The Teenage Guide To Popularity [COMPLETE]

Chapter 24: This Kiss,

It had been a mistake. Really. A random moment of weakness. A stupid blooper, and not even a funny one that plays while the credits are rolling. After Leigh's little encounter with Ashton Rhodes, she had grabbed a few beers, laughed a few laughs, and tried to melt herself into the world Carter had so easily joined.

But several things, things that she didn't think were a big deal, were suddenly massive emotional weights, one of those things being Kiran Jones. They had pushed her to keep on drinking, to act crazy, to dance too hard and laugh at every little thing anyone said to her.

That included all the things Aiden Ryerson said.

He had walked up to her after she had downed her fourth beer. He took the bottle from her hand and placed it at a nearby table. "I think you've had enough," he had said, looking both amused and worried.

A few guys that had been a little too interested in Leigh's behaviour started complaining. "Dude, she's just having fun," one of them had said.

Aiden had given them a meaningful look, which prompted them to step away a second later. "Aren't you Carter's friend?" he had asked once those guys were gone.

Leigh had giggled and grabbed a hold of Aiden's arm, to keep herself from tipping over. She could feel her head moving from simple fuzziness to dangerous dizziness, and she promised herself she wouldn't drink anymore. Now her sense of judgment was slipping as well. "Yeah, and you're Aiden Ryerson. The hottest guy in school," she blurted out between giggles.

"Yeah... uh... Want me to help you find her?" Aiden offered, somewhat awkwardly. He shifted his eyes and glanced around the busy room.

"No. She's probably off making out with Kiran, or being the Queen of the Universe."

"So she's actually with him?"

Leigh wasn't normally the type to tell people someone else's business. She was a very loyal friend who could carry a secret to a grave if she felt it was important enough. She was also a very light drinker, so after only one beer, any bit of reservations she had flew out the window. 

"Oh yeah, and they're in love, and they'll probably get married. Do you think she'll let me be the maid of honour?"

Aiden turned away. Had he been sad? Leigh couldn't tell. She had been lost in her own, drunken thoughts. She kept trying to will herself back to a proper state of mind. No, don't be drunk. Stop being drunk. Focus. Focus. It was no use. "Hey, do you wanna come with me? Be my date?"

"What?" Aiden asked, looking at her again. "Date for what?"

"I don't know." What was I talking about? A wedding? What's wrong with me? She tried to bring her center of attention to his face, to a point of some kind, so that things would stop spinning. He really was a very handsome guy. Everything about him was highly attractive, beautiful even. His dark hair, his pale skin, and eyes so radiant that she imagined them to be filled with the bluest ocean.

That was when it had happened. She had reached up and kissed him.

And it had been amazing.

Or as amazing as any kiss can be when one's drunk.

~

"I'm so, so, so, so sorry," Leigh pleaded. She had been attempting to get a hold of Carter ever since she had kissed Aiden. Almost obsessively.

She remembered it very clearly, and it was awful. How could she kiss the guy her best friend used to date? A dark, twisted part of her whispered of a reason she didn't want to ever admit to anyone; that she had done it on purpose, as a way to get back at Carter for Kiran. What better way was there? A greater part of her tried to push that darkness away, but for the moment it wasn't working.