Chapter 1
Embarrassing Moments
Geeks at new schools are like boats trying to sail on dry, uncharted land. They never fare well.
I draw in a huge breath and blow it out before stepping out of the bus. The driver behind me chortles at my reluctance to leave the comfort and safety of the bus. Of course, he isn’t used to people actually preferring his bus over the outside world. I’m sort of an exception to the usual people he deals with, and that’s not a good thing.
On the contrary; I’m chicken-shit, and it’s even worse that I know I am.
Seeing this gigantic campus and college in front of me is terrifying. My legs are shaking, my heart is pounding, and I wish I could just step back into that bus and get as far away from here as possible.
But that would be sad. So sad, I think I might cry from laughing at my own cowardice.
It’s really pathetic that these new things scare me so much. Most girls would love new schools, getting to know new people, experiencing the boys.
Just the thought of it makes my heart race.
Nope, that’s not for me.
But I have no choice, either. I want to do this. I always wanted to study. I need it. My family needs it.
I just have to stop whining, stop thinking about it, and just go for it. Just do it!
Shaking my shoulders a little, I take a deep sniff to smell the trees surrounding me, and march forward.
Suddenly, a cold jet of air surges toward me from the left and catches me by surprise. I shriek as the waft of air tangles my hair in front of my face and blows up my skirt. There’s a loud noise coming from the thing blasting air at me. Holding down my skirt so my panties aren’t exposed, I use my other hand to keep my glasses straight and try to see what’s happening.
“Sorry,” someone yells, and the turbulence is turned off.
I’m left gasping while catching my breath. A leaf blower had been pointed straight at me.
“Sorry about that,” he repeats as I pat down my skirt.
“Thanks,” I mutter.
Great. What an awesome start to the first day at college.
“You all right?” he says, directing his leaf blower somewhere else.
“Fine,” I say.
“Uh … You might want to take a look at your hair,” the guy says, clearing his throat.
“What?” I say, grasping for my head. Crunchy leaves are coiled up in my hair.
My eyes widen as I start plucking all the leaves out. I work to unravel the knots, trying to get it to go down again, but my frizzy hair never gives in.
Oh, why does this always have to happen to me?
Looking around I can see people staring at me, hiding laughs behind their hands. I feel like I’m in the center of attention, the focal point of the show. This is making me sweat like crazy.
My eyes narrow as they catch the gaze of one person in particular. A long, lean guy wearing a black leather jacket, who’s standing a few feet away from me with a couple of other guys. His flaring gray eyes narrow as I catch myself staring right back at him. I blush when his plump lips slowly curl up into a cheeky smile.
I smash my lips together to prevent a squeal from escaping. He’s hot, but I look like a mess. No, correction, I am a mess.
I’m like a fully decorated Christmas tree in the middle of fall.
Embarrassing. I can’t believe this is his first impression of me.
Well, it’s not like I have a chance with guys like him. They don’t go after nerdy types like me.
Straightening my glasses, I try to ignore everyone looking at me. I put up a horrible smile as I walk toward the dorm halls, trying to pry the last pieces of leaf from my hair that just won’t come off. It’s like they’re glued to my head or something. I couldn’t have imagined a worse time for my hair to turn into its usual giant magnet, attracting and attaching to all kinds of strange things, because it’s as sticky as spider legs.
Sometimes I think I’d better just cut it off and be rid of it. Maybe I could donate it to science, so it can become the new-and-improved Velcro.
I smirk from my own jokes, which are terrible, I know. Still, they make this day a little better after that scene.
My dorm’s at the end of the campus, a ten-minute walk from the bus stop. I’m glad my parents helped me move in my stuff last night so I wouldn’t have to do it alone today. As I enter the door, a deafening squeal makes me plug my ears.
“Autumn!” Evie yells.
She throws herself against me and wraps her arms so tightly around me that I can’t breathe. Wheezing, I wriggle myself free from her hug so my lungs can expand again.
“I can’t believe we’re going to be roomies,” she says, squeezing my arms.
She bites her lip and looks at me with big eyes, like she’s about to explode into her usual happy dance. “Isn’t it awesome?”
“Yeah, I can’t wait to make myself at home here,” I say, nodding, trying to make it sound genuine.
“Wow, you sound excited,” she says with a sarcastic undertone.
“Sorry, I do like that you’re my roommate. Honestly, I do.” I sit down on my bed and she sits down next to me. “But I think I just made the worst and most laughable entrance ever.”
