The looks he keeps giving her gnawed at her insides. But how in the world was Lacey supposed to just let the kiss NOT be a mistake.

It was a mistake. After all, she had a boyfriend. Archie was good to her too. There was no mistake in how good she was treated by her jock boyfriend. There was no mistake that they belonged together by high school standards. The jock and the popular girl is how things worked. It was the hierarchy of high school. Therefore, Lacey had concluded that she and Archie belonged together. There was no mistaking it.

However, Lacey also knew there was no mistaking the way Danny made her feel. The kiss was only a bubbling over of her desire for him. The fact that Danny pulled her back into a second kiss added to the seductive atmosphere of that night.

Had it already been two weeks since Fall fest? Had it been two weeks since her lips claimed his and in return his claimed hers?

Lacey licked her lips subconsciously. She could swear she still tasted the sweet flavor of Danny on her. There was no mistake she wanted to taste his lips again even if the kiss was a mistake.

She glanced slyly over Serita's shoulder. Her eyes caught his in that same penetrating stare they had begun to share since his return to her life. Lacey swallowed feeling the dryness prick her throat. It was so difficult to tear her eyes from his. Those dark mysterious eyes caused her body to burn with lustful desire.

Danny pushed his hand through his long dark locks of hair. He swallowed as he stared up at Lacey. She hadn't really avoided him. They were working on finding out who sent Regina that letter. They being Jo, Lacey, and he. However, she was avoiding the night or more so the kiss. Perhaps, he was avoiding it too.

Danny hadn't feared much in his life since seeing his aunt's lifeless body at his feet. But fear seemed to encase him when it came to Lacey. Her every move elicited a fear inside him. Danny wasn't even sure where the fear was coming from. He only knew that his heart beat quickened as his throat went dry. He feared she'd reject him.

Rejection was his life. It was a daily routine. However, being rejected by Lacey was unthinkable to Danny. So he played the friend or whatever it was they were acting to be. He played his part not reality because reality was the kiss. The one night they let real feelings explode was the moment of the kiss. Then everything went back to facades of content lives.

"Are you okay?" Serita asked Lacey before taking a bite of her salad. It wasn't like she really cared anymore. It seemed with Regina gone, Lacey was lost as well. Whatever.

"Yeah." Lacey faked a smile. "I think I'm going to head home. I have a headache." Another fake smile.

"You want me to drive you home? We can pick your car up tomorrow?" Archie squeezed her hand gently.

Lacey fought not to jerk her hand away. She knew that Danny was watching. She didn't want to hurt Danny or herself for that matter. She squeezed Archie's hand back.

"Thanks. But I think I'm just going to take a long nap. I'll see you later tonight. Okay?" Lacey stood up before gently pecking Archie on the lips.

Why does it feel wrong kissing her boyfriend more than Danny? Once again, a fake smile plastered her face.

That is what Lacey had learned since she was eleven. She could teach a class on it. How to fake emotions to fit in with the crowd 101 by Lacey Porter. It was easier than facing she had lost her two best friends. Maybe she was the one who was the sociopath. After all, she did manipulate the situations to her liking. She kept herself guarded and perfect.

That was until Danny Desai. He messed up everything when it came to her act.

Danny watched Lacey leave. He turned back to his friends. He watched as Jo and Rico discussed some chemistry problem. He watched as Jo's boyfriend played with his ipod while his girlfriend chattered with Rico. Danny smirked at how easy he fit in with Jo and her strange friends. He knew he'd never fit in with Lacey's superficial crowd. Truthfully, had events not happened five years ago, it probably would be he, Jo, and Lacey with the popular crowd. Let the past be in the past.

"Listen. I'll meet up with you three later tonight. Okay?" Danny smiled lightly as he stared at his friends. One his best friend and one that could barely tolerate him lately. The third was his best friend's new boyfriend. He was tolerable of Danny for Jo. He guessed Rico was the same.

"Sure." Rico said happily.

Rico was glad to get rid of the brooding teen boy that had drama stamped on his forehead. Jo nodded in agreement as the two went back to working on their chemistry problems. Jo's boyfriend nodded. Danny wasn't sure if it was affirmation to Danny's statement or bopping his head to the music that played on his I-pod.

Danny walked out slowly knowing that Archie was staring at him as he left. He didn't trust Danny when it came to Lacey. With good reason. Danny thought.

The leaves beneath his feet crunched as he walked across the school campus. Danny knew he should check out of school before leaving. He was sure Lacey had done that. She had to follow the rules. He was the one rule that she had broken with that kiss. Danny dreamed of her breaking the rules again.