Here you are: Chapter 1. It might get complicated at first, but you'll get it in the end.
Chapter 1
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Paige Castell
"Ouch!"
It was the day Kevin Whaley first bumped into me. The first time he made contact with me and the day it all began.
I was lying sprawled on the floor. I was practically doing the 'starfish' on the floor of my school. Surges of pain crept through my body. I screwed my eyes shut, to block out the pain and not to make eye contact with anyone who probably thought I was making snow angels on the ground. That was also why I didn't see him.
"Hey, what the hell?" I exclaimed.
"Oh, I'm sorry" I was surprised when a deep, male voice that sounded not unlike Kevin Whaley when giving motivational speeches on the first day of school replied. "Here, let me help you up"
Yeah, I saw him alright.
From then on, this was what was going on in my mind: Kevin? Whaley? He's picking up my books.. Wow, his eyes.. He looks worried about me.. Ouch, that was my butt.. His lips are moving.. Gosh, he has really nice lips.. Is he talking to me? Oh, he is.. He's looking at me weirdly.. Why is that? Oh, I should probably say something...
"Uh... you have blue eyes"
Damn.
Grinning, he said, "Last time I checked" He passed me my books.
Blushing furiously, I said "Thanks". I turned around, then limped off to nowhere. Anywhere but there.
Oh no, there are people looking at me.
It's OK, Paige, look down, don't make eye contact, you'll be ok...
"And you have green eyes. Quite nice ones, really"
Wait, what?
Oh. I smiled at him. Sheepishly, probably.
It was Theodore Azaria III. We call him Theo. He's part of my yearbook staff (of which I am the president of), the photographer and cameraman of the school, and my sidekick. He's tall, as tall as (collective sigh) Kevin Whaley, which is about 6'1. He has black hair, one grey eye and one green eye and he's more of an outcast than part of the 'in' crowd. He's filthy rich, but you wouldn't know, because he wouldn't tell you. I found that out when I had to go to his house to do a project or something a few years ago. You'd think he was just a normal person, but no. Theo, to me, is an amazing photographer, an impressive piano player, but nothing more or less than a good friend. Who saw the whole 'starfish' debacle.
"Hey. I forgot you were next to me. What were we talking about?" I didn't want us talking about what just happened. Not yet.
"I overheard your little chat there", he said. Theo usually just says whatever he wants, which I think is both an endearing and irritating quality about him. At that moment, it was irritating, "Looks like you're in the habit of stating the obvious."
Smart-ass.
I rolled my eyes, "Whatever, at least I-,"
"And when you were shamefully limping away, I noticed he had a weird, loving look on his face. Looks like you have an admirer."
Honestly, some sidekick he is.
"Whatever, at least he-,"
"And it was as if the fact that you liked him was tattooed on your little ball-shaped head."
"You don't kno-,"
"So do you?" It sounded like there was an edge to his voice. That and the question threw me off balance. For a second, I was quiet.
"What's it to you?" I asked.
"Oh, nothing. See you later, Paige." And with that, he walked off swiftly.
"Hey, where're you going?" I yelled after him. Why is he walking away?
I really didn't have time for his male-PMS mood swings.
So I walked off to class.
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The sound of Marley Coleman's laughter was infectious as we walked through the school's hallways, and there were a few smiles on people's faces as we passed them.
Marley Coleman has been my best friend since we were 5 years old. Her parents knew my parents and we just ended up friends. She has wild, curly raven-black hair that has a life of its own, but still manages to look good, light blue eyes and an olive skin tone. She's 5'7, a social chameleon, very funny and very random, loves music and wants to be in the media when she grows up. Her parents called her Marley because of their love for Bob Marley. Marley is definitely the most unique best friend a girl could have.
"Marley, no. I've told you about 50 times already", I said.
"Fine, fine," she was still smiling. "It was a shame I missed it. Stupid doctor's appointment. I guess I'm going to have to ask Theo for more details then."
By then, we were at the Courtyard, a large stretch of green grass, with a huge fountain and a few benches scattered around. Everyone just calls it the Courtyard, and that's where we go to during lunch and after school. It was picturesque, really. Like a scene from Grease or something.
Marley kept on prattling about nothing in particular; I kept on nodding and saying 'yeah'.
Just a normal day at Jules Freeman Day.
".... So then she was all, 'Why are you talking to her? You know she's just doing that to make someone else jealous...'"
Someone behind us cleared his/her throat.
We both looked back.
Kevin Whaley.
He looked angelic/god-like/totally unreal with the sun shining as if on cue to his presence. How could someone look so good in real life? He's probably the only guy who's not Swedish or something that can pull off being blue-eyed, blonde and tall. And be natural about it.
You could imagine how big Marley's eyes went as she saw him.
"Um, hi Paige. I was wondering... do you want to have dinner with me this Friday? If you're free, of course. And if you wanted to."
He was the only guy I knew (and that wasn't many) who didn't wait for me to say hello back before asking me out. I was smitten.
"Uh... sure."
"Great! Here's my phone number..."
After the exchange, he asked me if I wanted a ride. Like any lovelorn teenage girl, I said yes.
I didn't think of the suddenness of it all, how random it was and if there was something suspicious going on. I didn't even realize how hypnotic it was. Why would I? I was going out with him! And nothing else mattered.
If only I knew.
End of chapter 1
Comments, votes, etc. are appreciated. Thanks <3 xx
PS: Happy birthday, Hannah! Again.. Here's your present xx
