"The party starts at 10:30, so I'll meet you there." Louisa says, waving goodbye. I unlock my car and throw my bag on the passenger side.

I'm about to get into my car when I feel a presence behind me. I turn around and notice it's the douche who was standing in the middle of the hall like he owned the place.

"Do you need something?" I ask, for the second time this day. A hint of a tattoo is visible on his neck and it leads up to cold dark eyes. And this eyes belong to a very attractive face I might add. If he wasn't glaring down at me I might have a little crush.

"You forgot to apologize." He takes a step towards me and I back up against my car.

"Apologize for what?" I ask. His eyes look predatory and I suddenly feel kind of frightened. "For running into you? Get your head out of your ass, you were taking up the whole damn hallway."

The closer he gets I notice how tall he actually is. He's like a head taller than me but I keep my feet planted. "You obviously don't know who I am." His hands come out and place themselves on either side of me. Keeping my back against the car.

"And you obviously don't know anything about personal space, shithead." My words seem to do nothing to him because the corner of his mouth curls up into a smirk.

Then I notice where his eyes are looking. They're locked on my lips. My face burns at this proximity and my lips become suddenly dry under his stare.

"Am I making you nervous, kitten?" My heart thumps loudly and my skin prickles at how close he is. Yes.

"No," To prove my statement, I get close enough so my lips are close enough to tickle his ear. His hands skin my waist and I feel his hard chest against mine. "But you should be, because I'm close enough to knee you in the balls."

He jerks away from me quickly and I didn't even have to knee him in the family jewels. A grin spreads across my face. Glaring at me as I enter my car, he watches me as I leave the school parking lot.

I have a feeling I will eventually see him again.

'.'.'.'

"Catriona." My mother practically sings when she hears the front door close behind me. "How was school?"

My mom sits in the middle of the living room floor going through boxes. "Fine, I guess." Mom smiles and tucks a stray hair behind her ear.

"Well, I'm glad." Throwing my school bag on the couch I sit down in front of her on the floor. "I think this is it, Cat. This is the place where we will settle."

It's not the first time she's said that actually. I don't point it out though. Giving her an encouraging smile, I help her sort through the boxes containing our junk.

"So, I got invited to a party tonight." I pipe up. "I know it's a school night and everything but I feel like I need to at least try to be a normal teenager."

She looks up at me her honeyed eyes locked on mine. "You've never went to a party before. Why the sudden interest?"

I sigh. Didn't I just fucking tell her? "I need to be normal mom. I'm a senior I need to experience things."

"Do you even know what happens at parties, Catriona?" She asks. "Sex. That's what happens. Also drugs. So don't get mad at me when I'm not exactly excited about it."

I roll my eyes internally. If my mom ever catches me rolling my eyes in front of her she'd grab the closest thing and smack me with it. I learned the hard way.

"I'm not going to do drugs or have sex, I just want to mingle with my friends." It's hard to even believe myself.

"Maybe I should talk to your father." She mumbles. My eyes widen.

"No," I say a little too quickly. "I don't want to bother him at work. I won't be out late. I'll be back by eleven and I'll keep my phone on me at all times."

She looks hesitant to reply. "Maybe I'll let you go for just a little while. Just promise me that you'll stay away from boys."

"Yes of course." I roll my eyes internally again.

"Remember what I told you about young men." I flinch at her next sentence. "They're young, dumb and full of cu-"

"Mom!" I yell. "You've told me this before. I know." I get up before she can continue rambling. Kissing her forehead, I head upstairs.

Walking into my room, I weave my way through my unpacked boxes. No use to unpack them.

I only unpacked my clothes and bed sheets. I'm not going to fret over what I'm going to wear to the party because I'm just wearing the jeans I have on and I old t-shirt.

I check the time on my phone and realize it's five hours until it starts.

Why am I even going? I never felt this interested before. I plop on my bed and wonder what I'm going to do to pass the time.

My eyes instantly draw to one of the moving boxes. The box that contains all my books. I get up, my bed creaking and tear off the tape sealing it shut.

I have a thing for classic books. My favorite so far is Catcher in the Rye. I've read this book a dozen times but I seem to always pick it up and start reading it again.

I search through the neat pile and find it. Taking the book I sit myself back on my bed and open the first page.

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born...

'.'.'.'

I read for five hours straight. When I check the time it's 9:05. Saving my place, I get up and change my t-shirt for something more appropriate.

I end up just putting on a pale blouse, no need to go all out.

I glance over myself in the mirror and decide to put my hair up into a pony tail. There. I look approachable and friendly.

Glancing over the directions again, I tuck my phone into my back pocket and head downstairs. My mom sits on the couch and glances over at me. "Be safe, Cat."

