Deeper

2 | Vaughn's Effect

I gulp. My throat feels dry. Can we just talk about how beautiful those amber eyes are? I feel like I'm drowning in them.

I'm petrified even though no one has cast me a 'Petrificus Totalus' spell. Yep, I still remember how Hermione Granger did that to Neville Longbottom.

The guy who is gripping my wrist looks irritated because I just disturbed his sleep, but then his expression softens as he stares at me.

"Melanie?" he whispers, his voice low, sending shivers down my spine.

Or maybe it's the fact that the handsome guy I've just met apparently knows my name and whispers it so softly.

"I see that you two met each other." My brother's voice makes me jump, and the grip on my wrist is instantly gone.

Jake stands in the foyer, a smirk on his face, his hands in his pockets. I straighten up, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. The guy turns around, facing Jake.

"Vaughn, Melanie." He introduces me. "Melanie, Vaughn."

My eyes widen. So, this is Vaughn. The best friend I've never met before.

Let me repeat. THE best friend.

How I know him is obviously because of Mom, who always chirped (like birds in the morning) about this particular guy with such excitement every time she talked about him. Often when she talked with Jake on the phone. Often in our conversation during dinner when Jake came home to New York. Or, sometimes when we had breakfast even when Jake wasn't around.

She talked about how Vaughn managed to get a scholarship because of his outstanding academics, about how he stayed at the top of his class and how driven and hardworking he was to achieve his goals to pursue a great career, and that he achieved what he had without any single help or support from his family. All the while maintaining his reputation as a champion quarterback in Jake's football team.

Clearly, Mom is so happy that Jake's best friend is someone who can give him good influence.

And clearly, a perfect guy like that does exist.

I just didn't expect that he could be this intimidating.

"Finally," Vaughn says, almost sounding annoyed. "Been wanting to meet THE Melanie."

That sentence makes me wonder what bullshit Jake said to this poor clueless guy. It's not like I have the qualities to be bragged, other than being a spoiled sister.

Jake laughs. "Chill. We have a lot of time to catch up on that," he says to Vaughn before looking at me. "You should rest for a while after the journey, Mels. We all can hang out later tonight. There's this cool bar I want to show to you."

I roll my eyes, but a soft smile touches my lips. He always knows how to make me smile. "Fine." With that, I walk off to my room.