"Sweetie, you look beautiful."

I beamed at the compliment and kissed my mom on the cheek. Instinctively, I flattened down my dress and looked around the hall.

Tonight was the night of the charity ball that my parents were hosting. It was being held in this beautiful banquet hall that looked more like a mansion in my opinion. There was a huge area for the main space, along with the kitchen for caterers, bathrooms, and even a balcony. The hall was decorated for tonight's occasion with sparkly themed items. There was even a photo booth set up in the corner.

"Your friends are coming, right?"

I turned to my dad and smiled. "Yup! All are bringing a plus one too, except Dylan I think." I still wasn't sure what my best friend was doing about his date but I didn't want to know. It was better to be surprised when it came to Dylan.

The hall had a small amount of people lingering around. The event was just starting up. Since I was the daughter of the hosts, I had to come with my parents in a fancy limo. My friends were going to come by the time the event started. It sucked a little because I had a full night of introductions ahead of me while they got to eat an endless amount of food.

We began making our way down the marvelous staircase that led to the main area. It gave the room a dramatic flair and the guests could feel like Cinderella as they walked down.

My red satin dress fanned around me as I walked down. Justin almost stepped on it so I forced him to walk in front of me. The slit on my leg would widen every time I took another step and it honestly made me feel pretty badass. Not only that, but my entire look was pretty stunning if I do say so myself. I was dressed in a beautiful red, satin gown that touched the floor. The v-neck top was held up by two sets of spaghetti straps that crossed in the back. The slit ran up to my mid-thigh but didn't expose too much. The back part of the dress was exposed until my lower back. And the skirt flared out just enough to make me feel like a princess. My dress was complimented with silver jewelry, including a pendant necklace and bangle bracelets. Even my hair managed to be elegantly styled into an updo with pieces fanning my face.

I looked classy.

"So, is Erin coming?" I asked Justin as I finally reached the bottom of the staircase. My parents went to speak to different people to make sure everything was in order while Justin and I stayed back.

During winter break, the two of us were so engrossed in hanging out with our grandparents and exploring the upper east side of Manhattan that we hadn't really had much time to talk.

"Yeah, I convinced her to come," he softly smiled. Man, this boy was whipped. Every time he talked about her, he got this dreamy look in his eyes.

"Aw!" I cooed, fighting the urge to pinch his cheeks. "Don't worry, I'll make an excuse for our parents so you can hang with her." That was the big sister urge in me.

Justin rolled his eyes as he brushed his foot against the floor. "All of their guests want to see you anyway."

"Why me?"

He mischievously grinned. "They all want to set you up with their sons."

"Shut up," I laughed, playfully pushing him.

We both made our way to our table. Our parents forced us to sit with them for dinner, along with some of their biggest clients, so that meant neither of us could sit with our dates. It sucked a little but they promised we were allowed to leave as soon as dinner was over so I wasn't too mad. I'd just have to eat super fast.

"Bella!"

I turned around and a big grin formed on my face as Dylan walked up to us. His hair was slicked back to make him seem put together. He wore a tuxedo just like every other guy would be tonight.

I immediately stood up and engulfed him in a hug.  "Dyl! Thank God you're here." If there was one person who understood how much I hated these charity things, it was him. He always used to be my plus one because I couldn't stand coming here alone. He acted as my shield against prowling mothers who wanted their sons to be set up, and I was his wingwoman toward all my new rich 'friends'. 

He took a seat at the table even though he wasn't assigned here. It was just for the time being until more people showed up. "Let's make a bet to see how many "eligible bachelors" you'll meet tonight."

I scowled at him. "No."

"I'm in! Fifty bucks it'll be three," Justin said, ignoring me.

Dylan smirked. "You're on. I say at least seven."

The fact that they bet on it was pretty sad, but fair. Although my parents weren't in big businesses, a lot of my dad's clients were. That meant they were always looking for a profitable opportunity – even in marriage. I wasn't sure how beneficial I would be to them but it happened way more than I'd like to admit.

"So," I turned to Dylan, "no date?"

He waved a hand and propped his elbows on the table. "Nah."

"Not even Skylar?"

Amusement twinkled in his dark eyes. "Why would I bring her?"

"Oh, I don't know." I fiddled with my bracelets. "I just thought–"

"No. Oh no. Bella," Dylan whined. I gave him an innocent look to which he returned with a glare. "Don't do this. Don't start matchmaking. There's nothing going on between us except maybe a few good nights."

I defensively threw up my hands. "Okay, okay! I never said anything."

"But you were implying it. Bella, this might work on Emma and Will, but you know me. Please don't think I'm magically going to fall in love with her."

I nodded, hiding the disappointment coursing through my veins. Dylan didn't seem to be taking this relationship seriously. I guess I got my hopes up for nothing.

