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doomed their relationship. They’d sorta come close one night in the back of
his car, but she’d decided it didn’t feel right. When she’d said no, he’d been mad, even though they hadn’t even got their clothes off yet.
    Mike had accused her of being a stupid kid, which in guy speak meant he was angry that she wouldn’t put out. From what she’d heard, his new girlfriend didn’t have that
problem.
    When Briar rose from the bench, eager to go somewhere where she couldn’t see the pair of them, Mike smirked at her. He said something to his date and she laughed. When they turned away, he
made sure to put his hand on her butt.
    Now he was just being cruel.
Jerk.
    Another check of the parking lot told her Pat hadn’t arrived yet. The evening was starting to suck.
    Maybe I should have just stayed home.
    If she left now, Mike would know he’d won, and she’d lose her chance at Pat, the chance to catch herself a really good guy. That would be the ultimate revenge, letting Mike know just
how much she wasn’t missing him.
    Needing a friend, Briar looked around for Reena, but she was still talking to Joshua, so she forced herself to wander around, making the rounds half-heartedly. There were lots of happy-birthday
wishes and hugs, which she appreciated, though it was hard to muster sufficient good cheer.
    There were also whispers behind her back, and it made her nervous. Did everyone know about her mother’s illness? Were they laughing about it?
    Probably.
Bliss loved a good rumour even when it came at the cost of one of their own.
    ‘Too much drama,’ she muttered.
    When someone offered her an unopened can of beer, she broke one of her father’s rules and accepted it.
Why not?
I’m almost sixteen.
    After popping open the top, Briar took a sip and quickly discovered that the stuff didn’t taste that great. Since a couple of her classmates were watching her, she nodded and smiled like
it’d actually been good. Maybe that was why beer was so popular – everyone acted as if it was good just to impress their friends.
    ‘You better hope the cops don’t bust this party,’ Saralyn said as she walked by.
    ‘Now you sound like my dad,’ Briar replied.
    Her cousin muttered under her breath, but she couldn’t catch a word. Briar suspected it hadn’t been very nice. The second sip of the beer made her head buzz and by the third she was
feeling pretty happy. Her worries about her mom were fading, at least for the moment.
    She smiled as Reena wandered up. ‘Hey! What are you and Joshua up to? You guys going to hook up or something?’
    ‘What? No.’ Her friend frowned at the beer. ‘Josh is just having . . . issues.’
    ‘A Quinn with issues? Who knew?’ Then Briar giggled, rather enjoying the bubbling feeling coursing through her. ‘Sort of like us Roses. We’re all screwed up.’
    ‘Just how many beers have you had?’
    ‘Just one,’ Briar replied. She lowered her voice conspiratorially. ‘For the record, this stuff is yucky.’
    ‘So I’ve heard.’ The frown was still in place.
    ‘Guess what? You’re
so
not going to believe this one. My mom thinks I’m cursed and that I’m going to croak at midnight. Can you believe that?’
    Reena didn’t respond, her eyes wider now.
    ‘This is the part where you say, “Yeah, your mom’s nuts. Sorry about that, girlfriend.”’
    ‘She actually said that?’
    ‘Dad did. It’s why she’s been so crazy recently.’
    ‘A curse isn’t something to joke about.’
    Briar’s attention swung to the parking lot and she smiled. ‘Score! He’s here!’
    Her dream guy unfolded himself from his car, and when Pat’s eyes lit on her he smiled in return.
    ‘Wow, did you see that?’ Briar said. ‘He’s totally hot.’
    Her friend gave Pat a cursory glance. ‘Look, he’s just a dude. He’s not a handsome prince and he doesn’t have a fancy castle. Live in the here and now, girl,
OK?’
    Briar shot her a glare, furious that her friend had peed on her