TAKEN (Before the Storm)

CHAPTER ONE

“Prologue”

Chicago, Illinois

September 2011

There were exactly three reasons Amanda Smith willingly woke up before sunrise every weekday. The first was school. The second was her best friend, Melissa. And the third... Amanda smiled to herself as

she climbed the weathered concrete steps leading to the football bleachers... was currently throwing a perfect spiral halfway across Westbrook High's practice field.

The crisp September air carried the scent of freshly cut grass and damp pavement from the previous night's rain.

Beyond the chain-link fence, whistles pierced the morning silence as football players ran drills beneath a sky painted in shades of pale orange and blue.

Coaches barked orders while helmets collided with satisfying thuds.

Amanda settled onto the cold aluminum bleachers, hugging her backpack against her chest.

Right on cue, Melissa dropped into the seat beside her with all the enthusiasm of someone arriving for jury duty. Amanda laughed.

"You look thrilled."

Melissa folded her arms across her chest and stared blankly toward the field.

"I've been awake for twenty-seven minutes," she muttered.

"That's already too many."

Amanda ignored the sarcasm. Her eyes had already wandered back to the practice field.

"There he is..."

Melissa didn't even have to ask who she meant.

Michael Johnson. Westbrook High's star quarterback.

Captain of the football team. Golden boy.

The kind of guy who somehow managed to look effortless doing absolutely everything.

Even from the bleachers, Amanda could recognize his easy smile as he joked with his teammates before jogging back into formation. She sighed dreamily.

"My future husband."

Melissa snorted.

"Your future restraining order."

Amanda nudged her shoulder.

"Oh, please."

She pointed farther down the field.

"And look."

Melissa reluctantly followed her finger. John Prescott stood nearby talking with Michael, one hand shoved casually into the pocket of his athletic shorts. Unlike Michael, John always carried himself with a quiet confidence that made people notice him without him ever trying. Amanda grinned.

"There's yours."

Melissa's expression remained perfectly flat.

"Uh-huh."

Amanda blinked.

"...That's it?"

"What else am I supposed to say?"

Amanda dramatically placed a hand over her heart.

"I don't know..." She gestured toward the football field as if presenting royalty. "Maybe something like, 'Amanda, you're absolutely right. Waking up at six in the morning to stare at ridiculously attractive football players is the best decision we've ever made.'"

Melissa couldn't help herself. A laugh escaped before she quickly shook her head.

"Amanda..."

She looked over with an amused smile.

"You're completely delusional."

Amanda shrugged proudly.

"I've been called worse."

The two girls sat in comfortable silence as practice continued below. It had become a routine over the years. Every morning. Same seats. Same football field. Same impossible crushes. Amanda rested her chin in her hand.

"We've liked them since elementary school."

"I know."

"And one day..."

Melissa raised an eyebrow.

"Here we go."

"...one day," Amanda continued dramatically,

"Michael is going to realize we've been soulmates this entire time."

Melissa stared at her for a long moment.

"You've never spoken to him." "Details."

"He probably doesn't even know your name."

"Minor details."

"You literally exist as 'random girl in the bleachers.'"

Amanda gasped in mock offense.

"I exist as a mysterious girl in the bleachers."

Melissa laughed again, shaking her head.

"I admire your confidence."

"I admire my confidence too."

Amanda smiled toward the field.

"It gets me through the day."

Melissa's smile slowly faded. Unlike Amanda, she wasn't looking at John anymore. She was staring at the distance between them. The distance that somehow never changed. Every morning they watched. Every afternoon they wondered. Every day they walked away.

"I'm tired of this."

Amanda glanced over.

"Tired of what?"

Melissa let out a quiet sigh.

"This."

She motioned toward the football field. "We sit here every single morning. We watch them. We never talk to them. We never say hello. We never make a move."

She looked back at Amanda. "We just stare."

Amanda smiled sheepishly.

"I prefer the term, hopeless romantics."

"I prefer pathetic."

Amanda's smile faltered.

"Melissa..."

"What? It's true."

Melissa looked down at her hands.

"Michael and John could date anyone in this school. The cheerleaders, the popular girls, the girls who actually have confidence."

She laughed bitterly.

"So why would they ever choose us?"

Amanda didn't answer immediately. Because... if she were honest... She wondered the exact same thing. Instead, she reached over and gently bumped Melissa's shoulder.

"We don't know that they wouldn't."

Melissa looked unconvinced.

"We can't even say hello without panicking."

Amanda laughed softly.

"...Okay. Fair point." The whistle blew across the field, signaling another drill. Players scattered into new formations. Amanda watched Michael jog backward, calling out instructions to his teammates.

