Love Is a Strange Matter of the Heart

Paulina's Pov

I am pregnant with Dash's child. That's the only thing I can think when I open the invitation telling me the high school is having its five-year anniversary for my graduating class. This is not how I pictured my life going after high school ended. I was in my prime and I was supposed to conquer the fashion world. It didn't work out, let's just say that it's hard to get a degree in college when you are partying with your sorority girlfriends every night. Ugh anyway, I had no idea what I was going to do. Those losers would think I was ashamed of something if I didn't go. I couldn't let them know the truth. I could only hope that my baby bump wasn't showing when I went to the reunion.

I made Dash take me so that if anyone found out I could just say we were engaged. I had decided to wear a knee length poufy pink dress so as not to show my baby bump. When we got there almost everyone was there. We were late as to be expected. I tried to look for Star at first because I hadn't seen the blonde in years. I heard she and Kwan had a thing but I wasn't sure.

Before I could find my eyes landed on another girl I used to associate with before she started hanging with the losers and before her dad lost her job. Valerie Gray was standing near a couple other people near the snack table. I immediately recognized the techno geek beside her because despite 5 years passing and him getting taller and a little buffer, he was still attached to his phone. I had heard through the grapevine that Tucker and Valerie are engaged to be married. I don't know how she can stand him but I guess everyone has true love.

I was a little anxious to see one very specific person tonight. I hadn't heard anything about his life yet only that he was here. He had been my first love and my hero ever since I was 14. I know I used to be cruel to him but that was high school.

I looked around while Dash got me some punch and my eyes locked on my prince charming immediately. He still had that messy black hair and he was still really tall. He was wearing a pair of black dress pants, a black long-sleeved button up shirt and I could see a faint line of his pure white tie and a pair of nice dress shoes and he had a slight tan complexion. The only thing I didn't like was that he was wrapped around some girl. I couldn't see her face and I didn't recognize her from high school at all. He must have invited her as his plus one. She was wearing a short black dress that reached mid-thigh and a pair of sexy black boots that reached just below her knees and she had a very pale complexion.

They were talking to Valerie and Tucker about something. It didn't look like they were married. Married people don't hang off of each other like that so they are probably in their honeymoon stage of dating. 'Well' I thought, 'that will surely change tonight'.

I fantasized for a moment about how I would dump Dash and then Danny would be all overprotective of me because of my baby. I would tell him that the father left me after he found out I was pregnant. I finally decided to go over to speak with him and get him away from that tramp who thought she could steal my man.

When I finally got close enough I was able to hear the techno geek telling everybody about how Danny and the girl couldn't keep away from each other. He was telling stories about them but I tuned them out before I started puking over the fact that someone was with my man.

I finally reached their side after pushing through the annoying people in my way. Luckily enough the tramp walked away to get some punch but she turned the other way so I still couldn't see her face. Danny's eyes tracked her every movement as she walked to the other side of the room where the refreshment table was set up.

I watched as Valerie finally saw me and then she elbowed Tucker to get his attention. His eyes grew wide and he whispered, "Danny", who ignored him in favor of continuing to watch the girl. He turned back around to his friends when Tucker slapped his arm but he didn't look over at me which infuriated me.

He said, "Dude what the hell". The boy only inclined his head in my direction and Danny's eyes finally locked with mine.

He only let out a quiet, "Oh."

I said, "Hello Valerie, Tucker, hey Danny."

All three glanced at each other and Valerie and Tucker immediately turned their attention back toward me but Danny only looked up briefly and then back down to his shoes. He had his hands in his pockets and I could see an ever-growing smirk on his face for some unknown reason.

I tried to be nice to his friends so I could easily slip away with Danny. I said, "So I heard you two got engaged that must be nice."

They exchanged a brief glance before Valerie said, "Yeah it's nice being with the love of your life." Tucker put an arm around her shoulder and brought her closer to his side. They shared a timid love filled smile.