I also made a mental note to tell Skylar about this later. It was part of my deal with her and I intended to keep it. I'm not sure exactly how she felt on the subject but it was better for her to be prepared.

"Hey, don't look so bummed out," Dylan softly nudged me. "Some people aren't made for love."

His tone really showed he didn't want to talk about that, even though I wanted to argue, so I let it go. "So you're telling me I interrogated her for no reason?" I teased, taking a lighter route. Then a sudden memory came to mind. "Wait! Hold on, speaking of interrogation, did you tell Dean that I was obsessive when it came to guys?"

He awkwardly laughed as his eyes scanned the hall. "I'm just gonna say hi to your parents. See ya!"

"Dylan!" I hissed, but it was too late. Justin was snickering at us and I flipped him off before slumping down in my chair.

Dylan came back minutes later, looking a little pale. He sat down in the same spot, a frown flitting on his face. Before I could ask what was wrong, he told me. "Guess who your parents invited."

"Who?"

"The Boyces."

All color drained from my face. Andrew was coming here?

As in Andrew, the guy I had a crush on for years? The same one I dumped a cup of beer on?

I shot up and stormed over to my parents, who were talking with the event planner. I didn't even bother to be polite.

"Mom! Dad! You invited the Boyce family?"

"Excuse us a minute," my dad politely told the event planner before turning to me with an annoyed face. "Yes, sweetie, we invited them."

"Why? Don't you remember what a terrible person Andrew is?"

My mom's brows furrowed. "I thought you guys were on speaking terms now?"

Oh crap. They didn't really know about any of the shit that went down after the summer. To them, we were still BFFs and neighbors.

I awkwardly rubbed my bare arm and looked to the ground. "Uh, not exactly."

My dad looked a little awkward now but my mom wasn't even fazed. She had her 'strictly business' face on. "Well, they're our neighbors regardless. Just don't interact with them and you'll be fine."

Yeah, except I think he wants to kill me.

Her tone left no room for argument so I sighed. "Yeah, okay."

"Good girl. Now, call your brother. There are some people I want you to meet."

And so it begins.

After grabbing Justin, we began our rounds. Guests started piling in and I was pulled around like a rag doll. Our parents introduced us to countless people and the conversations were usually the same.

"My! What grown kids you have!"

"Your kids look just like you!"

"Your daughter is so beautiful! You know, I have a (insert family member here) that is around her age."

"Your son has grown into such a young man!"

Blah blah blah.

It was safe to say I started zoning out.

By the time dinner was coming around, my feet were aching. I didn't have a chance to see if Dean was here or not considering they were tugging me around. I didn't have my phone on me either because it was back at the table in my purse. I just hoped everyone was keeping him company.

We finally got back to our table after speaking to a million people. I didn't understand why I had to be there for that. They were mostly talking business anyway.

As soon as I plopped down, dad began talking to someone. We had strict rules that we weren't allowed to have phones out at the table so I couldn't even check it, especially with mom sitting right next to me. Justin was on my other side, looking just as miserable.

The emcee announced dinner was about to be served and requested everyone to take their seats. Mom and dad were still droning on to our table mates and I zoned out, looking at my nails. They were manicured to perfection for tonight.

A slight nudge in my side brought me back to reality. Considering it was from Justin, I automatically knew he was telling me to pay attention. Sure enough, when I looked up, my parents and another man were looking at me expectantly.

My mom laughed her fake laugh, meaning she was annoyed. "This is my daughter Arabella. I believe she's in the same grade as your son."

"Nice to meet you, sir." I smiled politely.

"Wow, and she has manners! My son could learn a thing or two from her," the stranger laughed. I automatically hated him. I hated when parents compared their kids to others in front of everyone. It was so awkward. "And please, call me Dan."

"Dan here has properties all around the world. He's one of my biggest clients," my dad beamed.

Dan lightly clapped his back. "You flatter me. When I received your invitation for tonight, I hopped on the next plane over."

I smiled at him before looking back down and playing with my dress. What was taking dinner so long? I just wanted to leave.

"Where's your son, Dan?" My mom asked sweetly.

Dan laughed but even I could tell it was fake. "He'll be here soon. He was actually out of town too so we didn't come together–Oh! There he is!"

I turned to Justin, who mimicked my bored expression. "Who's winning the bet?" I asked quietly. It's not like anyone would pay attention anyway, they were all too focused on their own conversations.

My brother scowled. "Well if this guy sets you up with his kid, Dylan probably."

I stifled a laugh. "Really? You know, you'd think it's flattering to be set up with so many guys but it's really gross."

"At least people see you as potential."

I smiled and pat his shoulder. "You're just too young."

Another nudge came from my opposite side, meaning my mom. I quickly straightened up before she killed me.

She would.

