CHAPTER THIRTEEN

                                    

                                          
BLAIRE
                          

                          
"It's Friday night, finals are over, and youdon't have the excuse of being sick to not come out with ustonight," Paige said. She flopped down on the couch beside me.She'd been trying to get me to agree to partying at Shooterstonight with her, Lauren, and Craig. "Please."
                          
Paige stuck out her bottom lip and batted herheavily made-up eyes at me. As usual, she was stunning. Her darkhair had been curled into soft ringlets, her makeup was expertlydone, and her outfit accentuated her features precisely. Tonightshe wore a pair of dark skinny jeans, red heels, and aloose-fitting top that hung off her right shoulder and matched thecolor of her shoes dead on.
                          
Letting out a sigh, I cut my eyes to her."Yes, it's Friday, finals are over, and I'm not sick, but thatdoesn't mean I feel like going out tonight. I'm tired. This weekwas hell."
                          
"You're not tired and yes, this week washell-all the more reason to unwind with a few drinks and dance thebuilt-up misery from the week away," she insisted.
                          
"I'm going out tomorrow night-in fact, I'mgoing to the same place. One night of partying at Shooters will beplenty for me. I really just need to catch up on some sleep."
                          
Paige gave me a disgusted look. "Are youserious right now? You are not staying home tonight tosleep. Put on a cute outfit and strap some heels on. You .Are. Going. Out." She grabbed my arm to tug me back to my room. Ilaughed and allowed it.
                          
"All right, I'll come. But I mean it when Isay I'm not staying long and I'm only having two drinks, tops," Isaid with as much authority as I could manage.
                          
Paige smiled and clapped her hands, obviouslyonly hearing the part where I'd said I would come. She was acrossthe room and flipping through my clothes in seconds. "Ohh, when didyou get this hot little number?" she asked.
                          
She pulled out the dress I'd bought for mydate-or non-date, whatever the case may be-with Jason tomorrownight. It was a strapless yellow dress that fell to about an inchabove my knees and was made from a silky polyester fabric. It wasfairly simple, but when paired with the cute set of earrings I'dbought and my strappy wedge sandals I figured it would lookhot.
                          
"That's what I bought the other day for mything with Jason tomorrow night," I said. My words came outsounding off and I wondered if Paige would pick up on thenervousness present in them.
                          
"Thing?" She raised an eyebrow at me.Obviously she'd skipped over the nerves that rang clearly in myvoice and moved right on to the description I'd chosen.
                          
I nodded. "Yes, thing. I'm not surewhat it is-a date, a non-date with an old high school friend, acasual meeting?"
                          
"Oh it's a date, definitely a date."
                          
"What makes you so sure?"
                          
She held up the dress again. "This dressmakes it a date. You went out and bought something new and sexy.Plus, when was Jason Bryant ever your high school friend and whodoes casual meetings? That doesn't even make sense tome."
                          
Dropping my eyes to the hardwood flooring ofmy room, I shrugged a shoulder and tucked a few strands of my hairbehind my ear that had fallen free. "Okay, point made. I guess it'sa date."
                          
It felt so odd to say those words out loudand know that it was with Jason Bryant of all people.
                          
"So...all of this is out of the question." Shequickly dismissed everything in my closet. "Let's head to my roomand I'll find you something."
                          
"As long as it's not wild and bold like thoseshoes you wore last weekend. And no animal prints," I said. Ifollowed her down the hall and into her room.