"Absolutely not."

Candice stared at her mom as if she'd just suddenly announced she was running for president. "But it's just Faith's house. I go over there all of the time."

Her mom shrugged her shoulders as she continued filling up their dishwasher. "Yes you do, however before today, you've never given me any reason to worry about you and boys. Don't you think it's quite a coincidence that the very night I met your boyfriend, you told me you and him were going to a party at Faith's? And you're going to stay the night? Not happening. Maybe next weekend."

Candice couldn't remember a time she had ever felt even an inkling of teenage rebellion, but right now she found herself struggling. "Nothing is going to happen."

"Candice," her mom sighed, turning around to face her and leaning back on the counter. "I've just met the boy today. I need a little bit of time to acclimate. He seems like a nice enough boy, but it's just not going to happen. Now go tell him good night and walk him to the door."

"This is ridiculous!"

Her mom's gaze narrowed, and she pointed a threatening finger at Candice. "Now is not the time for you to suddenly develop an attitude, young lady. I said no."

Completely frustrated and at a loss, Candice turned on her heels and stomped out of the kitchen in search of Cooper. He hadn't moved from his seat on their couch, right next to her currently entertained sister. "She told you no, didn't she?"

A very small part of her wanted to stick out her tongue in annoyance, but instead, she clenched her jaw until she'd regained her composure and ignored her sister completely as she addressed Cooper. "Thanks so much for coming over for dinner. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be going to Faith's tonight, but maybe I'll see you tomorrow."

Cooper didn't seem to match her disappointment regarding the change and instead looked to be enjoying himself just as much as her sister. With an easy smile, he stood up and moved towards her. "No problem. I can call you and maybe we can go see a movie or something this weekend. Thanks for having me."

She wanted to cry. It was childish, she wasn't proud of the sudden need for tears, especially given that she'd originally been mad at him for agreeing to go in the first place, but she was beyond frustrated with the way her mom had acted. Hadn't she always been the model student, not to mention daughter? Was there no trust here? "I'm sorry," she whispered to him as she opened the front door for him.

He just smiled at her and touched her cheek reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, Candy. I'll text you." With that, he stepped out into the night, got into his car, and pulled away.

She slammed the door shut with enough force to convey her anger and then turned on her heels and stomped off to her room, slamming that door as well for good measure.

Ten minutes later, Eleanor slipped through the door, looking as happy as a clam. "I've been waiting for this moment since your freshman year."

Candice scowled at her, "Waiting for what?"

Instead of answering, Eleanor held out her hand expectantly. "Mom picked up another shift tonight and she'll be leaving soon. She expects you to sneak out, so she'll no doubt be tracking your phone. Give it to me."

Suspicious, but more curious than anything, Candice handed it over without argument and watched as her sister went through the motions of setting up call forwarding. "What are you doing?"

"You're going to leave your phone here with me. I'll send some texts, I'll respond if Mom texts you, and if she calls, it'll be forwarded to Coop's phone so you can just answer it from there somewhere quiet."

"But I can't just−"

Eleanor held up a hand and shook her head. "He already knows. I talked to him while you were arguing in the kitchen. Lock your bedroom door when I walk out and you can sneak out through your window. Coop is two blocks down by the old Peterson place." Still holding Candice's phone, Eleanor stood up with a wink. "Have fun tonight."

Candice stared at her sister, her brows furrowed. "Why are you helping? I've never helped you sneak out."

Eleanor snorted, "I've never needed your help. You're my sister; I'm just doing it to use as blackmail later." She slipped out the same way she slipped in and Candice stayed frozen for a moment as she realized in just a few minutes, that she and her sister's relationship and turned yet another corner.

Blinking away the feeling, she shot over to her closet to pull out an outfit. When she opened the door, she realized everything that had been neatly hung and organized by color and usage was currently crammed to either side to make very wide space for a single black off-the-shoulder dress that flared out just a bit at the bottom and looked like it would stop just about mid-thigh. When her sister had had time to sneak in and leave what was so clearly meant to be her outfit for the night, she had no idea, as she hadn't even told Eleanor they were going to a party.

