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“Sure, give me a couple of hours and I’ll getback to you.”

“Thanks.” I hung up and went to my firstclass, probably grinning like a loon.

*****

Jade

Cassie smiled as soon as I walked into class.I handed the late note to the teacher and went and sat next to her.“Whose jumper?”

I shrugged. “Some wanker who knocked into meand made me fall on my arse.” I didn’t tell her about his delusionof thinking he could tell me what to do and I was his. Ha, I don’tbelong to anyone but myself.

Cassie nodded and the teacher spoke louder,gaining our attention. I could tell she was eager to ask morequestions. It didn’t mean I would answer them. I’d been at ReedCreek High for almost two weeks and become very close with Cassie,she was a force to be reckoned with. I couldn’t help but fall inlove with her and she became a new best friend.

I couldn’t stop thinking of the wanker. Itried not to breathe in too deep, his jumper smelled of expensivevanilla and coco scented cologne. I’d seen him get out of the newjeep because the idiot had driven by me and splashed a puddle allover me. I’d been going over to his car to yell at him when he gotout of the car and I realized how huge he was. It took me a momentto figure out he was a student at the school. He was well over sixfoot, and built like a body builder. He was unnatural for what sheguessed to be an eighteen-year-old boy. I mean whateighteen-year-old looked like he could bench press a tiny car andnot break a sweat. When I looked up I almost forgot to breathe, hewas gorgeous. I thought Derick, who this week hadn’t left me alone,was hot. This guy was God-like. With jet-black hair that fellperfectly just past his eyes, making me want to go up and brush itto the side. His skin had a light tan.

When I saw him I decided not to confront himand I turned tail and bolted to the school, only to be plowed downby him. What made everything worse was when I stared up at him thebeautiful boy had the most amazing ocean blue eyes and friggin'dimples. He looked like he belonged on a poster on every teenagegirl’s wall. My heart stopped. And then I started feeling cold. Igained control of my raging hormones and got pissed off. The idiotdidn’t even offer to help me up, let alone apologize for knockingme over.

My anger rose again at just the thought ofthe stupid boy. I didn’t even want to think about how much more hepissed me off when we got into the school. I looked down at thejumper and went to lift it off me, but for some reason I glancedaround the room and remembered his words. I shrugged and thensighed, I’d keep it on, but only because I was cold.

When the class finished Cassie yanked me outof the classroom chatting away. “Come stay at my house tonight.Tomorrow night there is a huge party out at the Silverman house,and for once I’m invited.”

I stopped and frowned at her. “You’re notusually invited?”

“No, my brother is. He is best friends withStephan and Derick. They don’t want me around.”

“Why do you want to go if they don’t wantyou?”

Cassie looked around us and lowered hervoice. “Because the Silverman brothers are HOT, and I’ve never beenbefore cos I’m Scott’s pesky twin sister.”

“Sure, we’ll go if it means that much to you.We don’t have to do the party though. I’m not interested in theSilvermans. From what I’ve learned this week they sound likesnobs.”

Cassie’s eyes became glazed and she lookedfar away. “Derick seems interested in you. I wish he’d look at methe way he does you.” She laughed and shook her head. “Ha, half themales at school seem into you. I think I got invited to the partybecause of you. My brother is driving us. He asks a lot about you.I think he likes you.” Cassie didn’t wait for me to answer, shejust dragged me to the next class we had together. I only had twoclasses without her and they were in the afternoon.

I wasn’t sure what I would have said toCassie. I didn’t want a relationship. I’d seen my mum go throughmen like toilet paper. I avoided some of those grade A arseholes bythe skin of my well placed foot or any object available. Justbecause my mother put out for anyone with a dick, didn’t mean Idid.

I had a plan and it didn’t involve a man orboy. I was going to study and graduate school, go to university andget my diploma in childcare, and then either I was going to becomea kindergarten teacher or a group leader at a childcare center. Iloved children. No matter what mood or how bad your day was theycould always make you smile. My best friend, Jess, at the place Ilived with my mother, had a little brother who was six and he wasthe cutest and funniest kid. He always made me laugh and was soadorable. I’d done some work experience in a childcare center andloved it. I’d come home every day feeling light and happy.

