Emma's POV

     I paced around my bedroom, waiting for Will's text.

     Was I really doing this? I'm a good girl. I follow all the rules, obey my strict parents, and never do anything wrong.

     One party isn't gonna kill them, right?

     And that's only if they find out...

     Besides, I made sure ahead of time that there wouldn't be any alcohol involved.

     I'm sure I'll be fine.

     Just then, my phone buzzed, and I took one last glance at my bed to make sure the dummy was believable enough to pass as myself—that is, if my parents were to check.

     Will said he was here. I hesitantly walked towards my window.

     I found new confidence when I read a second message which—this time—was from Kyle:

     Emma, it'll be okay! If you don't like it, we'll leave immediately, alright? :)

     I replied:

     Ok, on my way out :)

     I leaped out the window, into the bushes, and gently closed it behind me.

     I climbed into the back of the truck with Kyle, Ana, Jessica, and Cody. Will was driving us.

     "So, you couldn't get Staci to tag along?" Cody asked me, as the vehicle began to pull out of my driveway.

     "Nope." I answered.

     "Well, that's a shame. She's gonna miss out." Ana said, eyeing me suspiciously. She put her arm around Cody, as if she thought I was trying to steal him from her.

     "Yeah," Kyle said, and a grin spread widely across his face when he continued, "I heard there might be a dance contest. I'm going to win it for sure!"

     I smiled wryly. "Yeah, okay.  Whatever you say..."

     "Oh? Is that a challenge?" He arched an eyebrow.

     I held out my hand.  "Let's go, Stevens."

     He shook on my offer, smirking.  "You're so on."

     "You guys are adorable, honestly,"  Jessica suddenly burst out, like she couldn't hold it in any longer. She clasped her hands together in delight.  "You should just date already!"

     I blushed and sloped back against the cushion. Kyle didn't say anything, but he gave me a questionable glance. His expression vanished just as quickly as it appeared, however.

     Ana looked back and forth between Kyle and I. Her face said it all; awkward.

     We could hear the music blaring loudly from the house, even though we were a over a block away. We parked down the street and had to walk a little bit to get there.

     Ana and Cody walked behind us, quietly talking to themselves, as if they didn't want us to hear their conversation. Kyle, Will and I were in the lead, with Jessica close behind. Jessica was a really sweet and fun person, I just really wish she hadn't had embarrassed me like that, back in the truck.

     "You look nice tonight." Kyle said to me, slowly, like he was trying to express something he couldn't describe.

     "Thank you, Kyle." I hoped he couldn't see my rosy cheeks in the moonlight.

     I could've sworn I heard Jessica squealing under her breath as we neared the house. Soon, it was too hard to hear anything over the chatter of the crowd and booming pop-music. The ground vibrated with power, intensifying the sensation from the lighting and song choice. It felt weird, but I knew I was going to have some fun. 

     Jessica screamed and ran up to a group of girls, who were obviously happy to see each her.  Will had gotten ahead of us and managed to find a way inside, quickly.  I assumed he was going to the DJ booth. I lost sight of Ana and Cody, who might've just been among the several couples making-out in the lawn.

     Kyle's eyes met mine, and our hands laced together. He gave me a look that read, 'we're in this together.'

     We pushed past the mob of wildly shouting teenagers, and made our way inside the house.

     After we walked through the open door, people began to gather in that area. Meaning, the only exit we knew of was blocked.

     Yeah, there's no turning back now.

     The lights were off, and you couldn't see anything but the dark outlines of human figures, except for those in the center of the room. There, one or two guys performed on the colorfully-glowing dance floor. Many LED strobe lights—which were placed around the room—flickered in all different patterns to cast atop the crowd, and moved as if they were set in-sync with the beat of the music.

     The only other light in the house was coming through the curtains of the backdoor, which led out into the pool.

     Kyle took me into the kitchen, and poured us each a glass of punch. He took a good, long sip, and then sighed with satisfaction.  "I was so thirsty."

     I laughed.  "Your lips and tongue are bright red."

     "So are yours." He pointed out, a mixture of defense and humor in his voice.

