Emily opened and closed the dresser drawers staring at the contents and mentally assembling outfits.

Bonfires aren't common occurrences in Brooklyn... I've never even read a book with one in it, unless "Lord of the Flies" counts... What exactly does somebody wear to one?

She settled on jeans, red Converse, a tight white tee and a plaid flannel tied around her waist.

Evan picked her up at eight o'clock wearing his jeans, and a Rolling Stones shirt with his own black Cons on.

The Killers' "When We Were Young" played as he held the car door open for her. She buckled up. "So where exactly are we going? And what do you do at a bonfire?"

He drove them out of the development but didn't turn toward Route 9. "We're going to my friend Robbie's place. I play ball with him."

The car curved along the winding back roads. "His parents have a bunch of acres and grow pumpkins and stuff. We'll be way back on the property. He usually does small bonfires with like twenty people, but his parents are away for the weekend so it's going to be crazier than normal. People just hang out, drink, talk, listen to music, hook up..."

Emily couldn't contain the rising anxiety in her voice. "So it's a party where I have to pee in the woods?"

He could have at least warned me to bring some tissues...

Evan reached over, took her hand and pulled it into his own. "Sorry."

He kissed the back of her hand before he settled it onto his right thigh as he took the wheel with both of his hands to make a sharp turn. The muscle in his leg flexed and stretched under her fingers as he worked the gas and the brake. 

I've never a big fan of baseball, but I wouldn't mind watching Evan on a mound in some baseball pants...

They drove further into a less developed, more rural area of the township. Evan turned past a sign that said "Private Property" onto a dark dirt road. It was pitch black in the woods on either side of the headlights.

Emily squeezed Evan's thigh. "This looks like a scene out of The Walking Dead."

"So are you a Rick or a Daryl girl?" Evan asked with a laugh, but he leaned over to kiss her before she could answer.

"Keep your eyes on the road!" she warned him.

Soon the trees ended and they drove into a large field. There were about thirty cars parked in surprisingly neat rows.

It does remind me of going pumpkin picking on a farm when I was little...

In front of the cars and a bit further into the field, a fire blazed. The circle of light was surrounded by scattered hay bales and close to seventy people. 

Evan pulled into a spot, turned off the car and looked at Emily. "I want to be completely honest with you tonight. Morgan will be here." 

Emily wasn't surprised by this confession. "I figured as much. It's fine... I'm fine. Thank you for telling me though," she said.

But Evan continued, "And Kelly will probably be here too." 

This was not something that Emily expected.

Evan looks so sad and unsure telling me this...

Emily reached out and touched his cheek to reassure him. "You asked me here tonight. I'm here with you Evan."

While he nodded his head, he still looked forlorn.

As they got out of the car she whispered to him, "Let's make Morgan eat her heart out tonight,"

She took Evan's arm, he nodded with a small smile.

"This might be your last night here so let's just enjoy ourselves," he suggested.

The night air was cooler than it had been the past few days, so Emily slipped on her flannel, but left it unbuttoned as they approached the raging fire.

They found Evan's friend Robbie standing by the kegs and coolers. The guys fist bumped hello.

Just ignore how much it reminds you of Geoff and his friends...

She shook herself from these thoughts to hear Robbie's question. "Drink?"

I don't want to get drunk again tonight...

"Just water. Thanks."

She accepted a bottle of water and then began a polite conversation with Robbie about her limited knowledge of minor league baseball.

Which consists on the one time I attended a class trip to a Brooklyn Cyclones game for a Statistics project...

Soon a pretty brunette approached. Evan reached over to pull Emily closer by her waist. His hand subtly shifted down and he stuck two fingers into the back pocket of her jeans.

Evan nodded at Robbie. "Here comes your girl."

Robbie turned and called out, "Babe, come meet Emily."

Meanwhile, Evan leaned down to explain. "That's Robbie's girlfriend Krissy. She's Morgan's best friend and hates me," he whispered.

That's odd... I assumed Morgan cheated on and then broke up with Evan to be with his friend Dave... But that scenario wouldn't give Krissy a reason to hate Evan... Something doesn't make sense... Why does Krissy hate him and why did Evan and Morgan break up?

Krissy's contempt was barely contained by her phony smile. "Oh hey, nice to meet you. Aren't you the girl that left the party with Kelly last night?"

Emily tensed up, but she didn't miss a beat. "Yep, he's my brother's best friend. But after Evan did his designated driver's duty, he came over to my place to spend more time with me."

She leaned her head against Evan's arm. "We stayed up soooo late last night."

Then Emily turned to see Evan, eyes wide on her.

With a devilish smile and a caress of her hand across his chest, she added, "I mean, we practically had to drag ourselves out of bed this morning."

She raised her eyebrows at him, urging him to speak.

