That Boy Next Door

Chapter 16

A/N So...I got like over 400 votes and I was like dancing and screaming all alone in my room at night cuz I'm a crazy nut like that...LOL

"So tell me again why you're my boyfriend?" Dannie asks as she watches Lucas pace around her room. Everybody else was still at the pool, leaving the room otherwise empty.

"Because I know you didn't want to go to the dance with that Matt guy," Lucas says.  

"Yeah I guess you're right," Dannie says thinking about how odd it was that Matt would ask her to the dance tonight.  It wasn't like she didn't want to go with Matt, it was more of the thought of saying yes to him in front of Seth.

"I'm always right," Lucas replies stooping down to the ground to see something.  After shuffling around for a few moments and shifting a few items around, he picked up an item that resembled a garment of clothing.  Dannie moved closer to him to see what he was holding up.

It was a pale pink dress that was cinched at the waist and flowed out beneath it.  

"What's that for?"

"It's for you to wear to the dance.  Oh, and make sure you wear this too," he said holding up brown beaded necklace.  "You'll have to find your own shoes though."

"Since when did you become my stylist?"

"Since you decided that you don't know how to dress yourself."

Dannie held a hand to her heart, mock-offended and scoffed, "I can totally play dress up Lucas.  And where did you get that outfit anyways?"

"Let's just say I've got connections," he replied throwing the clothes onto the bed.  "Anyways, I've got to go.  Try to look presentable tonight alright?"

"Well geez, don't try to flatter me too much," Dannie grumbled sarcastically.  Lucas laughed and exited the room just as a swimsuit clad Quinn showed up.

"Where are Katy and Kate?" Dannie asked eyeing a dripping wet Quinn.  Her usual tamed brown hair had become unruly and stuck out in uneven tufts.  

"Oh they're still at the pool.  I'm sure they'll be here soon," Quinn said offhandedly.  She jumped onto the bed Dannie sat on and stretched out her body, effectively getting all the sheets wet.  

"What are you doing?" Dannie asked grabbing her dress before Quinn could see it or get it wet.  It was not like Quinn to act so carelessly.  Only a few days before, she would have laid a towel down first or not sat down on the bed at all.

"I'm being free," Quinn said laughing mirthfully.  "Kate said that I should learn to let loose a bit."

Dannie's face automatically turned into a sneer when she heard that name but she was careful so that Quinn would not see it.  The blond-haired model was absolutely no good for Quinn.  She was corrupting her, Dannie was sure of it.

Deciding to tell it to her straight, Dannie sat up a little and spoke: "Quinn, I don't know how good of an influence Kate is on you."  'Oh God,' Dannie thought, 'I sound like mom'.

"What are you talking about?" Quinn asked narrowing her eyebrows at her sister.  Before, Quinn's face was so wide and innocent but now, she had turned her expression into a deadly calculating look.

"This is what I'm talking about!" Dannie exclaimed gesturing wildly to Quinn.  "You're like a whole different person now!"

"If you can't recall Dannie, this is the person I used to be and still am," Quinn said, her eyes flashed, indicating that her temper was about to blow.