“What happened?” she asks.
“Oh … you know … a leaf blower … my hair … the usual crap.”
She snorts. “Well, that’s just you being yourself.”
I shake my head and smile. Evie nudges me with her shoulder and winks. “Oh, c’mon. It’s not like they’ll remember you for it. Who’d remember girls like us anyway? We’re the nobodies. The ‘invisible.’ Nobody’s going to blink at us.” She makes quotation marks with her fingers.
I laugh. “You got a point there. ‘Not being anyone’ makes life a lot easier.”
Evie lets her head rest on my shoulder and I sigh.
“Dork for life and proud of it,” she muses.
And then we both burst out into laughter. We fall flat down on the bed and Evie puts her arm around me like she usually does when it’s just the two of us. I don’t remember her any other way. We’ve always been this close. Ever since I met her in high school she’s been my best friend. Both teased, we sought comfort in each other’s presence. Dorks have to stick up for each other. That’s the only way to make it through that thing called puberty.
I’m so glad we’re both past that now. I expect college life to be different. A lot better, maybe.
Someone clears his throat, and I immediately push myself up on my elbows.
“Am I interrupting you guys? I can come back later, no problem.”
“Brody!” I scream, and jump up from the bed. He’s standing in the doorway. I run to him and wrap my arms around him.
“I get that you’re happy to see me, but no need to crush my ribs,” he says, almost choking on a laugh.
“Sorry,” I say, releasing him from my grip.
“So, had a look around campus yet?” he asks.
“Yeah, I did the tour yesterday. I can’t believe how huge it is!”
“I know, right?”
We look at each other, and I can’t help but squash him between my arms again. I haven’t seen him in such a long time. It feels like it’s been forever since we were at the same school together. I never liked that he was three years older than me, but when he left to go to college, I was even more distraught. Suddenly, my best friend was gone, and I had to fend for myself.
Luckily, I met Evie not long after. She’s been my only friend since. I think I can safely say I have two best friends. Although I don’t really know if it’ll be the same now that I’m here. Brody looks so different now, I can hardly tell it’s him. I hope things will be the same like always, though.
“Hmm …” he mutters. “Seems ages ago since I was last a newbie. Wasn’t the greatest experience.”
When he sees my scaredy-cat face, he chuckles a little. “Relax. You’ve got me to back you up. I didn’t have anyone to show me around, to help me
out when I needed it. But you two have me now.”
Evie rolls her eyes when he looks at her. “Don’t go thinking you’re a mogul now.” She walks up to him and pinches his cheeks. “Still little Bro-bro to me.”
He scowls at her, and she laughs.
“And now for the formal introduction: Autumn Blakewood and Evie Carder, I hereby welcome you to campus.”
“Why thank you, generous lord.” Evie makes a bow, and I muffle a laugh behind my hand.
“It’s tradition. Well, it’s not like you understand any of that,” he says, snorting. “Evie Peeved.”
She frowns and nudges him forward. “Okay, that’s it. Out.”
“What? Can’t take a joke?”
“I hate that name.”
“Exactly. That’s why it suits you perfectly.”
“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have other stuff to do besides talking to an annoying dork.” She storms out the door and walks through the hallway.
“You’re a dork yourself, too!” Brody yells, laughing out loud.
“I know. That’s why it’s even more pathetic!” she yells back, laughing too. Then she disappears through a door with a ‘ladies’ sign above it.
“That’s what you get when you push her buttons,” I say when Brody directs his attention back to me.
“No, you push her buttons.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I say, and I put my hands on my waist.
“You know what I mean … cuddling up on the bed and all that.”
I blush. “We’re just friends. It’s no big deal.”
“To her it is.”
I sigh. “I’m not into that kind of thing, and you know that.”
“I know, but she won’t give up, and I can already tell this is headed toward disaster. Someone’s going to get hurt, and I know it won’t be you.”
“Stop making such a huge deal out of a hug. She’s not … we’re not. It’s nothing. Forget about it.”
Brody holds his hands in the air and closes his eyes. “Don’t come crying to me later when your friendship is on the line, because I’ll only say ‘I told you so.’ Don’t mess with chicks, that’s all I’m saying, and I know plenty about that.”
I grimace. “Yeah … What do you know about relationships? Last time I saw you trying to hook up with a girl you got a milkshake in your face instead.”
“Hey, I’m not that guy anymore. It’s been three years since then, Autumn; I’ve changed.”