"There you are, son. This is my one and only son, Ben. Ben, this is Bill and Jessica Wilks, the organizers of the charity tonight."

My parents smiled and made introductions while I focused on the table cloth. I wondered how Dean was doing right now. Actually, I wondered how Justin's girlfriend was doing. She was an anxious little thing. I told Jasmine to watch over her but now I was regretting that decision. She could be... a lot. Especially when she was with Kim, who was also here tonight.

Another elbow came from Justin's side. I looked up just in time to hear Dan say, "And these are their lovely children. Arabella and Justin."

My eyes trailed from Dan to his son.

Oh. My. God.

I was too shocked to say anything. From the looks of it, so was he.

Him.

Justin nudged me again and then spoke up. "You seem a little familiar, do I know you?"

I couldn't pay attention to the answer. I couldn't even hide my shock.

Ben Stark was sitting right in front of me.

After disappearing without a trace for weeks, he was back. Sitting right in front of me.

"Looks like someone's smitten," Dan joked, referring to his son.

That broke us out of our spell. I smiled at Dan before looking back at Ben. My eyes narrowed in the slightest bit, nothing to look suspicious.

"I'm so sorry, Dan, what did you say your last name was again?" I asked, never taking my eyes off Ben.

"Stark. You may have heard of our company..." Dan droned on. After his long spiel, he added, "Ben, you must dance with this lovely lady after dinner."

Ehhhhh.

Ben opened his mouth, presumably to reject, but I quickly butt in. "Of course! I'd love to." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my mom beam at me.

"Ary? What're you doing?" Justin hissed in my ear.

"Um, sure," Ben awkwardly said.

Dancing with Ben was the only chance I had to talk to him. And by talking, I meant yelling.

I should've brought the coat!

Our parents got back to talking with the other people at the table. I glared at Ben, who avoided my eyes at all costs.

"Do you know him?" Justin quietly asked. I nodded, never taking my eyes off him.

When dinner was served, I paused my momentary glaring to eat. What're the odds that my parents knew Ben's dad? How ironic was it that he was here right now?

I still couldn't believe it.

From the looks of it, he couldn't either.

What're the odds?

Once we had enough time to eat, my parents decided to go on stage and announce their cause for tonight. Unfortunately, Justin and I had to stand beside them like trophy kids.

"Hello everyone. I hope everyone had a good dinner! Let me start off by saying how delightful it is to see you all!" My mom started warmly. "To end the year off right, I decided to host this charity gala on behalf of my hospital. As many of you know, I'm a surgeon at General Hospital. Every day, it breaks my heart to see patients refuse surgery due to treatment costs. I myself and many other doctors don't want that to be a problem. Tonight, we're raising money so we can offer many more pro-bono surgeries..." She went on to explain her promise to the world and whatever. I had her whole speech memorized after she practiced in front of me. She didn't need the practice though, she was a natural.

I stood there and fakely smiled. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adored my mom and her passion for helping people out, I just hated the social aspect of it.

Parties? Fun. Galas with boring old people? No, thank you.

"...I hope we can go into the new year with a new attitude! Thank you so much for coming tonight and enjoy!"

Justin and I both glanced at each other, giving a thank God it's over look before flashing one last smile and walking off the stage. We followed our parents to the table but I gestured at Justin to leave. I could tell he was worried for his girlfriend and I could handle our parents for now.

As soon as we reached our table, my mom frowned. "Where's Justin?"

"Bathroom," I slickly responded. She nodded and took a seat, my dad following. I stood by my chair, holding the back of it. "I'm just going to get a drink."

Suddenly, Dan spoke up. "Ben, why don't you go with her?"

"Oh no, it's really–" I started.

"What a good idea! Sweetie, take Ben here and introduce him to your friends," my mom butted in, giving me a stern look. My shoulders slumped in defeat and I nodded.

I started making my way to the drink area, Ben following. When we were far enough, I turned and faced him. "Stark! I have a bone to pick with you," I angrily hissed.

"I can explain–"

"Why the hell did you leave your two thousand dollar coat with me?!"

He paused, taken aback. He obviously didn't expect me to complain about that out of everything. "Um?"

I sweetly smiled and continued over to the drink table. "Don't worry, we can talk more when we dance."

"About that–"

I held up my hand, stopping him. "Nope. We're dancing because I can yell at you all I want without looking suspicious." I didn't wait for his reaction. I grabbed a champagne flute and headed back to the table. My mom gave me a weird look when I sat back down and it was then that I remembered that I was supposed to introduce Ben to my friends. I wasn't going to do that, obviously, but I could've taken more time to come back.

There was more conversation that I was uninterested in. Most of the people sitting with us were dad's richest clients, so we could get a lot more money. We had some of mom's hospital friends too but that was more for support.

"Oh! Look, the music is starting. Ary, why don't you go on out?" my mom hinted.

