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Bonus Chapter

Seven years earlier

Lucas

The only thing worse than Valentine's Day is having a secret crush on Valentine's Day. Even worse is when she happens to be your best friend.

I clutch the packet of Skittles in the pocket of my jacket as I lean against her locker, waiting for her to arrive from history class. My palms start to feel sweaty as I think about giving them to her once she gets here.

Will she realize I like her? Will she think it's lame? Is it too much? Too little?

I almost bang my head against the locker to stop overthinking this. I've already decided—I can't back out now. I glance at the clock in the hallway for the third time. She should be here by now. I know this because I wait for her at her locker every day before heading out to math class together.

Claudia wasn't on the bus this morning. I begin to worry that maybe something happened to her. She's always on time and it's not like her to cut class. She also seemed completely normal yesterday, so I doubt she's sick. But then I see her rounding the corner of the hallway, and all my worries evaporate.

That is until I notice the rose in her hand and the guy walking next to her with a big fat smile. Brian must have given it to her. He recently decided that she would be his next conquest. I overheard him bragging about how easy it would be to win her over, just like all the other girls he's gone after. He's never been one to keep anything to himself. Asshole.

She says something to him and he leans down towards her, grabbing her by the waist. My heart stops as I realize he's about to kiss her, but she side-steps him at the last second and he ends up giving her a hug. Jealousy as I've never known consumes me as I witness this interaction, and I force myself to look away.

I wish I were wearing my baseball cap so I could lower it over my face and block everything out. I take a few breaths to try to calm down, and when I look up again, she's rushing towards me with her eyes cast down and a nervous look. Usually she smiles at me, but today there isn't the slightest hint of one. I straighten up and try to pretend that the biggest jerk on the planet did not just make a move on my girl.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she says, opening her locker without looking at me. She tosses the rose inside and pulls out her algebra textbook. I don't respond because I can't find the words. I don't want to acknowledge what just happened and I can't think of anything else to say. Normally I can talk to her about anything, but right now all I feel is tension between us. She slams the locker shut and finally faces me. "Okay, I'm ready."

Her hazel eyes pull me in like they usually do, but this time it's her mouth that keeps me in a daze.

"Lucas?"

No, I didn't imagine it. She got her braces removed. And she looks absolutely beautiful.

"What?" she asks, a slight edge to her voice.

"Your braces," I manage to say.

She visibly relaxes. "Oh, right! Can you believe it?" she says, finally smiling and showing off her teeth. "My orthodontist took pity on me yesterday. I feel like I've been waiting for years."

"You look great, Audi," I say, calling her by the nickname I gave her when we were younger. What I really want to say is that she looks stunning.

She tucks a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear as she glances up at me with a sparkle in her eyes. "Thank you, Lucas."

Just like that, everything feels right again. It's amazing how she's able to enchant me with a single look and a few words. I grab her textbook as we walk to class. "You weren't on the bus this morning," I say, putting Brian and his stupid rose behind me.