She nodded, but clung to him.

Angie glared after them. She threw back the rest of her punch and then ground up her cup into pieces. When they fell from her hand, she growled in disgust. “I can’t believe her. Really, I can’t believe her. She knew about you and him. Hell, she knew before when she was trying to go at him. Is she mentally screwed up or what? Is it her ego? Does she really have to conquer every guy out there?”

Justin came up to the table at that moment. He took one look at Angie and spun around on his heel.

She snorted after him. “That’s probably for the best. I’d unleash my anger on him and that’s all sorts of wrong.” She sighed and looked at me. “Are you okay?”

My shoulders bounced up in a careless shrug. “Whatever. I’ll deal.” But that wasn’t the truth. The truth was that it stung, a lot. Tears threatened to fall, and I swallowed a lump down my throat. I couldn’t dwell on it. That would make me think of what she’d done and inevitably that would make me think of Jesse. I was really trying to stop thinking about him.

“Hey.” Eric approached with a frown and two glasses in his hands. He handed one to me. “Justin said something was wrong.”

Angie gave him a ‘duh’ look. “And I bet he warned you to stay away.”

Eric stiffened. His eyes skirted from her to me and he gave us a sheepish look. “Uh, yeah, but I didn’t. Was that not the right thing to do?”

“No.” Angie’s hands found her hips and she turned to scan the room. “You’re doing the right thing. Where’s my boyfriend? I’ve got something different to unleash on him.”

I couldn’t hold back a grin as she winked at me when she headed out. Those two would be long gone within minutes, so I glanced at Ben.

His eyes looked ready to pop out as he was still in his chair. Beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. He lifted a handkerchief to wipe them away. I knew he’d been sweating since we got into the gym. With all the hot bodies and dancing, it was on the verge of a sauna.

“Did you have fun?”

He nodded, still speechless.

I chuckled. My hand slipped into Eric’s. “I think it’s time we call it a night.”

Eric grasped my hand. A smile lit up his face.

Ben jerked his head in a nod. His second chin wobbled from the movement and then he struggled to his feet. “I’ll see you guys. See you at work tomorrow morning.”

We watched him go. His shoulders drooped. No one said goodbye to him and he collected his coat in silence.

My heart swelled for him. In some ways, I felt like my life was similar to Ben’s, but in others I knew I was lucky to still have Angie as my friend.

Eric watched beside me. “He’s a nice guy. Junior, right?”

“He’s a senior with us.”

“He is? I don’t remember him in any of our classes.”

That was Ben’s problem. He was always there, but in the background. And before I started getting sad again, I whirled around with a bright smile. I slipped both of my arms around Eric’s waist underneath his tuxedo coat. “Are you hungry?”

Eric’s eyes darkened. His smile softened as he stared down at me. “Starving.”

“Me, too.”

My heart skipped a beat. We stared at each other for a second and I didn’t think either of us breathed. The moment was suspended in time. I didn’t know what it was or what it meant, but it felt right. I felt that everything would be okay right then and I wanted to keep feeling like that.

“Come on.” Eric’s voice dropped to a husky murmur and he led me outside with his hand in mine. As I waited by the door, he went back for our coats. I left my bag of clothes in my locker. I didn’t have the energy to leave and grab it. There was nothing in there that I needed, so I waited for him. Shivers of anticipation came over me. What did this mean?

“Here you go.” But he was back already.

My arms went behind me and he slid my coat over them. He rounded and pulled it the rest of the way and made sure that it was comfortable on me. He tucked all the corners in the right spot before he pulled me close for another hug.

It was delicious.

I closed my eyes and burrowed my head against his shoulder. He brushed back some strands of my hair. The feel of his fingers against my skin gave me a loving feeling. He touched me tenderly, so softly that I could feel the yearning from him. Or maybe that was me. Did I yearn for his touch? I never had before, but as I moved away a step and held his gaze, I was cold.

He chuckled as he took my hand again. “Come on. I thought you said you were hungry.”

“I am.”

“What do you think? Burgers? Tacos?”

“A big fat cheeseburger, please.” I felt giddy in that moment. I was breaking some rule that I didn’t know yet.

“Sounds perfect.” Eric’s smile softened again. He pulled me close and placed his arm around my shoulders as we walked to his truck. The cold air blasted me awake. I was jerked out of the fairytale reverie I’d been in. When he helped me inside and rounded the truck for his door, I paused. What were we doing?

But then he was inside and it wasn’t long before the heat warmed me and dulled my thoughts once again.

Eric was a gentleman as he drove to a fast food place and ordered us both big and juicy cheeseburgers. We shared a large fry between us. When he took me home, I experienced bittersweet emotions. I was content and satiated, but I was empty and starving at the same time. I just wasn’t sure for what or whom. And I didn’t want to think of those questions any longer.

For once, I turned my thoughts off. I basked in the warmth Eric showered on me.

When he parked outside of my home, we could tell the television was on in my living room.

“Did your parents wait up for you?” Eric frowned at me. He narrowed his eyes in concern. “I could’ve brought you back earlier. Are you in trouble?”

I almost snorted at that question. “No. I’m fine. I’m sure it’s either my dad or mom. Sometimes they have trouble sleeping.” I laughed then. “I don’t even think they realized tonight was Homecoming.”

“Are you serious?”

I waved away the concern. “Don’t worry about it. My parents are in their own world right now.” My hand slipped into his. I squeezed once. “I’m sure it’s hard for a parent to lose a child. They’ll snap out of it one of these days.”