Chapter 1
Cassie
Ten Years Before
Firstdayofsenioryear, high school, and I can hardly sit still in my eagerness to get this year started. Madison, my BFF, and I are bent over our desks, comparing our class schedules as we wait for our English teacher to arrive.
During summer break, we spent most days at the beach endlessly planning for this last year. Top of our to do list is to study hard so we can get into a good college. But we also need to have lots of fun. Fun with our friends and maybe, fingers crossed, have some boy adventures.
Disappointingly our experience with guys has been limited up to now. But this year, we are planning on changing our dismal track record. We've made a pact to meet new mature guys instead of the usual juvenile jocks we hang around. Those guys make good friends but rubbish boyfriends.
“Oh my God. Check this out,” Madison gasps, looking up.
Turning to see what has got Madison staring open-mouthed like a goldfish and frankly looking silly, my jaw drops too. Filling the doorway of our classroom is the most gorgeous guy I have ever seen. He is so hot, he has me panting like I’ve just run a marathon. Now there is a boy adventure you could sign me up for right away!
Standing with his hands dug deep into his tight jean’s pockets, his astonishingly pale blue eyes scan the room with interest, appearing to take in every single detail. Classic carved features with his chiseled jaw held high, commands our attention. He is certainly my idea of perfection.
The hunk of handsomeness raises his lean muscled arm to run his hand through his already messy dark brown hair. My heart is beating wildly as my eyes drink in this new Adonis, from head to toe. Returning to his face, our eyes lock and hold. A blush floods my cheeks. Damn! He knows I’ve been checking him out. Floor, please swallow me up now before I die from embarrassment.
I jump as Madison elbows me in the ribs and whispers frantically in my ear, “That is one hunk of hotness coming our way.”
Shit! She’s right, he is striding across the room toward us. I stare down at my desk. Holding my breath. The flutter of butterflies in my stomach have now taken full flight.
Madison slips back to her desk behind me. She’s bailed on me. So much for my best friend having my back. I sit, focusing on the wood grain of my desk. Everyone and everything else fades into the background as I sense him moving closer.
Nike Air Jordan shoes below dark blue jeans slowly pass my desk. I think I'm going to pass out, as my oxygen-deprived brain is feeling fuzzy. Please don’t stop. Keep walking, I pray. Breathe, I tell myself.
When the shoes keep walking, I relax my tense shoulders slightly. Until out of the corner of my eye I see, the shoes stop at the empty desk one row over. I sneak a peek sideways as he eases his long legs into the chair. Okay, breathe in, breathe out, I tell myself again.
Facing forward, I concentrate my attention on the front wall. Thank goodness, our teacher, Ms. Jackson, has finally arrived. I don’t dare glance sideways. But I know his eyes are watching me. I can feel his eyes on me, and my skin burns under his gaze. This is either an insane instant connection, or I’m coming down with the flu. I sneak another peek sideways.
Shit! His eyes are still on me. Is it my overactive imagination, or does he feel it too?
Madison kicks my chair. I turn and glare at her. What the hell? I then hear the teacher say loudly, “Cassandra McCarthy,” and it’s obvious through her tone this is not the first time she has called me.
I quickly respond with a croaked out, “Here.”
Damn, he has me so distracted, I missed roll call. I’m embarrassed all over again, as it’s not only the new hot guy looking at me, but all my classmates are also turned in my direction. No playing it cool for this girl.
“Let my tortured embarrassment end,” I say to myself for about the twentieth time when finally, the bell rings. But I continue to sit tensely at my desk on the edge of my seat. My shoulders aching from my stiff pose. My senses attuned to the slightest sound or movement from the desk to my left. I don’t know how I have made it through the class. If you’d asked me to recall what was discussed, I couldn’t tell you even if my life depended on it.
I’m a seriously hot mess, but not in a good way. My long blonde hair, which only this morning was shampooed and carefully dried for my first day back, now sits damp and limp against my neck. My new cotton top feels sticky against my back, and my short, ruffled skirt hangs creased against my legs. It’s official, I’m a wreck.
Keeping my head down so I can hide behind my curtain of hair, I focus on gathering my books to move to the next class, when a deep voice says beside me, “Hello, Cassandra.”
I turn to face my new obsession or maybe my new tormentor. Of course, he knows my name, since the teacher had to repeat it a million times to get my attention.
”I’m Luke,” he says, reaching his hand down to me.
Instinctively I place my hand in his larger one. I stare down at our clasped hands, incapable of withdrawing my hand and it appears incapable of words. Truthfully, I don’t want to remove my hand even though he makes me feel untethered, adrift in his presence. I’ve never felt such a strong reaction to another person before. I don’t know why this boy Luke is different.
Madison interrupts, “Hi Luke, I’m Madison, but my friends call me Mads.” Her voice pierces through my frozen mind.
He extricates his hand from mine, politely taking Madison’s hand instead. About time she came to my rescue, and since now I have reclaimed my hand, I may be able to think straight. Mads is now forgiven for her earlier lack of support.
“Good to see some cute new talent this year,” she continues.
Madison doesn’t have a filter which is another reason everyone shortens her name to Mads. She is a little crazy. While I’m used to her generally outrageous comments, Luke’s eyes widen slightly in surprise.
