The Breakup Girl

Chapter Twelve

Todd was back in time for New Year's Eve, and there was a huge party at Eric Chinkski's house. Eric always had big parties at his house on the weekends, but his New Year's Eve party was like Homecoming and Prom mixed together; the whole school was there and it was absolutely insane.

Literally everyone went to the party. It didn't matter who you were. So Todd and I didn't even have to talk about going or not; we knew that it wasn't something worth missing. It was going to be
Todd's first time at Eric's New Year's Eve party.

I wore black leggings and a crop top from Forever 21. Todd picked me up at nine and we picked up Ashley, Sam, and Claire on our way there. I hadn't hung out with them in a while since I was too busy taking advantage of every second available I had with my boyfriend.

Todd was a pretty good driver, and he didn't speed and blare his music too loud like most teenagers.

We arrived at the party around 9:30, and I went with the girls outside to let Todd spend some time with his friends for a while. The last thing I wanted to do was be too clingy and scare him away. Outside there was a bonfire, and it wasn't as crowded as the house was, where every room was occupied with crazy teenagers doing who knows what.

"Let's take a picture!" Claire suggested, and we asked a random guy to take one of all of us.

I smiled and took a bunch of pictures with my friends, but I kept looking at the back door of the house, waiting for Todd to come out and find me. I felt like he was being more distant lately, though we had only been together for two months. I brushed it off, and just figured that the honeymoon days were over. We were slowly sinking into our everyday routines and getting used to being together.

"Paige!" I heard Penny call as she ran out of the house.

She looked like she was in a hurry, and I figured she had to tell me something. Penny was a sweet Brunette who was in a few of my classes. I'd known her since elementary school.

"What's wrong?" I asked once she caught up to me.

"I don't even know. All I know is that Brandon's here and he's talking about you and he's probably going to start stuff with Todd!" She gasped.

"Wait a minute, what?" I shook my head, not believing what I had heard.

"Brandon just showed up and-" she repeated, but I cut her off.

"Pen, I know that! But what is saying about me?"

"There's no time for that! Todd's in the living room, by the piano!" She huffed.

"I'll be right back." I told my friends, and went to the living room to look for my boyfriend.

The house had gotten way more crowded, and I had to push my way throug. Just as I was almost to where Todd was standing, an arm pulled me away to a group of the boys. The boys who, last year, wouldn't even look at me. The cool guys, hot guys, call it what you want.

"Look, here she is now," said Tyler, who was the one that pulled me over.

"What do you want, Tyler?" I asked rudely.

I always thought he was a jerk, but I really didn't like him because he broke up with Ashley a day before her birthday.

"Brandon, look who we got!" one of the other guys said, and Tyler ignored my question.

Brandon just looked at me and shyly looked away. Brett had to drag him over to the group and he awkwardly stood there.

"What are you waiting for, Brandon? Tell Paige what you have to tell her!" James smirked.