"Anything on your mind?" I asked.

"Nothing in particular. Why do you ask?"

Okay, she had to be messing with me. I know she saw Pratt call me over to him, so why wasn't she asking questions?

"Just wondering. You're pretty quiet today."

"Just trying to give you the opportunity to tell me what's going on between you and Eighty-Six." She smirked and side-eyed me playfully.

"I like him. A lot, Mom," I blurted out. I never really held anything back with my mom. She was the easiest person to talk to and to get advice from. She never judged meor at least if she did, she never made it known. She always kept a fair and respectful attitude towards anything we'd discuss, like when I wanted to change my major from architecture to biochem. The first thing she'd said then was, 'Hey, at least you didn't pick philosophy'. My mom was truly amazing.

"So is this just holiday hoopla happening, or do you two plan to try and take it outside of the house?" She chuckled. I didn't know if she was referring to Pratt and I trying to continue a relationship after winter break, or us having sex in the house. Lola will be happy to know that's now officially on my favorite top ten things to do in my parents' home.

I went with the first option.

"I don't know, too soon to tell I guess." I shrugged.

"He looks smitten with you, London," she said.

"Smitten, Mom?" I busted out laughing.

"He does. You should see how he looks at you. He watches you move. I've caught him giving a little smile when he thinks no one is looking. He needs someoneand I think maybe you could be it." I could hear the smile in her voice when she spoke.

"We'll see," I said, then straightened up in my seat because my phone was vibrating in my pocket. "Speak of the devil." I felt like a giddy teenager, fumbling with my phone to read his text.

Are you getting the Spanish Inquisition?

No. OMG is my dad drilling you?

No, Trent is. LOL He's an idiot, just ignore him.

Yeah, I am. See ya in a few.

I put my phone in my pocket and sighed.

"Did you just sigh?" My mom laughed at me.

I sank in my seat, red-faced. "No. Yes. I don't know."

"London's got a crush," she sang like a schoolyard child.

Yep . . . London's got a crush.

We ended up staying at the mall for about two hours. We had some lunch, and then we all split up again to get the last of our shopping finished. I for sure wanted to get Pratt a few more things for under the tree. I couldn't imagine the heartache he'd be experiencing this Christmas, so the least I could do was show him that he had a second family, if he wanted it. That he'd never have to spend another holiday alone. Not as long as he didn't want to. I also stopped by the photo place to see if the picture was finished. Since it wasn't, I opted for them to deliver it to us for the extra fifteen bucks, and save myself a trip to that crowded hell again.

We all met back up, and as we were leaving the mall Trent got a text. He stopped short, then elbowed Eighty-Six in the arm. When Pratt stopped, Trent leaned over and then looked at me.

"What?" I mouthed to him as my parents were talking to each other. He shook his head as if to say 'nothing, don't worry about' it, so I minded my business. But then I saw Pratt look one way then the other, then tap Trent's shoulder and discreetly point towards the food court.

"Dad, can you ride home with Mom and Princess?" Trent asked, putting his phone back in his pocket. "We need to pick up something else that we forgot about."

I was curious as hell but didn't want to come off as psycho, so I kept my trap shut. Just as I was about to walk off, Pratt came over to me and leaned in to give me a quick kiss.

"I'll see you in a little bit," he said. "You and me have a date tonight."

"I guess we do, don't we?" I smiled, and he leaned in for another smooch right before he took off.

On the way out, my parents both teased me relentlessly about Eighty-Six laying a few kisses on me in public. Neither of them seemed surprised thoughit was almost as if they wanted this to happen. Hmmmmm.

As soon as we got home I jumped in the shower. I wanted to clean up and take a nap before we went to Hat Trick's that night. It would be our first 'date', so I didn't want to be dirty and tired. By the time I was finished drying my hair I was exhausted, and fell asleep practically the instant my head hit the pillow.

I was woken up around six p.m. by Pratt slipping into bed with me. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head.

Oh, Mr. Montgomery. I could get used to this.