It wasn't something she would normally be caught wearing. Even to a party− on the rare occasion that she went to one of Jay's− Candice usually just showed up wearing whatever she'd worn to school earlier in the day. This time, however, she thought of the boy waiting for her a few blocks away, as well as her surprisingly helpful sister, and decided she could put in some effort. Slipping into the dress, she set about turning on the curling iron resting on the vanity and worked diligently to carefully apply makeup.

After about forty-five minutes, hair and makeup complete, Candice found a pair of black flats in the back of her closet and slipped them on before moving to the window. She gave her bedroom door one uneasy glance, sucked in a breath, and found herself sneaking out of her window for the first time in her life.

***

She seemed to be taking her damn time. Coop tapped his fingers impatiently against the wheel and watched the corner of the street where Candy should be appearing. Any moment now. It wouldn't surprise him if she'd panicked at the sheer thought of going against her mother, per her sister's suggestion, and tucked herself up tight in bed. The only thing keeping him from just giving up was the fact that her sister had shot him a text, both from Candy's phone and her own. The first, apologizing for the abrupt end to the night, and letting him know that her mom had not okayed for her to go to any party, and the second one letting him know that it was all going according to plan and Candy would be on her way.

Just over an hour later, he caught a glimpse of something moving under the streetlight. Focusing his attention more closely on the movement, he made out the silhouette of a girl. Finally. He turned the ignition and flipped on his headlights, causing her to jolt in surprise as she lifted an arm to cover her eyes. He forgot how to breathe. Candy hurriedly moved to the passenger side door and slipped in, looking pale and nervous, no doubt from the entire chain of events she'd recently taken part in, in the last hour or so. She looked over at him, utterly panicked, "Is this a bad idea? This is a bad idea, isn't it? I should just go straight back inside. She's going to know, I can−"

"You look amazing."

She froze midsentence and turned her wide-eyed attention back on him. "What?"

She was sitting beside him in a black dress that showed off her smooth, pale legs as well as her equally smooth, pale shoulders, the hair she left tied up eight out of ten times fell around her in loose curls, and her face, typically bare of makeup, had just a hint of neutral eyeshadow as well as some liner and mascara. She hadn't done much, and Coop would easily label her as beautiful any other time he'd been around her, but tonight, she wasn't the perfectly put-together Candice. Tonight, she looked like a girl eager and ready to have fun.

"You look amazing. You'll be the center of attention. The girls will be jealous of how beautiful you are and the guys will be jealous that I've already got you because they were all too blind to try and get you before.

Her cheeks turned red and she quickly turned her head towards the window, but he caught a pleased smile. "Don't be ridiculous. It's just a dress and some eye shadow. Do you know the way to Faith's house?"

Coop nodded, even though she wasn't looking in his direction. "Your sister sent me the address. Do you think I can have a kiss for having waited so long? And suffering through your mother's cooking?"

She laughed at that and looked back at him before leaning over shyly to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "You were very polite. Thank you for that, I know how badly that chicken tasted. Now start the car, they're waiting for us."

***

It wasn't that Candice had never been to a party before; Jay had a party at least every other month, and as Faith lived there too, Hope, Cyn, and herself were always welcome. Candice rarely showed, and when she did, she'd have always made herself scarce before too many people had shown up; lounging in Faith's room, or hiding out in their parent's home office. There had always been alcohol and music; mainly down in the basement in what she assumed was an attempt to help lower the risk of noise complaints. Jay was usually extremely watchful regarding his sister and her friends when it came to the alcohol; though Faith had always managed to sneak a bottle or two of something or another into her room where they could drink without him putting an end to their fun.

Pulling up to their driveway and stepping out of the car with Cooper right beside her (and Spence directly behind as they had picked him up on their way) made it all an entirely different ballgame. They'd gotten here hours later than she normally would have and so she knew there would already be a decent crowd inside. She'd come a long way from the girl with her eyes to the floor in the hallway, but she wasn't so eager to put that new-found confidence to the test in this type of setting.

