Chapter 18: Dance To This

·Grace's POV·

This trimester is finally over! It's been a hectic month full of tests, essays and presentations. My friends and I sailed through it all and we couldn't be more excited to start off the holidays by going to a party tonight. I owed them this much.

But what I'm looking forward to is to visit Archer tomorrow. We haven't been apart for this long ever since we met. You can tell it's driving me crazy in anticipation.

Okay Grace, now chill.

For the first time in my life I paid attention to my subconscious, letting myself wander around my closet in hopes to find a perfect outfit for tonight. Toli and Katie will be arriving any minute now to do our makeups and style our hairs, so I better be quick.

When the doorbell rang, I was finishing putting my heels on. My choice for tonight consists of an off the shoulder maroon dress and my black high-heeled ankle boots. Mum let my friends enter and they went directly upstairs, to my room.

"You haven't even finished yourself and I can already tell you'll look gorgeous Grace!" Toli complimented me.

"Well, you both have pulled out the big guns so I better keep up with you."

"What about we finish dolling ourselves up? The sooner we get to that party, the sooner we'll get out of it. I still can't understand how you've convinced me to come..."

"It's gonna be fun Katie! Just enjoy the ride." I said, taking her shoulders and shaking them.

"Whatever, at least we'll show how good we look tonight to all the seniors from high school."

"That's the spirit!"

Toli was wearing a black short-sleeved lace dress with pumps in the same color, whereas Katie chose to wear an emerald green blouse, dark skinny jeans and nude heels. And let me tell you, they looked stunning.

Just wait and see Roland's reaction.

An hour later, just on time to head to Blake's house, we finished our looks. While I decided to put my hair up into a messy ponytail and wear some liquid eyeliner and nude lipstick, Toli let her hair straight down framing her face only wearing mascara and red lipstick. Katie just kept the messy look of her pixie cut and used a bronze eyeshadow -to make her green eyes stand out- and some reddish lip gloss.

I was the designated driver for the night, so I took my car keys and we were ready to go and have some fun.

Blake's house was fifteen minutes by car, not a long ride. I parked in front of what looked like a mansion, where I spotted Roland's Jeep. And clearly, the three boys were already waiting for us, all of them looking fresh and clean.

"Hello ladies. So nice of you to finally show up." Isaac greeted us, sarcastically.

"It takes time to look this good, something that you might not comprehend by the looks of it." Toli answered him, checking him out with a fake sneer.

"Hey! Don't you dare insult my fashion sense!"

They went inside the house, still bickering.

"Wow, Katie. You look ravishing." Roland was just that cute. Katie giggled a bit and answered.

"Thank you Rollie. And guess what? We match!" She pointed at his emerald loosen tie on top of his shirt.

What a coincidence, huh? It's like someone texted him while Katie was doing her makeup. Who am I kidding? I was the one who texted him.

No regrets at all.

"Maroon suits you Gracie." Scott finally talked.

"Well, thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." He really didn't, wearing that navy blue shirt and jeans.

"Come on, let's go inside. You owe me one dance, just saying."

"How come?"

"Because of the famous Halloween party ditching, princess."

"You won't ever let me forget that, will you?"

"Not a chance." The smell of alcohol and teenagers sweating hit me in the face when we entered. It wasn't pleasant, to say the least. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Sure, just make sure nobody spikes it. And no alcohol, you get me?"

"Yes ma'am. It will take me a while, taking into account how many people are here. Wait for me at the dance floor, I'll find you later."

He disappeared in between the vast amount of teens dancing around here. Some of them were also playing games like beer pong and truth or dare. Hmm, maybe I will play the latter before heading back home, just for the sake of my high school experience.

I started to dance to one of my favorite songs, Wolves, which began to sound from the speakers. That's when someone took me by the wrist and spun me around. I came to face a complete stranger. He was tall with black hair and light blue eyes.

"You've got some moves yourself, love."

Wait, love?

"Who are you?" I asked him in confusion.

"One month without seeing each other and you forget about me? Damn, it hurts. Not as much as the kick in the nuts, but still. "

"Archer?" It couldn't be true.

"In the flesh."

"It's impossible."

"What if I told you that the darkness isn't the only one who can possess someone?"

"No freaking way! How did you discover that?!"

"I got pretty bored without you around, so I tried new things I've seen ghosts can do on TV. This is one of them, apparently."

I laughed at the simple way he was putting it, like it was the most common thing in the world.

"God, I missed you." Archer, or may I say, the guy Archer is in control of, hugged me. I hugged him back and continued to dance with him, forgetting about the rest of the world. My mind was set on him, rather than what was happening around me, such as Roland and Katie dancing as if they were already a happy couple, Isaac and Toli playing beer pong animatedly or Scott coming our way holding two cups.

"Grace, who is this guy and why is he dancing with you?" He looked rather pissed. He hardly calls me Grace, this is bad.

"I'm Archer, Grace's friends. You are?" Katie wasn't too far away, so she heard Archer introducing himself. She looked at me questioningly. I mouthed her an: "I'll tell you later."

"Scott Reed. Would you please let go of her now?"

"Why would I? I bet she prefers to keep dancing with me and hey, thanks for the drinks." Archer took the two cups out of Scott's grasp. "You can go and play truth or dare or whatever you jocks do at parties."

"Archer!" I gave him a warning look. He seemed to understand and returned an apologetic look my way.

"What the hell is your problem man? She's supposed to dance with me, not with you asshole."

"Thank you for your sweet, sweet words, but listen up. Look Scott, I'm not here to start a fight, okay? I came to have a good time with Grace."

"Get the fuck away from her!" Scott took Archer by the collar and pushed him away from me.

"SCOTT! STOP RIGHT NOW!"

We were getting everyone's attention and I hated it, but not as much as Scott and Archer fighting each other.

"Roland! Hold Scott back, I'll do the same with the other dude." Isaac ordered.

"Grace, what's happening?"

"The other guy is Archer. He is inside that boy's body!" I answered Toli.

"WHAT?!" Both girls exclaimed at the same time.

"I'll explain later, I promise."

I approached Archer and he said:

"I'm going to leave this body soon, we'll talk about this when you arrive tomorrow."

"I'll stay part of Christmas Eve with you. Then I'll have to get to my family for dinner."

"Wouldn't want it any other way. Now, talk to your psychotic friend. He doesn't seem as patient as I am." He kissed my forehead. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye."

I then went to talk to Scott. Sure enough, if looks could kill, Archer would be six feet under by now. Again, I guess.

"You've crossed the line."

"I've crossed the line? It wasn't me who was starting to add fuel to the fire during the discussion."

"But you were the one to start fighting even when he said he wasn't looking for trouble. What were you thinking?"

"You still don't get it. I was supposed to be there with you!"

"Who cares Scott? It was only one dance!"

"Not for me, okay?! Not for me." He shouted at first and then repeated more softly. "I've been trying to tell you something very personal, but I guess tonight's not the night either. You know what? See you after Christmas Grace. " And with that, he left.

I started thinking about what was Scott trying to tell me and it all led me to one conclusion.

I might be the girl Scott was talking about.

I still don't know for sure if my hypothesis is correct, but what I do know is that tonight I won't be playing truth or dare in the end.

*****

A.N: And here you go. Archer and Scott's first "encounter". Can't you just feel the love between the two of them? Anyway, see you in capter 19!

Love,

M³