Chapter 1
Chapter One
Izabella
“Shit,” I mumble, applying the final coat of mascara to my long lashes. Mia honks her horn outside, impatient and already two minutes into the ‘we’re going to be late’ countdown. Great. My fault. I take one last look in the mirror, grab my backpack, and hurry down the stairs.
Images of a little boy with dark hair and piercing blue eyes, racing me down these stairs, rush through my mind.
The sound of our laughter as we reached the bottom echoes in my ears.
Things were simpler back then, before the mess we’ve become.
Xavier was my best friend, still is in some ways, but it’s not that simple anymore.
“Good morning, Izzy! Grab something to eat on your way out!” Dad calls from the kitchen as I reach the bottom of the stairs.
I move quickly into the kitchen, kiss him on the cheek, and grab a banana from the fruit basket on the counter. “Thanks, Dad. Love you,” I say over my shoulder.
“Have a great first day of school as a Senior,” he adds, and his voice trembles, making me pause.
I stop and turn to face him. “I will. How do I look?” I twirl once in my sundress.
“Beautiful as always, baby girl. Knock ‘em dead. This only comes once in a lifetime,” he says, walking over to pull me into a hug.
The familiar scents of racing fuel and his soap fill the air.
For a second, my mind drifts to another man with the same scent, but I push the thought aside and hug him back.
“Thanks, Daddy. Are you going to the track today?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there when school’s out. Come join me when you’re done.”
“Okay.” I glance at my watch. “Shit, I’m going to be late.”
“Watch the mouth, young lady. Have a great day,” he calls as I head out the door.
I chuckle, already halfway across the porch, heading toward Mia’s car. She’s tapping her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel of her little blue Beetle.
“About time. Damn, you look hot today.” She whistles as I approach.
I slide into the passenger seat and set my backpack between my feet. “Sorry, I had to talk to my dad. I wanted to look perfect today.”
“Well, you definitely do.” Mia smiles, starts the car, and backs out of the driveway. The sun is shining brightly, and I put on my sunglasses as the music fills the car. The warm air swirls around us, and I gather my hair into a messy bun on top of my head to keep it from flying everywhere.
I’m excited for our senior year, but I’m nervous, too.
This summer was hard. I spent nearly every day at the track, working on my racing.
Every night, I saw Xavier. We spent time together, laughed, and did the things we used to.
For a while, things felt simple again. But nothing is simple between us anymore.
He’s the popular guy now, while I’ve stayed the same.
He became the guy every girl wanted, and they threw their attention at him to hurt me.
“So, how was your summer?” Mia asks, turning down the volume.
I roll my eyes but try to keep my tone light. “Mia, you were with me nearly every day. You know what my summer was like.”
“I was, but not every night. What’s the deal? Anything to tell?” She raises her eyebrows and looks at me with a knowing grin.
I glance at the clock. “We’re not as late as I thought. There are only a few cars in the lot,” I say, changing the subject.
Mia turns into the school parking lot, pulls into a space, and turns off the engine, still looking at me. “Well?”
I release a deep sigh, trying to hide the smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “Nights were good. I raced every Friday and did pretty well.”
Mia’s eyes narrow, reading the room. “Girl, don’t make me slap you if you don’t spill the details. What’s really going on?”
“Fine,” I admit, feeling my cheeks grow hot. “We went to dinner a few times, swam a couple of nights, and saw a movie once. It was nice to see the old Xavier again, even if it was only for the summer.”
She stares at me, waiting for more. “You’ve been best friends with him your whole life, Izzy. You’ve loved him just as long. Did you at least tell him?”
“No. Why would I tell him that after a few nights of hanging out?” I shake my head, letting my hair fall free from the bun. “It’s not like we were on dates.”
Mia doesn’t look convinced. “Because you two deserve to be happy. You deserve it, Izzy.”
I can feel the weight of her words, but I brush them off by grabbing my backpack and climbing out of the car.
Mia follows me as we make our way across the parking lot.
The air buzzes with energy as more cars pull in.
Someone’s music blares from their speakers, vibrating the ground beneath us.
Catcalls and whistles from the usual suspects keep my head high and my focus forward.
Mia’s practically glowing with excitement, and I can’t help but feel a little excited, too.
As we approach the entrance, Mia suddenly stops, humming under her breath. I glance at her, confused, then follow her gaze.
Xavier pulls into the parking lot in his black, lifted Dodge Ram, flings the door open, then cuts the engine.
He steps out, tossing me a wink. My heart skips a beat as his eyes lock with mine.
He’s wearing a dark blue shirt that hugs his chest perfectly and denim jeans that fit just right.
Sunlight catches his jet-black hair, giving it a soft glow.
A tattoo peeks out from under his sleeve, and I can’t stop staring.
The girls around him are practically throwing themselves at him, but his focus never wavers from me.
Nolan climbs out of the passenger seat and stands beside Xavier, trying to keep the growing crowd at bay.
“Watch it, bitch,” Tara Lawson, the biggest slut in the school, sneers, shoving me in the shoulder and breaking my moment with Xavier.
Before I can say anything, Mia steps between us. “Watch it, bitch,” she retorts, flicking a glare at Tara. “You'd better keep moving before you accidentally slip and get your slut all over the sidewalk.”
Tara sneers, her eyes flashing with contempt. But before she can respond, Xavier steps forward, concern evident on his face.
“Are you okay?” His voice is gentle, but Tara presses herself against him, trying to steal his attention. He ignores her completely, keeping his eyes fixed on me. Nolan, amused, shoves Tara aside.
“Run along, little slut,” Nolan says dismissively, waving her away. I can’t help but laugh.
Tara glares at him. “That’s not what you said the other night, Nolan,” she snaps.
Nolan’s face shifts to mild disgust. “A moment of weakness. You were the one willing to spread your legs. Now go put your panties back on, all right?”
I can’t contain my laughter. I turn back to Xavier, and he slides his arm around my shoulder, guiding me into the school. Nolan tries to put his arm around Mia, but she pushes him away.
“Eww, don’t touch me after you touched that skank. Gross,” Mia says, shoving him away. Nolan laughs it off.
“Don’t worry, I wrapped it up,” he says, “and showered right after.”
I shake my head, smiling as we head toward our lockers. Xavier whispers in my ear, his warm breath against my skin. “You look beautiful today.”
My heart races at the sincerity in his voice. Goosebumps break out across my body. “Thanks. You don’t look too bad yourself,” I reply, trying to keep my cool, but my cheeks betray me as they heat.
“I’ve gotta run to class, but can I see you at lunch?” His gaze is intense, and I nod, suddenly at a loss for words. Before I can say anything else, he softly kisses my cheek, making my heart flutter, then walks away with Nolan. I watch him go, still feeling the warmth of his touch.
I turn toward my locker when another body slams into me from behind. I’m knocked hard into the lockers, and I whip around to see Tara standing with her cronies, including Lisa from the track. The air feels charged with hostility.
“You’ll never be good enough for him. He needs a real woman, not some shy virgin who doesn’t even know what a cock looks like,” Tara spits, her voice laced with venom.
I shove my way past them without a word, the insult sinking into my chest. Is this what senior year’s going to be like? Maybe I should fast-forward to graduation.