Page 2 of Best Friends

“Nice to meet you both. Come with me, gentlemen,” Mandy said. She took Hayden’s free hand and drew him through the crowd.

Jesse took a slightly larger sip and followed the pair, fearful of what was coming. They moved through the house some, to a few rooms Jesse hadn’t yet ventured into, and they stopped before a group of giggling co-eds. Mandy poked one girl on the shoulder and she spun around.

Thanks to the volume of the music, Jesse didn’t hear the painful things Mandy was likely telling the girl. This guy is pathetic and needs a pity dance so I can score with the cuter one.

Whatever Mandy did say, the new girl shook her head and gave Jesse a slight smile. She was pretty enough, though not exactly his type. But it was a dance. Just a dance. She moved closer to Jesse and offered a hand. “Olivia.”

“Jesse,” he said, shaking it.

“Wanna dance?”

Jesse nodded and let her pull him back to where there was a makeshift dance floor. Olivia was as tall as he was, maybe even a hair taller. He was still waiting on that last growth spurt that would hopefully hit him sooner versus later. Jesse glanced at her before looking to the side, the eye-to-eye contact feeling a bit awkward.

Off in the distance, he saw Mandy dancing with Hayden. They were still staring at one another, smiling like idiots.

A slow song began a few seconds later. Olivia moved in closer, and he moved his hand out of the way, nearly splashing beer from his cup on her.

“Sorry,” he said against her ear.

“It’s okay,” Olivia said. “Just relax.”

Jesse took a deep inhale… and laid his cup on a nearby shelf… before wrapping his arms around her and moving to the music. Olivia smelled pretty good. Her body felt nice and warm against him. Yet, for some reason, his stare kept going to Hayden and Mandy. They were so close, it barely looked like two people anymore. Hayden was rubbing Mandy’s back with one hand, in slow sweeping gestures.

He tried the same, sliding a hand along Olivia’s back. The first circle was pretty good, but by the second, he hit some piece of metal on the edge of her bra and it pinched his finger. Pulling away and wincing, he then stepped on her toe.

Fuck.

“Sorry, sorry…”

She eyed him, but they continued dancing.

Jesse focused on his partner, trying to make sure he didn’t mess up again. But somewhere along the way, his gaze drifted back up to Hayden and Mandy. They were kissing as they danced.

More like eating each other’s face kind of kissing.

Again he faltered and ended up stepping on Olivia’s foot a second time.

Olivia leaned back slightly and gave him a look. “Why don’t we try something else?”

Something else? “Like?”

“Ever done a keg stand?”

“Ahh… no…”

Olivia’s face brightened. “Lemme show you…”

An hour later, and Olivia had shown him how three times. He was frankly amazed by the amount of alcohol she seemed able to drink.

“Come on,” she called to Jesse. “Try one!”

He lifted his hand. “Not that coordinated.”

Before she moved away from the keg, she poured two more beers for them both. Jesse was still sipping the new beer he’d been handed an hour before. Olivia drained both the ones she had before turning to look at him.

“You know… you’re kinda cute.”

Jesse looked at Olivia. After all she’d drunk, she wasn’t swaying, her words were crisp and clear… she barely looked phased at all.

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