Forever Imprinted.

Chapter One-Before.

Chapter One- Before.

-In July.

               “We met in July. It was unexpected but cliché at the same time.”

I used to love the beaches once. Sinking my foot in the golden sand and tanning on a good day. It was my haven but when the summer sun came out and the tourist came in I stayed far away from the beaches as possible. It was for my best interest.

“Please Cass, you promised,” Carly begged. I glanced nervously at the few customers in the store then back to her. Her hands were clasped together and her famous puppy dog look was on her face, she looked like she was seconds away from dropping to her knees.

“Half an hour Carly, that’s all I’m giving you,” I gave in before telling Rose, the manager that I was leaving for the day.

“I don’t understand why you don’t like going to the beach Cass. Two words; hot shirtless boys.”

“That’s three words Carly and while I like staring at shirtless boys, the beach is always crowded with running kids, girls in too small bikini and parents who don’t care. I prefer to go when none of those things are happening.”

“But…but boys! You promised we’d both get boyfriends over the summer.”

“No Carly, you demanded we get pointless summer flings and I rolled my eyes.”

I laughed as Carly fastened her pace as we continued our five minute walk from the store to the beach. It was July and the summer rush is becoming more intense each day. Every hotel is booked, every ice-cream shop and store packed and the beach too crowded for my comfort.

“I’m going to marry a rich billionaire and live in a huge mansion and you’re going to have twenty cats.”

It wasn’t not like I hated love, I one day would personally love to be in love with someone but I just didn’t see the point in teenage romance and summer flings. They all lead to nothing but heartbreak.

“Look,” Carly’s voice broke me out from my thoughts as she pointed to the beach, “It’s not that crowded for two o’clock.”

I supposed she was right but the amount of people on the beach was still an amount I was uncomfortably with.

I knew what Carly was doing; she was pushing me to overcome my fears –if you could even call them that. I knew she wanted me to make new friends and I supposed there was nothing wrong with that. I knew she felt guilty when she had to cancel our plan or couldn’t hang out with me and a part of me felt guilty too, for making her choose. But becoming friends with Carly was hard enough, doing it again would be torture.

“Why don’t you go flirt with that guy who is totally checking you out,” I told Carly and pointed to a guy with brown wavy hair that was staring in our direction.

Carly swatted my hand away and groaned, “Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to point at people.”

“It’s totally worth it if I get to embarrass you,” I laughed and slightly shoved her in the direction of the cutie that was still looking at us.

Just as I was about to turn away we made eye contact and even though I couldn’t tell what color his were I felt memorized by them –because that made sense. I immediately looked down a few seconds later when my face began to feel hot and the tightness returned to my chest.

When I looked back up Carly was already talking to the guy. She threw her heard back laughing and then did a classic and placed her hand on his bicep. Did I mention he was shirtless? Because yeah, he is, bold move.

He smiled at her and I found myself looking away. I wasn’t jealous of Carly, I had no reason to be really but sometimes I think I might be.

Carly had it all. She had friends who cared, boys who liked her, a bold personality and I…sometimes I wished I had her life then I’d regret it because while my life might not be that perfect it’s better than what most can ask for.

I moved to the furthest end of the beach where there was barely anyone and took a sit in one the chairs. The beach was clearing up as everyone went for a late lunch while some went out in boats and other just to take a swim.

I loved seeing people smiling and laughing but sometimes I just wished I was the reason it was there, the reason they were happy.

I never was.

“Looks like you need some company,” the sudden voice caused an involuntary shriek to leave my mouth as the familiar dark hair boy came into view.

I open my mouth to say something, a snappy remark, a greeting, I don’t know but nothing came out. I felt my chest tightening, the sweats started to build and my hands started to slightly shake.

Deep breaths. You can do this. Deep breaths.

“Hey, hey are you okay?” he asked and maybe if I wasn’t freaking out I might have notice how his accent changed.

“Hey, just breathe okay; I’m not going to hurt you, okay? Deep breaths.”

I tried to calm down, I tried to stop embarrassing myself and acting like a freak but it wasn’t something I had much control over. If I did this would not be happening right now.

“Hey calm down. Deep breaths. I’m not gonna kill you in your sleep or embarrass you or something,” he whispered, his voice soft and caring and strangely enough found myself gradually calming down.

I looked at him from beneath my eye lashes and I’m surprised he isn’t staring me like I’m some freak but isn’t he’s…he’s smiling –no grinning- and it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen.

“Hey,” he said, his accent was obviously fake and bad.

“You’re accent changed,” I blurted before I covered my mouth with my hand quickly. I expected him to laugh, to make fun of me like everyone else had but instead he each continued grinning.

“Maybe it did,” he spoke again and I could clearly hear the British accent coming in.

“England?”

“Maybe. I’m James,” he held out his hand.

And I shook it, “I’m Cassandra.”

A/N.

Not bad for a first chapter uh? Oh...sorry you feel that way.

Anyway, thanks for the supporting I'm getting. All the reads, votes, comments and follows means everything to me. Oh and this story is currently ranked somewhere in the 400's in Short Stories, can we get that to 300 maybe 200 soon?

And finally this book should be ten chapters, maybe eleven and should be done by the end of this month because I'm also doing a short story for Christmas, That'll be posted in December so yeah. If you liked this please vote, comment, follow, share and check out my other stories for more.

This is dedicated to the absolutely wonderful person who made my cover. Isn't it perfect?

-xoxo,

Jadaa.