Build 'Em Up

_Almost one hour..._Mindy internally seethed as she continued to dance around with Brian in the center of the den. She had a **** happy smile plastered over her face, whenever Brian felt the need, she accepted a kiss. Occasionally she returned one, letting him grind against her and returning it coyly. She was becoming quite proficient at pretending to have fun with someone who now made her sick to be around. Thankfully, Mindy knew tonight was the night that everything mattered.

Brian's plan was being put into action, and Kenny was already getting distant from Anna. At any other time in her life Mindy would have been concerned for her friend, wanting to do nothing but help him, but this time Kenny's pain was all for the better. Once he was done with Anna, Mindy could repair the damage that was done to him and make him even happier, she knew it. Only a little bit longer and everything she dealt with this week would be worth it.

From the corner of her eye, Mindy could still make out the figure of Rachel watching them from her group of friends, "She has a stick up her ass about you," Mindy muttered out to Brian who was actively pressing up against her, his half stiff length making itself unfortunately known against her rump,

"That's Rach, always a pain in the fucking neck," Brian whispered back with a smile, "Good news though, Eric and Anna, they're talking, look to the right,"

Mindy pushed away from Brian with a smile, pretending to be in the midst of a simple spin around, though her brown eyes scanned the room with a purpose and quickly caught sight of Anna. A genuinely pleased smile grew on her face but faltered the second she saw Anna run off in a panic, "Fuck, not anymore, she just took off...dammit Brian, if Anna doesn't go for Eric, your whole plan is shit,"

"Relax, we'll make it happen, you're still gonna get Kenny," Brian rebuffed without much concern, "Speaking of which, you aren't concerned about him and that tight little redhead giving him the fuck me eyes?"

Mindy smoothly moved closer to Brian, bringing her mouth up to hears ear with a smile, "No one is taking him from me, and I've just about had it with your dick in my back, good luck, I'm going," With that Mindy pushed away from Brian and headed off into the crowd. Intentionally mean or not, Brian mentioning Quinn with Kenny made Mindy's blood boil, and now she had to go check in on them, she couldn't risk Kenny finding himself in another girl's arms again.

In the meantime, Brian wasn't too concerned with Mindy's departure, she played the part he needed perfectly. As long as Rachel continued to think she was invested in being with him, then he had leverage. Looking through the crowd he saw Eric slowly making his way to the drink table, "Now we're talking," Brian said under his breath while smoothly making his way through the group as well, reaching the table just a few seconds after Eric. Playing it relaxed, Brian got himself a drink, took a sip, and waited for a few seconds before looking over to Eric in surprise, "Eric, oh shit, hey man, you actually made it!" Brian exclaimed with a wide smile,

"Oh, Brian, hey," Eric replied with a weak smile of his own, "Yeah...I made it,"

"What's wrong? Party is going great, people are having a good time, what more could you want?" He asked in a joking, friendly tone, giving the teen a pat on the shoulder,

"Yeah, no, the party is great! Honestly, really awesome but..." Eric lowly replied before letting out a sigh, "Nevermind, you don't need to hear me complaining, you got other people that I'm sure are waiting on seeing you,"

"Fuck that dude," Brian scoffed as he set his drink down, "I've been making some changes in my life, and one of them is trying to be a better friend to the people I like. So, lay it on me, pal, what's got you so off balance?"

Eric stayed silent for a moment, internally struggling before he stepped closer to Brian, "Look, don't be offended but, I didn't really come here to see you, JJ, or really anyone else but Anna," Brian let out a nod, clearly not looking to hurt by that fact, "I never got over her, if you can believe it, and I thought...I don't know what I thought but coming by to see her tonight, I figured it'd help me,"

"Okay...and did it?" Brian asked back,

"Not at all, it took forever for me to track her down and when I did, I barely was able to get three words out to her before she freaked out and ran off," Eric mumbled in defeat, "I know our break up was sudden and I didn't text her but that's only because we both knew it'd hurt too much. Still, I thought when she saw me tonight, I...I'd get one of those I miss you hugs, spend some time talking to her and...and maybe we'd..." Eric continued before shutting his eyes, "Whatever, it didn't go that way, obviously,"

"Anna ran off?" Brian repeated, sounding genuine, "Man I would not have figured that, she's been like a lost puppy since you moved,"

Eric looked over to Brian immediately, "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah," Brian nodded back, "Anna has been a wreck without around, hell I don't think she is over you any more than you are with her," A hopefully smile flickered on Eric's lips,

"But, if that's true, why would she have run away?" Eric pressed,

"Well, I mean, you probably startled her," The blonde laughed, "We all know Anna gets skittish around guys and suddenly seeing the love of her life for the first time in months would more than definitely get her going," Eric let out a laugh and rubbed the back of his heady coyly, "Plus, I think she's been trying to move on with other people, you know, like Kenny for one, but it's not going well. They fight, and I think that's because she knows she's only using him to fill in for the guy she actually wants,"

"Seriously, she and Kenny are dating?" Eric asked back with a slight frown, "I didn't move on at all,"

"I wouldn't say dating, that sounded way more like rebound to me, and again, after the fights, they have been having, I don't think they were gonna last anyway," Brian explained before glancing around, "Look, I probably shouldn't say this but, I'm a sucker when it comes to romantics. Anna more than likely is in the library in the far back of the first floor. I closed it off, so it's the only place where no one else is," The teen explained before resting a hand on Eric's shoulder, "If I was you, buddy, I'd go over there and have a talk with her, that girl isn't over you, and I really don't think you're doing yourself any good counting yourself out already,"

Eric look reinvigorated by Brian's words, his eyes filling with confidence, "You really think so? I mean, I've missed her so fucking much, if she really does still want me, I'm willing to try long distance,"

"I'd say you should always take the chance," Brian nodded back with a winning smile, "Go on if anyone asks I won't say a thing," Brian winked back. Eric returned the smile fully and turned around, hurrying off out of the den. Brian waited a few moments, downed his drink, and slammed the glass down on the table with a devious look in her eye. He wiped his mouth and immediately headed off, following Eric's path slowly but surely.