I smiled at her, and then Ben. "Would you do me the honor?"

He rolled his eyes but got up nonetheless. Dan winked at me before turning back to the conversation. Gross.

"I hate your dad," is the first thing I said as soon as Ben and I were alone.

He chuckled. "You're biased."

"He's annoying." I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, smirking a little. "Now I know where you got it from."

We stopped a little way from the makeshift dance floor where couples were already dancing. I turned around and smacked his arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For leaving, you asshole!" And then I hugged him. "Do you know how worried I was? God, Ben. What the hell?"

He stiffened but slowly wrapped his arms around me. "I wrote the letter."

"I wrote the letter," I mimicked as I pulled away. I grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the dance floor. "Did you get mine?"

I laced my arms around his neck and he very hesitantly put his hands on my waist. We swayed to the music.

His eyes looked everywhere but my face and I had my answer.

"So you had my number and you never decided to call? God! You're SUCH an asshole!"

He cracked a minuscule smile. "I never thought I'd miss being bullied so much."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously! What the hell, Ben? You can't just leave like that! Why the hell didn't you text me?"

"I couldn't. I wasn't ready."

I softened up. Damn it! I totally forgot about the situation as a whole. Not only did he leave for my sake, but he also had to deal with his own feelings.

"If I joke about you flirting with me, will you get all sad on me?" I asked, slightly teasing.

He immediately got defensive. "I am not flirting!"

"Sure, sure."

His face suddenly turned serious. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

"I don't even care about that," I lied. "I care about your stupid coat! Do you know how nicely I took care of it?"

He laughed, a rare sound. "God, I'm so sorry my coat was such a burden."

"It was! You better come pick it up... before you leave." The end of my sentence was a mere whisper. The reality of Ben leaving once again was saddening but I still understood. "When are you leaving anyway?"

He gave me a tight-lipped smile, which meant he wasn't going to tell me. I dramatically huffed.

"You're the worst."

"I know..."

"Can you at least text me once in a while so I know you're alive?"

"Bella..."

"Stop saying my name like that!" I groaned. "You're making me feel shittier than I already am!"

He gave me sad smile. "How are you and Dean?"

I ignored his question because I didn't want to hurt him. "Did you find any girls wherever the hell you ran off to?"

He found my change of topic as an answer enough. "No one can compare–"

"Ben, don't."

"I won't," he sighed in defeat. "The song's ending."

True to his words, the song's last note rang out. I made no move to leave and neither did he. I knew what this meant.

"Promise me you'll find me for one more dance? A goodbye at least?"

"Keep the coat. It looked good on you." He smiled one last time before detaching himself from me. I watched as his figure retreat into the crowd, knowing it was going to be the last I saw of him for a long time.

It was a shame. I really did like Ben. He was a good guy underneath his broken shell.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and didn't even hide my groan when I saw Andrew standing there like a total prick.

"What do you want, douchebag?" Wow, I was on a roll with the name-calling tonight.

"A dance." When I rolled my eyes, he sighed. "Please?"

"No."

"Please, Bella? For old times sake?"

"Drew, I dumped beer all over you. What more of a hint do you need?" I was irritated now. Not only did my time with Ben go so quickly, but now Andrew had to come and make it so much worse. I just wanted to see my boyfriend and dance with him and complain about all the snobbish people here.

"Please?"

I hated myself when I said, "Fine." I only did so because I knew he wouldn't stop until I said yes.

We got into our position but I kept as much distance between us as possible.

"You look beautiful," he smiled. It was a pretty smile, I'll admit. It just sucked that I spent years observing him. I knew his face, and this smile was definitely not fake. I wanted it to be fake, so at least I'd feel a little better about our miserable relationship. But no, he was genuinely enjoying this.

"Save it. What do you want to talk about?"

Hurt flashed in his sky blue eyes but he quickly recovered. I was immune to his feelings by this point, so I really couldn't care less. "I want to explain myself."

Let's see what lie he conjures up this time!

"I... I want to say sorry. Once again, I fucked up and acted like a total... douchebag," his lips quirked into a small smile but turned serious again. "I can give you my reason if you want but something tells me you won't believe me."

"You're right but you can try if you want," I said nonchalantly. This was all a game at this point. Which statement leaving Andrew's mouth is the craziest? Which is the most believable?

He slowly nodded and took a deep breath. "Bella, everything I told you about liking you was true. I did, I always did. But then, when my injury happened and you finalized the fact that you'd never like me, I was so pissed. I went in total self-preservation mode."

"So in order to protect your pride, you insulted me?" I raised a brow. This still wasn't looking too hot for him.

"Yes," he sighed. "It was wrong, I'll admit that. I just... I don't know. I don't even have a valid excuse. When you told me to move on, it hurt. I hated myself so much for screwing up all my chances."

