Page 8 of Hayes

Pouring the wine into the glass, she put away the bottle and took a huge swallow, almost choking. She had lied to him; she had to, of course. It was no use stirring up memories and going down memory lane. It didn’t matter how she was feeling or the fact that she was still in love with him.

Settling back against the cushions, she closed her eyes and allowed the painful, poignant memories to float inside her head.

She had met him when she transferred from the all girls’ school when she was fifteen and had been mad at her parents for making the change.

“I am going to be leaving all my friends," she cried. “I love it here and there are only two years left for high school. I want to stay.”

She had pleaded with both parents, leaning more toward her dad, who had always called her his princess and spoiled her rotten. “Daddy, please. I don’t want to leave.”

“We are moving in the area and traveling to school from where we are now would be inconvenient. You are going to love it darling; you’ll see.”

She had been prepared to hate it with a passion and had gone that first day with a preconceived notion of what it would be like.

But her dad had been right. It was a school for elite society children and only the very wealthy could afford to send their children there.

She had been accepted as one of them because her parents were famous. It was during her second day, and she had just plopped into her seat in homeroom when she felt someone sliding into the seat beside her. She had kept her attention straight ahead, unwilling to speak to anyone.

“My name is Hayes.”

Stifling the impatience at the interruption, she turned her head and had to stop herself from gasping out loud. He was gorgeous. All thick blonde hair and twinkling green eyes. And he was also head of the football, rugby, tennis, and basketball teams. She had heard his name whispered on lips with a reverence she found amusing.

“This is the part where you tell me yours," he had pointed out helpfully.

Determined not to fall under his spell, she had given him a haughty look she had perfected over the years. “Camelia.”

“Just Camelia?”

“Yes.” Turning away from him, she deliberately opened her book, almost sighing with relief when the teacher started the lesson.

But he had found her during lunch, and as soon as he approached, people made way for him, leaving them alone.

“Do you usually have that effect on people?” she asked him coolly, taking out her ham and cheese sandwich.

“They knew I wanted to spend time alone with the prettiest girl in the school.”

Giving him a scornful look, she took a sip of her water. “Does that usually work on the females?”

“I am guessing it’s not working on you?”

“Not at all.”

“What else can I do?”

“You can go away and try the tired line on someone else.” She looked around the full cafeteria and found that they were the cynosure of every eye. “Or have you done that already with all of them and I am the only person left to try it out on?”

“You don’t have a very high opinion of me, do you?”

“I don’t have any opinion at all. I don’t know you.”

“Exactly. You are judging me without knowing who I am. Shall we start over?” His charming smile had butterflies fluttering inside her stomach. “I am Hayes Marsden.”

Ignoring his outstretched hand, she eyed him curiously. “You are wasting your time.”

“It’s mine to waste. And I will continue to do so until you see me.”

And he had. Hayes Marsden had pursued her relentlessly, and no matter what she had done or said, he had not stopped until he had managed to break her resolve. Very soon, they had become a couple and inseparable.

Wiping the tears streaming down her cheeks, she sat up and poured more wine. She could not stop the memories from trickling into her subconscious.

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