And I’vehated/loved her ever since.
Chapter 3
Shane~
It was theFriday before the semesterofficially began and I was just finishing my shift at the localbookstore/café near my apartment. It was my first job here, andthis was my last day of my full-time shifts. My second job waswaitressing at a restaurant in town, but that job had alreadyreturned to part time last week.
The bookstorewas surprisingly popular andbusy all year long. With the internet, most people did everythingonline, but the library had computer stations and a lot of onlinesupport for students who lost or broke their laptops,etc.
I had justfinished ringing up the lastperson in the store when the bell on the door rang, alerting me toa new customer. I twisted backwards and glanced up at the clock andI saw that it was five minutes to closing. I turned to the doorsaying, “I’m so…rry…”
My mouth driedup and lost all ability tofunction when I came face to face with all four Buchananbrothers.
And, blessed be everymother, father and child, what a sight it was.
If itwasn’t for the fact that MasonBuchanan was shooting me a look-making it clear I was nothing morethan dirty underneath his shoes-I’d probably swoon at the visionbefore me.
I immediatelynoticed that Mason was the tallest, but that was the onlydifferencein built they hadamongst them. All four men looked like sleek, muscular, well-honedmachines underneath their casual jeans and t-shirts.
Anyone lookingat themcould tell they werebrothers. They all had a head full of ink black hair though allstyled differently. They all had matching brows with the samesharp, distinct shaped eyes. The only difference was that Mason’seyes were like molten silver and the other three had eyes likegreen fire.
They eachshared the same nose and strong cheekbones toaccompany the perfect symmetryof everything else that made up their perfect faces. They eachshared the same cut jaw line, but Mason’s was more prominent;probably because he was the oldest. The twins looked exactly alltheir age of 18.
I had heard allthe buzzand excitementsurrounding the impending arrival of the twins and every person oncampus who had ovaries was losing her mind over the thought ofhaving all Buchanans in one place.
Come to thinkof it, some people without ovaries were losing their minds,too.
“What’s got yousorry, Pretty Girl?”
I focused myattention on the twin who asked me that question, and let me tell you, it was hard toconcentrate on anything other than the boy’s extraordinary looks.“Uh…uhm, we’re closing in five minutes,” I stuttered, wondering howmy mind was even functioning. My mind always seems to shut downaround Mason Buchanan and his blatant hatred for me.
I wish I knewwhy he hated me, but I didn’t. The first time I had ever laid eyeson him, I was standing in front of the administration offices completely lost. I had beentrying my best to get along without having to engage anyone, but Ihad finally realized how stupid it was to waste time trying tofigure out where to report to when I could just asksomeone.
I turnedaroundto ask whoever caughtmy eye, but my eyes had locked onto Mason Buchanan’s and I’ll neverforget the look on his face when his eyes met mine.
At first hissilver eyes looked casual and then shocked, but then Iblinked, and his face hadcompletely transformed. It went from indifference to utterloathing.
He looked sodisgusted with me; I could actuallyfeelhis dislike for me from where I wasstanding.
The revelationhad cut me to the quick. I spent my life keeping to myself and thefirst time I attempted toputmy reservations away and approach someone; he looked like he’d justas soon spit in my face as talk to me.
I had turned aroundand fled.
From thatmoment on, every time I ran across Mason Buchanan, he’d stare at mewith that same look of loathing anddisgust. He must have looked at me and been able totell I was one of the three charity cases at Blaineview.
Twin #2 leaned on hiselbow across the counter and smirked at me. “So, does that meanyou’re kicking us out?”
Yeah, right.
I wasn’t thatbig of anidiot.
There was noway I’d kick these four out ofthe store, no matter how long past closing they wanted to shophere. “Uhm, no,” I whispered. “Bu…but the kitchen is closed, so youcan only buy books, if…”
Twin #1 joinedTwin #2 in leaning over the counter. “You’re very pretty,” he said conversationally.
I could feel myface blanch. I knew my looksdidn’t run towards the ugly side of the spectrum, but I was farfrom pretty.
There was absolutelynothing remarkable about me.