Apparently, she'd been staring a bit too long, frozen to the cement beneath her feet, because suddenly she felt Cooper's hand slip into hers and he was pulling her towards the house. "C'mon," Cooper said with a smile, "these are your friends. What's there to be nervous about?"

"Nice place," Spence said appreciatively, stepping up on her other side. "We should go in and thank Faith for the invite, yeah?"

Candice took the lead as they stepped up onto the front porch, opening the door and leading the other two through the entryway, dining room, kitchen, and then opening the basement door. Music, which had been muffled before, hit them at full volume as they made their way down the steps. Candice searched the space for any familiar faces as her anxiety began to grow and she felt herself moving closer to Cooper's side. "I'm not very comfortable with this many people."

The Thomas house had an open basement, fully finished. In one corner sat a rather impressive stereo system, which was currently being put to use as there were easily thirty people dancing and singing to the music. Cyn could be seen spotted in a pair of ripped jeans and a blue halter top at the center of the throng, eyes closed as she lost herself to the music. As if sensing Candice, her eyes opened and she smiled as she waved and made her way towards them.

"Hey, you made it!" Hope appeared at their side with a grin, followed closely by Faith. "Hey Coop, Spence. Do you want a drink?"

"Hi," Faith said with a very fleeting smile that Candice knew was her friend's attempt at friendliness. "Thanks for coming."

"Candy!" Cyn pushed happily between Hope and Faith to beam at the newcomers. "After it got crowded, I wasn't sure you were still coming."

"Thanks for including me, Faith," Spence said. "You guys have a nice place. Good music choice."

"Music is all Cyn," Hope informed him happily. "She handles the playlist for any party Jay throws. She's got an ear for it."

Spence shot Cyn a wink and she blushed, "Yeah, she does. Wanna dance with me Cyn?"

"I dance better on my own," Cyn replied with an easy shrug before turning back to Candice. "You look great, by the way."

It was Candice's turn to blush. She felt better with her friends surrounding her, but she felt the eyes of others around the room as they watched her stand beside Cooper with open curiosity. "Thanks. I think I'm going to grab that drink. Does anyone else want anything?"

"Keep a hold on her, Coop," Cyn warned good-naturedly. "Candy tends to disappear pretty quickly once the census hits a certain digit."

"Jay's promised to lay off the four of us tonight, so he shouldn't bug you if you try to grab a beer," Faith said nodding in the direction of her brother across the room standing with his girlfriend, Lily, and Matt beside a keg and a cooler. "Come find me later, okay? I'm going to go dance with Cyn."

"Oh yeah, me too." Hope agreed. "See you later!"

All three girls disappeared as quickly as they'd appeared, followed almost immediately by Spence, who mumbled something about third-wheels and was gone. Candice turned an anxious eye to Cooper, who'd been relatively quiet throughout the entire interaction and then her gaze shot almost against her will, towards the basement door. "It's fine. Let's just enjoy the night and grab a drink. I'll stick to water since I'm driving."

***

Coop came to a halt beside the keg and cooler, watching Candy out of his peripheral as she seemed to becoming more and more anxious. More for her benefit than his own, he'd brought them close enough to Jay and Matt that she might feel a little bit more comfort. Lily Jacobs stood directly beside her boyfriend and offered Coop a friendly smile before her gaze fell on Candy and she looked the other girl up and down assessingly. "Coop, it's been a while. How've you been?"

He nodded back, "Lily." Coop didn't have a problem with Lily; they'd made out a time or two, but he was fairly certain she never did that sort of thing if she was seeing someone. As far as the girls in their school went, she'd never struck him as vindictive. Regardless, her attention was making Candy nervous, so he shifted until most of her body was blocked by his.

Loosening his grip on her reluctantly, he took a step towards the cooler and shot her a look, "What do you want to drink?"