I let go of him and stepped back. "I appreciate your explanation but it doesn't make you any less of a dick. Honestly Drew, we have a couple of months until we graduate. How about you stay away from me and I'll do the same?"

He frowned. "But, Bella–"

"No. I'm sick of your toxic behavior. You're trying to make me feel guilty for your mistakes but I'm not having it. Maybe fix yourself before you fix our relationship." Blunt, but true. I think he needed to hear that. Hopefully, it would work.

Truth was, I was so utterly sick of Drew. His excuses always somehow had to do with me and how he wish he tried earlier. It's like he wanted me to agree with him or give him a second chance. Neither of those seemed particularly appealing.

His head hung low. "If that's what you want."

"It is," I quickly answered. Before he could flash me those puppy dog eyes, I spun around and left the dance floor.

God, I'm so sick of him.

I hated that my parents invited his family. I hated that he had to make up another shitty excuse. At least last time it felt like I got the last word. Now it just felt... anticlimactic.

"Woah, woah, woah!" A pair of hands held me by the shoulders before I could crash into him. "What where you're going!"

"Sorry Dyl," I huffed. "I just had an encounter with the devil."

"Andrew?" He wistfully smiled. "Here's a good distraction. Help me find a girl that'll be a midnight kiss."

"But Dean–"

"No buts! You can spend the rest of the night with him. I just want one girl."

Ugh! Why was everyone insistent on cockblocking me tonight?

Sighing in defeat, I nodded and thought back to all the girls I was introduced to tonight. There weren't many but I'm sure I could manage. I looked around the ballroom to find someone. There was a group of girls sitting at a table, around my age. I think my parents introduced me to one of the girls.

I walked over to them, Dylan in tow. When they saw me, they smiled. "Hi! You all look so pretty!"

They all chorused their thanks and similar sentiments.

I stepped back and patted Dylan's arm. "So, my lovely friend here was ditched by his date last minute. He's really sad about it because he loves to dance. Anyone care to step up?"

I watched as they drooled over Dylan. Best wingwoman ever! All of them seductively smiled and I knew my job was done.

"You poor thing!"

"Why don't you have a seat and tell us about it?"

Dylan glanced at me, smirking. I subtly winked back.

"I'll see you at the countdown," he said as he hugged me. I nodded and pushed him toward the table, where all the girls reached out and grabbed him. I laughed as he looked like he was in paradise.

Manwhore.

Smiling, I went back to where everyone was supposedly sitting. When I got to the table, I was surprised to only see Kim, Justin, and Erin sitting. Emma, Will, Jasmine, and Dean were all missing.

"Where's Dean?" I asked Kim, not even hiding the disappointment in my voice. I spent all this time waiting for him and he wasn't even here. Damn it!

"He's dancing with Jaz," she sadly responded.

I frowned as I took a seat next to her. "What's wrong? Why not you?"

Before she answered, it clicked.

Jasmine was scared to. She was sacred to dance romantically with a girl in public.

"I'm sorry," I sympathetically smiled.

Kim disappointedly sighed. "It's okay. I respect her wishes but I don't understand why she'd care? It's not like we know these people anyway. Even if we did, what's the matter? It's just dancing."

Damn it, Jasmine!

Standing up, I held out a hand and impersonated my best British accent. "Would you like to dance, m'lady?"

She looked up at me, shocked. "Seriously? Don't you feel weird about it?"

"No," I snorted. "I'm the daughter of the hosts. They wouldn't dare to gossip about me. I'll protect you." When she cracked a smile, I added, "Besides, my dancing partner was snagged up. I want to dance too."

"Okay, if you insist," she teasingly sighed as she grabbed my arm.

"Don't worry, once she sees us dancing, she'll feel more confident about it," I beamed as we got to the dance floor.

I never slow danced with a girl but it was complicated. Mostly because she was much shorter than me so I had to act as the guy. Newsflash, I've never done that before.

"You look so pretty," I gushed as we swayed.

Kim was wearing a long black dress. It hugged her figure perfectly and made her seem taller than she really was. Even with her heels, she only reached average height. Her pink hair was in loose curls around her shoulders.

"You look like you stepped off a runway," she retorted.

She always knew how to give compliments.

As we danced and made small talk, we got very few glances. I was right. Everyone was too scared to look for too long. There were some people who truly didn't care though. Either way, it wasn't their business.

"Thanks for this," Kim smiled as we pulled apart. The music came to an end and everyone started dispersing from the dance floor.

"No, thank you. I've never slow danced with a girl before. I can check this off my bucket list," I beamed.

She laughed and pat my arm. "How was I?"

"Good, I think. I've never had to lead so that was weird. I also learned that girls move more freely than boys so that's nice."

