Page 3 of Falling for You

He smirks. “I never said I was okay with it. I said that I’ll accept that for now. And I do…for now.” For a moment, his face softens. “I really want you to come. I think it’ll be good for you to get to know more people. It can’t hurt to have more friends around here, right? Other people need to know how awesome you are.”

I look down at my feet. My natural shyness makes me the odd one out most of the time. I can feel myself wavering. I’ve always thought Brad was kind of a jerk honestly, but he’s been very persistent these last few weeks. He’s pursued me with a single-mindedness that I kind of have to admire. What I don’t understand is why. I do my best to blend in with the crowd. Well, as much as I can considering I’m the principal’s daughter, have bright red hair, and am a tall freak of nature. I don’t understand his sudden preoccupation with me. I’m nothing like the girls he usually goes out with. My curves have curves, unlike the sleek models that walk these hallways. Before the last few weeks, most of my interactions with Brad consisted of him staring at my size double D breasts.

“I’ll think about it, Brad. That’s the best I can give you, okay?” He steps back and crosses his arms. His smug look fades and for a moment is replaced by an angry scowl.

“You’re so stubborn! But yeah, I’ll leave it at that, I guess.” He leans down and kisses me on the cheek. I can’t help but blush. I do love the fact that he is one of the few guys here that is taller than me. I’m almost 5’10” and most guys are still catching up to me in height. Brad’s easily over 6 feet, thank God. A small voice in my head reminds me that his cousin Sawyer was slightly taller. And better-looking, in my opinion. I mentally slap myself for making the comparison. No need to go down that road.

“I’ll see you after third period, pretty girl.” He walks off and I watch his confident stride eat up the length of the hallway. Other guys high five him and girls swoon as he walks by. I shake my head. That guy is such a heartbreaker.

“What’s up girlie? What’s Brad the hottie talkin’ to you about?” My best friend, Sam, sneaks up beside me and pops her gum. I stare down at her and raise my eyebrows. She’s barely five feet and usually looks like she’s about ten years old. Today, she’s got thick black eyeliner and blue mascara streaking her eyes and the pinkest blush I’ve ever seen in my life. Her silky black hair is pulled up in a side ponytail and our standard school uniform’s skirt has been slashed to just below her butt. I love Sam, but she’s a nut. Let’s just say that when we met, she decided it didn’t matter if I was shy or not. She determined the very first day I met her that she was going to be my best friend and that was it. There was no keeping my walls up around her. She broke through them all with her kooky, outrageous personality.

“What the heck are you wearing, Sammy? Is it a dress up day I forgot about?”

“Nah,” she grins. “Just thought I would play with my parents again. They’re playin’ their usual game of who’s the best parent right now. I thought I would show them that neither one of ‘em are doing that great. Besides, if your dad sends me home for my skirt, I can finish

binging ‘You’ on Netflix. You know Penn Badgley’s my soulmate, even if he does have stalker tendencies.”

I laugh. “You know, you have serious issues, right?” Sam’s parents divorced a year ago and ever since then she’s been acting out in all kinds of silly ways. She says it’s the only way to divert their attention from sniping at each other through her. They love to send her back and forth between them with messages. She’s tired of being message girl, so she’s decided to rebel in not so subtle ways.

“Whatever.” She pops her gum again. “What was Brad, the stud, up to?” She scrunches up her face in an exaggerated leer and I sigh.

“Ugh, he’s still begging me to go to his parents’ cabin this weekend. I’m not sure I should. I don’t know how I feel about being around that crowd for a whole weekend. Plus, I don’t want to lead him on. He’s been nice, but I don’t feel that spark, you know?”

She nods. “Personally, I don’t see how you can’t spark with that cutie, but I guess I get it.” We stop outside of her class and she pins me with a stare. Her gray eyes sparkle with mischief. “Don’t you still have the pesky V card to take care of?”

Don’t blush, don’t blush. If you give Sam an inch, she’ll take a mile. “I really don’t think Brad would be the one to help me with that.” I twirl a curl of my hair around my finger and shift awkwardly.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to have some experience before you left for college? It’s our senior year, girlie. Not much time left.” Sam never lets me get by with much. She knows me too well. There should be a bestie code where nighttime confessions after two cartons of ice cream can’t be held against you.