"I've got it," Jay said, holding out a wine cooler to Candy with a smile. "Candy's not big on beer."

Candy accepted, returning his smile. "Thanks."

"You're staying over tonight, right? So a little bit won't hurt."

"Oh," she frowned and shot Coop an uncomfortable look as she pushed some hair back behind her ear. "Actually, I snuck out tonight so I'll have to be home before morning."

Coop heard a snort and then felt the spray of liquid on the side of his neck. Turning in that direction, he realized Jay, who had been taking a swig of his own drink, had performed his very own spit take all over Coop's shirt.

"You did what?"

"Dude," Matt exclaimed, "you just spit all over him, man."

Candy's face had turned beet red and she shifted from foot to foot. "It wasn't a big deal. Cyn does it all the time."

Jay still looked completely taken aback by the news, but he turned his attention towards Coop. "Sorry. Come on upstairs, I can get you a clean shirt and toss this in the wash."

Unwilling to leave Candy on her own, Coop started to shake his head, "It's fine, it'll dry."

"I can stay with Candy," Matt offered with a smile and a wink. "We all know how quickly she disappears when left to her own devices."

Coop frowned at the other guy, the image of her tucked up underneath his arm on a rainy morning coming into his mind. Candy also shot him a disgruntled look before turning her attention towards Coop. "You don't want to smell like beer all night. It's not that bad. I'll be fine. See you when you get back." There'd been no room for discussion, so he just nodded and followed after Jay, shooting Matt one last look that he hoped conveyed just how happy he'd be to knock him out if he tried anything with his girl.

"I'll be right back."

"You seem to have won over Cyn and Hope," Jay said as he and Coop walked through the house toward his room. "Matt too."

***

Coop shrugged indifferently and Jay bit back the threat he wanted to offer up. He'd seen for himself how Candy took up for Coop, and after the incident at school, he'd also seen the look on Coop's face whenever Candy was around. He made short work of tossing Coop a shirt and headed for the door of his room. "If anything happens to her because of you, no one is going to be able to interfere this time."

"If anything happens to her because of me, I wouldn't stop you."

Jay's brow shot up, and he paused in the doorway to look back. "You really like her."

Coop pulled the borrowed shirt over his head before following. "She's impossible not to like." Neither boy felt the need to continue the conversation after that and so they just made their way back down to join everyone else.

***

Candice wasn't overly fond of drinking. She had a list of reasons; it was illegal, it lowered your inhibitions, it led to a loss of control...not to mention the scientific studies on the effects it had on brain development. She'd gotten completely drunk a total of two times, always with the encouragement of Faith. Tonight, she drank with the single-minded goal of becoming less anxious and more relaxed. Cooper hadn't been gone long before she'd downed her drink and gotten another. Lily had moved away to talk with her friends and while Matt didn't leave her on her own, he was soon swarmed by a hoard of girls.

People were watching. They didn't look threatening, only curious, but it was putting her on edge. Without anyone familiar to keep her there, Candice slipped back against the wall, slowly edging her way toward the stairs.

"You can dress them up and pamper them, but trash is still trash."

Candice stopped her trek along the wall to look at the girl who was suddenly standing in front of her, on her right. Seraphina sneered back at her, looking as angry and disgusted as any other time the two had come into contact with one another. Candice inwardly sighed and prepared herself for whatever trouble was about to come. Two weeks ago, maybe even one, Seraphina showing up in front of her would've instantly terrified her. Tonight, however, her friends were nearby. Cooper was here. She was safe. "I think that the two of us have vastly different opinions on what constitutes as trash."

Seraphina narrowed her eyes and leaned in close, smelling strongly of alcohol. Candice very nearly rolled her eyes. Great. "You think you're so smart. First Matt, then Coop...do you get some sort of twisted enjoyment out of turning them against me?"

"That was never my intention," Candice said, glancing around the room, but no one seemed to be paying them any attention. "You're drunk, why don't I just help−"

"Even your sister!" Seraphina cried, stepping closer and crowding Candice against the wall.

