Page 59 of I Don't Need Your Romance

“Really?” I say with a giggle.

“You need to see for yourself.”

“Okay. You made me really curious.”

I get a cup and pour some punch into it. I also take a deep breath before taking a long sip. The guy watches me with an amused expression.

“It’s not bad at all!” I say.

He chuckles. “Are you serious now?”

“Are you a punch critic or something?” I down the rest of the punch. “It’s the best punch I’ve ever had.”

He laughs again. “To each their own, I guess. I’m Stewie, by the way.”

“Sophie.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Hmm, I wonder why you’re not on the list,” I say.

His brows shoot up. “What list?”

It feels like I just got rammed by a speeding truck. How the heck did that slip out of my mouth? With blazing cheeks, I stammer, “Sorry, what?” I grab the ladle and pour more punch into my cup.

“You said…never mind. Hey, do you want to dance?”

“I hate dancing.” My eyes widen when I realize what I once again let slip from my lips. “I mean, I’m not the best dancer, but sure, I’d love to dance.”

My friends gape at me when they catch me back on the dance floor with Stewie. Addie stares at him in total shock and confusion, as though wondering how she forgot about him.

“You’re not that bad,” he says once we start dancing.

“You’re just being nice.”

He laughs. “Okay, I admit it.” His head moves right and left, as though searching for someone.

“Who are you looking for?” I ask.

“What?” His eyes snap back to mine. “Oh, nothing. Just having fun with you.” He beams.

Call me crazy, but I have this odd feeling that he’s not actually having fun with me. His eyes dart around the area again.

Then it dawns on me. Is he embarrassed to be seen dancing with me? If that’s the case, why did he offer? But then he gives me this genuine smile, and I realize it’s all in my head.

We dance for a while. We don’t really say much, just smile at each other from time to time. When I glance at my friends, they give me thumbs up. Hmm, maybe this is a potential guy?

Suddenly, a girl marches over and steps right in front of me.

Um, what the heck?

Glaring up at Stewie, she demands, “What are you doing here with her?”

Stewie shrugs like he doesn’t care for her. “She’s my date and I’m dancing with her. You have a problem with that?”

Say, what? I’m hisdate? That’s news to me. What the heck is going on?

The girl turns around and gives me a once-over. I recognize her as a sophomore at my school, but from the look on her face, she has no clue who I am. She whips around so fast her hair slaps my face. “Did you seriously dump meforher?”