Just a Pucking Prank [COMPLETED]

Chapter 36 - Flirting

Lydia

I blot the napkins on the worst stains and exhale as I find Trisha and Pres. I honestly don't care about the spill anymore.

It hurt that Wes didn't stick up for me. I know we've never talked about any sort of relationship besides sex, but I still thought we were becoming friendly, if not friends. I guess I was wrong.

I knock back my drink and hit the dance floor with the girls.

The music is good, but it's not carrying me away like it normally does. And the thought of drinking more has my stomach churning.

I put on a smile and ignore Wes. When I accidentally glance in his direction, he's not looking at me. So I move more seductively and dance with whoever is close by until I lose track of time.

When it all becomes too much, I excuse myself to find a bathroom. There's a line, so I have plenty of time to look around. And, of course, I spot Wes talking to one of the puck bunnies. She's touching his arm, and he doesn't seem to mind.

The line moves and I lose sight of him. Maybe he's just being polite. Or keeping up the ruse. This damn ruse. Because it would be unthinkable to be with me out in the open.

I have just enough alcohol in me to get mad at the thought.

When I get out of the bathroom, he's still talking to the woman. He laughs at something she says and I see red. Barely aware of what I'm doing, I walk over to them.

"Hi," I say sweetly to her. "I need to talk to Wes."

"Now?" She looks confused.

"Maybe you should go find someone else to bother," I say and turn to Wes.

Wes shrugs at her, and she leaves. He smiles at me.

"What the fuck kind of rules are these?" I ask.

"Excuse me?" His smile fades.

"I'm not allowed to touch anyone else, but it's perfectly fine for women like her to drape themselves over you?"

"It doesn't mean anything." He shrugs.

Is he talking about her or me? "Nothing?" Do I mean nothing to him?

"It's not a big deal. She's just a puck bunny."

"I didn't know it was no big deal to flirt, because you had a very different reaction last time." I put my fists on my hips.

"Maybe the rule needs to change. I'm not going to argue with you here. There are people watching and this is not the time or place."

He looks around as if he can will me away, as if he wants to prove to everyone that I mean nothing to him.

"Fine," I say with clenched teeth. I spin around and leave him. If he can flirt, then so can I.

I take a deep breath and spot Jonathan with some friends.

Forcing my face into a more neutral expression, I walk right by him, bumping into him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I say and put a hand on his bicep. "It's Jonathan, right?"

"Well, hi there." He smiles down at me, as if he's actually glad to see me. The contrast from Wes' behavior is so stark it almost hurts.

"You want to dance?" I ask.

He nods and hands his beer to a friend before following me to the dance floor.

I spot the puck bunny returning to Wes, whispering something in his ear. His eyes are on me for a while as I dance, then I focus on the man in front of me.

Jonathan is not a great dancer. But he looks at me as if he wants me and that is such an ego boost. When he puts a hand on my waist, I don't discourage him. I dance close to him, eager to prove to myself that I'm not someone who needs to be ignored and hidden away.

After a while, I look back at Wes. The puck bunny is whispering in his ear again. He says something back and takes her hand.

I stop moving. The air leaves my lungs and I feel faint. She's leading him upstairs. How do you breathe? Why would he do that? He's actually going through with it?

"You ok?" Jonathan's voice echoes somewhere far above me.

I shake my head. "I need to leave."

I practically run away. Leaving him there wondering.

"Lydia?" Trisha sees me pass by, but I don't stop.

I reach the outside and stop to inhale. My head is spinning and my stomach turns.

"Lydia?" Trisha comes outside with a worried look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I can't be here. Seeing them coming back down would kill me. "I'm not feeling well. I think I'm going to head home."

"I'll drive you." Trisha already has her keys out. She's the designated driver tonight. We don't always drive ourselves, but she doesn't like drinking on school nights.

"Thanks." I get in the car and swallow away the lump in my throat. I don't want her to see me cry, because there is no way I could explain it to her.

Wes went upstairs with another woman. Something he only did once with me, before all of this started. And when I tried to talk to him, he looked as if I was bothering him. He didn't want to be seen with me, but had no problem being seen walking upstairs with her.

Because he's ashamed of me. He thinks he's so much better than me that he can't even stoop to talking with me at a party. I'm not good enough.

It hurts. I get out of the car and thank Trisha. In the elevator, the tears start to fall. He didn't defend me because he doesn't care. He's never asked me to go anywhere in public. It's been a month, and he's still scared someone will find out.

All I've been is his guilty pleasure.