That Boy Next Door

Chapter 25

Last Week!  Pool Party on Deck at Noon!

Dannie's eyes skimmed over the brightly colored flyer before continuing on her way back to her room.  It was already the last week of their stay on the cruise ship and Dannie was feeling slightly bittersweet.

There were the good memories such as her and Seth's kiss on the island to their date when they had snuck onto the other side of the ship.  But then there were the bad times when she had to endure Kate's wrath or when they had broken up.

The bad memories took up most of the space in Dannie's head.

Sighing and shaking her head, she walked into her room, head down.  Perhaps it was from their long lasting relationship or from the presage the knots in her stomach gave her, but when Dannie looked up, she knew Lucas would be standing in front of her.

He looked at her, smirking as if her were the epitome of greatness.

 "What do you want?"  Her voice came out in a tired, exasperated sigh.

"I want for you to be happy," he said simply.

"I'm happy," Dannie said forcing a robotic smile onto her face.  

Lucas scoffed.  "You look like you're mentally insane."

Dannie scowled, pushing past him to enter the kitchen.  She needed a cookie if she was going to deal with him.

"There's a party on the pool deck in an hour."

"I know."

"You're going to be there."

"No."

Lucas sighed and snatched the cookie from Dannie's hand before she could take a bite.  He took a large mouthful before handing it back to her, chewing it thoughtfully.

"I'm not going to force you to go.  But, you should learn to stop running from everything, because eventually, they'll catch up to you."

Brushing the crumbs off his pants, Lucas left her room, leaving Dannie feeling bitter and more confused than she had felt in years.  

She felt lost again, like when she had lost Cece.

Before she could dwell further, Kate barged into the room.  

The two girls stood across the kitchen from each other, staring the other girl down.  Kate's eyes narrowed before a sly smirk slipped onto her face.

"I told you Seth would break up with you didn't I?  You just can't keep him interested in a boring piece of nothing for you for long."

"What is wrong with you?" Dannie spat back.  She noticed then that Katy was wearing Seth's sweater.  It fit her nicely, making her look even slimmer than usual.

"Aw, don't be jealous that Seth is mine," she said cutely, her tone changing slightly when she snarled the last word.

Dannie was near breathing fire and setting Kate's perfect blonde hair on fire.  She refused to lose Seth to this girl.  This girl did not deserve Seth, as she had originally thought.

"Enjoy him while you have him, 'cause I'm taking him back," Dannie countered spitefully.  When she walked out of the kitchen, a feeling of guilt crept up inside her but she pushed it back down.  Nobody deserved to be talked to that way, not even Kate.  What if Kate really did love Seth?

Dannie shook her head and sighed.  She changed into a bikini, placing a t-shirt and shorts over her outfit.  She was going to the pool party.