Chapter 3 First party

Friday came, and as usual, there was a party at one of Katie's friends from dance school. Normally, she would look forward to these parties, but this time she was more nervous than excited. Michael had mentioned that he would be there too, and just the thought of seeing him again made her uneasy. She wasn't sure how to act around him. She was used to being the perfect daughter, the perfect friend, but something about Michael made her feel more human – and it scared her.

The party was held at one of the large villas on the outskirts of town. The music played loudly, and people mingled in the elegant living rooms. Katie arrived with some girlfriends, who immediately started discussing who had the prettiest dress and who was dating whom.

Katie looked around the crowd, trying to appear nonchalant, but her eyes were searching for him. And then she saw him. Michael stood by the bar, talking to a couple of other guys. He had a drink in his hand and was laughing at something one of the others said. Katie felt a small pang of jealousy, even though she had no right to.

As if sensing her gaze, Michael suddenly looked up and caught her eye. A smile spread across his face, and he raised his drink in a casual greeting. Katie blushed and quickly looked away, but she couldn't resist glancing back to see that he was now making his way toward her.

"Hey, Katie. Enjoying the party?" Michael asked as he reached her.

Katie tried to compose herself. "Yeah, it's fine," she replied a bit too quickly. "How about you?"

"I'm enjoying it. But I just spotted something that makes it even better," he said with a charming smile that made Katie's stomach flip.

They started talking, and as the evening progressed, Katie found herself more and more drawn to Michael. He was so different from the guys she was used to. He had a down-to-earth attitude and a humor that made her forget her own nervousness.

As they stood outside to get some fresh air, Michael took her hand, and Katie felt a spark between them. She looked up at him, and without thinking about the consequences, she leaned in a little closer