Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters!
Charity stood back and admired her creation. If she had to say so herself, Lauren looked hot.
"So, what do you think?" She asked Lauren, as Lauren studied herself in the mirror. Charity tapped her fingers on her hip impatiently.
"I guess I look okay." Lauren finally admitted. Charity shook her head, she was starting to get fed up with Lauren's attitude.
"No, you look better than okay. C'mon Lauren! For just one night can't we pretend that everything is okay?" Charity pleaded. She desperately needed Lauren to go back to being the strong one.
Slowly Lauren nodded. Charity was pleased to see that Lauren at least intended to make an effort. That was a start, right?
"Good, cause I really need you." Charity admitted softly. Lauren turned away from the mirror to face her.
"What's the matter?" She asked worriedly. Charity gave her a sad smile before sitting down on the bed.
"I don't think Derek wants to be with me anymore. He's been so distant lately. I don't know what I would do if he broke up with me. I don't even want to think about it." Charity admitted, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to spill. Lauren quickly threw her arms around Charity.
"I doubt that's true. Derek loves you!" Lauren countered, slowly pulling away. Charity shook her head sadly.
"I don't think he does, not anymore. Watch him tonight at the party. You'll see." Charity told her confidently. Glancing at the clock, Charity hurriedly threw her own clothes on and rushed them out the door. The drive to Tyler's was done mostly in silence. Charity felt slightly exposed, having finally unloaded her burden. She'd been worrying over her relationship with Derek for weeks. As the pulled up she grabbed Lauren's hand and gave it a squeeze. She hoped that tonight would be just what Lauren needed, not make the situation worse.
"I suppose it's too late to change my mind?" Lauren asked forlornly, as they walked up the sidewalk to Tyler's house. Before Charity could reply, the door was thrown open and Lauren looked as if she were being drug into the lions den. A crowd of people gathered, everyone greeting Lauren, most were surprised at her appearance. Although Charity had been making attempts to get Lauren back into the social scene, she had to admit that all of her prior attempts were in vain.
Charity glanced around the room and saw Derek and Tyler standing with a group of girls that she didn't recognize. Nudging Lauren, Charity nodded in Derek's direction. Lauren frowned and grabbed Charity's arm and drug her over to where Derek and Tyler were standing.
"Tyler, I'm disappointed. I grace your party with my presence and you can't even come and say 'hello'?" Lauren pouted in a flirtatious manner. Charity stared, in shock. She hadn't seen Lauren smile in months and yet, here she was, flirting with the guy who had broken her heart.
"Lauren?! I can't believe it." Tyler said, grinning as he bent to hug Lauren.
"Lauren Sawyer is at my party!" He yelled, raising his arms in victory.
"And I won't stay if you're going to ignore me." Lauren stated, cocking her head in the direction of his and Derek's little ho posse. Luckily, for them, the girls weren't stupid. With a few eye rolls, they sauntered away. Lauren grabbed Tyler's arm asked him to dance. She gave Charity a pointed look as they walked away. Suddenly Charity realized that she was alone with Derek.
"Hey." She greeted him, feeling unsure of herself.
"Hey." He replied, taking a drink of his beer. She saw the girls that he had been talking to before, staring at her.
"Who were those girls that you and Tyler were talking to?" She asked lightly, trying to sound as if she were just asking out of curiosity.
"Some cheerleaders from Bear Creek. Casey, Amy and Sara." Derek replied, smiling over her head at one of the girls. Charity took a deep breath, struggling to keep from walking across the room and taking out all of her frustrations on each one of the three girls.
"Do they know that you have a girlfriend? Or was it you that forgot that tidbit?" She asked icily. She had been trying not to rock the boat for weeks, but seeing Lauren dancing with the last person on earth that Lauren would have chosen and knowing that she was doing it for Charity, made her bold. If Lauren could take a risk, so could she.
"It never really came up." Derek replied, his eyes flashing, as if challenging her to press the issue.
"Oh, really. So what did?" Charity replied angrily. It was no use now. Once she got fired up, there was no stopping her.
"I don't think that's really any of your business." Derek stated, flatly. Charity felt her blood boiling. So he wanted to play games, did he?
"I guess its not anymore." She replied, shrugging her shoulders indifferently. Without another word she turned and grabbed the first guy that walked by. Luckily for her it was Logan, he'd always had a crush on her. Giving Derek a innocent smile, she ran her hands through Logan's hair and pulled him to her. As they began to dance, rather indecently, Charity saw Derek visibly tense.
"Charity, what are we doing?" Logan whispered in her ear as she danced in front of him.
"Getting even." She seethed, glaring at Derek.