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After eating at this really nice joint, we went down the street to the hotel. During the time I've been with Jack, since leaving my house, we've held hands almost the entire time. He ws the first guy I actually felt comfortable to be myself with. Alex, well, I secretly hid a few things about myself from him. I had been too seriously concious about what he thought about myself and my interests. I never told him I liked writing, or that I played the violin in middle school and my first two years of high school, or that I loved pet fish. I didn't want him to think I was boring or nerdy.

I found out that Jack's dad made him take three months worth of cello lessons and that he used to have pet fish all the time, but his mother was tired of him over feeding and killing them so he stopped getting them. He was just so silly and kept me laughing. It was like he was trying to make me happy, but I knew there was a bad side to Jack, I just didn't know what it was like and I hoped I didn't ever have to see it.

We walked into the Watertable Ballroom and it almost took my breath away. It looked amazing, people already out on the floor dancing away, having a great time.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked me, leaning down to my ear so I could hear him. I turned and nodded, smiling. Still holding my hand, he walked me to the dance floor. I believe I danced almost every song with him, stopping when I got too tired.

"How's everyone enjoying themselves tonight?" the DJ called outto us. Cheers sounded everywhere. "Alright, well these next two dances are couples only so everyone find a partner." Many single kids cleared off the dance floor. I sat with Jack at a table, resting my head on his shoulder. "Collide" by Howie Day started playing and I smiled sadly. This was my favorite song ever. I hummed along to the first verse.

"Aimee, come on." Jack pulled me up and out onto the floor. I was confused; wasn't this supposed to be couples only? I asked him and he laughed. "You're a girl, I'm a boy. We're a couple. Don't take definitions so literally," he said, putting his hands above my hips. I slid my hands up to his shoulders and leaned my head onto his chest. I danced with him to the music and it felt nice. When I danced with Alex at Homecoming it didn't feel like this. This was better because I felt that Jack actually cared.

We danced the next song too before deciding to take another dance break. We found Chris and Marc with Jenna and Sarah. I ended up sitting on Jack's lap since there were only five chairs at this table. He had his arms wrapped around my middle so that I didn't fall or slide off. We were laughing and joking when someone came up to us.

"Hey here they are!" I turned around to see Kara waving at us and Rian following her over. "Aimee I'm so happy you came!" She gave me a hug. "You and Jack look great together, you know that?" I just laughed. They joined our table, Rian able to steal two chairs when a couple from the next table over vacated their seats.

"So this is where you guys are!" I tensed, hearing Alex's voice. I stared down at the table. I could just imagine him smiling. "Jack I've been looking all over for you. They're doing the "Cha Cha Slide" in a few." He still hadn't noticed me yet. I played with Jack's large hand, running my fingers along his lengthy ones. "Oh dude, who's your date?"

"Hey, it's okay," Jack told me, lacing his fingers with mine. I sighed and looked up at Alex, watching his smiling expression change to shock and then to that infamous smirk of his, but there was more to that smirk; something in his eyes made me want to say he felt jealous, but that couldn't be. No way, Alex never ended up jealous of anyone, especially of his best friend.

"Hi, Alex," I said with a faint smile. I heard the music change to an up beat song.

"Jack, come on and do the Cha Cha with me and Rian," Alex said, ignoring me.

I looked behind me to Jack. He gave me a look that clearly asked if he could. I smiled and nodded, getting off his lap. Giving me a hug, he asked me to hold his coat for him. "I'll be right back," he said, filled with energy then left with Rian and Alex. I pulled his coat on, the article far too large for me.

"So... you look happy with Jack. What's going on with you two?" Jenna asked, giving me that know-it-all look.

I just laughed. "There's nothing going on." I wish. He was Alex's best friend and I was the ex. I'm extremely positve that there's a rule about that.

"You might think there's nothing, but I beg to differ with Jack," Chris spoke up, pouring himself some water. I sighed and moved the chair over, laying my head on his shoulder. I ended up falling asleep. I must have been beat.

"Do you need help taking her to the car?" I faintly heard someone ask. It was a guy's voice and it sounded familiar.

"Nah, I've got her. Tell me if her underwear shows." I heard another guy answer. A pair of arms wrapped around me and lifted me up. Automatically I moved my arms around his neck and I my face at the crook of his neck. "Hey you awake?" I moaned softly in reply, earning a chuckle in response.

Minutes later I was put into a car. Opening my eyes and through my blurred vision, I saw I was in Jack's car. I was still wearing his white coat. I cuddled into the coat and curled in the seat I was in. I heard the driver's door open and close. "Hey, Jack," I said softly.

"Hey, you're up," he said, laughing softly. "Have a good rest?"

I smiled at him. "Yeah. Your coat's really warm and nice. I like it," I said. I also liked his smell, but I wasn't going to admit it.