Evan swallowed once before he found his voice. "Definitely! It helps that your Dad's place is conveniently right next door though."

He gave her a wolfish grin.

When they turned their attention back to the couple across from them, Robbie looked like he wanted to high-five Evan and Krissy looked like she wanted to slap him in the face.

"Well it's been nice chatting," Krissy said through a stiff smile. Then she completely dismissed them by addressing Robbie, "I came over here to get you because Dave and Morgan are telling a hysterical story."

Robbie allowed himself to be dragged away to join the large group gathered around Evan's ex-girlfriend and former best friend.

I can barely stand to look at them... I don't know how he does it every day... But maybe he did something horrible to deserve this?

Evan turned to Emily and let his second hand mimic his first one in her pocket. Then he pulled her against him in a scalding kiss, hotter even than the fire they stood next to.

Intensified by the eyes from Morgan's group that are burning into us...

But even a fire needs oxygen, so they took a breath.

"That was impressive," Evan admired.

"Improv Club. Plus, you can't attend an all-girl school and not learn how to handle a bitch or two," she reasoned.

Evan chuckled. "I meant the kiss." 

Then he hugged her close and spoke into her hair, concern coloring his voice. "But regarding what you said, I hope you realize that they're going to think we've had sex. It'll be all over school next week."

Emily shrugged. "I don't really care what any of them think of me. I guess that's the beauty of not living here."

More cautiously and with wrinkled brow he looked down at her and asked, "But what about your brother?"

Emily looked back at him and gently smoothed the crease between his eyes with her thumb. "If he cares enough to ask, I'll tell him the truth."

She moved her hand to cup his cheek and asked softly, "Speaking of truth. What happened between you and Morgan?"

The furrow in his brow returned and he pulled from Emily's embrace. He looked around the field for a minute, his back to her.

Oh no... Maybe I over-stepped some invisible line... Maybe that was much, too soon...

But then Evan turned back, grasped her hand in his and led her away from the crowd to a bale of hay in quieter spot.

His long legs straddled the seat easily and Emily's tiny ones crossed in front of her facing him.

They weren't so far from the fire that they couldn't hear Florence and the Machine's "Dog Days Are Over" playing from the speakers across the field. She listened to the song, waiting until he was ready to talk.

Evan looked down and picked up a piece of hay, the color of Morgan's hair. "She treated me like an accessory, not a person." He twirled the straw between his fingers.

"It felt like she cared more about her image than she ever did about my actual feelings. I don't think she actually even liked my company, because she never wanted to hang out alone, unless we were having sex." He chuckled.

"I know it sounds ridiculous... My girlfriend only wanted to have sex with me so I broke up with her." He laughed a bit louder as he twisted the dead grass around his finger.

"Hardly any of my guy friends understand it and I've gotten so much shit from them over the past few months." He glanced up at Emily, but she didn't laugh at him.

She sat silently waiting for him to finish.

Evan cleared his throat. "The thing is, I got tired of playing the role of the picture perfect boyfriend. I didn't love her enough to pretend. And when I broke up with her, she was super pissed."

He grimaced and stopped twirling the hay. "As sick as it sounds, the fact that I would rather be alone and have sex with my hand instead of her, made her nuts. I really think she would have been less angry if I cheated on her or broke up with her to date someone else. She started to date Dave to get to me."

A huge heaving sigh halted his story.

I'm guessing this is the part that is really, truly painful for him...

"She was right, it did get to me. But not in the way she wanted it to. It just confirmed that I made the right choice and made me angry with myself that I wasted nearly two years of my life with her." He flung the piece of straw away from himself as though it was Morgan herself.

"I don't miss her. But I do miss Dave," he finished miserably.

Emily took a deep breath, trying to inflate her lungs enough to cushion the pain she now found in her chest.

My heart actually hurts for him...

"I get it. I would be miserable if I didn't have my best friend," she said as she took his hands in her own. "But it's good to make new friends. Isn't it?"

Evan smiled as he leaned towards her and said "Friends..." Then kissed her before adding, "...with benefits." 

Samantha bounced over at that moment. "Well, well... look at you two! Things have certainly progressed nicely since yesterday. I'm taking full credit for introducing you!" she teased.

Turning to Emily she asked hopefully, "Does this mean you're going to come back next weekend?"

Evan stood up. "I've been working on that. Maybe you can help convince her Sam, while I go find a tree."

Samantha took the vacant spot next to Emily on the bale and they looked out at the scene around the fire.

"Your brother and Kelly got here a little while ago." Samantha pointed out the boys over by the kegs.

"Considering how drunk my brother was last night, I'm surprised he can even look at a keg today," Emily observed.

"Oh he's not drinking tonight, Kelly is. John's the DD and my ride later, since I didn't want to be the third wheel to you and Evan." Sam winked at Emily.