"Well, you were a great leader," she giggled as we approached the table. "Maybe I'll let you dip me next time."

"Oh god, I'm not ready for that yet." Knowing me, I'd drop her on the floor. Then everyone would be staring.

I sat down at the table and stretched my aching legs out. God, it felt good to sit for a second.

Kim's eyes brightened and I turned my head to see Jasmine heading toward our table... alone. Ugh! Where the hell is Dean?

I was instantly distracted by her dress. Oh my god, it was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. It was a midnight blue shade with gems encrusting the neckline. It was very form-fitting and also had a slit, showing off her tanned legs. Her hair was straightened down to her waist.

"Look at you!" I squealed, getting up and giving her a hug.

She held me at arm's length and eyed my appearance. "You look like you just came back from the runway!"

I laughed, turning my head toward Kim. "You and your girlfriend give similar compliments." I dragged Jasmine to sit down with me. "Where's Dean?"

"Desperate, are we?" She wiggled her brows.

"Yes," I deadpanned.

She smirked and leaned back in her chair. "He told me he's not dancing with you."

My jaw dropped. "What? Why not?"

She stroked her chin like she was in deep thought. "Something about how you didn't ask him to the charity?"

I groaned as I recalled exactly what he was talking about. The night he snuck into my room after having dinner with my parents, he told me he wanted me to ask in a dramatic fashion. I guess I forgot about it.

I looked into the crowd to see if I could find him. He was talking with Dylan and I could see his jaw clenching. I wondered what they were talking about.

I looked back at my amused best friend. "Fine. At least I had one good dance partner tonight."

"Who?"

"Kim," I smirked.

Sadness flashed in her chocolate eyes. "Oh. I saw that. I'm a shitty girlfriend, aren't I?" Her tone was laced with self-consciousness and it was then that I could tell she really wanted to dance with her girlfriend, she was just terrified.

"Just a little," I sheepishly admitted. "I don't know why you're so scared. Everyone you love accepts you the way you are. Who cares about a bunch of old hags?" When she stayed quiet, I added, "You should ask her. She seemed really upset."

"I will... in five minutes when I get the courage."

I snorted and pat her on the arm, then stood up. "I'm going to convince my boyfriend to finally dance with me. I'll see you guys later, hopefully dancing."

Dean and Dylan were still talking, but the former seemed a little more relaxed from what I could tell. Dylan looked pretty carefree and I couldn't help but notice he was with none of the girls I had left him with. What the hell?

I smirked as I approached the two, looking directly at Dylan. "Dyl, where are your dates?"

"You'll never believe what happened," Dylan responded glumly.

"What?"

"Andrew stole them!"

I couldn't help but snort. For someone who claimed to be heartbroken, he sure moved on fast. I gave Dylan a sympathetic smile. "It's okay, their loss. He's not a good dancer." That was a half-lie. We didn't really dance enough for me to know but I wanted to spark a little jealousy from Dean.

"Wait, back up. You danced with him?"

I somberly nodded. "Yup. Sorta."

"Let me guess, he gave you a bullshit excuse again?"

"You know him so well," I grinned. "But there were so many girls. How'd he get all of them?"

Dyl dramatically sighed. "No fucking clue."

Just then, a very pretty girl tapped Dylan on the shoulder. He looked surprised at first but quickly turned into the confident ass he was. She asked him something quietly to which he responded with, "It would be my pleasure." Then he winked at me before leading the lady god only knows where.

"Huh," I said to myself. That was easy.

Dean very dramatically cleared his throat and I turned to him with a surprised expression. "Oh wow! I didn't even see you there!"

He wasn't amused. "So flattering. I haven't seen you in, what, nine days?"

"You're the one who disappeared on me!"

"You're the one who danced with two guys who had feelings for you in the past."

I winced. I didn't mean to, but I did.

"Dean..."

"Why the hell is Ben here?" I could tell from his mannerisms that he was trying not to lash out, but his tone was ice cold and emotionless, like he was trying to seem indifferent to all this.

"My dad represents his dad," I quietly said. "It's as much as a shock to me, I swear."

He softened and stepped closer. "I'm sorry. I just..." He trailed, not even needing to finish the sentence. His possessive side was coming about like an angry bear and he couldn't control it.

"If it makes you feel better, we talked for one song. And as for Andrew, I yelled at him before the song even finished," I consoled as I put a hand on his bicep. A very firm bicep.

He grinned and held me by the waist. "That's my girl."

My heart fluttered. When he said words like that, my brain just fogged up. Still, I tried to seem collected. "So, do you wanna dance?"

His hands dropped and he stepped back. With a very smug smile, he said, "Nope."

Huh?? Did he just say no?

"And why not?" I didn't bother hiding how offended I was.

"Because technically I'm not your date. You never asked me."

It took everything in me to not strangle him.