"Well, the dance's over in about an hour and a half. Did you want to go to Josh's early like planned, or do you want me to take you to my place, or something?" he asked, putting his hand over one of mine.

"Mm, let's go to Joshi's. I promised I'd show," I said, giving off a small yawn.

"I can wake you up when we get there," he said before starting the car.

"Nah, I'm fine. I think I slept enough." I smiled at him. He pulled out and left the parking garage, heading back to Lutherville-Timonium. Somewhere during the ride we had talked about our favorite songs and I had scooted close to him to lean my head on his shoulder and he had his arm around me.

Since we had turned and left the car radio off, we sat in silence for quite a while, until out of no where he began singing my favorite song, "Passenger Seat" by Death Cab for Cutie. "Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am home again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again," he sang quietly.

"I never heard you sing before," I commented as he finished the song. "Your voice was always drowned out by Alex's." I started playing with his free hand again like I had been earlier, comparing my size with his and tracing random shapes on his hand.

He grinned, paying attention to the road. His driving was significantly better than the first time I was in the car with him. "Thanks Aimee, but Alex's voice definitely fits the band's sound better. He can belt it louder than me."

"Can't you just take a compliment?" I giggled softly.

"Mm... Nope!" He laughed easily and took my hand, squeezing it gently.

We made it to Josh's house. It was pretty large for a place to throw a party. I saw him opening the front door of his home as we parked on the side of the road in front of his house. I got out and waved at him, getting a wave in return. Jack grabbed change clothes from the trunk in his car then locked it before walking me inside the house.

"Hey, awesome you two got here," Josh said. He was taking beers and throwing them in the pretty packed coolers he had laid around the living room. "After you two change, mind helping me get all the breakables hidding up in my parent's room?"

"Sure, no problem." I went up to his room where I had dropped my change clothes off at yesterday. I changed and washed my prom makeup off in the bathroom and put on fresh eyeliner and mascara with some lip gloss too. I skipped down the steps and started to find and hide all the expensive stuff I saw. The front door opened and I looked to see Jack walk in. "Hey good looking; where'd you go?" I teased him.

"Thanks gorgeous. I was just putting my tux and stuff away," he grinned. I liked his clothes; they were very him. He had on grey guy's skinnies on, black converse, and a baseball tee with black sleeves. He took all the things I had in my arms and took them upstairs for me and it soon became like an assembly line. I would find the items, he would run them upstairs, and Marc would put it away. This went on for a while.

When we were done, I collapsed onto the couch, my head on Jack's lap. He played with my hair, stealing my hat from me and keeping it just out of my reach. I ended up getting it back just as the crowd poured in.

The music was loud and the place was bumping. I was having a good time, dancing around and talking with my old friends on the track team. They constantly told me how much they wished I was back on. I just laughed. Jack came and found me a few hours into the party with an extra beer in his hand. I had about half a beer by then.

"Hey!" he said, speaking up so I could hear him.

"Hi! What's up?" I asked him, swaying slightly to Justin Timberlake.

"Here, have one!" He handed me the beer then twisted the bottle cap off for me. "Drink it, come on." He laughed. I could tell by the smell of alcohol on his breath and by the sight of his eyes beginning to become bloodshot, that he was close to drunk if not already.

I gave in after a few more minutes of him asking me. I might regret it later. I knew from experience freshman year that I was a light weight. I ended up waking in a bathtub at Chris's house. Somehow I had more and more alcohol, ending up in the kitchen going against some guy totally plastered in drinking shots of some awfully strong tasting vodka. I won by default because he had passed out. I ended up so wasted I didn't know who I was seeing.

I stumbled along, smiling and dancing around. I ran into someone. "Oops, I'm sorry," I slurred, giggling.

"Aimee!" The person I had run into called my name and threw their arms around me tightly.

"Jackie!" I laughed and hugged him back.

"Aimee, are you drunk?" I heard someone aske me dully. I turned to see a blurry vision of blonde hair.

"Alex? Why yes," I said, not letting Jack go; he didn't either.

"Having fun?" I looked up at Jack and nodded, letting him sway us side to side.

"You guys make me sick," Alex muttered.

"Well then don't look at us. Go find Lisa." My words were still slurring, but I was at least still comprehendable. He muttered something and I felt him leave us.

"He's gone," Jack whispered in my ear.

"Mm, yeah. Finally," I said sighing. I stared up at Jack, a goofy smile on my face.

He tilted his head to the side and smiled. "You look innocent all the time. D'ja know that?"

"Mm, no." I shook my head.

Leaning down till our foreheads touched, he gave me an eskimo kiss, making me giggle. "Les'go upstairs," he suggested. Childish and drunkenly I nodded, following him up and into the guest bedroom Josh had.