When Alina crosses paths with two rival movie stars, her life morphs into a crazy reality series dialed up to eleven.
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Being a nobody is no fun at all. Which is why high school sophomore Alina Davies is bent on claiming a spot...
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We pulled into a crowded parking lot by the side of the beach. With the sun dipping his head beneath a bunch of orange clouds, I could see the flare of a fire on the cliff.
Jake cut off the car engine and stepped outside, walking over to my side door while I sat frozen on my seat. I wasn't sure I wanted to be here anymore. The fact that I had never been here and probably wouldn't fit in with the kids from the other schools terrified me.
Jake opened my door, standing with his arms folded over his chest and his eyebrows touching his hairline as he glanced down at me. "Do you plan on spending the entire night in here?"
"No... I'm having second thoughts," I admitted, fiddling with the hem of my grey, knitted sweater.
Jake scoffed, tongue in cheek. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," he assured me, bending over to trace my chin.
My lips puckered in a pout. "But what if the other kids don't like me at all?" God, I sound like the new kid in elementary school...
Jake waved me off with an eye roll. "Nah, I don't think that's possible. I watched you become friends with Bianca and Jamie for crying out loud. I didn't believe they'd accept you at that time, but somehow you found a way to win them over. I think you'll be fine here."
A flush crept across my cheeks and I moved his hand away, slowly wrapping mine in his. "Really, you think so?" I probed, desperately in need of reassurance.
"I know so..." Jake grinned, pulling me toward him. "Now let's go out on a damn good show." I nodded, and let him lead me out and slam the door behind me.
Trekking through the coarse sand, Jake towed me up the beach to the cliff top. Up ahead, an orange fire roared more brightly than the cloud-obscured sun. I could no longer hear the rumble of the waves on the beach as loud music jammed from speakers.
My stomach flipped in rhythmic gymnast mode when I realized how crowded the party was.
"Jake!"
A hot brunette broke away from a crowd bounded around a pyramid of stacked plastic cups, loosening up sand as she ran in our direction.
A chill of unworthiness crept up my spine and I shrunk into Jake's side. He looked down at me, wrapping his arm around my lower back as long legs neared us. "Don't worry so much, Alina. I've got you," he whispered, leaning into me.
I glanced up to study his facial expression but of course, his eyes were now on long legs. For some reason, his words repeated over and over in my head, calming me faster than I'd love to admit out loud.
"Hey, Sharon!" he moved in to hug her, still cupping my waist with his other hand.
"Look at you!' Sharon grinned, giving him some sort of bro pat on the back.