"You know what? I'm sure Ben would be more than willing to dance again," I huffed before spinning on my heel. A low blow, I know. Right before I started walking, a hand gripped my wrist. I smiled, then dropped it as I turned to face him again.

"Hell no."

"Then dance with me," I whined. "Come on, we didn't even dance at your sister's wedding!"

Lust flashed in his eyes. "We could reattempt that night."

My breathing picked up at his implications. This could be it – the night I was waiting for. We could maybe drive back to my empty house. Hell, I'd be fine doing it in the bathrooms here. I'm wearing some of the lingerie I bought so it wouldn't be a waste either.

"I... I can't. My parents would be pissed," I sighed. They really wouldn't appreciate me leaving in the middle of their event. Unlike Dean's sister, they cared. A lot. Besides, how else was I going to attract donors if not with a dowry?

His brows quirked in surprise. "You'd actually do it if it were different circumstances?"

"Well, yeah..." I sheepishly admitted. I thought he knew we were on the same page about having sex.

He smiled, looking more than content, and pulled me to his chest. "I didn't have the chance to tell you yet but you look ravishing." My cheeks heated at the compliment.

I finally let my eyes roam around his body. He was dressed in a black and white tux just like everyone else here. The only difference was, he was wearing a red tie.

My hands stroked his tie. "You know it's a black-tie event right?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to match."

"And how'd you know I was wearing red?" I asked in amusement. I never told him what I was wearing.

He grinned, touching his forehead to mine. "I have my sources." I decided not to question that. Instead, I pulled him by his tie. He ducked down and kissed me.

God, I missed him so much.

"So," I grinned as I pulled away, "now will you dance with me?"

"Why?" He reached down and kissed me again. "This is so much better."

I cupped his cheek and stroked the skin with my thumb. "How'd I get so lucky?"

"I ask myself that every day."

This boy would be the death of me.

"Okay, no dancing yet then. My feet are killing me."

Dean smirked and grabbed my hand. "Why? Did the pretty boys step on your toes?" He led me back to the table and I dramatically plopped down. It seemed in these past minutes, everyone left, leaving us alone. I looked out into the crowd to see if I could spot anyone. My eyes darted between the dancing figures. The first ones that caught my eyes were right on the edge of the dance floor, having an easy escape route. Erin and Justin were dancing together. It seemed as if he was leading and she was stepping on his feet. He kept wincing but the smile never left his face. A little ways away, Jasmine and Kim were actually dancing! They had enough space for an entire school bus between them, but it was still progress.

Where was Dylan though?

"I'm surprised Dylan didn't bring Skylar," I commented, ignoring his last statement.

Dean's hand grabbed mine on top of the table and squeezed. "I'm not. I don't think those two would last."

I furrowed my freshly waxed brows. It was weird, considering I had the opposite thought. "How come?"

"They both have a lot of ego. I don't think they'd be able to fit in the room," he joked with a hint of seriousness. I pursed my lips and nodded. He had a good point. Both were pretty narcissistic when it came to themselves. It didn't help that both were also used to dominating. Dylan said he liked Skylar because she took charge but how long until he got sick of it? Skylar wasn't one to just hand the reigns over. In a way, they both clashed.

We talked about our breaks and what we did. While Dean was in Florida with his family and aunt, he talked about how miserable he was because his sister, who usually defended him against their family, was still on her honeymoon. I droned on about how wild New York was when you went into the rich suburban areas and how it felt like I was on Gossip Girl.

"Can we dance now?" I asked as I chugged down another glass of champagne. The liquid sizzled down my throat and settled in my stomach. It left me a little bubbly but I liked the feeling.

Dean had raised brows as he watched that whole ordeal. He didn't drink anything besides water tonight and as responsible as it was, I hated it. I could tell every now and then he felt uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gazes of all the old hags. I felt that he was being dramatic because he fit in perfectly fine but I had to remind myself that this wasn't normal for him. Unlike my other friends, he'd never been to something like this. I wanted him to truly let loose.

When he didn't respond, I rolled my eyes and stood up. I held up the skirt of my dress and curtsied like the olden days. "May I have the pleasure of having this dance?"

Amusement twinkled in those emerald eyes of his. "Why, yes my dear, you may."

Finally! Hallelujah!

Grinning like an absolute idiot, I took his hand and skipped to the dance floor. I wasn't even happy about dancing with him, it was more about being with him in his arms. We were in our own little bubble. I didn't care about the prowling mothers or judgmental snobs.

It was just Dean and me.

We both glided to the music elegantly. The band was playing some beautiful string piece that I recognized as a classic.

He didn't once step on my dress or foot. He didn't once loosen his hold on me. He didn't once make me feel unsafe.

And that's how I knew with all the people I danced with tonight, Dean was the one I'd want to dance with forever.

