"Are you honestly going to be a cat for the third year in a row."

The beginning of junior year had come with little to no drama and no change. I woke up every day without a boyfriend. I talked to my friends, I hung out with Jess, I went to school. I came home and ate an uncomfortable dinner with my still-solemn parents. And I went to bed every night without a boyfriend.

"Every white girl in the United States wears a cat costume on Halloween. I don't want to be judged for fitting in." Jess retorted, pulling a pair of felt ears over her head. "What are you even supposed to be?"

I rolled my eyes. I had told her an hour ago.

"I'm Rachel Greene. From Friends? We literally watch that show every weekend."

Jess looked me up and down.

"You look like yourself with different hair."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

I was perfectly well aware that I wasn't dressed in something as sexy or revealing as Jess was, but I was dressed as one of my favorite TV show characters of all time. As long as I loved the costume, I knew someone else would too.

"Are you cool to drive?"

I had gotten my license just a month earlier and was incredibly excited to be driving to my first party.

"I'm definitely cool to drive."

Jess grinned, drawing on her whiskers with eyeliner.

"Holy crap, don't tell me you're using MAC eyeliner to draw on your face with." I rolled my eyes, "It's such a waste. Use Wet & Wild or something."

"I don't even own Wet & Wild, thank you very much." Jess replied, rolling her eyes. "We're rich. I can just have my dad buy me a new pencil tomorrow. Or I can send Georgia out to get it tonight while we're at the party."

I cocked my head.

"Good point."

We ran out to my car, a brand-new red Ferrari that my dad had bought for me as a "good job getting your license" gift. I hadn't gotten a single scratch on it yet, and I didn't plan on getting one anytime soon.

Jess climbed into the passenger seat as I started the car, marveling at the engine just as I did every time I drove it. Jess typed in the address of the party on her phone, and we were off.

We arrived at the party just as it was getting into full swing, pulling into one of the reserved parking spaces and figuring we would just pay off whoever was actually supposed to park in the space. There was no way I was going to park my new car on the side of the road or in the grass.

We got out of the car and I passed my keys over to the man in a tux at the door, who was collecting them; it was a new thing of most of the parties I had been to recently to hire someone specifically to collect car keys and ensure that the driver was sober before giving them back at the end of the night.

After my scare of the year before, I was never anything but sober.

We went inside and maneuvered our way through people until we reached Farah and a few other girls from our grade, all dancing together with a small group of guys in the middle of the kitchen.

"Getting our drink on already?" Jess asked, grinning as she picked up a red cup that someone seemed to have left behind.

"Always." Farah grinned. "Ladies, do you know these guys? They go to Jameston High, just across town."

"Pleasure." The boys nodded at us one by one, their names going by far too fast for me to remember them, and far too soft for me to hear them over the blaring music.

I danced with them for a little while before making my way over to the makeshift bar. I wasn't exactly sure whose house I was at, but they had to be equally as rich as the rest of us to have hired a bartender.

"I'll have a virgin strawberry daiquiri please." I asked the man behind the counter, and he nodded before getting to work on my drink. I sat down at one of the stools and looked around at the party going on around me.

There were so many people, all having a wonderful time. And yet I felt completely removed from them, alone in a crowded room.

I had struggled with that feeling for months now, since the latest relationship crumbled. And yet there was something in me that refused to give up hope that the next guy would be different.

They couldn't all be bad.

"I'll have what she's having."

I heard a voice from behind me and turned to see an attractive guy coming over to sit down next to me, dressed in an outfit that was far too warm for a Texas fall: a thick sweater that looked like it was from the 90s, dark khaki pants, loafers, and so much hair gel I could almost feel the grease.

"Virgin?" The bartender asked.

"Hit me." The guy grinned, swivelling in his chair to face me.

"Do I know you?" I asked, confused as to why he was acting as if we were friends.

"Um, yeah?" He grinned, pointing to himself. "I'm Ross Geller?"

I burst into laughter, almost knocking over the drink that the bartender pushed towards me.

"Holy crap, you are!"

"I knew my Rachel would recognize me." He winked. "You the DD for tonight?" He continued, gesturing towards my virgin drink.

"I'm always the DD." I grinned.

"Mormon?"

"Scarred."

"Ah. Makes sense."

I took a sip of my drink before returning my gaze to him. Once I got past the incredibly accurate 90s outfit, I noticed that his hair was dark brown, not black, and his eyes were a piercing blue that met mine with more force than anyone else I had ever met. He was taller than me, which I could tell simply by the way we were sitting: he was taller than me with just his torso and his legs dangled below mine.

"So what's your actual name?" I asked curiously.

"Jason. Jason Watt."

"I'm Samantha Greene."

"Oh." He cocked his head. "I could have sworn someone told me your last name was Carter."

"It is." I nodded, feeling my stomach plummet. "But I like to go with Greene. You know, limit the number of people who mob me."

He laughed.

"I see. Samantha Greene. I like it."

"Thank you."

We sat in silence for a few moments, sipping our drinks, before he turned to me with a wicked smile.

"Say, Samantha Greene. Do you dance?"

"I've been known to pop and lock occasionally."

"You have to show me those moves." Jason laughed, taking my hand in his and leading me to where a mob of people were dancing around each other, laughing and screaming to be heard over the music.

We danced together for what felt like just a few seconds before a scream could be heard from the door.

"Cops!"

Everyone scattered immediately, and I took Jason's hand and ran for the back door. I was completely sober, but still terrified of being arrested.

We ran around the length of the house, which was at least that of a football field, before reaching my car in its reserved parking spot. I pointed to the passenger seat and Jason hopped in before I realized I didn't have the keys.

"Stay there!" I shouted, about to jump out of the car before someone appeared by my side, dangling keys in my face.

"Go!" Jess shouted above the rest of the noise.

"How did you get them?" I screamed, wincing at the smell of her breath. "You have to be sober!"

"The guy was gone!" She yelled back, "The keys were in a pile and I found yours. I'm getting a ride with a hot Jameston guy, go!"

I obeyed her orders, starting the car and zooming out as fast as I could, swerving around drunk teenagers and angry cops in my rush. I made it onto a road with no people and breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to think straight.

"That was some master escaping." Jason laughed as I pulled over to the side of the road, laughing too hard to drive straight. "I'm impressed."

I controlled myself long enough to give him a quick smile in return, at which point he took the opportunity to kiss me. I was caught by surprise and kissed him back, unsure of exactly what was going on in my state of exhilaration.

"You're beautiful." Jason told me as he pulled away. "Was that too much?"

I shook my head.

"Not at all." I replied, turning off the headlights before sliding into the passenger seat myself.

A/N: I saw Wonder Woman yesterday and it was AMAZING. Also, if anyone didn't get the Mormon joke in this chapter, Mormons are known to not drink alcohol at all. And I can make Mormon jokes because I'm Mormon and I think they're hilarious.

It's getting close to the real guy! Also I'm watching Friday Night Lights right now on Netflix in case you can't tell, because the next guy's name is Tim Street. And this guy's name is Jason. I'm not creative I'm sorry.

-Katherine