I purse my lips. “We’ll see about that.”
Brody squints, a devilish smile creeping onto his face. “I guess so. See you around!”
He walks through the hallway, and I hear him go downstairs before I turn around again and go back into my room. Staring at the clock, I pull up my sleeve so I can fiddle with the bracelet I got from Evie before summer. The only problem is, it’s not there.
What? I stare at my wrist, but my bracelet is clearly missing. What happened to it? Did I take it off? I remember twiddling with it in the bus, so it can’t be at my parents’ place.
I grab my suitcase and rummage inside, but it’s nowhere to be found. Oh God, I hope I didn’t lose it. What if that leaf blower blasted it away into the grass? What if someone else picked it up? I’d never find it again.
Frantically I search my room, but can’t seem to find it anywhere.
“Looking for this?” someone says.
I turn around only to stare into those piercing gray eyes again. It’s him: the guy who was staring at me when I left the bus. The one who turned my cheeks redder than a beet. That guy.
He leans against my doorpost, casually holding up his hand. Pinched between his index finger and thumb is my bracelet.
My bracelet. He’s holding it. Him. The guy who caught my eye the moment I saw him.
And he’s talking to me.
Oh God, I can’t breathe.
I swallow away the lump in my throat as I walk toward him, holding my breath.
“This is yours, right?” he says. His voice is deep and husky, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything sexier.
I nod, still staring at him. I’m only just close enough to be able to reach for the bracelet, but not nearly far enough away for my liking.
My heart is beating like crazy as his eyes scan my face, while I try not to breathe. I feel like if I do, I might start panting.
He looks so goddamn ridiculously handsome up close. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy this gorgeous before.
His spiky hair all gelled up, the tan skin of his hands peeking out from underneath his leather jacket, his broad pectorals visible through his tight white tee. All of it is making my head explode.
A hot guy is standing in my doorway, talking to me, giving me back my stuff. Stupid as it sounds, it feels like a dream.
Things like this never happen to me. Hot guys don’t come so close to me.
I never anticipated something like this happening. I don’t even know how to behave. I didn’t expect this at all.
I catch myself staring at his amazing features so I raise my head to look up at him. His eyes follow mine, and then I know he knows exactly what I was looking at.
Oh God. This is embarrassing.
A cute smile curls up his lips. “You can’t talk?”
My mouth feels like it’s stitched together, as if I’m unable to pull it open and say anything. I must look ridiculous.
I push my glasses farther up my nose so they’re not askew anymore. Flushing, I force my lips to part. “Yeah,” I say. “I was so scared I lost it. Where’d you find it?”
He cocks his head, and it shows me his muscular neck, making me blush even more. “Outside. Thought it was yours. It looked expensive.”
I hold out my hand, but he doesn’t give it to me.
“I think it’s important to be careful with stuff you think is valuable. Money doesn’t grow on trees. Besides, not everything can be replaced.”
“I agree, but I lost it by accident. Can I have it back now?” I say. I’m not in the mood for a lecture. I try to snatch it from his hand, but he grasps my bracelet and pulls back his hand.
“What kind of a ‘thank you’ is that?” he says, squinting, taunting me.
Suddenly, he looks a lot less attractive. I cross my arms and say, “Thank you.”
He smiles and tilts his head, dangling the bracelet in front of me. “That all?”
“Yes. What else do you want from me?” I snap.
“Your name.” He mimics my stance and crosses his arms, burying the bracelet deep within the socket of his elbow. His biceps bulge against his leather jacket, and I have trouble not gaping at them.
“Autumn Blakewood. Yours?”
“Autumn? What kind of name is that for a girl?”
With furrowed brows, I say, “Well I like it.”
He starts twirling my bracelet like it’s some kind of toy. I risk a chance and reach for it, but he pulls back again. Goddammit.
“I don’t have time for games …” I say, sighing.
“Oh … I’m not playing games, Leafy.”
“Leafy?” I say, scowling.
He points at my hair and immediately reminds me of the embarrassing scene outside. Now I have to fight off the heat rushing to my cheeks.
“Here,” he says, and he tosses me the bracelet. “Name’s Hunter Bane,” he says.
I barely manage to catch the bracelet before he saunters off again. Frowning, I watch him walk off.
“See ya, Leafy.”
“My name isn’t Leafy, it’s Autumn!” I yell after him, but he only waves as he walks into his room.
Which is only five feet away from mine.
###
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