Candice's eyes flicked back in surprised confusion at that and then her brows furrowed in a puzzlement. "What does my sister have to do with this?"

Seraphina snorted and tossed her hair back over her shoulder. "Oh please," she scoffed, "like you don't know."

Annoyance flickered to life, but Candice bit it back. "Know what?"

"You sent your sister to threaten me," Seraphina accused. "How many people do you need to fight your battles? What is so attractive about someone so ugly and helpless?"

Eleanor had threatened her? Candice had been so adamant about no one else getting involved, it certainly had never occurred to her that her sister would take an interest. How had she even known who had done it? Mentally giving her head a shake, Candice refocused her thoughts on the incident that was currently taking place. "This isn't a battle."

"What?" Seraphina looked at her in disgust. "Of course it is. You're ruining my life."

"I'm not trying to fight you," Candice clarified. "For what? A boy? You got your payback for that. For embarrassing you? I got detention for it."

"And you think that was enough?" Seraphina snarled. "You stole my boyfriend, you got me kicked out of cheerleading, got me suspended. I lost my car! And you think you've got Coop? Don't be so naïve. He's not the monogamous type. He was looking for an easy lay. Something new to change things up, but he'll toss you aside without a thought. You haven't won."

There was no talking sense into someone who had no intention of hearing it. She offered up a sad, pitying smile even as the accusations struck home in her mind. "I don't know what you're talking about; I had nothing to do with any of that. I was never trying to win, Seraphina. I was just trying to live my life. Don't drive home." Over the conversation, Candice moved from the wall as Seraphina was blocking her from making any progress along it and stepped into the crowd instead.

"Hey, I'm not done talking to you!" Candice felt herself being yanked back around as Seraphina's hand wrapped around her forearm. This time, she's spoken loud enough for the people closest to them to hear the anger in her voice, and gazes were turning their way.

"Seraphina," Candice said softly, stepping closer to the other girl to keep their conversation private. "You are one of the best-looking girls in school. You could have your pick of so many other guys. Is this really so important?"

"What's so great about you?" Seraphina demanded and Candice saw the beginning of angry tears in the other girl's eyes. "What do you have that I don't?"

"Everything."

Both girls swung their gazes around at the sound of Cooper's voice as he stepped up beside them, a dangerous look on his face as he took in Seraphina's hold on Candice's arm. As if sensing danger, Seraphina's grip loosened and her hand dropped back down to her side. "Coop, I−"

"Was just leaving," Jay finished, standing beside Cooper with an equally dangerous expression. "I don't remember inviting you."

"We have a very strict no-trash policy," Faith tossed out, coming up beside Candice, followed closely by Cyn, Hope, and Spence.

"You're killin' the vibe, Sera," Spence said with a shake of his head and an easy smile.

Feeling pity, Candice moved to stand in front of Seraphina. "She can't drive."

"Not our problem," Faith stated flatly, arms crossed indifferently.

"I can take her home," Matt said, joining the group. "I haven't been drinking, and I know where she lives. Come on, let's go Sera."

Candice caught the look of contempt and rage that crossed Faith's face as Matt reached out a hand and took Sera's hand, but she only snorted in disgust and moved to let the other girl pass. "Typical."

Before allowing herself to be pulled away, Seraphina shot Candice one more hateful look. "This isn't over."

"Well," Spence said after a few too many moments of awkward silence, "it's not a party if someone doesn't cause a scene, huh?"

Cyn elbowed him and shot him a look before turning her attention to Candy. "You okay?"

***

"She's fine," Coop said, grabbing her hand and pulling her closer to his side as he started towards the stairs himself.

"Where are you going?" Jay called, taking a step towards them.

"She needs some air." Candy didn't try to slow him down or pull away so he didn't bother looking back to see if anyone else was trying to follow them.

Once they were out of the basement, Candy squeezed his hand and smiled softly when he turned his head to acknowledge her. "We can go to their parents' office. Follow me."

