Party Games

by Whitney Lyles

  The dolphin trainers came, and Sara decided it was a good time to leave Dakota. Sara wanted to find her own place to watch the grand entrance.

  As she headed to the back of the crowd, she waved to Cassidy and a few other friends from the breakup party. She went to her usual position in the back and looked over some of the notes on her clipboard.

  She felt an elbow in her ribs. Her first thought was Blake. But then she remembered he wasn’t working here. She turned toward the elbow.

  “Ian?” she said, even though she knew it was him. Maybe she just needed confirmation that she wasn’t dreaming.

  “Hey, Sara. I thought I’d find you here.”

  He was definitely real. It wasn’t a dream, and she couldn’t believe he was here. He’d come to Dakota’s party? She wanted to throw her arms around his neck and pick up right where they’d left off that night at the beach.

  Then it occurred to her. He wasn’t here for her. He probably wanted his hoodie, or maybe he’d changed his mind and decided he wanted to be Dakota’s date after all. Perhaps all the scandal that Dakota had been involved in could bring him publicity for the band. Her heart sank, but she maintained composure. “Hey, I still have your hoodie in my car.”

  “Cool, thanks.”

  She glanced at her watch. “I could take you there to get it right now. I have a few minutes.”

  He nodded. “All right.”

  They didn’t say much as they walked to the parking lot. She unlocked her car door, slowly reached into the backseat, and pulled out the sweatshirt. She caught one final whiff of his clean, soapy scent.

  She handed it over. For a moment they both stood there as if they were thinking of the best way to say good-bye.

  “I just—”

  “You know—”

  “You first,” he said.

  “No, sorry. You first,” she insisted. “Please, go ahead.”

  “I was just going to say that you must know I didn’t come here for my sweatshirt.”

  “You didn’t? I mean, I figured…did you want to come to the party?”

  He smiled, then shook his head. “No. I came here because I wanted to talk to you in person, and I didn’t want to—”

  She couldn’t help but interrupt. She’d felt like she had so much she wanted to say for so long. It had been bottled up, and now she had her chance to spill. “Ian, can I just say that I am so sorry? I am such an idiot, and I don’t even deserve for you to come talk to me in person. I should’ve never said the things I did at the beach, and they weren’t what I meant. I didn’t ever want you to be Dakota’s date. I just felt so pressured, and I know it’s ridiculous now, but I—”

  “It’s okay. I know. I mean, I know you’re sorry.”

  “What I should’ve said that night was that I like you. I’ve liked you from that first wedding when Mickey Piper almost kicked over the cake.”

  He smiled at the memory.

  “But I was too wrapped up in making everyone else happy to stop and think about myself.”

  “Hey, look, I’ve done some stupid things too. It’s only human.”

  “But not this stupid. Just hear me out for one second, because if I don’t say all of this, I’ll regret it forever. I just want you to know that I’m taking a little hiatus from the party planning. I’ll still work for my mom a little bit, but I think I just want to make my own memories for the time being. I’m tired of focusing on other people’s milestones. I hope we can at least be friends again.”

  He nodded. “I think at least.”

  “You don’t hate me?”

  He shook his head, then revealed his dimples. “I definitely don’t hate you. My feelings couldn’t be any more opposite than hating you.

  “C’mere.” He held out his hand to her.

  Slowly, she took a step toward him. For a moment she looked at his face beneath the dim glow of dusk. She looked at the way his curls tumbled over his forehead and the way his blue eyes seemed to dance. She would never forget the way his fingertips felt on her chin when he gently tipped her face toward his, then softly brushed his lips over hers. His body was the warmest thing she’d ever felt as they moved into a snug embrace.

  When they looked up, she could see Dakota gliding across the water, the dolphins propelling her with their long noses. She held her arms over her head, and her long hair flew up behind. After her dolphin ride, she swam to the edge of the pool and pulled herself from the water. She pointed in Sara’s direction. Dakota’s jaw dropped, and for a moment she thought Dakota was pointing at Ian and her. Then she noticed the convertible that Mr. London had just pulled to the front of the parking lot.

  The funny thing was, Sara wasn’t bitter about Dakota getting everything she wanted. Dakota had her car and her party. But Sara knew those things wouldn’t make her happy for very long. As Sara looked at Ian, she felt like she’d gotten what mattered most.

  Sara’s headset crackled. “Sara, good-bye,” her mother said.

  “What?”

  “I said good-bye. I’ll see you later. I can handle the rest.”

  Sara looked up and saw her mother standing near the birthday crowd. Everyone went wild over Dakota’s new car. Leah waved.

  Sara ripped off her headset and looked at Ian.

  “Let’s get outta here,” he said.

  She took his hand. For the first time in her life, she felt like she had something worth celebrating.

  About the Author

  Whitney Lyles is the author of the novels Always the Bridesmaid, Here Comes the Bride, First Comes Love, and Roommates. She makes her YA debut with Party Games, and writing this book brought back many memories of her sixteenth birthday. Whitney admits she was grounded for the occasion—but still found a way to pass her driving test with flying colors.

  Whitney lives with her husband and daughter in San Diego, California. Visit her on the Web at www.whitneylyles.com or www.myspace.com/whitney_lyles.