Hooked [Complete]

1. Groundhog

Author's Note:

One thing you should know about me: My life is a soundtrack. So I've decided to share my playlist for Hooked, Chapter by Chapter.

Main Title Track/Chapter 1 Track: Let it Happen by Tame Impala

https://open.spotify.com/track/2X485T9Z5Ly0xyaghN73ed?si=eqzUvHqgTz-AekTJiARjlA

Happy Reading (& Listening!)

The Groundhog didn't see his shadow.

Dru raised her beer in celebration, and Dru's roomate Lana let out a rebel yell and killed the contents of her plastic cup. Dru laughed, her teeth chattering as she hugged Lana and cheered along with the mixed crowd of college students and mountain folk.

It was a grey, windy day on the campus of Sabit University in the mountain town of Weirville, North Carolina. Who wouldn't welcome the early spring that the groundhog's lack of shadow predicted?

On this cold February 2nd, Dru cursed the weather and her decision to dress in the standard I-won't-be-outside-but-a-minute-southern-girl-winter-wear-- a long, thin sweater tunic, skinny jeans, and Tieks. She tucked her arm through Lana's so she could absorb some of the heat radiating off her roommate. Lana was dressed more warmly—in tall boots and a heavy caramel leather jacket studded to match her fleece-lined black jeans. Dru grinned as she took in the rest of Lana's appearance—her long raven hair braided against her scalp on one side, her eyes ringed in dark kohl, her choker necklace, and her left hand raised in the heavy-metal-sign-of-the-horns gesture as she yelled along with the crowd.

Dru had never had a friend like Alanna McBane. Lana was exactly what she looked like—a mountain girl, and one fierce bitch.

But Lana was also a fierce friend—the kind of friend that Dru had never had before. The kind Dru only dreamed her college roommate would become the day they met, six months before. Now, here they were, starting their second semester, partying arm in arm at their school's own Appalachian version of Groundhog Day.

"Ladies."

Warm arms enveloped them both, and two fresh cups appeared in front of them. These cups steamed with coffee, from the only campus coffee house. Dru poured out her beer, and took a greedy sip of the coffee. The warmth radiating down her throat was heaven.

"Thanks," she breathed in relief. "The line at the coffee shop must have been around the block—you shouldn't have."

She felt the owner of the arm shrug against her back. "I can't exactly let you freeze, Lana would never forgive me," he murmured near her ear, briskly rubbing her left arm to warm her.

The gesture, or maybe the earnestness in his voice sent a small shiver through her, but she stepped away from him. "Yeah, but you missed the groundhog," she complained, turning to give the owner of the arm a playful shove.

Her rough touch lit something in Sean Faraday's eyes. He smirked at Dru and cut his glance upward to the completely overcast sky.

"Let me guess," his voice was teasing now. "The little weasel didn't see his shadow. Shocker."

Lana laughed at his sarcasm, but choked on her coffee. "Plain coffee? It's a festival day. Don't be such a serious shit, Sean."

"Don't be such an impatient bitch, Alanna," he replied automatically, but he dutifully pulled a flask from his jacket and tipped a little whiskey into her steaming cup.

"That's more like it." Lana winked at Sean and burrowed against him, her attention refocused on the crowd. Sean, one arm around Lana, raised his eyebrows at Dru and offered the flask, but he smiled when she declined. Sean had already learned, Dru was more of a beer-holder than a hard partier. Sean drank, like most college guys, but of the three of them, Lana was the one that could hold her liquor.