Luna Awakened (now on iReader app)- SAMPLE ONLY

Chapter 1

Ariana 15, Conall 16

Every teenage girl has a crush on the one boy she will never have and will never forget. Some drool over Rege-Jean Page, Chris Hemsworth, or Jason Momoa. Mine is Conall Sullivan. Tall. Dark. Mysterious.

I've only been harboring my obsession with him for the last fifteen years. In other words— my whole damn life. It started off innocently. I used to play with trucks and dinosaur toys so that my mom brought me over his house for playdates. Then, I used to send him love-sick puppy eyes. I tried to touch my unattainable crush in the school's hallway by brushing my skinny arm against his muscular one. But when I asked the school football coach if I could join his team, based on the coach's reaction, I knew my obsession to be around Conall had grown out of hand. Coach's loss. I could have made a great quarterback.

I'm walking a fine line between being hopelessly in love and a hopeless moron.

I find myself following my brother, Warren, and Conall yet again. They are best friends, and I'm third wheeling behind. I've followed them everywhere since I can remember. Does following people constitute stalking? I know the answer to that one but refuse to accept it. I'm determined to show Conall what he is missing out on. He won't even know what hit him.

I don't have anything better to do in Westwood, city of no more than 15,000 people surrounded by forests and lakes and wilderness. The three of us grew up together— whether they like it or not— they're stuck with me.

My loving mom tried to comfort me when I was little and my playdates with Conall turned into my brother and his best friend playing while pushing me away. She said they played rough and didn't want to hurt me. I told her "Duh. I can play rough," but my Mom didn't buy it. She was overprotective like that. I could keep up with the boys. Or so I thought.

Just like I'm trying to keep up with them now. My brother and Conall are already on the trail about to enter the forest. Conall turns around with narrowed eyes and yells at me.

"Turn back, Ariana. Don't be stupid."

"Wait up. I want to hike with you guys."

I want to add "don't call me stupid" but I'm already breathless from running after them. These boys are fast.

We've gone hiking and camping together in the past but lately Warren and Conall have been keeping away from me more so than before. Ever since they turned sixteen.

I get to the beginning of the trail and turn around to take one last look at our house. The white object appears small in the distance but still near enough that I can see it. My mom's words echo in my mind, "Ariana, please don't go in the forest by yourself. Scary creatures live there." The only two creatures—not scary, but foolish-- in the forest are running ahead of me. Warren and Conall. Stupid boys.

How else do I get Conall to notice me, to give me the time of day, to date me? In his presence I feel complete. Alone, I'm lost. Deep in my soul, I feel like I'm meant to do something good with my life. But I'm only excited about my future if Conall is in it.

I run on the trail hoping to catch up to these two fools who left me behind. The summers in northern California are humid. My forehead is covered with beads of sweat. The tall trees around me rise out of the earth to brush the cloudless sky. I lower my gaze to the dirt-covered path to make sure I don't trip on sneaky stones. It's so quiet around me that I can't even hear the wind that usually rustles through leaves.

Our city is surrounded by wilderness, making it a secret gem that not too many tourists have discovered. Although, we still have visitors who like camping in the woods. If I were them, I'd visit Lake Tahoe which is only two hours away or Glass Beach, a six-hour drive. There's nothing to see or do in Westwood City in Norther California.