Saving Grace

I sat between John and Kennedy in the far back of the van, my purse carefully resting on my lap. It was uncomfortable with barely any space to move.

Linnely was chatting away to really no one in particular and Kennedy was busying himself by staring out the window as Jared drove. He tapped his fingers rhythmically on his leg as he zoned.

Turning to John, I saw that he, like Kenny, was looking out the window to occupy himself. The sunlight poured in through the glass casting rays of light over his face, bringing out the little blond in his sandy-brown hair.

It would be an understatement if I said that we were still uncomfortable together after the little incident we had. We hadn't directly spoken to one another in nearly thirty minutes but no one seemed to notice.

"What's going on tonight?" I asked, turning from John's figure to the group of people taking up the remaining space in the van.

Kennedy pulled his eyes from the thin sheet of glass separating him from the oncoming traffic. "A party."

I felt my heart clench at the word. "P-Party?" I asked. "Like...?"

"A house party... Why?" Kennedy asked, narrowing his hazel eyes at me.

Dinner parties were okay for me, house parties were not. I shrugged, trying not to let them know just how much I dreaded going.

"That's not the only reason I brought you shopping though! I think we should all get to know one another a little better," Linnely added.

I nodded looked down to my handbag. After a moment, I dug inside the faux-leather bag and pulled out my sunglasses. I slid them on in attempt to hide the nervousness that was surely filling my eyes.

After moments, I reached back inside my purse and withdrew my phone. I turned it on, something I hadn't done since my phone call with Nick.

I found that I hadn't missed much, a few texts from a couple of my co-workers and a phone call from my boss- most likely to remind me that she needed my article within a matter of days.

I, unfortunately, hadn't even begun writing.

After tucking my Blackberry back into my purse, I found myself staring at the radio. It was on but turned all the way down so no one could hear it. It was apparent why; no one would be listening to it. There were far too many things going on inside the rather large van to pay attention to radio host banter and music that, in my opinion, was mediocre.

"Hello!?! LIA! You still here with us?"

Pat's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Hm? Yes, I'm still here."

"Didn't look like it to me," Garrett commented, glancing over his shoulder to me. "Did you fall asleep on us?" he asked suspiciously, staring directly into the lenses of my dark sunglasses. "Someone keeping you up at night?" he asked glancing to John.

I felt warmth flooding my cheeks at his blunt questions.

I didn't know how to answer him. My sex life was meant to be private and it was surely going to stay that way so I chose not to reply. John, on the other hand, used actions instead of words to answer his friend's question. He reached forward and slapped the copper-haired boy across the back of his head.

"It was just a joke, Johno," Garrett whined, rubbing his head where he'd been hit.

"Finally, we're here!" Linnely cut in as the van rolled to a stop. Glancing out the window, I realized that we were in the parking lot of the mall already.

-----

"Well, well, well Miss Amelia. Are you going to come out and show me how it fits?" Linnely called through the dressing room.

The guys had ditched us to check out something or other, I really hadn't been paying attention. Linnely had then decided to take it upon herself to force me into a store in search of something "sexy" for the party.

The party that I was still fretting over.

I had been thinking of excuses to ditch since Linnely had first pulled me into... whatever store she had decided on scavenging through and so far the only thing I had come up with was suddenly falling ill with the stomach flu later tonight.

Of course, even I knew that Linnely wouldn't fall for that, and I barely knew the girl.

"Do I have to?" I asked, studying myself in the full-length mirror.

"Uh, yeah!"

I smoothed the silk bottom of my dress out once more. Hesitantly, I pinched the handle of the lock between my fingers before sliding it back and stepping out. Linnely was waiting anxiously, chewing on her thumbnail when I spotted her. She immediately pulled herself off of the padded bench she had been seated on with a smile. "It looks gorgeous, Amelia!" she cried. "That's the one for you."

I walked over to the large set of mirrors and examined myself closely, still unsure. "Really?"

"Absolutely! John is going to be drooling at a glimpse of that," she said with a sly smirk.

I was was positive that she was over dramatizing just a little. I couldn't see John as the type of guy who drooled over girls; he was far too composed for that. Plus it was me, Amelia McAllister; the girl who wasn't as stick-thin as that Marissa character that John had dated, the girl that was socially awkward a majority of the time and the girl who didn't have beautiful eyes like most of the girls here had.

"Go take that dress off before the guys decide to come looking for us. They are not allowed to see our outfits until tonight."

I nodded and obediently went back to the changing room I had been in.

Linnely and I found ourselves at the food court after buying our dresses assuming that the guys would eventually find their way to where the food was. They were guys who enjoyed eating almost twenty-four/seven after all.

"So Amelia, what's your sign?"

I stopped sipping on my straw to look at her with my brow furrowed. "My horoscope sign?" 

The girl flickered her aquamarine eyes up from the magazine in her grip and nodded.

"Pisces."

Linnely's eyes fell back to the magazine and read before she spoke. "Ooh! It says that your luck with love, though it hasn't been in your favor lately, will be turning around." The girl sitting across from me looked up with a smile gracing her lips. "That's a good thing."

"You actually believe in that stuff?" I asked skeptically. 

"Well of course! How could you not!?"

I studied her, blinking slowly before reaching for a fry. I knew she was about to try to convince me otherwise but multiple sets of arms wrapping around me distracted both of us from our conversation. "Did you find something for tonight?" Pat asked in our hugging session.

"Yep," Linnely said for the both of us, as I was too occupied glancing around to see that Garrett and Jared had also attacked me in a hug. "We sure did! But none of you can see them until tonight," she added quickly before turning to John. "That means I need your lovely girlfriend all to myself later in the day to get her ready so you'll have to find something to occupy yourself with."

I sighed quietly before taking another sip from my soft drink after the three boys had released me from their grip.

"Are you ready to go then?" Kennedy asked, glancing between the only girls out of the group.

Linnely nodded, rising from her chair as she dug through her purse. She pulled out a pack of gum, then proceeded to pull a single stick out of the package before popping it into her mouth. "Want one?" she asked, holding the green and white Spearmint gum package to me.

I shook my head no as I, too, rose from my seat. "Mint isn't my favorite," I admitted.

"What is your favorite flavor?" she asked, hitching her arm through both Pat's and mine before skipping onward, dragging the two of us with her.

As childish as it sounded, I liked the Extra Fruit Sensations brand, the watermelon flavor.

Just as soon as I said it, Linnely was digging through her silver handbag. She pulled out a pack of that exact kind of gum before handing me a piece. I took it, my mind posing a million questions all at once.

Jared swooped up beside me though. "Told you she was crazy," he whispered before I was pulled toward the mall's exit.