"He smiled."

Melissa frowned.

"What?"

"He smiled."

Amanda pointed excitedly.

"I think he smiled in our direction."

Melissa looked over.

"Amanda..."

"He did!"

"He smiled at literally everyone."

Amanda ignored her.

"I'm counting it."

Melissa stood, slinging her backpack over one shoulder.

"I'm going to class."

Amanda looked up in surprise.

"So early? We do this every day."

Melissa gave her a tired smile.

"Exactly." She turned toward the stairs.

"And honestly?"

She glanced back one last time.

"I'm tired of settling for almost. And I know you are too.”

Amanda watched her disappear down the bleachers. The words lingered in the cool morning air.

I'm tired of settling for almost.

Amanda looked back toward the football field. Maybe... Just maybe... Today would be different. Melissa barely made it three steps down when a familiar voice cut through the morning air.

“This is honestly getting embarrassing.”

Melissa stopped. Amanda closed her eyes.

Of course. Of all the people, it had to be Maria Romano.

Amanda turned slowly, already bracing herself.

Maria stood a few rows above them in her purple-and-gold cheer uniform, one hand resting against her hip as if the entire stadium belonged to her.

Her dark hair fell perfectly over her shoulders, untouched by the morning breeze.

Beside her stood Loren Chen, wearing the same smug Expression she always seemed to reserve for them.

Theresa Rowland lingered slightly behind them.

The three girls had been inseparable for as long as Amanda could remember.

Unfortunately, so had Amanda and Maria’s mutual dislike. Maria tilted her head.

“You two actually believe you have a chance with Michael or John?”

Amanda tightened her grip around the strap of her backpack.

Wonderful. Maria Romano. Cheerleader. Professional nightmare.

And, according to Amanda, the human embodiment of everything wrong with Westbrook High.

Loren gave a quiet laugh beside her. Theresa didn’t.

Amanda noticed that, but only for a second.

“We have a chance,” Amanda said.

Melissa turned back around and came to stand beside her.

“Yeah.”

The confidence in Melissa’s voice sounded far more convincing than either of them felt.

Maria’s eyebrows lifted.

“Oh, really?”

She crossed her arms.

“Then you wouldn’t mind walking down there and asking them out?”

Amanda’s mouth opened. Nothing came out. Beside her, Melissa suddenly became extremely interested in a crack running through the aluminum bench. Maria waited. The silence stretched. Then her lips curled into a satisfied smile.

“That’s what I thought.”

Loren laughed openly this time.

“They’d probably run in the opposite direction.”

Melissa’s head snapped up. Amanda reached for her arm before she could say something that would get them both suspended before first period. Theresa shifted uncomfortably behind Maria.

“You never know,” she said.

Maria turned toward her so sharply that Theresa nearly took a step back.

“Girl, what?”

Theresa tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m just saying…”

Her gaze moved briefly toward Amanda and Melissa.

“In this school, you either reject someone or you get rejected first.”

Loren nodded thoughtfully.

“And those two definitely fall into the second category.”

She and Maria laughed.

“Like any guy would ever have a crush on them,” Loren added.

Melissa went still. Amanda recognized the expression immediately. It was the same look Melissa got whenever she was pushed one insult past her limit. The one that warned everyone nearby to move out of the way. Melissa lifted her chin.

“You sure about that?”

Loren’s smile faded slightly.

Melissa’s eyes narrowed.

“Maybe you should ask your boyfriend.”

Amanda turned toward her so quickly she nearly lost her balance. Maria’s eyes widened. Theresa covered a laugh with her hand. Loren looked horrified.

“Excuse me?”

Melissa shrugged.

“You heard me.”

“How dare you!”

Loren stepped forward, her face flushing. “My boyfriend would never sleep with someone like you.”

Melissa blinked innocently.

“Who said anything about sleeping together?”

Amanda bit down on the inside of her cheek. Melissa tilted her head.

“Interesting that your mind went there first.”

A laugh escaped Amanda before she could stop it. Loren glared at her. Melissa wasn’t finished.

“And for the record, I’m a virgin.”

“And you always will be,” Loren shot back.

Maria burst into laughter. Even Amanda had to admit the comeback had landed. Maria nodded approvingly.

“That was actually decent.”

The first bell rang before Melissa could answer, echoing across the athletic field and through the nearly empty bleachers. Students began pouring toward the school doors in the distance. Maria adjusted the bow in her hair.

“Well, that’s our cue.”

She gave Amanda and Melissa a sweet smile that held absolutely no warmth.

“Bye, losers.”