I'd Rather Be in Love than Dead

Chapter Thirteen

Chasity's Perspective:

I clung tighter to John’s tuxedo-clad arm as we got out of the car at Kennedy’s house for the party. I’d never been to many formal parties before, and I must say I was terrified, though I had no clue why. Maybe it was just because of my handsome escort that I knew I so didn’t deserve, or maybe it was the pretty dress that knew I didn’t deserve to be wearing. Whatever it was, I knew it had something to do with how I would never be good enough.

Reading the look of fright on my make up bearing face (I rarely wore much make up), John kissed my forehead tenderly. “You’ll be fine. I’m going to be right here with you,” He said.

“It’s not that,” I gulped.

“You look beautiful,” He said, smiling a genuine smile down at me. I couldn’t help but grin at this and twirl a brown ringlet around my finger as I muttered my thanks.

We said hello to Kenny, who looked quite handsome in his black suit (why did he throw a formal party in the first place?) and then stood by him, making small talk until his date would return from the bathroom.

I gasped as Alayna – looking gorgeous in her black dress – came up and linked her arm through Kenny’s, looking sadly at me and John as we excused ourselves from the circle. As soon as we’d escaped, John grabbed my lace glove-covered hand and stroked it soothingly as he whispered to me, “It’s okay. You don’t have to hang around her.” I leaned my head on his shoulder (with much difficulty) and watched my own black-painted fingernails trace the seam on the arm of his tux idly.

He led me away from the main party (no pun intended) and into Kennedy’s back yard, where he sat on the wooden porch swing, me cuddling to John silently.  He carefully ran his fingers through my curled hair and down to my exposed shoulder blades (the dress was open-backed, with two strings that tied around my neck and one that strapped either side of the bust together). His hand wandered absentmindedly down to my lower back, where it stroked the skin lightly, sending chills up my spine.

He looked down at me at last and leaned in so that our noses nearly touched. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re beautiful?” He asked me. I shrugged slightly and averted my eyes from his, but he quickly titled my chin back up so that I was forced to look at him rather than shamefully at the ground. “You are, Chaz. I know that as a girl, it’s hard to believe me, but you’re gorgeous.” I blushed majorly at this and just as he moved in for a kiss, I heard footsteps and Pat came out into the yard, looking very nice, but out of place in his formal attire.

“Hello, Pat,” I found myself saying as I turned away from John and the moment we’d just had. But just as he’d begun forming the reply, I heard a familiar voice.

“PATRICK KIRCH!” Jacki came dashing through the back door and then flung herself into Pat’s arms. I had no idea how he’d caught her going at that speed, but he had and they were currently kissing. Passionately. After they’d finally pulled apart, Jacki hugged Pat. “I was wrong. About everything. And I agree with Garrett; Chasity can take care of herself and we were being stupid. But I was wrong to not get back together with you when I had the chance. Can you forgive me?” He smiled and hugged her tightly around the waist.

“Only if you’ll forgive me. And maybe give me another chance,” He said and she kissed him again, reminding me of the unfinished business I had at hand.

I turned to look at John, who was grinning widely, and, feeling my eyes on him, he turned to me and kissed me lightly, causing me to forget entirely about everything but that moment right there. I didn’t care that Alayna was angry with me, and me her; or that Garrett was angry with Pat and Jacki; or that Garrett was sick at home, missing out on what had just become the best party of my life (am I a terrible friend or what?)All that mattered was that through it all, good or bad, I knew I would always have John.