I could feel it happening. Sweaty palms, palpitating heart, dry mouth. I was reverting. Soon, I’d fully transform into the awkward, anxious girl I’d been in high school. In five, four, three, two…Wes smiled, his golden hazel eyes warming. A squeak slipped passed my lips.

             Lakeside Gardens was already full of people buzzing around with drinks in their hands and manic smiles on their faces. Events like this always brought out the party animals in even June Lake’s most stand-up citizens. It wasn’t every day they had an excuse to get drunk and dance. Not twenty minutes in, and there were pinkened cheeks and bright eyes galore. &n

             The next morning, I woke up with a blinding headache and a mouth full of sand. Oh, and with my mother flapping over me like a hummingbird from hell.            “Get up, lazy bones. We’re going to be late!” she said.

             “Repeat after me,” Cat said Saturday morning as we stood outside our apartment building. “No alcohol and no kissing cute boys to make other cute boys jealous.”            I nodded my head. “Definitely no alcohol. And no kissing. No hugging. No touching of any kind. In fact, I think I should

             “You jackass,” I said the moment we broke through the doors of the community center. Rory’s victory yell had brought the entire recital to a halt. Between the looks Julie and Stephen gave me, and Jack’s head on my shoulder as he collapsed into laughter, I had not been able to contain myself. Time to make our exit.      &n