Chapter 9.

I made sure I was ready before the guys, because I wanted to grab a snack before we left. I didn't plan on drinking much but I always did better with food in my stomach.

I was sort of nervous too. Why, I don't know. I mean, we had already moved past some of the most nerve-wracking firsts. First kiss . . . check. First bloody nose . . . check. First make out sesh . . . check. And of course the big S. Check. I had nothing to be nervous about, so I ate my oatmeal and almonds in an excited state while I waited for the guys to come down.

"Oatmeal, Princess?" Pratt kissed the top of my head, then opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water.

I stood and put my bowl in the sink and excused myself to brush my teeth really quick. On my way back from the bathroom I could hear Trent and Pratt talking in a hushed whisper.

"Dude, if she's in town we're in big shit," Trent said.

"I'm not worrying about it, man. If we ignore her, them, whoever, then they'll get tired of it and leave," Pratt reassured my brother.

Now I was really curious, and wondered if it had anything to do with what had happened earlier at the mall.

"All set?" I said as I rounded the corner.

"Yep. Let's go," Trent said, and took the keys to my dad's truck off the key rack.

"Can we take Mom's car, please?" I asked. "That way if you drink too much I can drive. You know I have a hard time with Dad's steering wheelit's too hard for me to turn."

But Trent kept on walking with Dad's keys. "Eighty-Six can handle it. He isn't drinking tonight."

"Oh?" I questioned.

Pratt took out his phone and began typing as we got to the truck. My phone went off a second later.

"Really? A text?" I gave a quick laugh and spoke softly so my brother didn't hear. I pulled out my phone and checked the message.

I want to be sober for the after party.

We hopped in my dad's truck, all three of us in the front seat, me in the middle. Yay.

There's an after party? Where? I texted back.

In the barn loft.

Well, it was heated and insulated, so we wouldn't get cold. I worried about someone just walking in though, because you could see everything up there. But then again, who'd be walking in at two a.m.?

I love after parties.

And then my stomach began doing triple flips. I couldn't wait.

We walked into Hat Trick's and immediately I recognized people. Some I grew up with, some that I had classes with now, and a few new faces as well. Pratt took my hand and followed my brother through the crowd. He put me in between Trent and him without letting go. When we finally reached the bar area we got luckythere was a small table open. I hopped up on the only available stool and put my clutch on the table, while Pratt and my brother stood.

"What do you want?" Trent yelled over the music and crowd noise.

"Grab a bucket of Coronas?" I asked him.

"Sure. I'll be back," he said, and took off to the bar. Pratt stood right next to me and rested his arm on the back of my stool.

"You look beautiful," he said in my ear. I could feel my cheeks getting hot, and I was feeling giddy.

"Thank you. You clean up pretty nice too, Eighty-Six," I whispered back.

He laughed, then leaned in to kiss me. Kiss, kiss me . . . and that was something new to me because I had never been big in the PDA department, but with Pratt, I found myself not giving two fucks. His hand fit perfectly around the back of my neck so when he'd slide it on back there and grip with just the right amount of pressure, it made me crazy. His demeanor would change when he'd take the back of my neck. It was like he pleasantly possessed me. Letting everyone know I was his. And that surprised the shit out of me as well. I never was one for being someone's bitch or marked like some slab of meat . . . but Pratt didn't make me feel like that. He made me feel wanted, and not in that 'let me in your pants' sort of way either.

When we finally separated, I saw my brother talking to a blonde-headed girl at the bar, and laughed.

"Looks like Trent is starting early. Least he could do was bring us our drinks back before he starts hitting on chicks." I nodded towards the bar.

Pratt turned to look, and his entire mannerism changed. He became rigid and pale. He ran his hands down his face, exhaling loudly, then slapped his hands on his thighs.

"You're kidding me," he said. "This is a fucking joke, right?"

"Are you asking me? Because I have no idea what you're taking about. Pratt, what's wrong?" I gently pulled his face in my direction.

