DIGGY's POV

~A few hours later, Thursday night~

"...going for the lay-up! AND BA-DOW! AYEEE!" Khalil shouts while dancing in place on the floor. He glances back at me for the ump-teenth time tonight. "BOY! DID YOU SEE THAT? Man, I got video game skills!"

"Mhm, the only skills you possess," I respond while writing notes in my notebook while reading my textbook.

"Man, you just hating!" Khalil waves me off.

"On what?" I chuckle and look at him.

"On all of this. You wish you had this much swag!" He says, dusting his shoulders off.

"Yeah, right..." 

Khalil stretches his arms above his head and turns the game system off. "Dig, I've been playing this game for like two hours straight already. Now are you really gonna be doing homework for the rest of the night or can we have some fun?"

"Bro, I told you... I'm trying to pass this semester - how 'bout you?" I raise my eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, but it's the first week back. Homework ain't even that heavy."

"I'm trying to get ahead..."

"Are you sure? Or is there something else you wanna tell me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying... maybe you're sticking your nose in all this homework to distract yourself from other things. Like the whole rumor situation." Khalil takes off his cap to scratch his head.

"I'm kinda over that situation now... it's whatever."

"Alright, well, can I make a request?"

"What's that?"

"Can we please go to Chris's party? I really need to burn off all this energy I have instead of sitting in this boring bedroom."

I roll my eyes. "Is that all you can think about? Partying?"

"Uh - yeah! It's senior year, dawg. We gotta finish big!" Khalil shouts while standing up.

"I hear you, man. But I don't know. I don't really feel like being social tonight..." 

"You ain't got to. You can just be my quiet shadow and I'll do all the talking."

"Mmm... how are you gonna convince my mom?"

"Convince your mom? Man, I got that under control. She loves me," Khalil grins.

"That's what you think," I laugh a little.

"So we in or we out? We got like an hour before it starts."

I shake my head and sigh. "Sure, man."

He claps his hands and smiles. "Cool! Lemme call in some reinforcements." He takes out his phone and dials a number.

"Who are you calling?" I ask.

He ignores me and talks on the phone. "Hey, baby. You busy? ... [pause] ... Cool. Me and Dig were about to hit up Chris's party in an hour - you wanna come? ... [pause] ... Okay ... Yeah? Cool! [pause] ... Alright, babe. We'll pick you up in an hour. Wear something sexy. Bye." He hangs up with a smirk.

I tilt my head to the side and glare at him. "Who did you just invite?"

"Becca and Sam. I told 'em we're gonna pick them up at Sam's house and ride together to the party."

"Did you really have to invite Sam?" I groan and close my textbook, sitting upright in my seat at my desk.

"You wouldn't wanna leave a friend hanging, would you?" He asks.

"I don't know if she's a friend really..."

"Stop fronting. You know Sam is still you're G, just like you're still hers." He smacks his lips.

"Well, we haven't talked like we used to, which I don't really care about anyway. Just trying to graduate, man. No new friends. Or fake ones."

"I don't know what you're talking about, because it's YES to new friends. That's why we 'bout to go to this party, take your mind off of school or whatever, and maybe find you some chicks or two or three. My man!" He smiles and hits my arm.

"I'm not looking for any ladies... I'm done in that department," I respond.

"Stop lying," Khalil chuckles.

"I'm serious, Khalil."

"Let's see if you're serious at the party."

***

SAM's POV

"I wish we were at my house. No offense, girl, but my closet has more fashionable choices," Becca says as she rummages through my closet.

"It's a house party, not a formal. Do you really think girls are gonna be dressed up like it's prom?" I ask while checking my social media sites.

"If they're from Wesley High - yes! You don't have to give these girls a reason to dress up, chica." Becca pulls out a blue velvet long-sleeved dress. "What about this?"

I look up and groan. "Eh, not really feeling it."

"Me neither. Ugh, it's too Christina Aguilera... I need more Naomi Campbell." She disappears back into the closet.

"Right..." I shake my head. "I think Khalil will love anything you wear, Becca."

Peeping her head out from the closet, she replies, "You're right. Thanks, boo!"

"Anytime... anytime..."

"You still need to pick out your dress."

"I'm not wearing a dress," I reply.

"Yes, you are! And you are going to attract every guy in the building, okay?! Let me work my magic," Becca begins, "Now it's either the red or the dark blue. You pick."

I groan and reply, "Red!"

"Ahh! Girl, you're gonna look so hot! Lemme find you some shoes to match!" Becca shouts.

"It's gonna be a long night..."

