That Boy Next Door

Chapter 16

Dannie looked at Quinn with sympathy.  Before the whole incident a couple of years ago, Quinn was once the most popular girl at school.  Sort of like the Queen Bee of Jasper Isle High.  But junior year, her facade fell down, revealing a petite introverted girl who adored reading.  Kate seemed to have made another reversal in Quinn's attitude.

"Whatever you say," Dannie said pursing her lips.  Quinn flashed her an annoyed look when a knock came from the door.

"That must be Kate, I'll get it," Quinn said running from her spot on the bed to her new best friend.

***

Seth walked into his room feeling a bit dispirited.  Ever since his kiss with Dannie, he hasn't been able to focus properly on Kate.  Technically, he cheated on her, but how was he supposed to tell her that?  It didn't matter though, Dannie acted like nothing ever happened and she had seemed convinced it was simple a mistake.

Seth's eyes landed on Lucas as soon as he walked into the living room.  His heart rate sped up slightly as a pounding rung in his ears.  Lucas lied to him.  Lucas is going to the dance with Dannie, posing as her boyfriend.

Or at least, that's what he claims.

"Hey man, what is your problem?" Seth demanded, standing in front Lucas.  He didn't even know what he was doing, only that his feet brought him there and that his mouth moved on its own accord.

"What is my problem?" Lucas questioned raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Yeah you said you didn't like Dannie and now your supposedly going out with her?" Seth said, asking it like a question but accusing him with the statement at the same time.

"Well why is that of any concern to you?" Lucas asked.

"B-because..." Seth trailed of not knowing why he cared so much about Dannie.  

"See, you're just confused.  You've got a girlfriend Seth and even though Dannie is stupid for liking you, I'm always going to be here to look out for her."

In that moment, Seth saw Lucas not as another immature teenager, but as somebody who was older, wiser.  His eyes flashed with an emotion Seth didn't recognize but his face turned stone hard only an instant later.

Seth couldn't even bring himself to fight back when Lucas roughly shouldered past  him, and walked into his room.

"Wow, he could be Van's twin," Oliver said poking his head out from the small kitchen.

Seth didn't even register that as his mind revolved around Lucas' words, 'Dannie is stupid for liking you'.

***

"I don't know if I want to go," Dannie said.  Did she really want to go to a party on a cruise ship?  She wasn't really the one for the party scene.

"Don't be stupid Dannie," Seth snorted giving her a condescending look when Kate glanced his way.  "You look beautiful," he added quietly.

Dannie bit her lip and turned away from him.  Somehow, her heart still fluttered when he said that to her.  She never thought that somebody that wasn't her father would call her beautiful.  Or that she could feel and be beautiful.  Well, she wasn't beautiful on the outside, merely just pretty at best.  But on the inside, she felt like she was glowing.

"Besides, it's just a party right?" Seth said giving her a teasing smile.  Dannie's smile faltered and her eyes met Lucas'.

"Right, just a party," they echoed together.