Once in a Full Moon Page 0,28

I knew it would smell good, too - like fabric softener or irresistible cologne or smoke from a fireplace. I wanted to wear it now, wear it all day, wear it forever. It would be the closest I'd be able to get to him again, since our time together in the woods when he saved my life.

Ivy shot me a dirty look. She was protective of me and must have thought Brandon was hitting on me. I could only hope.

Abby yanked my sleeve toward her and the three of us girls huddled together.

"I'll take it," Hayley Phillips, a skater from Riverside, said. She was wearing fingerless gloves, a knit hat, and a long-sleeved thermal henley. She put on Brandon's coat. It swallowed her up like an oversized blanket.

I envied her. At that moment I would have given anything to have been in her skateboarding shoes.

School was closed for the next few days for the Thanksgiving holiday. Since I couldn't see Brandon at school, I was looking forward to Nash's party in the hope that he might show up. Nash lived in the same subdivision as Ivy and Abby. The homes were estates and had as many bathrooms as bedrooms. I spent hours trying to find the perfect outfit. I realized I was dressing up as much for a possible Brandon sighting as I was for Nash.

There was a strong chance Brandon wouldn't show. Not only might it be that he'd gone out of town for the holiday, but if he'd remained in Legend's Run, what did he have to gain by attending? He didn't socialize with any of us or anyone who was coming to the party. He might have thought it was a trick or a potential hazing.

Ivy and I arrived at the party to find Abby already there with Dylan. Jake was talking to several jocks, and Nash was nowhere to be found.

When we headed into the kitchen, I found Nash by the refrigerator. Instead of greeting me with a passionate kiss - which I would have been uncomfortable with anyway - he seemed almost put off by my presence.

"You want me to pour your drinks?" He sighed. "I'm not used to being someone's servant, you know. I thought I did my job when I apologized to that guy. Anyway, I haven't seen him, and I'm crossing my fingers he doesn't show."

"Well, I think pouring me a soda would be a nice gesture," I said, not because I wanted him to be a servant, but because it was the gentlemanly thing to do. "But I can pour my own drink," I finally said.

"Forget it - " Nash said. "I'm not being a good host. What would you ladies like?"

I knew there was a good guy inside of Nash, but sometimes it took a lot of prodding to find him.

I hoped Brandon would arrive at any moment. There was a chance we could all get to know one another and make him feel more comfortable at our school. I knew that our being one big happy clique was near to impossible, but it was my nature to dream.

An hour passed and Brandon still hadn't shown.

"You seem distracted," Ivy said. "This party was your idea. You should be having the most fun."

"I got the best part of the dare," Nash said, chuckling. "Shame that Westsider didn't show. I'm sure we would have been great friends."

Nash headed for the stairs. I didn't even follow him. Instead I sat on the couch and vacantly watched whatever was playing on the TV. The clock ticked on and Nash didn't return. I'd finished my soda hours ago, so I decided to get a bottle of water. I was headed back to the kitchen when I spotted Brandon in the corner of the parlor.

He looked magnetic - more stunning than any other guy there. It wasn't hard for him to look gorgeous - for Brandon it came naturally. It was clear he could have any girl at the party, if one so much as saw beyond his Westsider status. But it didn't seem likely that any of these girls would look past their turned-up noses, and for this, I was almost grateful. He would have been fawned all over by every cheerleader and become just like any other guy on the football or basketball team, possibly just like the one who had invited me - who was supposed to be my boyfriend and