Attracting Trouble

Chapter 1: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named

Just as the thought crosses my mind, Hannah brings it up. Darned best friend telepathy.

"Guess what I heard," she says form the passenger seat of my small Dodge Neon, a hand-me-down that my two older sisters once used.

"What?" I ask as I watch for deer. They stir the worst at night.

"Will Dawson is coming back," she blurts out. I almost choke on the air I'm breathing and I'm surprised I don't hear giggles coming from the two beside me.

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," I correct her. "Where'd you hear that?"

My heartbeat quickens at the thought of facing him again. He was my first love yet he's my worst enemy. How is that?

"Through the grapevine," she says. "Mom told me today. I don't know where she heard it. You know how those supermarket moms can be..."

"Well!" Tyler exclaims from the backseat, clapping his hands together. "I can't wait to see my best bud again. It's been forever."

If I wouldn't be driving, I would turn around and smack him myself.

"Ty," Hannah groans.

"What? I can't be happy?" He asks innocently. I scoff.

"I'm not letting this ruin my night." I tighten my grip on the steering wheel and count down the seconds until we arrive at my escape.

*

Andy's house is packed. I am well aware of the strangers staggering around the front yard and in and out of the door and garage. Music is blaring and people are yelling loudly, trying to have normal conversations at the top of their lungs.

On our way to Andy's, we stopped at a gas station to change into our costumes. I had packed them up and shoved them in my trunk so that we would be prepared. There was no way we would have been able to change in the house with Hannah's dad being the light sleeper he is.

I had Hannah pick her costume out weeks ago to prepare for this; she had no idea it was for this costume party, though.

My costume consists of a long tube skirt that hugs my figure and reaches from below my ribs to right above my knees. A tan three-quarters length shirt and a scarf decorated my top half as well as a beret that I placed carefully on top of my head.

I was Bonnie Parker.

Hannah, on the other hand, decided to go with a character from one of her favorite books – Hermione Granger. I an't say I hate the Harry Potter movies, but I've never read the books. Yes, I know, Hannah has already shamed me for it, too. She pulls off Hermione pretty well with her untamed, curly head of brownish-red hair.

"What are you supposed to be, Tyler?" Hannah had asked when we were at the gas station getting ready.

Tyler just grinned. "I'm a college student tired of adulting." I knew it was only an excuse for his homeless look.

I wave Hannah and Tyler off as we head towards the house and tell them I'll catch up with them later.

Now begins my search for Connor.

Connor is the boy I call mine, though he makes me question it most of the time. I met him last summer, though I've passed him mindlessly in the hallways since elementary school. At our local bowling alley, he had reeled me into a game with him, which he claims to have let me win, and we were hooked on each other from there on out.

When he asked me to be his, I couldn't say no because I had felt like what was once broken was going to finally be fixed.

When I think of Connor and me as a couple, Will always comes to mind. I know it's wrong, but how do you get someone who broke your heart out of your mind? I hope Hannah's mom was wrong for the sake of my own sanity – that boy drives me insane.