Page 107 of High Roller

“Anyway, he didn’t say so much as sorry. Just stormed off. But something about him was magnetic. I found myself noticing him the rest of the day. But he was always snapping at people or glaring. The next day at lunch he was outside again leaning against a tree looking like he wanted to murder the entire school. I walked up to him and leaned against the tree next to him.”

Grace

“Whatthehelldoyou want?”

I gaze up at the angry boy with a smirk. “Do you always glare like you want to set something on fire, or are you having a bad day?”

“Only when I’m stuck somewhere I don’t want to be.”

“Why not try making friends? I’m Gracie.”

The angry boy shoves his hands in the pockets of his baggy black jeans. “You don’t want to be my friend. No one does.”

I squat and sit on a rock next to the tree. “I’m no expert, but perhaps if you would try something other than a glare people wouldn’t avoid you like you’re contagious.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Are you telling me to smile more? I thought girls hated when guys said that.”

I laugh and for a split second the corner of his mouth turns up before returning to its usual scowl. Now I’m determined to get a genuine smile out of him before the lunch bell rings.

“Try it. You never know. It could change your life.”

Victor lets out a staccato laugh. “You saying if I smile the world will magically get better?”

I shrug. “It could be one of those butterfly effect things. You know… little shifts, big consequences?”

He looks at me like I’ve grown a horn. I run a hand through my hair in case the wind has turned it into a mess.

“Yeah, I don’t think a smile from me is going to change the shit happening in my life, Gracie.”

“You could be right. But then again, a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil and the next thing you know there’s a tornado in Oklahoma or a hurricane off the coast of Florida. Seems worth the risk to me.”

“So, which one are you?”

I blink. “Pardon?”

“The butterfly or the tornado?”

The bell rings and I realize we’ve already been standing here for fifteen minutes, and lunch is almost over.

He pushes away from the tree and walks backwards toward the school.

And then he smiles, and my heart damn near stops.

“Catch you later, butterfly.”

“Hey,” I call as he spins on his heel, putting his back to me. He turns his head, and my heart skips a beat. He’s still smiling. I’m going to have to visit the school nurse if he keeps it up. “What’s your name?” I manage when he raises an eyebrow at me expectantly.

His smile turns cocky, and he waves his hands in front of him before extending his arms out to the sides in a wide gesture. “I guess you can call me hurricane Victor.”

Lili

“That’sthebestfirstmeeting story I’ve ever heard. Please tell me you put it in a book or one of your stories.”

Grace lets out a nervous laugh. “I don’t think I could do that. It’s too personal.”

I smile. “That makes sense. But it’s a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it with me. Perhaps you’ll share something you’ve written next,” I say hopefully.

She shoves me on the thigh as she moves to get off the couch. “You’re ridiculous. I’m going to check my email and get ready for classes next week.”

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