I wished someday I could get those especially from Danny. We didn't get to talk anymore because the tramp had come back and Danny immediately brought her back to his chest with his arms wrapped around her waist. His head lowered to her neck and he gave her a sweet kiss there with his eyes closed.

She had her head bent down so I couldn't see her face because of her hair. But since I was near them I could hear what they said and so could the others. She giggled and said, "I was only gone for a minute Danny."

He whispered, "I know" and he took a deep breath and said, "We have company."

I was raging in jealousy. I slightly knew that voice but I couldn't connect it to a person I had ever encountered. She raised her head with her hair still in her face and she looked at Valerie and Tucker as they tried to contain their laughter. She looked around and her eyes stopped on my form. I would recognize that dark makeup and those eyes anywhere. Sam Manson. My arch nemesis. She had always been in the way, she kept taking everything I loved from me.

She raised an eyebrow and said, "Uh hello?" Danny finally straightened up and pulled her to his side and looked down at her. Valerie and Tucker were still trying hard not to laugh at the strange situation.

He softly told her in an obviously adoring voice, "Sam that's Paulina." She looked up at him for a moment and then back at me. I still hadn't said anything as I was still trying to process that Sam Manson was still a selfish witch.

She examined me for a moment and then she bluntly stated, "She doesn't look that pregnant." Every one of us seemed to freeze at the statement. Valerie and Tucker had immediately sobered up.

Tucker finally broke the awkward silence by saying, "What the hell are you talking about Sam." Her eyebrows scrunched in concentration and Danny got this cute smile that was supposed to be for me on his face while looking at Sam.

She finally explained, "My mother said that Dash had gotten her pregnant, I just thought she was further along."

Valerie broke the second awkward silence by saying, "Oh um congratulations I guess."

I finally decided to speak hoping to get Danny on my side. I said, "It was an accident, I didn't mean for it to happen I just wanted love isn't that what any of us wants to be loved."

Danny said, "I'm sorry I think" and he shook his head confused. Sam chuckled at him and his face lit up at the sound.

I got so jealous that I just blurted out, "Oh its fine, but I was wondering if you wanted to talk" and as I looked around at the other pairs of eyes on my face and then stared back at Danny's I added, "alone?"

He said, "What did you want to talk about?"

I said, "What happened to us back then our history how everything changed between you and me." The others were looking at me in shock while Danny still looked very confused.

He said, "What are you talking about we barely even went out and what history I don't know a single thing about you." She gasped no guy had ever rejected her. It was a huge blow to her ego.

Sam reached up with her left hand and placed it on his shoulder she said, "Danny be nice to her she is very emotional right now." That's when I finally noticed a huge diamond ring on her finger with purple stones surrounding it. Then when he reached out to put his hand on her cheek I noticed his own gold band on his ring finger. Oh my gosh they were married. MARRIED!

Valerie said, "Yeah just wait till Sam here gets pregnant then you will definitely see mood swings."

Sam gave an indignant shout of, "Hey."

I finally snapped when I saw how peaceful and joyful they were acting. I said, "I cannot believe you are choosing her over me." Then I stormed away furious.

Then I heard Danny say, "Hey do I still get my kiss" and I turned my head back to see everyone breakdown in laughter and Sam pull him in for a passionate albeit brief kiss. I stormed out of there furious. My knight in shining armor had just broken my heart. I ran away never to look back.

Note: Their friends joked easily about their love life because you could just tell they were in love and always would be. Even after being with each other for many years they still acted like teenagers around one another. If she was away from him he always watched her because she was a beautiful woman and he didn't want anyone near her. It was just how he acted always watching her. But he had grown annoyingly cocky when it came to her being jealous. He was a handsome young man and when other girls noticed him she immediately claimed his lips with hers. He kissed back full heartedly because he loved when he got to kiss her like this in public without restraint. It was wicked hot how dangerous it seemed.