Of course she would be the one to ask me.

"Dare." I bravely say. God knows what she will have me do.

"I dare you to kiss Zed." She says and a few gasps and chuckles are heard.

"We already know how she feels about kissing people, pick something else." Hardin says through his teeth.

"Actually, it's fine." He wants to play, we can play.

"I don't think.." Hardin starts to say.

"Shut up Hardin." Steph says and gives me a knowing smile.

"I can't believe I agreed to kiss Zed, even though he is one of the most attractive people I have ever seen, I have only really kissed Noah and Hardin, Johnny from elementary school doesn't count.

"You sure?" Zed asks. He is trying to act concerned but I can see the excitement in his perfect features.

"Yea, I am sure." I answer and take another drink before sitting it next to me. Everyone's eyes are on us as Zed licks his lips and leans in to kiss me. His lips are cold from his drink and I can taste the sweetness of the cherry juice on his tongue. His lips are soft, yet hard against mine and his tongue moves expertly with mine. I feel the heat rising in my stomach, not nearly as hot as with Hardin, but it still feels good. Zed's hands move to my waist and we both move up to our knees.

"Okay.. damn she said kiss, not fuck each other in front of everyone." Hardin says and Molly tells him to shut up. Hardin looks mad, beyond mad. But he brought this upon himself. Part of me had assumed he would have Molly get off his lap by now, but he hasn't.

I pull away from Zed and feel my cheeks flush as everyone stares at us. Steph gives me a thumbs up and I look at the ground. Zed looks very pleased and I feel embarrassed but thrilled with Hardin's reaction.

"Tessa, your turn to ask Tristan." Zed says. Tristan chooses dare so I give him the least creative dare and have him take a shot.

"Zed truth or dare?" Tristan asks as he chases his shot. I down the rest of my drink, the more I drink, the more numb my emotions become.

"Dare." Zed answers and Steph whispers something in Tristan's ear.

"I dare you to take Tessa upstairs for ten minutes." He says and I choke on my breath. This is too much.

"That's a good one!" Molly says and laughs at my expense. Zed looks at me as if asking me if I'm okay with it. Without thinking, I stand up and grab Zed's hand. He looks as suprsied as everyone else but he stands up with me and grips my hand.

"This isn't part of truth or dare, this is.. uhm well it's fucking dumb." Hardin says.

"Why does it matter? They are both single and it's all in good fun, so why do you care?" Molly asks him.

"I.. I don't care. I just think it's stupid." Hardin answers and my chest hurts again. He obviously had no plan on telling any of his friends that we are .. were.. whatever we were. He has been using me this entire time, I am just another girl to him and I was foolish, beyond foolish to think otherwise.

"Well good thing it's none of your business Hardin." I snap and pull Zed by the hand.

"Burn!" Damn!" I hear a few voices say and Hardin cuss at them as we walk away from them. We find a random bedroom right up the stairs and Zed pulls the door open and turns the light on. Now that I am away from Hardin, I a beginning to feel much more nervous being alone with Zed. No matter how angry I am at Hardin, I don't want to mess around with Zed, well I wouldn't say I don't want to, but I know I shouldn't. I am not that type of girl.

"So what do want to do?" I squeak.

He chuckles a little and leads me to the bed. Oh lord.

"Let's just talk, yea?" He says and I nod and look down at the floor.

"Not that I wouldn't love to do many other things with you, but you're intoxicated and I want you to be fully aware of what's going on. I don't want to take advantage of you." He tells me and I gasp.

"Surprised?" He beams and I laugh.

"A little." I admit.

"Why? I'm not a jerk, like Hardin." he says and I look away again. "You know, I thought you and Hardin had something going on for a little bit."

"No.. we are just.. well we were friends but not anymore." I don't want to admit how stupid I was for believing Hardin's lies.

"So are you still seeing your boyfriend from high school?" He asks. I am relieved to stop talking about Hardin.

"No, we broke up."

"Oh, that's too bad. He was a lucky guy." he smiles. He is so charming. I find myself staring into his caramel eyes, his eye lashes are fuller than mine.

"Thanks." I flush and he smiles wider.

"Maybe I could take you out sometime? On a proper date? Not into a bedroom at a frat party." he laughs nervously.

"Uhmm.." I don't know what to say.

"How about I ask again tomorrow when you're sober?" He is much nicer than I thought he would be. Usually guys as attractive as him are jerks, like Hardin.

"Deal" I agree and he takes my hand again.

"Let's go back down." He suggests and I nod. When we walk back downstairs Hardin and Molly are still on the couch, but Hardin has a drink now and Molly has her legs draped over him from the side, instead of sitting on his lap. Hardin's eyes dart down to Zed and I's intertwined hands, I jerk away without thinking but then grab his hand again. Hardin clenches his jaw and I look away.

"How was it?" Molly smirks.

"Fun." I answer and Zed stays quiet. I will thank him later for not correcting me.

"It's Molly's turn." Nate announces as we sit back on the floor.

"Truth or dare?" Hardin asks her.

"Dare of course." She tells him. He looks right into my eyes and says, "I dare you to kiss me."

My heart stops, literally. It stops beating, he is a bigger asshole than I ever imagined. My ears are swimming and my heart is pounding as a boastful glance is shot by way by Molly before she latches herself to Hardin. All the anger I feel towards Hardin is washed away and replaced by hurt, its all consuming and I feel the hot tears on my face. I can't watch anymore, I am on my feet and pushing past the drunk crowd within seconds. I hear Zed and Steph both call after me and the room feelings like it's spinning and when I close my eyes all I can see is Molly and Hardin. I finally reach the door and the fresh air fills my lungs and brings me back to reality. How could he be so cruel? I run down the stairs on the sidewalk, I have to get away from here. I wish I would have never met him, I wish I would have had a different roommate, I even wish I would have never came to WSU.

"Tessa!" I hear and I turn around, convinced I am imagining it until I see Hardin running after me.