Okay, guys. I'm sorry. No Fang in this chapter. And I know I'm going to get some hate for this one. Heh. Heh. Well, before that happens, thanks so much again to lillianeherondale (I love you so much!), MidnightStarlight (who still hasn't PM'd me back) and It's Fnicking Awesomness, who seriously is full of fnicking awesomeness. Go check her stories out – especially considering I beta for one! You guys are all amazing reviewers and helped contribute to the hundred-plus reviews this story now has.

So, there's about … five or six chapters to go until this story concludes, including epilogue. Which means that it'll probably finish up at about twenty chapters. Considering the length of my chapters, though, it actually isn't that short. Hah.

Enjoy!

The music blares loudly, but by now everyone is used to it. I squeeze my way through the throng of dancing people, some that wave hellos to me or hug happy birthdays. Somewhere in the mix are Nudge, JJ and Lissie, but I don't go to them.

Outside, the abundance of teenagers has only lessened slightly, but at least there's some walking space. My eyes catch on Ash, standing side by side with his plus one, but he doesn't notice me. I start to walk over, using my free hand as a fan to ward off the heat while my other clutches a cookie.

He sees me and waves, a grin on his lips. I smile back, watching as his friend elbows him and wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. Ash rolls his eyes at the friend.

'Hey, Max,' he says. 'This is Louis.'

Louis looks at me, using one hand to rake through his blond hair as he holds the other out for me to shake. He smirks, looking at me through his eyelashes. 'Hey,' he says lowly.

Ash snorts. 'He's a bit of a pervert, by the way. And I think he has a thing for you.'

I laugh and Louis glares at Ash. 'You suck, bro.'

'Proud,' comes Ash's swift reply.

I absentmindedly take a bite of my cookie. 'I can go, if you want ...' I take a few steps back.

'No! Stay,' Ash says, a hand coming out to pull me back before withdrawing on a second thought. I come over and smile at the ground, looking at my hands and feeling flattered by his protest.

Louis grins devilishly and says, 'I should go, but ... keep it PG, guys.' Then he scurries off, leaving me blushing and Ash shaking his head in silent amusement.

'I've been wanting to talk to you for a while, tonight,' he says, once we're both certain that Louis is gone.

'Oh,' I say, a bit startled. 'Is it bad?'

He sniggers. 'No.'

'Oh,' I repeat.

'I just wanted to chat,' he says with a grin. 'Nothing serious.'

So we chat, and I laugh and he grins and for just a little while, he makes me feel somewhat normal.

But I don't really register it, at first, when his lips touch mine.

My breathing hitches and I'm shocked, but I slide my hands over his shoulders and let one knot in the waves of his hair anyway. He smiles against my mouth and pulls me close by the waist. He tastes like sprinkles, and the feel of his lips massaging my own is ... fantastic, really. Luckily, the tree we stand by shelters us from too many prying eyes, but I can hear the catcalls and wolf whistles from a group of guys not too far away.

I reluctantly pull away from Ash and smile up at him, before glaring over my shoulder at the guys. They smirk and grin and wave at us oh-so-innocently, and I realize that one of them is my brother. I roll my eyes at him and turn back to Ash, whose face is disappointed. I take his hand.

'Let's go upstairs,' I suggest. 'Get some privacy.'

His eyes light up and he smiles back, squeezing my fingers and following my lead. As we make our way back through the family room, Nudge catches my eye. She gives a huge, cheesy wink and laughs, slapping her thigh. It doesn't take too long to figure she's a tad tipsy.

Upstairs, I knock on the door of Nudge's bedroom and, when there's no reply, I inch it slowly open. The room's empty.

I face Ash and grab his other hand, pulling him back into the room with me. He pushes the door shut with his back, then spins me around and pins me against the dark wood, kissing me hotly. I run my hands along his chest and groan, eliciting just the response that I want from him and his kisses.

I gasp against his lips when thoughts of Fang pervade my mind. I've been trying my hardest not to think of him – and when I do, only with insults – so I force the thoughts away, immersing myself in Ash so as to keep pictures of Fang from plaguing me.

Despite my efforts, the thoughts return and with ease break down the walls I'd constructed to keep them out. I hate myself for wishing it was Fang whose tongue wrestled with mine, Fang who held me close and mussed up my hair, Fang who laughed and smiled with me under that tree. But he isn't here, no matter how much I want him to be.

I open my eyes a slit, a little bit startled to find myself on the bed with Ash on top of me, but I don't protest. However, the man who holds me in his embrace doesn't appear to be Ash – he has unruly black hair, enviously long eyelashes just the same color, olive skin and a five-oh-clock shadow that scratches away at my skin as one of his hands rubs my upper thigh. I gasp.

A sense of wrongness comes over me, and I know then that my own wishful thinking and maybe even some accidental alcohol have been distorting my senses. I shut my eyes tight and push Ash away, feeling horrible, but when I open my eyes the wavy brown hair, hazel eyes and clear, tanned skin have returned.

'What's wrong?' he pants, out of breath.

'Ash ...' I start, feeling guilty. 'Ash, I can't ...'

I force back tears from my confusion and scramble off the bed, running as well as I can down the stairs and to Lissie in my heels.

She's the first person I see who I know can offer me comfort, and when I arrive at her side she's in a fit of hysterical laughter with a blond, babyish-looking boy I vaguely remember to be called Dan. As soon as she sees my state her expression falls and she wraps an arm around my waist, taking me away.

'Honey, what is it?' she asks gently, brushing down some of my now-messy hair when we're in a less crowded area.

'I ... I was kissing Ash, upstairs, and —'

'He didn't force himself on you, did he?' Lissie interrupts, her face both angry and shocked.

'No, it wasn't like that ... I wanted him to be another guy, but last time I saw that guy we said all these horrible things to each other and now he hates me and I thought I hated him but I can't get him out of my head, and —'

'Max, calm down,' comes Lissie's second interruption. 'You need to relax. And who is this guy, anyway?'

My eyes widen, and I open my mouth to stutter a reply when Nudge rushes over to me in alarm, Iggy close at her side. His eyes are curious, wary and scared all at once. 'Max …' Iggy breathes.

'What's going on ...?' I say cautiously.

'Max, your mom's at the door,' whispers Nudge. 'She's in tears.'

I hurry after my brother and best friend as they go to the front door where Mom stands, her hair a mess and her eyes bloodshot. Tears drip down her cheeks even as we watch.

She looks at both me and Iggy, her eyes pits of the greatest sorrow.

'Max, Iggy ... Jason's dead.'

I'm going to get so, so much hate. Don't kill me, guys. Hey, at least she admitted she wanted Fang to be kissing her! Heh … heh …

FANG MAKES HIS LONG-AWAITED APPEARANCE NEXT CHAPTER, WOO!

Alright, kids. Review or I'll come to wherever you live and slap you!

WAIT! Before I leave, am I the only one who thinks the HAHAHAHA bit in Take Care (Drake ft. Rihanna) is fuzzing hilarious? Yes, no? Eh. Review.