How Could I Like A Girl

With music blasting in my ears as I danced to the beat, drink in hand, I deceived the people around me. They all thought I was drinking beer and partying hard but really I was drinking water and wanted to go home. My boyfriend was preventing me from leaving though.

"You look miserable!" My friend Stacey shouted over the music.

"Then I look how I feel," I mumbled just as I felt a hand around my waist. I already knew who it was; Caleb.

"Hey babe," He slurred and then I felt his tongue down my throat, practically. Normally there was nothing wrong with that, but when he was drunk he was like a whole other person. He was clumsy, loud, rude and obnoxious and I hated it. Yet I was here to witness it all because I was afraid he may cheat. Great girlfriend, right?

"Can we leave? Please," I begged as I began to pull him by his arm near the entrance. But then I stopped when I saw a girl swaying to the music. I never saw her before. She had a glow to her; a natural beauty. I felt a weird sensation. Jealousy maybe? as I continued pulling Caleb by his arm, though I was still looking at her. She stopped to take a sip of water as she pushed hair away from her forehead. It was stuck with sweat, I noticed, as she looked at me. Just then I felt Caleb fall and nearly knock me over and she ran over to us. No one else did anything but laugh.

"Need some help?" She asked. I smiled and nodded and she helped pick him up and carry him outside to the cool air. We lifted him into his car and closed the door.

"Thanks. No one in there gives a damn if anyone passes out. He could have alcohol poisoning for all I know and they'd still dance and drink," I complained.

"You sound like you aren't fond of parties?"

"I'm not. I just come with my boyfriend to make sure... to make sure he's ok." I didn't tell her that he flirts with other girls all the time and that I thought he would cheat on me first chance he could.

"Oh, okay. Well I'll see you around..." She moved her hand in a motion telling me to share my name with her.

"Candice," I started but continued when she began to walk away, "Wait! Who are you? I've never seen you around here before."

"I'm Brenna," She smiled, "I just moved in with my aunt."

Then she was gone.

*|*|*|*|*|*|*|

After a stressful night of partying (how often do you hear people say that?) I went to bed at one AM and ended up getting at six, getting back into the school routine. I had one week until started and I was not happy. Even so, I rolled out of bed and shut off my alarm. I took a quick shower and applied my usual make up and then scrunched my hair. It gave me a headache. After, after calling my Stacey to see if she was awake which she wasn't, I took the bus to the mall to school shop.

I paid the bus driver the money for the ride and got on and sat down toward the back. A creepy man in his late twenties got on at the next stop and sat across from me.

"Hey sexy," He smirked and I could smell cigarette on his breath; I found it disgusting.

"Hi," I faked smiled back, trying to be polite.

"Where are you headed?"

"The mall. What about you," I was getting a little nervous now as he looked at me with hunger in his eyes.

"I'm going to the mall to. Cool right?" Then he slid down next to me even though he was hanging off of the seat a little because I was in the middle of it.

"Um... can you please get out of my seat," I refrained my self for sounding afraid.

"It's a public bus. This isn't your seat," He said and began to squeeze my leg.

"Hey, get the hell away from her you pervert!" A voice shouted and pushed the man out of the seat then sat down next to me so he wouldn't sit next to me again. The man just mumbled something inappropriate then found another seat.

It was the girl who helped me with Caleb at the party.

"Thank you so much!" I said with gratitude. She just smiled at me.

"So, I never got your name," I pointed out.

"Oh. Sorry. I'm Brenna," She flashed me a pretty smile with her teeth.

"Where are you headed?" I asked trying to keep awkward silences away.

"The mall. I heard you're going to. Want to shop with me?" She asked.

"Sure," I said and then the bus stopped at the mall and we got off.