"It's nothing," he told me. "I'll send your brother back over so you aren't alone." Then he walked off.

"Ooookay then . . ." What just happened?

I watched as my brother motioned to Pratt, pointing behind him, which I could only assume meant to walk away and come back over to me . . . but he didn't. He looked like he was arguing with Trent about something, and then Trent threw his hands up in the air with a pissed-off expression and walked towards me.

"Sooooo, what's happening right now?" I asked Trent when he reached the table.

"London. This was a big mistake," he said. "I should have known better. Let's get out of here." He grabbed my clutch and phone from the table.

"Wait. What do you mean? And what about Pra. . . ."

But I didn't get to finish my question, because when I looked in Pratt's direction the blonde girl had taken his hand and was leading him through the crowd in the opposite direction. He didn't even look back to see if I was watching.

My stomach droppedI couldn't believe what I was seeing. There had to be an explanation.

"Trent?" I looked at my brother, trying to hold back the tears that were building up.

"Let me get you out of here first." He took my hand and pulled me through the crowd to the exit. When we got outside I took a deep breath of the cold air, hoping I'd feel less suffocated and sick. But I was still in shock.

"What the fuck just happened? Seriously. Did I just see that? Who the hell was that, Trent?"

Just as my brother opened his mouth to answer me, the door opened and Hannah walked out. She gave me a nasty look, but then changed her attitude when she spoke to Trent directly.

"Oh good, you're still here. You going to bring her home and come back and hang out for a bit?"

"Fuck you, Hannah. All you and that bitch friend of yours do is ruin lives. Understand that, you dumb skank?" My brother had his fists balled at his sides and was practically yelling through clenched teeth, almost right in her face.

"Too bad, we could have taken a ride down memory lane." She winked at him and turned to go inside. Then she stopped and turned back to us.

"And don't worry about Pratt. Alexi will make sure he gets somewhere safe for the night." She gave a sarcastic grin that I wanted to smack off her face.

"What the fuck did you do, Hannah?" I yelled at her.

"Oh, nothing, Princess," she said. "Alexi just came to get back what was hers." Then she walked back inside.

"Trent, what does she mean?" I was starting to shakemainly because I was cold, but I'd be lying if I didn't say it was also because I wanted to rip her face off and stuff it up her ass.

"Alexi is Pratt's ex-girlfriend. She left him, no shit, like maybe two weeks after his family was killed. She said she couldn't handle the stress of his 'emotional' mood swings." Trent took my arm and led me in the direction of the truck.

"Wait." I yanked my arm out of his grip. "There's no way we're leaving here without him, Trent." I started back to the entrance, and my brother started cussing like the father in 'A Christmas Story' when the Bumpus's dogs ate his Christmas turkey.

"London, don't. You don't understand . . . Shit. London."

But I kept walking. By the time he caught up with me I was already inside, headed in the direction Pratt had gone. Trent was right behind me, begging me to just leave it alone. Pratt would make it back to the house on his own. As I turned to tell him to shut up I caught a glimpse of a red hat. When I finally focused and saw that it was Pratt I wanted to vomit, and I hadn't even had a drink.

He had his back against the wall, and was kissing the blonde.

Trent pushed me aside and went to go after him. At first I was too shocked and sick to move, but I snapped out of it and just barely grabbed his arm.

"I'm going to kick his ass, London," Trent yelled.

"No. Stop. He can do whatever the fuck he wants," I said, fighting back the sting in my nose so I wouldn't cry. "He wasn't my boyfriend or anything. He's a single guy. Like you said, I'm sure he'll get back on his own. Let's go." Stupid, stupid London.

Before I turned to leave I stood there for another second, watching him. When he saw me he immediately took Alexi by the arms and pushed her away from him, and called after me.

"Go. Go, Trent!" I smacked his arm really fast as we pushed our way through the crowd again to leave.

"London . . . Trent . . ." Pratt called louder and louder. I ignored him and kept on going. I couldn't hold back the tears anymoreI had to wipe my eyes so I could see when we got to the truck.