Page 40 of The Boy I Once Loved

“Blonde,” he replies as he sips his drink casually and observes the room. As girls walk by, they give him the once over and seductive smiles.

“Are you not going to tell me?”

He smirks and shakes his head. “I’ll tell you when the time is right and not before. Besides,” he turns to face me, “why are you so interested?”

I shrug, feigning indifference. “I’m naturally curious about the girl who has bagged your attention for longer than five minutes. I need to shake her hand and tell her what a hero she is.”

He laughs, but he doesn’t meet my eyes. “Maybe you already know her.”

I scrutinise his face. “I will find out.” I wince. “Jeez, my arse is killing me on this stool.”

“Come on.” He offers me my crutches. “Let’s find somewhere comfy to sit.”

I follow him into the lounge area, and we take a seat on a large grey leather sofa that gives us a good vantage of the front door and who is coming in but also of the dining and kitchen area.

“Her.” I point at a blonde girl in denim shorts who has just come in through the front door.

“Nope,” he tells me, shaking his head as he toys with the label on his drink.

I point at a few more blondes and each time I get a no from him, so eventually I give up. By now the house is packed out and the party mood has kicked in. Some girls make a makeshift dance floor in the middle of the lounge and start grinding on each other, hoping to get some guy's attention.

Freya suddenly appears before us and she holds out her hand to Dylan. "Come dance with me, Dylan."

He looks at me pleading, hoping I will rescue him, but I just shrug my shoulders. She pulls on his arm and he reluctantly lets her drag him on the dancefloor. He looks back over his shoulder at me and he mouths ‘help’ which has me chuckling into my bottle. I watch as Freya rubs her backside against his front, pulling sexy faces at him over her shoulder. The girl is really going for it. He looks over at me again and rolls his eyes.

“Can I join you people watching?” I look up to find Danny standing at my side with a drink in his hand.

“Sure.” I pat the empty seat Dylan left, and he sits himself down.

“Freya’s really going for it huh?” He says grinning and we both laugh.

“Yeah, that girl sure goes for what she wants.” Unlike me, I hide my feelings like the wimp that I am. Maybe I should take a leaf out of Freya’s book and grow some lady-balls.

He gestures to my boot. “Can’t be much fun being at a party with that boot?”

I shrug. “I’m quite happy over here watching all the others make idiots of themselves on the dancefloor. Plus, if I fall over, I can blame it on the boot and not being drunk.”

He gives me an easy smile. “Good point.”

“You’re in my seat.”

I look up and Dylan is standing in front of us, his brows furrowed deeply.

Danny smirks as he stands and then he comes to sit on the arm of the sofa on my other side. Dylan takes his seat and leans forward, glaring at Danny.

“There’s a party at mine next weekend. You should come?” Danny tells me, making a point of only addressing me.

"She's busy next weekend," Dylan growls as he places his arm along the back of my seat.

“I am?” I turn, asking him with an arched brow. What is his problem with Danny?

“Yeah, we have plans with Connor and Aria. I forgot to tell you.”

Danny sniggers earning him another death glare from Dylan. “Anyway, if you fancy it Ella, it’s 135 Gibson road.” He smiles at me before heading off into the crowd.

“Did you have to be so rude again?” I glare at him accusingly.

Dylan shrugs and he hands me another fruit cider. “Danny wants in your pants, El. He’d fuck you and then fuck off.”

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