Chapter 1
Fallen leaves scattered to the winds as I ran, my sneakers slapping hard onto the ground. My face was getting chilled and my hair messy from the cold autumn breeze that came at the speed I was going. But I couldn’t, wouldn’t stop. I sprinted like my life depended on it. Inquiring minds would probably want to know why?
I was running late for school.
I managed a quick glance up and was able to see a fraction of the school’s rooftop, the remainder being hidden behind the mass of multicoloured trees. Almost there. Finally, after a minute or two, I’d made it out of the forest, passed through the football field and onto the school yard. I paused just in front of the red brick building and took a few gulps of air. As my breathing receded to normal, the first bell echoed loudly throughout the area. Still got five minutes. I combed my fingers through my strawberry-blond hair and stepped inside. Immediately I was pounced upon by a hundred and twenty pound lioness, also known as my best friend CJ.
“Crys, you bitch!” she screeched.
I glared back at her. “Claire-Anne Jean!” I smirked when she made a face. She hated her name with a passion. I had to admit it sucked to have a name like that, but it was a good way for me to make her do things when I wanted her to. It was an all powerful leverage, but it had its limits. Add Thibeault after that and you would get the hardest blow to the face from her. Yeah, she had issues. So when I first became her math tutor, which I might add, had been the worst decision of my life (She had what she called LAL’s disease, for Lazy And Lousy), I’d nicknamed her CJ and it had stuck, for everyone. Somehow we became best friends after that, and still were, two years later.
“How many times do I have to tell you? Bitch is not a word of endearment!”
She backed away a little and put her hands on her hips. “I was using it for its proper meaning this time.”
“Oh. Then why are you mad at me so early in the morning?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You haven’t seen him yet?”
“Since I just got here, that would be a no.” I moved past her and walked over to my locker. “And who are you talking about, exactly?”
“The new exchange student from Japan. He came here to study French for a year. And OH-MY-GOD is he ever hot.” She took on a weird predatory smirk. Not good. That meant she was either planning on how to sleep with the guy, or how to turn him into her own lap-dog. She was known as a man-eater.
I took out my English books, through my bag inside, shut the door and put the padlock. “He must really be something if you’re getting all...idealistic.” We rushed through the crowd of people to get to the classroom.
“Oh yeah, he’s definitely going to win the popularity contest...if we ever have one. Plus, guess who gets to sit beside him? YOU! That’s why every girl wants to strangle you right now.”
“Gee, I feel so overjoyed.” I thought about the class arrangement. We’d had our seats assigned to us at the beginning of the year, the classroom being organized mainly of two-by-two rows of desks. The guy who’d sat beside me had changed schedules. So that happened to be the only available desk. Interesting...
“...promise me you won’t dump me for him?!” CJ pleaded.
I laughed. “I didn’t know we were dating.” I got a rolling of eyes for reply.
We stepped into the classroom just as the second bell rang. I spotted a mob of girls and guys around my desk talking to someone, although I couldn’t see who. I motioned to CJ. “I would never –“I stopped short. The horde surrounding my desk had reduced, leaving a big enough gap for me to see the gorgeous guy – no, man was a better word – that sat there.
Short blond hair, pale blue eyes, flawless tanned skin, broad shoulders, well developed muscles, all nicely put into a pair of very fitting black jeans and a blue chemise. Maybe I SHOULD trade her up for him. I shook my head mentally. Friends came before guys. Always.
Dream boy glanced warily up as pretty brunette Bianca Carpenter suddenly sat on his desk, way too closely to him, and in such a provocative way that everyone else backed off and went to their own places. Poisonous snake.
We’d been friends once, until she’d slept – intentionally - with the guy I’d been trying to get a date with. Only I’d found that out after he’d tried to have sex with me. So I’d stayed away from them thereafter. Then they’d discovered a passion for being nasty to me, along with some friends, but I would never let them get to me.
I certainly wasn’t going to leave a poor new guy to be fed to this particular shark. I walked over to my desk and glanced at her. “I do remember that your place is at the other end of the room. Don’t you?” My face might have looked innocent, but even I could hear the edge to it.
“Actually, I think Miss Bison made changes. I’m quite comfortable on the table here.” She smiled at dream boy.
I rolled my eyes, enough for anyone to see. “The only place you’re ever comfortable in is inside a guy’s pants. And I don’t think we want to traumatize the foreigner just yet.”
The entire class had been listening and everyone burst out laughing. Bianca’s face turned a deep red, but she lifted her head high and marched her skinny five foot two body back to her desk.
I couldn’t help but smirk. Two years ago I would have never been deliberately mean to someone. I’d been raised almost like a debutante, to be polite to everyone, to the point of almost being snobbish, CJ had repeatedly said. Thanks to her and lots of practice, I’d changed and was able to stick up for myself now. So when it came to Bianca, I could hang the rules for a little while.
I glanced down to dream boy beside me. He stared right back at me. “Sorry for that.” I muttered, feeling unexplainably shy. Placing my books on my desk, I installed myself and turned back to him.
“My name’s Anthony Blair. You are?”
“Crys,” I squeaked. “I mean, my name’s Crystal Evans.” I laughed nervously.
He smiled widely, showing dimples at the corners of his mouth. I gulped. “Nice to meet you Crys, I’ve been waiting my entire lifetime for you.”