     Suddenly, the music died in the living room, and the whole house fell silent.

     Kyle and I exchanged looks of confusion, but then started screaming along with the rest of the crowd, as "Whip/Nae Nae" came on.

     The place was a hit. Everyone was dancing along, and having a good time with their friends.

     When the song was over, Kyle and I were laughing.

     "You can't even do it right." He teased, and then did a mockery copy of my version of the Whip.

     "Whatever." I smiled, and then tapped his shoulder.  "TAG! You're it!"

     "Hey!" He said, taken a bit by surprise from my sudden action, as I ran out of the kitchen, and into the crowded living room.

     He went after me, but didn't know where I was.  I hid in a corner by the backdoor, and when his head was turned, I pushed through the curtains and opened the sliding door.

     Just before I could take off, I froze, and gaped with astonishment. Maybe three times the size of the party was out here! Holy moly!

     Suddenly, I felt a pair of strong hands lift me up by my waist. He threw me up in the air, and spun me around. He set me back down, and pushed me against the wall. "Tag, you're it, Emma."

     I glanced over his shoulder and watched as some guy did a mid-air somersault off of the diving board, and into the pool. The distraction ended quickly, though.

     Kyle grabbed my chin, and forced me to look at him. But it all happened so quickly; and before I knew it, his lips were pressed against mine. He ran his fingers through my long, blonde hair, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

     After a few wonderful moments, he pulled away. I gazed longingly into his eyes, but stopped immediately. Instead of looking into Kyle's deep coffee-brown eyes, a pair of light-blue ones stared down at me instead.  I gasped and tried to step away.  The boy I had kissed wasn't Kyle.

~~

     I woke with a start. My palms were shaking, and my back was damp with sweat. Everything that had happened—before I was anesthetized—dawned over me. A horrific scream escaped my lips. I wasn't sure what was real.

     Was Kyle really gone?

     Tears rolled heavily down my cheeks as my father approached me.  "D-Dad..." I sobbed into his chest, after he had embraced me tightly.

     "I know, I know. I'm here, Pumpkin." He patted my back as I continued to cry. "We all miss him. It's hard to lose someone close."

     "W-Why did he have to go...?" I asked, but I wasn't talking to my father.

     I heard quiet sniffles behind my cries. I looked up, and saw a teary-eyed Staci. My father let go of me, and Staci wrapped her arms around me. I held her tight.

     "I still ca-an't believe it." She said, obvious pain in her words. It made me sad to see my best friend like this, but what wasn't there to be sad about, right now?

     Suddenly, the door opened, and a nurse wheeled a messy-haired boy in on a wheelchair. His forehead was bandaged up, along with half his left-leg.

     It was Kyle.

     I stopped crying and stared at him.  "Y-You're a-a—"

     He smiled at me, and tears, now of joy, continued to fall from my eyes as my spirits lifted. "You're alive!"

     "I would hope so."  He said, and rolled himself over to the bed.

     I threw the sheets off me, and stepped down—barefooted—onto the cold, blue-tiled floor. I crouched down, so I could be at eye-level with him. I couldn't speak, in fear of bursting into tears once again, because I had missed him so much.

     He brought his soft hands to my face, and stroked my cheeks, wiping my tears away. "Don't cry, Emma.  It's okay now."

     I stared into his eyes.

     "Emma?"

     "I..."

     "Emma, God, you don't know how much I've missed you."

     "I thought you were dead..." I cried out, and he once again dried my wet eyes.

     "Emma, sweetie. It's okay now. We both made it through this."

     Staci's sniffling returned, and she muttered, "But not all of us did..."

     Kyle looked over to her. "Oh... I'm so sorry, Staci. Come here." He gestured.

     She walked over, got down on her knees, and I put my arm around her.

     "Look, the three of us still walked away—alive—from this. It was Will's time, unfortunately, and there's nothing we could've done, okay? So don't let it consume you." He then frowned. "But yeah..." He paused, and gazed at nothing in particular. "It's gonna be hard, moving on. I miss him."

     "But remember," He suddenly said, a little more positive. "We have each other, okay? We're going to be together, forever and always."