~An hour later~

Becca just finished doing my make-up (because she insisted it would make me even hotter) as I flat ironed my hair. We grab our jackets just as the doorbell rings. Becca squeals in excitement as we walk down the stairs, our heels clinking against the hardwood floor, and I grab my house keys and open the front door. We see Khalil and Diggy dressed in regular jeans, shirts, and jackets. I knew we were overdressed. The look on their faces as they eye our outfits are looks of astonishment and intrigue. 

"Hey! Babe, you look sexy," Khalil says in a low voice while licking his lips.

Becca blushes and replies, "Thanks, baby."

The two go in for a kiss as I stand by awkwardly, glancing at Diggy and chewing on my bottom lip. His eyes don't meet mine; instead, they're on my waist and I suddenly feel self-conscious.

"Doesn't Sam look hot, too? I glammed her up," Becca announces, wearing a proud smile.

"Yeah. You look great, Sam," Khalil compliments.

I smile a little and reply, "Thanks."

"Right, Dig?" He bumps Diggy's arm.

His eyes finally lock with mine as he clears his throat and says, "For sure. You look... good."

"Thank you..."

I felt a strange feeling in my stomach... a feeling I usually only get with Jake, which is weird because it's Diggy. Maybe it was that leftover lasagna...

"Let's go, party people!" Khalil cheers as he rushes us all outside to go to the car.

I lock the door behind me and follow them to Diggy's car. Khalil opens the backdoor for Becca to get in. As me and Diggy walk around to the driver's side of the car, he surprisingly opens the backseat door for me, too. I don't say anything and get in as he shuts the door after me and then hops into the driver's seat in front of me. I look to Becca to see if she notices his strange act of chivalry, but she's looking straight ahead. The car finally pulls out of the driveway and we make our way to Chris's house for the party.

***

~At Chris's house~

As we arrive, we notice the line of cars parked on the street surrounding his house as well as all the lights on in his house. People are arriving in packs. Some even look like they brought cans of pop to share. We all walk as a group up the driveway and to the porch, filing inside the bright house like kindergartners going inside after recess. 

Once inside the house, someone offered to take our jackets, setting them on a table in the dining room. We follow others into the kitchen, seeing groups of teenagers dancing and grinding, drinking from red solo cups, having the time of their lives. A wide range of snacks from Doritos to popcorn to mini-sandwiches were spread out on the kitchen table. The music blasting through the house sounded like Trey Songz singing "Na Na". We head toward the noise and into the living room where the lights are turned down low and glow sticks are everywhere. There is a live DJ mixing songs in the corner and dancing to the beat. It's live up in here!

"Ayee! Y'all see Chris anywhere?" Khalil yells over the music.

"Who cares? Let's dance, babe." Becca screams.

Becca and Khalil dance into the crowd, leaving me and Diggy by ourselves near the doorway.

"Great. Just... leave us here..." I sigh.

"They'll be like that the rest of the night..." Diggy says.

I rub my arm and look around at the people dancing, feeling out of place. A few seconds later, a hand touches my shoulder and I turn around to see who it is.

"Sam? Dang, girl. You look good in that dress..." Chris says, checking me out.

I flash a grin and reply, "Thank you. Nice party."

"I know, right? Diggy, my man, glad you could make it!" Chris pats Diggy on the arm.

"Yeah... it's live in here," Diggy replies, looking around.

Chris nods with a smirk like he's up to something, then points between us. "Did y'all come together?"

"Yeah- Yeah. We came with Khalil and Becca," Diggy explains.

Chris nods again, looking around. "Of course. Y'all hungry or thirsty? We got loads in the kitchen."

"No thanks," Me and Diggy say at the same time.

Chris smirks and pats Diggy's arm again. Then a group of girls walk up to him, grab his arm, and ask: "You ready?" I notice that the girls are all wearing bathing suits. Does he have a pool?

"Alright, family. I'll catch y'all later." Chris leaves with the girls hanging on his arms.

"Cool..." Diggy says in a low voice.

"Hey, Diggy!" It was Dana.

"Oh- hey."

"You made it!" Dana exclaims while practically jumping on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

I look away in disgust. This b*tch better not say nothing to me.

"Mmm, you smell good! But you always smell good," she remarks. Then, she eyes me and crosses her arms. "Well, well, well. Didn't know you could look like a girl, Samantha. You look interesting tonight."

I bite my tongue and flash a fake smile, "So do you."

Dana's expression drops and she squints her eyes at me while smacking her lips. Then she immediately adjusts her attention back to Diggy.

"So, Diggy... wanna go somewhere and talk?"

"Why can't we talk right here?"

"It's not private... I figured we could catch up on some things. I had a few questions I thought you could help me answer."

"What kind of questions?" 

"Just... follow me?" Dana smiles and grabs his hand, making him follow her while switching her hips.

They leave and I sigh even more. Now what am I supposed to do?