Normally Sarah would never venture out to strange places by herself. She wasn’t the daring type. She was the shy, quiet, ‘I’ll leave you alone if you leave me alone,’ type. But Sarah had had too much to drink. Since she never really drank anything ever, a cup of vodka and soda was all it took to make Sarah forget the coward she really was. Tonight she was sexy. Tonight she was desirable. Tonight, no one could get in her way. Sarah let her feet guide her outside, into the cold, breezy night air. She walked cat-like around the edge of the glittering, Olympic sized pool. There were girls swimming in only their bras and underwear. Boys wore their boxers. Couples floated on inflatable flamingos and unicorn floats. At least another hundred or so people partied outside, around the pool. A large cabana with a full mini kitchen stood off the pool’s side. More tables with platters of food and drink were set up around the crowd. Another D.J. bobbed his head. He pumped his fist into the air as his techno beat blasted out an electrifying pulse through the loud speakers.Sarah held her head high as she kept her eyes locked on the large flames on the beach. When she hit the long boardwalk, she stooped to take off her shoes, not wanting to lose them in the deep sand. She hid them behind a large flowerpot near the boardwalk.It seemed to take forever to get off the boardwalk. It stretched like a gaping mouth far out onto the beach. As she drew nearer, she could hear more music blasting. But this music sounded different. It sounded like country.Her feet sank into the cold, soft sand as she reached the end of the boardwalk. There weren’t as many people out here as there had been up at the house. Several groups of couples were making out in random, dark places around the beach. But the majority of partiers hung out near the bonfire.Shadowy bodies danced to the music from a loud speaker set up in the sand. Other people were sprawled out on an outdoor couch that had been placed close to, but still a safe distance away from the blaze. The wind began to blow. As Sarah drew closer to the fire, she instantly became warm. She peered around, searching the faces for anyone she recognized. Her eyes landed on Trish, Elly’s super snotty bestie. She sat perched on the couch by the fire. Her bob of dark hair was pinned back off her forehead with a pearl pin. She sported a mega short dress. The wind blew it up, but she didn’t seem to care that her purple lacy underwear could be seen. How inappropriate, Sarah thought. Then her drunken mind began to wander. Should I act like that to get guys? Maybe it actually works? Feeling uninhibited, she let one of her spaghetti straps slide off of her shoulder. The silk black top now hung dangerously low to her chest. She giggled to herself, feeling brave. As Trish leaned back on the couch to get more comfortable, Sarah spotted Elly’s laughing face beside her. She had her hair in a high ponytail. Her pink hoop earrings sparkled in the firelight. The earrings matched Elly’s Barbie-pink dress. Sarah took a deep breath. Then she let it out. She didn’t care what these people thought about her. They were just girls in her class, right? Super normal. Nothing crazy. She shouldn’t be afraid of them. Or intimidated. Sarah marched over to the fire. She tossed her hair to the side, sticking her hands out to warm them near the fire. “Oh my gosh, this fire is SO amazing, right?” Sarah wasn’t really thinking anymore. The alcohol was doing the thinking and the talking for her. She heard someone clap their hands. “Sarah, Darrrrling! You look terrific!” Elly held out her hands to Sarah. “We had soooo much fun together at your house, didn’t we?” Sarah wanted to remind Elly that she didn’t have any fun. Elly was the one who had had all the fun. Sarah didn’t want Elly at her house. Sarah wanted Elly to leave. But Elly didn’t want to leave. Elly wanted to sit and talk and mess up everything in Sarah’s room.”She’s our new bestie, isn’t that right, Trish?” Elly said. Elly glanced at Trish with a happy, drunken expression. Trish shrugged her shoulders and took a swig of a bottle in her hands. “Nice suit,” Trish said, studying Sarah’s silky outfit. “Thanks!” Sarah said, stroking the material. “It’s new.” New for me, anyway, Sarah thought with a mental giggle. “Come! Sit!” Elly called. She grabbed Sarah’s hands and tugged her down onto the couch. Sarah fell sideways and landed on a few people beside Elly. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Sarah laughed, as she tried to sit up. Elly and Trish were both cracking up. Elly tried to pull Sarah to a sitting position, but it was impossible without her feet on the ground. She spun around to push herself off the people she sat on… and froze.She was sitting on the lap of the boy with the beautiful name.