Fighting to Be Free (Fighting to Be Free 1)

Paul was driving tonight and had borrowed his dad's Jaguar, so we were riding in style to the dance.

I sat in the back with Jamie; his hand took mine on the way there, rubbing circles into the back of my hand as we chatted about the dance. I already knew that he was nervous about coming with me tonight, I was pretty sure he'd gotten it into his head that this was a posh party with old fashioned string quartet or something. I think he was going to be pleasantly surprised tonight.

When we pulled up and headed into the school gym, he laughed. The place had been decorated with streamers and balloons, food laid out, the normal lights were off with little fairy lights covering the ceiling instead. A local band were already set up and playing their warm up songs. People were already dancing to a cover of Rhianna's We Found Love.

I turned to Jamie and grinned, pulling him into the gym, smiling proudly as a couple of girls immediately started checking him out. A junior who must have been invited by one of the seniors, actually gaped at him with wide eyes.

"Drink, Stud?" I offered, nodding towards the drinks table. "The punch will already be spiked I would imagine, so if you want alcohol then I'd go for that."

A small frown lined his forehead. "I don't want an alcoholic drink tonight, you can though if you want," he offered, following me over to the table.

I shook my head and grabbed two cans of coke and two plastic cups. "Nah, I don't want to be too drunk to take you out of your suit," I teased, raising one eyebrow suggestively.

His frown was back again as he smiled apologetically. "I actually won't be staying at yours tonight," he replied, taking my can and opening it for me, pouring it into the cup.

I resisted the urge to pout as I took in what he'd said. I couldn't stay at his tonight because my parents would then know I was there, it would be too obvious if I went to the dance with Jamie and then didn't come home - they wouldn't have to be geniuses to know that I'd gone home with him. So instead I was staying at home, but I was hoping to be able to sneak him in with me tonight. He could just leave after my parents went to visit my nanna, like he used to in the old days before he moved into his new place.

"Why not?" I asked. I already knew the answer to that question - he wasn't planning on staying at mine because he was planning on breaking it off with me instead. I had a feeling it would happen as soon as the dance was over. I think he was being the gentleman and waiting until after the dance so that I would still have someone to go with or something. It really wasn't Jamie's style to leave a girl stranded, and since he'd committed to coming with me then he probably didn't want to break his promise. I gulped a few times, trying desperately not to cry about it.

He shrugged. "I can't sneak into your place, your dad will know. He likes me, I don't want to ruin that by betraying his trust," he answered, not looking at me. I knew he was lying, his voice sounded uncomfortable and nervous.

I decided not to push it, I needed to have some dignity and remember that I wasn't good enough for him. I'd had a great couple of months with him and I wouldn't have changed my time with him for the world. I decided then and there to just not dwell on it and ruin my last night with him. I'd just forget that my time with him was limited and make this night fun for us both.

"Well in that case, I'm having the punch," I stated, not taking the glass of coke that he offered me.

Instead I ladled a spoon of the punch into an empty cup, downing the contents before making another. The alcohol burnt my throat a little but I welcomed it so that I would have something else to think about other than the fact that I was probably going to wake up single.

Jamie smiled and bent forward kissing my cheek softly. "Let's get this party stared then," he whispered, smiling and tugging me towards the dance floor. I grinned and followed behind him eagerly.

Two hours later and I was overly tipsy already. I wasn't quite slurring my words, but everything that people were saying around me was making me laugh and I was pretty sure that Principal Robertson wasn't actually funny, so that must have been the alcohol……

Jamie steered me towards and empty table and pulled out a chair for me to sit on but I wasn't having any of that, instead I pushed him into the chair and plopped myself into his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"You know, you look mighty fine in your tux. Kinda like James Bond," I purred, playing with the collar of his shirt.

He laughed. "But without the sexy British accent?" he teased, shifting me on his lap and getting more comfortable as I tucked my face into the side of his neck, breathing him in.

"If you had a British accent I would have to screw you right now in front of the teachers, so it's pretty lucky you don't," I countered, giggling.

He laughed and kissed the top of my head. "I could totally pull off the accent," he joked. "Well, 'ello there, Miss. Would you like some crisps and biscuits?" he asked, sounding like the guy from Mary Poppins instead of James Bond.

I burst out laughing and pulled back to look at him. He was grinning happily as he winked at me.

"Sexy," I confirmed, nodding, still laughing.

His cell phone rang for what had to be the millionth time and he sighed as he pulled it out of his pocket, disconnecting the call and tapping in a text instead. I frowned and moved onto my own chair, downing the last of my drink, trying not to glare at his phone that seemed to be getting more attention than me tonight. So much for making the most of my last night with him. I was seriously contemplating stealing his phone and accidently dropping it or something so the damn thing would stop going off. It beeped again and he sighed before sending another message again, frowning angrily at his screen.