Maybe it was a little dramatic. Maybe I was jumping into this too headfast. After all, we just finished working out our problems and in the beginning stages of the honeymoon phase, but I didn't care at that moment.

After all, why waste time thinking about the 'what ifs'?

After two songs of just being lost in each other's eyes, someone tugged on my exposed shoulder. I made an annoyed noise before turning to see Jasmine smiling at us.

"It's near midnight."

We had all decided we were going to spend the countdown outside, on the balcony. It was freezing but we all figured we'd rather spend the last and first moments of the year together. It was more intimate, not to mention we wouldn't be surrounded by strangers.

"Be there in a second," I replied and watched as she left to grab Kim. Dean and I resumed our position, but I rested my head on his chest. His grip was secure around my body. We stayed like this for a little.

The balcony was coated in a fresh layer of snow. The little white drops were sparkling in the midnight sky. It was a huge area overall. It faced toward a grassy plain with nothing else in sight besides the round moon. There were several chairs and benches out here so we could all relax a little.

The December weather made my teeth chatter. Dean noticed right away and shrugged off his blazer. Before putting it on me, he wiped away the frost from one of the chairs, sat down, pulled me down into his lap, and then wrapped the jacket around me like a blanket. I smiled and leaned back into him. His butt must've been freezing by now.

One by one, everyone came piling in. Emma and Will were first, holding on to each other for dear life. She actually remembered to bring her coat with her, unlike me. Jaz, Kim, and Dylan all came together.

"You know what the cons of being with a girl are?" Jasmine started, making Kim narrow her eyes. Even the rest of us were wary about the next words leaving her mouth. Jasmine laughed, noticing the obvious caution, and answered her own question. "It's that I can't borrow her coat because she doesn't have one."

I think we all collectively sighed with relief.

She then turned to Dylan and held out her hand, wiggling her fingers. "Come on buddy, give it up."

Dylan rolled his eyes and unbuttoned his jacket, making us all call out our teases. He flipped us off before giving it to Jasmine. She and her girlfriend managed to wrap it around their shoulders. Although it was a tight squeeze, they didn't mind in the least.

"Dylan, who's the lucky girl tonight?" Emma asked, smiling at him.

"Shit!" He shot up frantically.

"Don't tell me you forgot," I laughed, trying to hide my annoyance. I set him up with so many girls tonight yet he managed to get rid of every single one of them. He confirmed my thoughts by bolting back inside. I softly chuckled and leaned more into Dean, his chin resting in the curve of my neck. "He's such an idiot."

"He is," Dean agreed, breathing in my hair.

"Hey! That's my best friend we're talking about!" I responded, even though I was joking. I couldn't see it but I could imagine his smile. How could I not? I've spent hours memorizing it.

We sat in silence for a little. Everyone seemed to be in their own world, reflecting or getting lost in each other. I traced patterns on Dean's hands, which were wrapped around my waist, thinking about this last year. It's crazy that so much happened. This time last year, I was numb and moping from the loss of Dean. It was the year where I managed to get Dean back, lose him, get him back, then lose him again. It was a cruel cycle but I couldn't ignore it. After all, it brought me to where I was right now. We couldn't be Dean and Arabella without the drama.

Dylan came back with a girl in tow. I didn't recognize her from the options tonight. She was pretty though, and didn't look innocent in the least. It was a perfect match.

A colorful burst of lighting broke through the inky sky. We all gazed up with parted lips. There seemed to be a firework show in the distance and we managed to get the perfect view. Without thinking, I tugged Dean to the balcony to get a good view. He stood behind me, rubbing my jacket-clad arms to warm them as I childishly gazed up at the sky in awe. It had been a long time since I saw fireworks.

"Ten seconds, guys!" Emma squealed. As soon as she said that, we could hear the muffled countdown from inside.

I smiled as I turned in Dean's arms. His hands pulled me closer by the lapels of the coat and I laced my arms around his neck. He ducked down, his forehead touching mine. The shadow of his cheekbones illuminated every time a firework exploded. What really made my breath catch was the way he stared at me. I could only hope I reciprocated the same intensity of emotion I was feeling.

"3

2

1!"

Our lips collided and the fireworks weren't only in the sky, but zipping through my body. I pulled him closer, desperate to satisfy the longing in my chest.

Here's to a new year with new experiences. New loves. New happinesses. New feelings.

But with the same man.

We pulled away, silently parting. At that moment, it was only Dean with his green eyes. It was only me with my heaving chest.

He rested his forehead against mine. A smile adorned his features. "Happy new year, Arabella."

I gingerly touched stroked his cheek. "Happy new year, Dean."

I already knew the year was going to be a happy one.

~

LOOOONG chapter, jeez. Anyway, I love Ben so much IDK why but he's such a softie lmfao. Anyway, I miss him :(