I didn’t see the wanker again. It may bebecause it was raining and we, Cassie and the girls she’dintroduced me to, stayed inside, or because I hid in the library. Iwasn’t ready to see the crazy guy again even to give him his jumperback. I kind of liked the jumper and he did give it to me. It wasthick and warm.

My last period was a free one, so I toldCassie I would go home and gather some clothes and meet her at herhouse later. Also, I wanted to make sure grandpa had enough foodmade up while I was gone. Cassie told me to stay and her brotherwould take me home so I could get some things, but I was adamant Iwas fine and would see her later. Cassie was great, but not onlyhadn’t I told her I was only seventeen, I also didn’t want her tosee how I lived. Grandpa had given me a room, but it barely fit thesingle bed and my clothes were still stored in two garbagebags.

The bus dropped me in front of mygrandfather’s pub. There were cars and a couple of motor bikesparked out front. Walking past them, I went to the back and up thestairs to my grandpa’s apartment. Going straight to my room Iemptied my school bag on my bed and went to my bags of clothes. Igot out two pairs of underwear and bras, three tops, jeans, and anold baggy shirt for a nighty, I shoved them all in my bag, pickedup my wallet and my phone and put them in the front pocket. Gettingdown on the floor I dug into the bags for something to wear, ReedCreek was colder than the city. It got the coastal breeze. I didn’town many clothes—a couple of pair of jeans, skirts, tights and mostof my tops were short sleeves. I wanted to make a good firstimpression on Cassie’s parents. I had a problem with shirts andblouses, I’m small, but my breasts weren’t, they have been the baneof my existence since I started growing them at twelve. I couldn’tget tops to fit. I always showed way too much cleavage. Sighing, Igave up trying to find a top that didn’t show too much and put iton.

Putting my now packed bag on the end of thebed, I went to the kitchen and rummaged through the cupboards andfridge. My apron hung on a hook at the side of the fridge, I put iton. Gathering what I needed, I started making meals for Grandpa. Iknew I didn’t need to do this. He hadn’t had this before I movedin, but I liked to know I wasn’t such a burden on him. I figured ifI cooked and cleaned for him, he wouldn’t get mad like my mum hadtold me he always was, and he might not mind as much I was stayingwith him until I could leave for university.

After I’d made my grandpa lasagna, a chickenpie, and chocolate slice, I cleaned up making sure I put everythingback where I found it. I washed my hands and went back to my room,picking up my bag, and then left the apartment.

I went into the back of the pub and knockedon my grandpa’s office door. He didn’t open. I leaned in closer tohear if he was in there. “The next shipment is big and high qualitystuff.”

I stepped away from the door, not wanting tohear any more. The voice on the other side of the door talking, Iassumed to my grandpa, I had never heard before. I didn’t want tohear or even know who it was. My grandpa’s business wasn’tsomething I wanted to be involved in any way or form. Steppingback, I looked around and saw the hall empty, which was unusual forthe pub, it may be on the small side and shabby but it wasbusy.

Going back to the door, I knocked again acouple of times and louder, the door still didn’t open and I wasgrateful. I called through the door. “Grandpa, I’m going to stay ata new friend of mine, Cassie’s, this weekend. I’ll be back onSunday.” I turned to walk away.

The door opened and my grandpa stood in thedoorway, his potbelly sticking out from his shirt, his recedingwhite hair slicked back with gel, and his lips thinned inannoyance. I caught a glimpse of a man in his late thirties orearly forties, with muddy hair color in a short ponytail, darkbrown eyes that looked almost black, a long pointed nose and lips Icould barely see. Grandpa grabbed my arm, gripping it tight untilhis nails dug into my skin and I backed away from the door and theman. “Make sure you’re home by Sunday night. I don’t want notrouble either. I don’t need no eyes on what goes on here. Got it,girl?” he said as he shook me.

Snatching my arm out of his hold, I backedaway as grandpa’s skin turned red, and I nodded. I needed to getout of there now. Not saying anything in case I said the wrongthing, I turned tail and ran out of there as fast as I could.

Walking to the bus stop in front of the pub Iprayed a bus would come soon. I didn’t think my grandpa would doanything out in the open for people to see, but he hadn’t lookedvery happy when I fled from him, and I didn’t know the man he’dbeen talking to.

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