Why did you let him kiss you like that?

God, I wished I knew.

One minute, we'd been fighting about my father, and the next?

Lord, my face burned when I thought about what we had done next.

Falling for him is only going to make everything a million times harder when he gets bored and moves on – because he will move on, Molly. No guy that looks like Daryl is going to want to be with someone like you in the long run.

Too late for that, I thought to myself.

You're already in love with him…

You're eighteen years deep in love with him…

Pain hit me square in the chest and I felt what little confidence I had managed to muster up waver.

The grand total of my sexual experience was cringeworthy, but Daryl's was absolutely terrifying.

I'd lost count of the number of girls rumored to have been with him.

Was I just another name on that list?

Another notch on his bedpost before he went off to college and took over the world of sport?

Oh god, I hoped not…

"Molly!" A familiar voice called out, dragging me from my tumultuous thoughts.

"There you are," I mumbled, sagging in relief when my eyes landed on Mercy waving at me from the edge of the dance floor. She was wrapped around a smiling and un-bruised Rourke. Thank god. "I've been searching all over for you guys."

"Wow," Mercy gushed when I reached her, eyes roaming over my body. "You look…"

"Overdressed?"

"Amazing," she countered and then threw her arms around me. "You look freaking amazing, Molls."

Hardly.

"So do you."

"I'll go get those drinks," Rourke announced, pressing a kiss to Mercy's cheek before disappearing into the crowd.

"Wait…" I tried to call out, but he was gone before I could stop him.

Well shit…

"So, where's Daryl?"

Hopefully stopping your boyfriend from wreaking havoc!

"Who knows," I replied, distracted. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere talking to some random girl or other."

Or maybe he's getting tea-bagged by Casey Garza again.

Ugh.

Gag.

Don't think about it, Molly…

Concern laced her voice when she said, "Molls…"

"I'm okay," I hurried to soothe, instantly feeling bad for worrying my friend. "Honestly, Mercy, I'm cool." Just jealous, nauseous, and a little stabby.

"Do you want to dance?"

No. In fact, I can think of a million other things I'd rather do, some of which involves digging my eyeballs out with a rusty spoon.

"Molls?"

"Huh?"

"Did you hear me?"

"Oh, yeah, the dancing." I nodded and smiled brightly. "Hell yes."

25 Daryl

My number one priority right now should be finding Rourke and performing some major damage control before he got himself arrested.

It wasn't.

Instead, my head was back with my other best friend; the one who had disappeared into the dance like she couldn't get away from me fast enough.

I had hoped to bring Molly back to my house after homecoming wrapped up, but Reebo and Bear had done a mighty fine job of messing those plans up.