"Kelly's face when I explained why I needed a ride was priceless. I don't think I've ever seen that boy jealous before," Samantha observed with a laughed.

"What's so funny?" Emily asked.

"Oh just that, you can't believe the number of texts I've gotten from people asking about you since last night! Since I hang out with both Evan and with your brother and Kelly, everybody thinks I know all about you. Half the girls want to gouge your eyes out thinking you're with Kelly. He's notorious for hooking up and then never looking at the girl again. The other half want to because they've been falling all over themselves trying to get Evan's attention since the break-up. And the guys want to know if you are with either of them because they don't want to hit on you if you are," Samantha explained.

It was Emily's turn to laugh.

"Now you need to explain what's so funny," Samantha demanded.

"It's just so strange. I've never been the envy of anyone or the object of desire," Emily explained.

Evan interrupted as he came up behind them. "I find that hard to believe!"

"Well, that's my cue. That whole annoying third wheel thing again. I think I'll go mess with Morgan and Krissy." Samantha parted with a wave.

Looking in the direction Samantha headed, Emily could see the two girls were indeed staring at her and Evan like they wanted to use them as kindling for the fire. 

She stood up on the bale of hay, turned to Evan and nodded in the direction of the girls across the fire.

"Showtime" she whispered as she twined her arms around his neck.

A shudder slipped through Emily's body and the hair on her arms stood on end as Evan kissed her thoroughly.

Then he rested his chin on her breastbone and looked up at her. His breath was hot on her collarbone and he brushed some hay off her bottom. "You know I don't feel like giving them a show. I'd rather be alone with you somewhere. Want to get out of here?"

I can think of nothing I want more than that right now...

Emily pecked him on the lips and hopped off the hay bale. "Just let me go visit the trees for a minute myself. I'll meet you by the car."

She walked about ten feet into the wooded area to make sure she couldn't be overseen by anyone.

I especially don't want Morgan or Krissy see me squat behind some tree...

She tried to ignore how uncomfortable she was being alone in the woods by herself and began to undo her jeans.

A branch snapped and the sound of rustling leaves made her stop.

Emily fumbled with her phone to try to turn on her flashlight. "Who's there?"

She fought the urge to turn and run while she listened for an answer. There wasn't any response, but that did little to make her more comfortable with the idea of pulling her pants down.

It could be a wild animal...

Emily started to back up towards the field as quickly as she could manage in the dark over jagged terrain.

After only a few quick steps she bumped into an unequivocally male person.

"Jesus Christ!" she screamed.

Strong hands and sinewy arms prevented her from falling over.

"Excuse me," Emily stammered, "I thought I heard something." 

The hands and arms weren't letting her go and then she realized why.

"This is nice." Kelly's voice was in her ear, gruff from the beer and cigarettes that she smelled on his breath.

Kelly tried to pull her closer to fit against him, but Emily pushed away.

"I'm here tonight with Evan," she protested.

"That didn't stop you last night," he said matter-of-factly as he stepped toward her again.

Emily didn't back up and Kelly put his hands on her hips. He rubbed circles with his thumbs on her exposed skin. His heat spread from his thumbs along her hip bones. The circles dipped lower. The heat did too.

Oh! My pants are still undone...

She removed his hands and huffed, as much at herself as at him, while she fixed herself.

"Tonight I'm his date. Last night, I was invited by Samantha and he was our ride. Maybe you aren't used to going on dates. But there's a big difference to me between just hooking up and going on a date," Emily clarified.

Kelly's hands weren't on her and yet the heat from them lingered. His eyes felt like the accelerant as he stared at her the way he had by the pool Friday night.

"So, go on a date with me," he said in that strange tone he had perfected with her.

Her heart raced.

I wasn't prepared for that request... or demand...

"I um... I don't know... um..."

The sound of crunching leaves stopped her from saying anything more.

Donnie came out of the dark towards them. "A guy comes into the woods to take a leak and finds you two standing here looking at each other at all thirsty. What the hell are you both doing out here anyway?"

His smirk said he knew exactly what they were doing.

Emily blurted, "Kelly just asked me out,"much to the shock of all three of them.

"No shit? That might be a first," Donnie exclaimed.

Then he asked Kelly, "Does John know you were planning to do this?"

"Shut up Donnie," Kelly snarled.

Ignoring Kelly's ire, Donnie turned his attention to Emily. "So what did you say?"

"Well, I'm not sure if I'm coming back..."

Donnie interrupted. "But you'll be around tomorrow. You should just do something tomorrow."

I need to get back to Evan... He's probably worried about me by now... What if he comes looking for me and finds me out here with Kelly and Donnie? That's the last thing I want to happen... Should I be annoyed at or grateful for Donnie's meddling? Just say something Emily... Answer him...

Emily answered, "Yeah, sure, okay... I have to go."

Then she fled from the trees.