He followed her through the house and into the room in question, shutting and locking the door behind them before turning his full attention on her, assessing everything from the look in her eyes to the stance she stood in. "Did she do anything to you? Are you okay?"

Candy smiled and stepped closer, pushing up onto her toes to kiss him. "You're much kinder than you let on, you know?"

Frustrated, he took a step back and glared at her, unable to do the thing he wanted to do most, which was hurt someone. When he and Jay had reentered the basement he'd seen Candy cornered and instantly seen red. Hadn't Sera and her minions done enough to her? Everyone had been looking at her by the time it was all over. She'd barely been capable of hanging around the crowd before all of that happened. They'd ruined her night out, and he hadn't been there to stop it. Letting out a frustrated breath, he turned back towards the door, "I'll take you home. I'm sorry."

***

Candice stood frozen to the ground, wide-eyed and taken aback. "Home?"

"I wasn't trying to push you with all of this. We shouldn't have come. I didn't think about how many people would be here when I told Faith we'd be here. And then with what Sera did−"

Her heart was in her throat and she had the inexplicable urge to cry, she could already feel her eyes watering. "You're worried. About me."

Cooper furrowed his brows and turned back towards her, already having opened the office door again. "This isn't your scene."

How stupid she was being. She almost laughed as she took in the anger, fear, and uncertainty in his eyes. She'd been so focused on the eyes of a bunch of strangers while the guy standing in front of her; the one who'd stepped out of his comfort zone, who'd met her friends, her mother, who kept showing up without even being able to understand why...he was trying so hard. For her. Not to mention, her friends had been there too. "Who cares?"

He frowned even more, "What?"

Her smile broadened and she grabbed his hand, "Who cares? My friends are here, and I've never been to a party with my boyfriend. I want to see what it's all about, don't you?"

"You hate crowds."

Taking advantage of his confusion, she took the lead and started to head back towards the basement. "Crowds aren't so bad," she informed him, smiling back at him from over her shoulder. "Not when you're there too."

***

Faith was waiting in the shadows of the front porch when Matt got back. He looked haggard and annoyed, but she didn't care. She was on him with the fury of hell before he'd even made it past the first porch step. "Just had to get in one last quickie with the Queen of Demons, huh?"

He looked up in surprise at the sound of her voice and then scowled. "I'm not in the mood to argue with you over something this stupid tonight."

"Who's arguing?" she wanted to know, following hot on his heels as he stepped into the house. Her house, as she very much wanted to point out. "That bitch just showed you her true colors yet again, and you still had to get one in. God, you're so disgusting."

He whirled on her before they'd even made it out of the entryway, crowding her back against the wall and getting in her face. "Shut the fuck up, Fay. I don't know what your problem has always been with me, but get the fuck over it. She was drunk off her ass. She couldn't drive home."

"My problem?" she repeated indignantly, poking him in the chest. "My problem is that you're a man whore. My problem is you have no standards. Anyone with boobs will do."

"Yeah? And exactly what part of that is any of your damn business?"

That caught her around the throat and she didn't have a legitimate answer. She sucked in a breath and narrowed her eyes at him before straightening from the wall and shouldering her way past him "I hate you."

"No, you don't."

She turned back around slowly to glare. "What?"

There was a malicious gleam in his eyes, something that she'd never seen before, and something in her gut told her to be cautious. Don't push anymore. "You don't hate me; you're jealous."

Uncomfortable, she laughed, "Jealous? Of what, your impressive list of STD's?"

"Jealous that it's never been you."

"Me?" she repeated, staring at him as if he'd just suddenly sprouted wings. "That's ridiculous."

"If you want a guy to pay you attention, Fay," he said, leaning in to whisper into her ear, "stop being such a cold bitch." He straightened up and they both glared at each other for another minute before he pushed past her and headed back towards the party.

Faith clenched her fists and sucked in a breath, blinking her eyes rapidly to keep tears from falling. Angry tears, she assured herself. They're just angry tears.