everybody's doing it by Ivy Parker

Clare thought there had to be a mix up. A complete idiot mix up at the party. She didn't even want to come, but Lynsey was home from break. And she said Jesse would be there. She just didn't know he would be with somebody else.

Well, Clare wasn't going to even look at him. Jesse wasn't her boyfriend, anyway. Not really. Almost, but it never happened.

They'd done The Hobbit the musical together and they were wolves. She thought he was high the first time they met because all he wore were black panty hose and a tight black T, while she'd made her mother go all around town just to find special ballet leggins for her, and there he was with no underwear. She knew he was weird even if he possibly could be the most beautiful thing ever.

Clare shook the thought of wondering then..if..was he coming on to me, she wondered back then. She winced hard and grabbed her a beer, just like everyone else. She wanted to find someone at this party. Fast.

Of course, thoughts of Jesse raced through her head. God, she hoped he wouldn't notice her, but when she looked at the girl, he was hugging so close, she thought she was looking at herself. Clare shivered, slightly. That was a ridiculous thought. No way could Jesse be seeing someone who looked like her. Really. No, for starters Jesse didn't date. She could go down the list. This guy got kicked out of the University. He was high there too.

God, why did she even want to think about him. He wasn't that great. Clare bit her bottom lip. She turned her back to them. It was so cold out by the bond fire. But she didn't want to get to close. She needed to be in her comfort zone. Besides, who remembered her, anyway. She was only head of props that one time. And everybody called her a bitch because she did have a job to do. Props could not go missing during Shakespeare.

No, she was never the star of anything. Although, when she was little, people used to tell her she looked like Hermine from Harry Potter. Oh, the girl that looked like Hermine. So fare and honest. It could be worse. The bitch from Props.

"What are you doing these days, Clare?" Someone said in the dark. He was farther back than she was at the party.

"You know," Clare hugged herself tight. She put the beer to her lips and made an imaginary swallow. "Not much."

"Well, you're going to K-State." He chuckled. Finally, she saw his face come into the light. Dark, brooding and a reluctant looker. She had no idea who this guy was. But he knew her.

Clare remained even lipped and just stared at his dark eyes. She just couldn't place him. This was freaking her a bit. She looked around to see if Lynsey was anywhere, but she wasn't. Some had gone on down to the river. She wasn't really brave enough to go. She looked back at Jesse and the girl. They were no longer there. She heard laughter then. Someone was drunk. Clare rolled her eyes. Why was she here?

"How about you, what are you doing?" She didn't know what else to ask.

He just smiled. "Remember, when I used to life guard." He grinned more. "You lost your top that time when you dove off the diving board."

Clare winced hard. Nobody knew that, did they? He knew? He was the life guard that summer? She'd dove deep into the water so quick and found the blue halter top at the bottom of the pool. She didn't think anyone had noticed that day. No one said anything. No one laughed. No one even looked.

"I don't know why you didn't ever try out to be a life guard. I kept hoping you would." He shrugged slightly with a smile. He put his beer bottle to his lips then, but he didn't really take a sip, either.

"You still a life guard?" She gave him a serious look. He was fit enough.

"Naw." He gave her an even lip then. "Still work for city, just in maintenance now." He sounded like it was temporary, but he'd been there half a year.

"You want to dance?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Clare smiled. She looked around. Everyone else was doing their own thing. He put his arms around her waist, she put her arms around his neck. They moved slowly in the sand. Clare wasn't even sure there was music to dance too. It was awkward. But he was close. Why wouldn't he tell her his name?

"Uh, you, you know who Jesse is with?" Clare finally asked.

"My ex-girlfriend." He croaked slightly.

"Oh. I don't-" Their circles were getting smaller. They stumbled and luckily fell on the soft sand together.

"You're drunk, aren't you?" He was hugging her.

"No. Really. I'm not." She couldn't help but smile. She felt OK in his arms. After all, she guessed he could save people. Still. If they were drowning.

"Yeah. Sure." He didn't believe her as he brushed a little sand out of her hair.

"Tell me your name, will you?" Had she really forgotten everyone since going off to college?

"Clare." He laughed so. "Its me, Zach. Remember, we had gym together? You thought the gay guy wasn't as gay as he said he was, because he pinched your butt."

Clare laughed then. Maybe if this went well, she'd be coming home more often.

source - ourbodiesbreak