“What about me?” I turned around and saw Jaxon emerging from the bathroom, alone. He sounded angry, and so did the look his face when he saw Mike’s hand around mine pulling me into the room.

“Now you know where he is,” Mike said to me, stiffly. “Let’s go now.”

“Where do you think you’re taking her?” Jaxon snapped, pushing past a few people in the hallway.

“Dude, would you stop being such a fucking cock-block?” Mike retorted, gaping at Jaxon with growing animosity.

I tried to pry my hand loose, but that only made Mike’s grip tighten. Jaxon stopped in front of him, standing a few inches shorter than the big guy.

“Let her go,” he demanded. “She’s not some five cent skank that you think will spread her legs wide for your punk ass.”

Mike abruptly let go of my hand and moved closer to Jaxon so that they were face to face. The tension in the air was thick, and even the talking around us wilted off making these two the centre of attention.

“I didn’t force her up here,” Mike said, flaring his nostrils as he tried on the menacing look. He pulled the look off well, I noted.

“Looked like you were dragging her into this room–”

“Then ask her yourself. She said she wanted to come here.”

Jaxon looked over at me with questioning eyes. “Is that true, Sara?”

I felt my face heat up and shrugged. “I was looking for you.”

“Lying bitch,” Mike cursed. “You said you were fine–”

“Don’t you fucking call her that again,” Jaxon interrupted, turning back to Mike. “She doesn’t want you, so fuck off.”

Mike abruptly shoved Jaxon back, swearing wildly at him. Knowing Jaxon like the back of my hand, I dreaded what he was going to do. He never took kindly to anyone touching him.

“Touch me again and I’ll beat the shit out of you,” he warned Mike.

Mike, who was taller and bigger than Jaxon, laughed mockingly. He balled his fists up and stepped forward, ready to throw a fist at Jaxon, but Jaxon was quicker. He punched him straight in the nose, and shoved the disoriented guy back until he hit the wall harshly. Then he put an arm under Mike’s chin and a fist at his face, as if challenging him for more.

“Jaxon, just leave him alone.” I touched his back lightly, unsure of how he would react to my touching. “Let’s go home.”

He ignored me for a long moment, staring intently at Mike’s face. Mike made no move to fight him off. Then he let go, grabbed my hand tightly and stormed out of there.

Six

He drove me home in silence, never batting me an eye even when I turned my whole body to stare at his face. He just ignored me.

Heart sunken, I felt like I’d ruined the night, and didn’t I? I shouldn’t have left him sitting there on the couch, especially when he’d been so attentive to me. Why did I react so stupidly? Now things were even more awkward.

If I’d known I’d feel this way twenty four hours ago, I would have avoided Prom altogether and have gone back to our strictly friend zoned selves. Yet if things had been so damn friend zoned, why did the smallest event like tonight ignite something that felt so different? Or was I just reading into it too much?

The house was dark and quiet. Lucinda was fast asleep. I looked at the clock on the wall in the entrance room and was surprised it was almost midnight. Time sure flew. Jaxon walked past me and up the stairs without so much a glance in my direction. I hurried after him. Maybe talking to him would break the ice.

In the unlit bedroom, he opened his dresser and pulled out his briefs and shirt, and then turned to make his way out. I stood in the doorway, blocking him.

“Can we talk?” I asked quietly.

“About what, Sara?” His voice was hard as rock.

“Is that a yes?”

He sighed, frustration etched in the features of his beautiful face. “Fine.”

I shut the door and sat down on the bed, and motioned him to sit down too. When he did, I grabbed his hand and, with a deep breath, said, “I’m sorry. I was so stupid tonight. I shouldn’t have left you alone like that.”

“You let him take you to the bedroom, Sara,” he replied. The anger in his face turned into one of disbelief. “You were going to…”

“And where were you?” I rebutted, frowning at him. “I saw that you were gone, and I thought you were with Abby in one of those bedrooms. The only way Mike would let me go was telling him he could take me up there. I did it so that I could stop you.” Embarrassed, I looked away. Even in the dark, we were quite visible.

“Stop me?” He scoffed and shook his head. “You tell me I could do whatever I want with girls–”

“You could!”

“So why would you want to stop me?”

“Using your logic, why do you even care if I was going into the bedroom anyway?” It was silly and cowardice avoiding his question with my own question, but it shut him up and had him sulking for one very long minute.

“I guess I had it in my head that you were my date tonight,” he said quietly. “I thought you were mine for the day, and I got a little shitty when I saw everyone staring at you like a piece of meat they had a chance with. I was able to handle that, but not them grinding on you like that.”

“I’m sorry,” I repeated. I put a hand around his shoulder and leaned in to him. “I wasn’t going to do anything with Mike. It never entered my mind.”

“But Sara, don’t you see how ridiculous this is?” he asked, turning his face to me. “You shouldn’t have to explain yourself. If you wanted to do something with him, you had every right to. It’s your body. I don’t know why I got so angry.”

“Because I’m your best friend,” I said with a shrug. “You care if people start taking advantage of me.”

“I don’t know if that’s it at all,” he eventually said. He looked down at our clasped hands in deep thought. Then he put an arm around my waist and pulled me up the bed with him. He settled comfortably on his back, holding me closely to his side with my head on his chest and under his chin. I listened to the strong thump of his heart as he stroked my bare back with the tips of his fingers. Strange as it was, I didn’t object. He was warm, comfortable, and I relaxed into him.

“I wanted to give you a great time,” he whispered down at me. “Wanted you to look back and remember tonight.”