It all started because I was a big dummy and decided to go to Missy's Sweet 16. It was a dumb idea, obviously, in hindsight, because Riley and Farkle weren't going to be there. They weren't invited, but they told Lucas and I to go anyway, so we did. That was our first mistake.

Missy and I had not grown closer since the seventh grade, but we hung out with a lot of the same people, the "popular crowd", as Riley likes to call it, so, I mean, it happens. We spend time together, Lucas too, so we got invited.

Riley and Farkle, on the other hand, were not. They weren't in the in-crowd with Golden Boy and I, but of course we were all still friends and spent plenty of time as a group. But, well, since those two had started dated, back in freshman year, it just made sense for Lucas and I to sort of branch off. It wasn't planned, but it was the natural progression of life- you're just not the same person at 12 as you are at 16.

Well most people aren't. Missy, apparently, had stayed exactly the same.

We had all been drinking at the party, some more than others, Lucas being in the latter group, of course. I had been dancing with someone, I don't think he even goes to our school, but Missy had a lot of friends around the city, so who knows who it was. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Missy throwing herself all over Lucas, and the poor boy looked desperate, so I made my way over to the two.

"Birthday Bitch," I greeted Missy with a hug and a cheek kiss. It was the first I'd seen her the whole night, so much for being there to celebrate her, you know?

"Hey babe," she answered, "I see you're having fun."'

"Back atcha," I smirked, nodding towards the giant tan boy up against the wall behind her.

"Oh, of course," she smiled her Cheshire Cat smile at me, and then back at him.

"Listen, I need to steal Lucas away for a second," I said, faking a frown and nodding at the guy behind me, "Stage Five Clinger, you know how it is."

"I promised I'd run interference for her," Lucas shrugged, allowing me to take his hand and pull him onto the dance floor with me.

"You're a lifesaver," he said, smiling as we danced stupidly to whatever pop drivel was bumping from the DJ Booth.

"Well, this might be the last party I can help you out at," I smirked back, "I don't know if Princess Missy will be inviting me back anytime soon."

"Well, if you're not going, neither am I," he shrugged, "Who'd I hang out with?"

"Um, anyone you want to, Mr. Perfect. Everyone loves you, or have you forgotten?" I asked.

"I must've forgotten," he responded, "You keep me so grounded and humble."

"You're welcome," she said, sticking out her tongue at him.

"Oh, alright, be that way."

"Excuse me?" I asked, turning around and coming face to face with none other than the Birthday Girl herself.

"Maya Hart, you are the worst kind of girl," she said, pointing a finger in my face. She usually toward over me at a full 5'10, compared to my petite 5' even, but she was crouching to get eye level. Clearly she meant business.

"And why is that?" I asked, trying to keep things light and playful, but not liking the direction things were headed.

"You flirt with anything on legs!" she screeched at me, as a circle grew around us and people stopped dancing and talking to listen. At least the DJ hadn't stopped the music- I would've died.

"We're just dancing," Lucas said, trying to defend me, but Missy wasn't having any of it.

"She's always 'just dancing'. She's like this little tease," Missy said, growing more animated the more frustrated she got, "And all you boys just let it happen. She flirts and dances, and kisses, and fucks, but she won't date anyone."

She'd definitely spit the word fuck, but it felt more like she'd slapped me in the face. That was my M.O.- have fun, but don't get too attached. I've dealt with too much shit from my parents to ever give me heart to anyone.

"And then this whole time, she's just dragging you behind her, like some dog," Missy continued, this part was directed at Lucas, "And you just let it happen, because that's why Maya does. She doesn't know what she wants, so she just lets everyone fall all over themselves for no reason. I don't see why. What is just so great about Maya Hart anyway? She's nothing, can't you idiots see that? She's nothing and she's never gonna be anything. One day she'll be a waitress just like her slutty mother and all she'll have to look back on is the glory days in high school, back when people actually thought something of her. It'll be a distant, diluted little memory. She's vapor."

The girl was getting so loud that the DJ didn't even need to stop the music. All anyone was focusing on was the altercation going down in the middle of the dance floor. So I did what any girl would do in the same situation. I fled; she was much too tall for me to slap her, so that was my only option.

The crowd parted for me like the fucking Red Sea for Moses, and I don't think a 5' girl in 5-inch heels has ever moved so fast. I definitely broke my own personal record, and I run track for Christ's sake.

I didn't stop for my jacket, I didn't stop to grab my bag, and I didn't stop when I got out of the building. I didn't stop until I hit a street I couldn't cross without getting hit, and then Lucas caught up with me.

"She's an idiot," he said.

"I don't want to talk about it," I responded.

"Everyone hates her," she reminded me.

"I don't' want to talk about it," I repeated.

"Maya-" he started.

"Stop," I interrupted him, holding up a hand as if to physically stop the words from coming out of his mouth. "I. Don't. Want. To. Talk. About. It."

"Fine," he answered, and we crossed the street in silence.

It was true, I didn't want to talk about it; it was too embarrassing, and too true, quite frankly, to discuss, but I couldn't help but be glad he'd come after me; that he hadn't believed her, no matter how right she was.

That he'd chosen me anyway.

"Maya," Lucas said, after we'd walked in silence for a while. I geared up, sensing whatever he was about to say was probably pretty important.

"Lucas," I repeated, trying to lighten the mood.

"You're a good girl, you know that, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess so," I answered.

"Come on, you are," he said, punching me on the arm.

"Okay, okay, fine. What's that got to do with anything?" I asked.

"Well you know, I think we've gotten pretty close. You look out for me, and I look out for you, right?" he asked. I hate when he answers a question with a question.

"Always," I agreed. We do have each other's backs; we've been thick as thieves since he moved here, once we got past our bumpy start especially in times like right now.

"So be honest with me," he said, "Not to bring up the Missy thing, but, you know. A boy gets curious. Are you into anyone in particular?"

"What kind of question is that?" I asked, I do not need this shit right now.

"A serious one," he said, making me nervous. If he was about to make some sort of confession to me to me I was not going to take well to it.

"Don't be serious," I said, "I'd rather be silly. A silly, brainless, nothing."

"Stop it Maya, don't do that," he reasoned with me.

"No, you don't do this," I said. I knew I was probably hurting his feelings, but I didn't know what to do about it. There was too much going on, I was confused, drunk, and quite frankly still more than a little upset about what Missy had said.

There was one thing she was right about though- I don't know what I want, and I certainly wasn't going to mess around with Lucas over it. I liked having him as a friend- I like having friends in general; they were much less work than boyfriends.

I slipped my tiny hand into his and hoped that that would be enough, because I don't think I could give him any more if I wanted to. Not to say I don't want more with Lucas, but I'm not exactly sure if I do either. I'm just a little bit messed up, you know?

"Alright, have it your way," he responded, trying not to sound disappointed.

"I usually do," I laughed, going up on tiptoe to give him a kiss on the cheek; he only had to bend down about a foot.

"You're too tall," I joked.

"You're too short," he answered back, but after a beat changed his mind, "Actually, no you're not. I like you just the way you are."

"Well I guess the same could apply to you," I answered, "Since you're being so nice about it."

"See, if you weren't so small, I couldn't do this," he said, and with that he flung me over his shoulder and headed back to the party.

"Stop it, stop it!" I yelled, banging on his back as I laughed.

"Come on, let's get you home. People are going to start thinking I kidnapped you," he said.

"Which, ironically, is what you're doing anyway," I said back to him, laughing.

"Riley and Farkle would kill me if they thought something had happened to you," he commented.

"That's true," I joked, "Good decision."