Chapter 2
two
JULIAN
8 YEARS EARLIER - AGE 16
I remember the exact moment I laid eyes on Camilla Vega. It was a Tuesday—the first day of kindergarten. Her dark, wavy hair was tied back with a green ribbon that matched her skirt, and she had a sparkly pink backpack. Even back then, you could just tell she was ten times smarter than everyone in the room. When she turned around and smiled at me, I felt my head explode. I didn’t have a full grasp on what a crush was, but I knew I was done for. Two weeks later, I wrote her a note saying I liked her ribbon that went unanswered. The heartbreak was brutal for a five-year-old, but as with most crushes, it faded as time passed.
Our sophomore year at Willow High was when everything changed. First period English was typically when I caught up on sleep, since I managed to stay undetected in the back, but Mrs. Knowles started the class with an announcement that morning. “The name of your partner for the essay we discussed last week on Pride and Prejudice is pinned up on the wall. Come on up one by one and then gather with your partner.” I stayed seated and watched Camilla’s eyes roll to the back of her head when she turned around, which meant we were partnered together. Before then, we’d only had run-ins when I asked to borrow her homework and she made me pay for it with a snide remark. I could’ve borrowed anyone’s, insult-free, but I fed off of the moments I’d see a sliver of a smile as she tried to act annoyed. Camilla stayed generally off the radar, but I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t always on mine. I always found her.
I held back a grin as she walked over to my desk with a cold glare and slammed her books down. “If you think I’m doing all the work just because you’re on varsity now, think again, Julian.” I was secretly flattered she knew I made the varsity football team.
“I’m offended you think so little of me, Camilla Vega.” Being one, if not the smartest person in the entire school, she had a right to ridicule me. I just scooted by enough to keep my grades up to play sports.
“Sorry, what do I know? I’ve only gone to school with you since we were five.” She was the only person who could make me smile while being insulted, but her snarky remarks never scared me away; if anything, they drew me in.
“I’m gonna pretend you underestimating me doesn’t sting a little bit.” Her blue eyes met mine with a challenge, but all I could think of was how mesmerizing they were behind her long eyelashes. It was easy to get overwhelmed by Camilla’s delicate beauty if you looked at her too long. The thick brown hair that fell over her shoulders in waves softened her golden tan skin, and her rosy cheeks looked permanently sun-kissed.
“I bet you haven’t even read the book.” Her soft-looking lips stole my attention before I met her gaze. “My sister forced me to watch the movie. That’s good enough, right?” It was a hobby of mine to get her riled up.
Her eyes widened, and I could tell she was on the verge of exploding, which made me relent. “Relax, Camilla. I’ve got this. Just tell me what to do.” The green notebook she always wrote in was tabbed by subject, but I expected nothing less from someone who was constantly on the honor roll. Every page was filled with notes from lessons except one titled Books . I laid my hand on it to stop her from turning the page. “What’s that?”
She hesitated to answer. “A list of books I want to read before the year ends.” I chuckled with amusement. People we went to school with saw books as their kryptonite, but she had an endless list of ones to read in a matter of months. It further proved she never cared about fitting into a box because she’d made her own, and I was envious.
“I’ll write the thesis and opening paragraph. I’ll also cite the sources. All you have to do is write one paragraph, then the conclusion. Easy enough for your jock brain?” I hadn’t heard a word she said, because I was too busy noticing the way her eyes had a speck of green in them if you looked closely enough.
I hid a smile behind my hand as an idea popped into my head. “Sure, but I think we should make this assignment interesting.” It was a long shot, but after watching her for years, I wanted to know her, and I saw an opportunity. Her eyes perked with interest, but she didn’t stop writing in her notebook.
“I’ll read the book, and if we get at least a B on the essay, you have to come to my game next Friday.”
Since she was the class president, she worked the ticket booth at every football game. I knew she left before we came on the field because she was never in the stands when I looked for her face. “How about a counteroffer? No to the game, but you get the satisfaction that you did your part and got a good grade for once in your life?”
My face spread into a smile. “Where’s the fun in that, Vega?” She rolled her eyes, but I saw when her brows subtly flickered with interest. “Why would I go?”
“Maybe to have fun like a normal teenager instead of being in bed by nine?” Our playful banter was refreshing, since all anyone I hung out with talked about was girls, football, and parties—in that order.
“How do you know I’m in bed by nine?” People looked over at us when I threw my head back with laughter. “Just a guess.”
Her bright blue eyes sucked me in again when she boldly met my gaze. “Let’s say for argument’s sake I agree to this stupid bet. We would have to get an A on the essay or no deal.” I knew she only agreed because she knew I couldn’t write an A-worthy essay, but that only made me want to accept the challenge more. Between football practice every day, away games on Thursdays, and home games every other Friday, I hardly had time to sleep, much less read a three-hundred-fifty-page book and write an essay, but Camilla had to be at my game—even if it meant paying someone to do the work for me and feeling like shit about it later. When I reached over to shake her hand, I could see her fighting back a smile. “Deal.”
Neither of us knew it then, but I was hers from that day on.