CHAPTER 01
harley
Inhale…
Exhale…
Inhale…
Ex—oh, fucking shit.
I couldn’t breathe. Gasping breaths scraped against my lungs, each one hurting more than the last.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Inhale…
Exhale…
In—son of a…
My knees buckled slightly, and I sagged against the bathroom door, desperately hoping no one tried to barge through it. I squeezed my eyes shut. A panic attack at school was the last thing I needed.
I hadn’t had one all year, so why now?
Right.
I failed a test.
And failing a test meant failing my mother.
And failing my mother… well, that just wasn’t an option.
Fuck, fuck, fuck…
Inhale…
Exhale…
In—bang!
My eyes flew open as he meandered out from a stall. Maverick Fox. Class disturbance. Trailer trash. Douchebag. Wannabe bad boy. The guy was a pain in everyone’s ass.
Out of everyone in the whole school who could’ve found me like this, why’d it have to be him? He was going to make my life hell. Why wouldn’t he, with the way he scrutinized me? Judged me?
My chest tightened even more, making my breath come faster.
Inhale…
Exhale…
Inhale—I couldn’t do this.
A strangled sound escaped me, something pathetic and weak.
My heart raced faster with every step he took toward me. One hand braced on the door next to my head while he leaned in close. Impossibly close. My skin vibrated uncomfortably as his nose brushed against mine.
Too close.
He was too damn close.
I tried to push him back, but he didn’t budge. Not surprising. I had no energy or strength to back it up. Instead, his mouth landed on mine. All the breath rushed out of my lungs like a punch to the gut.
I froze.
I didn’t know what to do.
I’d kissed two girls, and that was it. I hated both experiences, and this one wasn’t much better. At least, I was pretty sure it wasn’t.
He smelled like smoke and tasted like wintermint, a combination both overwhelming and intoxicating.
It did something to my mind, scratching at something I couldn’t put words to.
His presence combatted my panic, sending it scattering into the abyss.
The tension inexplicably melted from my muscles, and my knees practically gave out, forcing me to grab onto his leather jacket for support.
The kiss was short-lived and mind-numbing. Gray-blue eyes searched mine as he leaned back. The furrow in his brow was intense while he searched my expression, looking for who knew what. I had to look like an idiot to him, flustered and breathless—completely out of control and fraying.
“You good now?” Maverick asked gruffly, his warm breath fanning over my cheeks.
Was I good? I was something with my heart pounding in my ears and my breathing shallow. I tried to talk—to say something—but words escaped me, so I just stupidly nodded.
“Good,” he said. “You’re blocking the door.”
“Oh,” I let out quietly. I shuffled to the side, getting out of his way.
And then he was out the door without a word, just like that, as if nothing had happened.