I give her a thumbs up before grabbing my keys and heading outside. The cold air hits me and I run back inside, grabbing my jacket.

Times like these I wish I was back in Florida's climate. Hopping in my car, I crank the heat. Winter is just around the corner and I don't think I'll survive in this bitter climate.

The directions were easy to follow and when I got closer to the house I heard the music pounding. I park a block away incase someone might block me in the driveway.

The front door is wide open and I step in hesitantly. People are holding red solo cups grinding against on another or talking. I'm instantly greeted by Louisa.

She clutches a cup with what I assume is alcohol and smiles drunkenly at me. I check the time. What a fucking lightweight.

"Hey, glad you made it Catriona." She loops an arm though mine. "Come join us."

By us she means all her drunken friends lounged out on the couches. "Do you want a drink?" She asks, yelling over the music.

I shake my head. "No I'm good." Rule number one: never drink at parties. I stand awkwardly by as Louisa mingles with her friends.

I end up watching the people on the dance floor, jumping about and having fun. Feeling a tap on my shoulder I turn around.

A guy smiles sheepishly at me. "I've never seen you around before." He offers his hand. "I'm Rick."

I end up smiling back and taking his hand. "Catriona. I just moved up here from Florida." I find it easy talking to this dimpled guy and I accept his offer when he asks me to dance.

Immersing myself in the music, I sway my hips back and forth. Soon my body is getting closer to his and I press my back against his chest. Everybody is so packed together and the smell of sweat and alcohol fill the air.

I find myself enjoying the sounds and letting loose a little. His hands latch onto my waist and I stop myself from protesting. I need to let myself experience. Its not like he's having sex with me.

I feel him lean down place his lips against my ear to say something but it's so quiet that I just ignore him. I feel the sweat start to glisten on my skin and his fingers tighten almost painfully on my hips. "Ow!"

I try to move away but he tugs me against him. My butt get pressed against his crotch and I freak. "Let go of me!" I struggle to get his hands off me.

One hand slithers up until he cups my right boob. He squishes it hard and I yelp. "Get of asshole!"

Suddenly, he's off me and I turn around to find him on the floor getting his face smashed in by the guy who confronted me near my car.

Rick puts his hands up but that doesn't seem to soften the blows. "Don't you fucking touch her again! If I find out you do I'm cut your balls off! You hear me!?" He yells.

"Stop." I say, after seeing Rick's bloody face. "Stop! He's had enough."

I grab the attackers arm and he stops punching Rick when he feels my hands on his body. He gets up abruptly and I let go. His dark eyes glint with anger and I'm fully aware that everyone now is watching us.

That's my cue to leave. I make a beeline for the exit and I can feel him hot on my tail. I expect him to follow.

Once outside, I spin around and he almost runs into me. "Look. You didn't have to do that." The music is still thumping from inside the house and the moonlight clothes us while we stand a foot apart on the perfectly mowed lawn.

"He was groping you." He growls. I watch as his jaw clenches and I feel warm and fuzzy. That's probably the hottest thing a guy can do. "That fucker deserved it."

"I had it handled!" I say. A part of me doesn't believe what I said but I continue. "He didn't deserve to be beaten to a pulp."

His eyes darken dangerously. "So you liked the way he grabbed your fucking tits? What are you? A fucking whore?" His words hit me like a punch to the face and my hand comes up to smack him but he grabs my wrist before I can.

"You don't fucking know me. I didn't like the way he was grabbing me, but I also didn't like the way you made it your fucking business to dish out the punishment." I seethe. I'm well aware at how close are bodies are.

He leans down to my ear. "Did you expect me to sit back and watch him molest you?" He drops my hand and steps away like he's been burned.

And I feel like fucking trash. Here I am giving him shit about punching the fuck out of some guy and I didn't even thank him for intervening. Because I'm not his problem.

Things could have gone bad and deep down I knew that I couldn't handle it. I wasn't strong enough to stop him. Nobody else noticed me struggling except him.

I sigh and bite my lip. "Thank you." I say to his back. "And I'm sorry."

He turns around with a fucking smirk on his face. "That's all I wanted to hear, kitten." He walks up close and tucks a stray hair behind my ear. "Now, I just have to think of a way you'll repay me."

I step back. "Fuck you." For one second I thought this guy saved me out of the goodness of his heart, turns out it was his dick making the choices.

"We could definitely do that. Right here in the yard? It's pretty chilly."

I turn and start walking back to my car. "Can I at least have your name, kitty cat?" He calls after me.

"Catriona." I don't know why I gave him my name. Maybe because I don't want me to call me kitten anymore.

I can feel his eyes on me as I walk away from the house and it has me smiling.