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Ashton and I exchange a glance, and try not to laugh.
"You're adorable," Ashton tells her, making Kaely unveil her blinding smile.
Champagne flutes in hand, mine tasting lemony, but not as sweet as lemonade, we walk out onto the top deck where the party is apparently taking place. And I nearly drop my glass as my step falters. Ashton grabs my elbow to keep my ankle from twisting.
"Whoa, can't start falling now. We have a long night ahead of us. Save the falling for later, preferably with a guy beneath you."
Kaely giggles. "You sound like Brendan."
"He may be a bad influence," Ashton says playfully.
I don't respond to any of this because I'm staring at the gorgeous face of Joey Harrison, who hasn't taken his piercing blue eyes off of me since I stepped out of the house. He offers a small smile, his dimple creasing slightly. He's even more breathtaking than I remember in a white button-down, under a sports jacket and fitted dark jeans.
"Please don't come over here. Please don't come over here," I chant under my breath. But he's already moving.
Ashton mutters, "Oh shit. Not another one."
"Happy birthday, Lana," Joey says, leaning over to brush his lips against my cheek, igniting a spark that shoots through my entire body. He must feel it too because I hear him inhale quickly before moving away. "You look incredible."
"Thanks," I utter, willing my feet to take a step back to break the magnetic pull between us.
"Hi," Kaely says cheerily, snapping me out of it. "I'm Kaely."
"I'm Wil." He offers her his hand to shake.
"Wil?" I ask in confusion.
"It's what they call me at school."
"Oh, right," I say, faintly recalling how everyone refers to him by something different since his full name is made up of three first names. "I'm not calling you Wil."
He chuckles. "I don't want you to." And we're staring at each other again. The only reason I know this is because Ashton clears her throat, reminding me the world exists outside of his stare.
"We're going to look for our friends now," Ashton announces, escorting me away by my upper arm. "Nice to see you, Wil."
"Yeah. I'll talk to you later, Lana."
"What the hell is it with you and these Harrison boys? Thankfully you don't react this way around Lance."
"I don't think Lance likes girls," I tell her as we weave through a few groups to create some distance between me and Joey.
"Lance likes whoever he likes. Stefan just happened to be who he liked that day."
"Wait," I say, shifting to face her. "Have you and ..."
"No," she quickly assures me.
"I have," Kaely admits casually. "He was my first actually. And only."
We both stare at her in shock.
"We've been hanging out since school ended when he comes here. And it ... happened," she explains. "He was really sweet. And hot."
Nothing should surprise me anymore. But this does.
"Do you have feelings for him?" Ashton asks.
"I like him," Kaely admits, dipping her head coyly. "But, it's summer, and I kind of don't want to ruin it. It's easy right now. So whatever."
