Valerie probably should have seen this coming. And yet here she was, practically nose to nose with Danny locked in Paulina's dress closet.

This culmination of events started at school during lunch hour. Paulina stopped by her table and invited her to a party. Supposedly it was going to be the party of the year and she wanted everyone there.

At first, Valerie turned it down, she knew Paulina didn't care about her and she didn't want a pity invite, but she insisted. "Look I'm sorry we kicked you out of the group. That was really shitty of us. But I," she fidgeted with the flyers in her hands, "I miss having you around."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but if the feeling isn't mutual, I guess you don't have to come."

Valerie sighed, "I'll see if I can get the night off." She actually already had the day off from the Nasty Burger already, but she wasn't sure she was ready to commit just yet.

Later that day she overheard Danny and Sam loudly disagreeing.

"Is it really such a big deal that I want a normal high school experience?"

"That's not what I'm saying, Danny."

"Then what Sam?"

"You know she's just using you to get to her precious ghost boy. She's not actually inviting you."

"Technically, yeah she is! And so what, I go to the party and have some fun for once? Not seeing how this is the crime of the century?"

"God, why are you always so stubborn?"

"Could ask you the same thing." He replied harshly.

Sam glared, "Fine. Go to the stupid party. I don't care! But don't be surprised that I'm not there!" She stormed off the heavy clunking of her combat boots only accentuated the action.

Danny sighed and pulled out the flyer from his pocket.

"You got invited too?" She asked as if she hadn't heard the fight.

"Yeah, but maybe Sam's right."

"About what?"

He gave her a wry look, "I know you heard that."

She shrugged, "Didn't want to butt in." She held her tongue for a beat before adding, "but if you want my advice, I say go. You always look so run down. You deserve a night out."

"Yeah?" He went from a look of needing approval to pure determination, "Yeah, you're right! I do deserve it!"

It took a lot of self-control not to melt when she saw that spark in his eyes, "Plus I'll be there."

She almost regretted the obvious flirtation, almost.

Unlike her, Danny wore his heart on his sleeve. He blushed immediately and fell into that cute habit of rubbing the back of his neck. "Really? That's cool." He stammered, obviously trying to be nonchalant but failing.

Hours later, the party is in full swing. She may or may not have mentioned that she was glad Danny had been invited, even if he hadn't arrived yet.

This of course delighted both Star and Paulina. Those two loved the drama of romance, specifically other peoples.

Despite her protests, the girls were determined to hook the two back up. Even more so when she said that they had hardly been together in the first place.

So once Danny arrived, Paulina announced that they were going to play a game. One bottle spin later, she and Danny are locked in Paulina's overstuffed closet for the next seven minutes.

Valerie had pushed back against the far wall, but Danny was awkwardly cramped between trying not to touch Paulina's clothes and not breaking the invisible barrier of Valerie's personal space.

"You can come closer if you want. I don't bite."

"You sure?"

"Oh just come here." She grabbed his forearm and yanked him forward.

He was a lot lighter than she was expecting, and he crashed right into her chest.

She felt the warmth of his face through her shirt, but also the coiled tension in his arms. When did he get muscles?

He popped up immediately and locked eyes with her as if staring at anything else wasn't allowed. "I am so sorry."

"Don't be. It's my fault. Besides," she ran her hand up his arm towards his shoulder, "I'm more interested in these biceps." She traced her finger around the muscle in question, "when did you start working out?"

"Boxing." He blurted out.

"What?"

"I mean recently. My mom's training me. To box."

"Why, self-defense?"

"No. I mean, I guess also that."

He still hasn't moved, his face was so close to hers that she could see that he had a light trail of freckles across the bridge of his nose. How had she not noticed that before?

He sighed when he noticed she didn't reply. "It's more for anger management." He admitted.

"You get mad a lot?"

"Not really. It's just when I do, it's kind of," He hesitated, "intense."

She was surprised at first, she really never saw him get mad.

But then again, it made sense. He was such a people pleaser, always bending over backward to help, that he must just bottle it up all his negativity just to keep everyone else happy.

She knew all too well what it was like to be so full of anger and not have anywhere to put it. "I know the feeling."

They were still just inches from each other, so tantalizingly close that she could hardly stand it.

"I-" they both started simultaneously.

"Sorry. You first." He relented.

She smirked, "I was just gonna say that I missed you." And she did.

She still regretted breaking things off. Maybe she should have tried harder. Maybe he wasn't as defenseless as she once thought.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Then a devious part of her took over, "We still have like 5 minutes, right?"

"I think so. Why?"

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in.

It took about half a second for Danny to realize what was happening, and even less to reciprocate.