I walk straight to the bathroom after class.

I'm not about to do drugs or anything, so calm your horses. I just need a minute to myself.

Unfortunately, I'm tailed by Erin. Worst guy to hang with, I swear. Always on about achieving freedom from our government.

"Hey, Magno, where ya headed?"

I turn. "None of your business."

He frowns. "Jeez, I was just trying to see if you wanted to come to the party at Aurora's tonight."

I narrow my eyes. Aurora? But she was a person-hater. Why would she host a party?

"Fine, I'll come. But only because I wanna know what Aurora's up to," I say.

Erin grins. "Great, see you there."

The rest of the school day goes by quickly, but it's boring.

When I get home, I go to my room and slam the door. Lock it. I don't need Mom knowing I'm partying. I shower, then do some makeup, apply some eyeliner. I get a little crazy with the eyeliner and make a bunch of pretty swirly symbols. I put on some ripped jeans, a baggy shirt, and a flannel on.

I take one last look in the mirror, then flop on my bed and text Aurora.

[Hey, when's the party?]

She replies with, [Eight.]

I put my phone down and exhale. Then shake my hair out. It's still damp, even after blow-drying it.

What could be up with Aurora and Erin?

I think for a moment.

Then one name pops into my head. Jude Kirnan.

The guy that I can't face.

Last summer, I kind of, maybe, kissed him?

And he didn't take kindly to that.

To be fair, it was only on the cheek, but he slapped me.

I bury my face in my hands and groan. Please don't let that be what Aurora and Erin are doing.

My door opens and Mom is standing there, a letter in her hand.

She has her arms crossed. I sit up.

"What?"

Immediately, I can tell she's pissed.

"This letter is from a friend of yours, right?"

She tosses it at me. It smacks my shoulder.

I pick it up and freeze. Jude, that bastard.

Slowly, carefully, I read it. Shit.

"Mom, please, I can explain!"

"You'd better, young man."

I take a breath and comb my fingers through my hair. "So, Jude isn't my boyfriend. We've never dated. And I don't do drugs."

Mom narrows her eyes. "I find that hard to believe. Especially with that shirt and your freakish friends."

I wince. "They're not freakish. And I don't do drugs!"

"You'd better not be. . .you know," she says. "I will remove you from school and send you to a private one."

I look down. "I'm not."

We've talked about this before. If I don't like girls, she'll send me to a stupid school with nuns who think they can exorcise me. But I don't like girls. I just don't tell her that.

She leaves and I scream into my pillow.

How I hate this house.

It's seven-thirty, so I grab my bag and hoist myself out to window. Worst and best choice my parents ever made was letting me have a window.

I find my bike in the shed and bike to Aurora's. I find I'm a little early.

"Hey, Aurora," I say, setting my bag on the floor. "Need some help?"

Aurora looks up. "Yeah, I could use it."

We set up the party together and talk about Aurora's new friend who I suspect to be more.

Her name is Hera. Apparently, she's the same age as Aurora, and lives only two states over.

Guests trickle in slow at first, then steadily. Finally, the last of them are through the door.

The craziest of the partying has started, so I find a quieter corner.

I quickly find this to be a bad decision.

"Hey, there."

I look up and discover a brunet guy who smells strongly of alcohol.

"Hi," I say, and wave.

"You look awfully lonely over here. Care for some company?"

Usually, in parties, company either entails making out or something more intimate.

I shake my head. "Nah, I'm good."

His hand finds my hip. "You sure?"

I flinch away. "Yep. . ."

"'Cause I think you need a little loving," he says in my ear.

Suddenly, the guy is yanked off of me by the collar.

"I'm pretty sure he said he was good."

Jude fucking Kirnan.

He pushes the guy away.

The guy looks at him. Then me.

"Oh, I see. He's your little whore."

Jude turns to him. "No. He's not even my friend."

Somehow, the words sting.

The guy does leave me alone, though.

Jude sits next to me. "You alright?"

I scoot up against the wall and away from him. "Um, yeah. Thanks to you."

"I don't need your praise."

The way he says it is so cold. This guy pisses me off.

"Well, fine, don't take it then," I say, anger rising.

Jude looks to me, surprise etched into his features. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're okay. But I really didn't do much."

I roll my eyes. Of course, the golden boy would say that.

"What do you even want?" I ask, propping my chin on the heel of my palm.

Jude tilts his head. "To talk to you. I wanted to say I'm sorry for slapping you last summer."

"That was forever ago," I say. I'm eager to get off the subject.

"Well, you see, I didn't dislike it. It's just you surprised me."

I stare at him. Strawberry-blond hair in a shaggy cut. His undercut is darker, like brown. It's a little messy. Brown eyes focused intently on me. He's cute and it makes me mad. "Yeah, well, you surprised me with that slap."

His eyes are intense, like he's trying to figure out what I am.

"Please just kiss me," he says.

My gaze snaps so quickly to him, my head spins a little. "What?!"

His face is slightly flushed. "I want you to kiss me again."

I put my head in my hands. "Stop joking. It's not funny."

"I'm not joking. I've been meaning to ask you since, like, ten months ago."

I can't help looking up, letting my hands dangle. "No way. You're not. . .What about Madison?"

"I'm bi, Magno," Jude says, a small smile on his lips. "And she likes Erin."

I flush. "What the fuck. . ."

Jude brushes my hair out of my face, and I hate how much I like it.

"So, you really want me to kiss you?"

Jude nods. "Yeah."

I lean forward. Then yank back. "I'm too sober for this."

I get up and find a beer. I drink it, then another. Fifteen minutes later, I'm plastered.

Jude comes up next to me and I kiss him.

Wish granted, I think dimly.

I break away and inhale, but before I can kiss him again, someone hooks their arms under my shoulders and drags me away. I hear Jude yelling. The party is so chaotic, though, I highly doubt anyone hears him.

Something sticks into my neck and I slip into unconsciousness.