She pulls me to the side when some of the other kids jostle her in order to get into the room. “This could be your chance Ronnie. Maybe get some experience under your belt before all the hotties in college start stalking you.”

“Um, yeah, I don’t think so. Besides, you know I’m not the kind of girl who could just fool around with someone without catching feelings and I’m pretty sure Brad isn’t the serious type.” I can’t help but blush again. I’m a romantic. Part of me wishes I weren’t. I know real life is not like the pages of a romance novel, but I can’t help it. My parents had a great romance before my mom died and I want that too. The way my dad talks about her…I can still see the absolute adoration in his eyes. I want that.

I can’t help but picture Brad’s cousin, Sawyer, again. His looks would make for a great hero in a romance novel. That dark hair, and those brooding brown eyes that crinkled just a bit in the corner when he smirked at me. Unfortunately, from what Sam told me later, he did not have the same values as the heroes in my books.

“You could think of it this way. You’re going with the popular people into their territory. You can see how they live in their natural habitat and bring a report back to little ole’ me. I may never get to see how the other half lives. You want to be a writer. Think of it as a way to add to the cast of characters in your future books.” For some reason, Sam has a fascination with all of the popular people. She rarely cares what others think, but around the ‘in’ crowd, even she tries to fit in. I don’t get it, but I guess that’s high school. Everyone’s just trying to get through these years without being scarred for life.

“You’re too much. Sam. We better get to class. Like I told Brad, I’ll think about it. You’ll be the first to know what I decide.” I give her arm a squeeze and turn around to go to my own class. I hear my dad’s booming voice and can’t help but stop and look back.

“Samantha Washington, stop right there. What are you wearing?” Sam catches my eye and winks. I wink back at her and giggle. That girl is impossible.

Chapter Four

I’m not an idiot. I know that life isn’t a fairy tale with a happy ending, but does that mean that the whole journey has to be like the movie Mean Girls? -Ronnie

Ronnie

So, you probably guessed it; my curiosity got the better of me. Despite every instinct telling me not to go, that teenage part of myself that really suffers from FOMO made me ignore my good sense and go to Brad’s cabin. Since starting Riverton Prep last year, the in crowd has consistently ignored me as if I have the plague. I actually don’t mind. As the principal’s daughter, I kind of expect to be excluded from parties and the gossip. Also, besides my friendship with Sam, I rarely keep my nose out of a book long enough to have time for it.

There’s nothing better than words on a page. I can travel anywhere I want, be anyone I want, and fall in love with any of my favorite heroes. I don’t have to fumble with words, or try to be a well-mannered southern lady like my mom always wanted me to be. I don’t have to feign interest in sports or hold some teenage boy’s sweaty hand. Sam tells me I need to try and really live life, instead of hiding in books. Real life and real guys make my armpits sweat and my head swim.

I take a deep breath in and out. This should be fun, right? Some good underage drinking and partying. Hooray! I suppose I do need to get out and experience life before I graduate. I love my romance novels. Good book boyfriends are better than any real guy, but I should probably to talk to more real live guys at some point.

My mom gave me many lectures on living life to its fullest when she was alive. She wanted me to have lots of friends and be the life of the party. Sometimes, my preoccupation with books was hard for her. She could never understand wanting to hide in my room when I could be out in the world with real people. She was a Southern beauty queen with a penchant for talking to anyone and everyone. We could not be more different. So, in honor of her I will try to do my best this weekend. I’ll just go with the flow. Inwardly, I sigh. That does not sound like me at all.

The ride up to Brad’s family cabin takes forever. I’m forced to ride with the girls, since the guys came up earlier in the day. The girls, or I should say most of the cheerleaders that attend my school, barely acknowledge my presence. That’s okay, because I really don’t know how to talk to them. I read a book on my phone while their conversation swirls around me. Occasionally, I peek outside to see the scenery change from the buildings of the city to the trees and hills that dot this part of North Georgia. Fall is coming, and the changing colors of the leaves make me sigh in awe at the beauty of it.

I tune in every so often to what the girls are saying. There seems to be a lot of talk about fashion and guys. I haven’t heard anything else. I start to listen more intently though when I hear them mention a familiar name.

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