Page 1 of Atlas Uncharted

Chapter 1

Kairi

He was not meant for me, and I knew it from the moment I lay eyes on him. Girls like me didn’t get the boy that every girl who crossed his path fell for.

I wasn’t downing myself. I wasn’t insecure or self-pitying, and I didn’t have any deep-rooted issues I needed to work through in therapy where my love life was concerned. There was just an order to things. Society had made it that way. Certain girls ended up with certain boys.

And I told myself that it was fine.

He wasn’t even my type—too much fire and not enough warmth. I could see it in his eyes; he was about as deep as a puddle of water, but at that moment, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

Tattoos snaked down his muscular arms, disappearing under the sleeves of his fitted black T-shirt that clung to his broad chest. His dark jeans hung low on his hips. He towered over everyone else in the bookstore, his hair a blazing fire, and he had these pretty green eyes.

I looked away before I started wondering about him, before I let myself start unraveling him, picking apart the layers like I always did—searching for the soft underbelly of a man who might not have one.

"I saw you looking," Ashlen’s voice came out of nowhere, low and teasing in my ear. She nudged me. "That’s Atlas. He’s in my English class. Isn’t he fucking edible?"

"You always have a thing for giants, don’t you?" I replied.

She shrugged, her smirk widening. "I like climbing things. But tell me he ain’t a ten out of ten."

I let my eyes slide back to him for half a second before quickly looking away. He was. He was very fucking edible, and he was a ten—but I wouldn’t tell her that.

"Yeah, I guess," I mumbled.

As soon as I finished lying, he laughed. It was deep and rich, like chocolate mousse poured over chocolate cake. The sound was enough to draw the attention of almost every woman in the store and my me tingle between my thighs.

Ashlen, never one to miss an opportunity, abandoned me and sauntered over to him. She was all curves on a tiny frame, wearing tight jeans and a crop top, her long red hair and tits bouncing with every step she took. I stayed right where I was. But I was close enough to hear and see what was going on.

She stopped behind him. "Hey, Atlas, I’m Ashlen! We have the same English class," she said, speaking to his back.

He turned, his gaze sliding down to her while his plush mouth curved into a slow, lazy smile. “We do. I noticed you. We both have red hair—hard to miss you,” he said, pointing to his own.

“That, and we both like Hemingway,” she giggled.

“So, you’re buying books?” he asked, I don’t think he liked Hemingway by how fast he changed the subject.

“Yep. Me and my best friend, Kairi.” She turned and waved me over. “Kairi, come here!”

I sighed but obeyed, weaving through the bookshelves until I was standing next to her.

Atlas’s eyes landed on me, and for a moment, I felt like I was being X-rayed. I was wearing a simple blue sundress and Converse, my hair in a bun on top of my head. I knew I was cute—curvy, a fucking brickhouse, really—but his gaze didn’t linger like someone interested. It was quick, assessing, and then his eyes locked on mine.

"Nice to meet you, Kairi," he said, his voice a smooth baritone that made my skin tingle. "Do you like Hemingway too?"

I shook my head.

I actually couldn’t stand Hemingway. "Nah. Honestly, I don’t connect with his work. His stories are full of white men having existential meltdowns. There’s no space for someone like me in his books—not that I’d want him attempting to write about Black women anyway. I’m more of a James Baldwin girl."

He raised an eyebrow; there was a flicker of something in his eyes that came too quickly for me to read.

"What else are you two planning to do today?" he asked, moving on like I hadn’t said anything worth talking about.

Well, fuck you too, I thought.

Ashlen took over. "We’re heading to a party tonight, and you’re coming with me. Put your number in my phone, and I’ll text you," she said aggressively, her phone in his direction.

Atlas chuckled darkly, glancing down at her. "You always this direct?"

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