Chapter One
My name is Heaven Roberts. Strange name, I know, but I guess I was sort of a gift or blessing to my parents when I was born or something. Maybe it’s because the doctors told my mother she would never be able to have kids, and BAM, here I come. I think it’s a poetic name, but that’s just me. Well, anyway, I’m seventeen years old, and I’m a Senior at Whittemore Preparatory High School, here in good old Sudbury, Maine. Don’t mention me at school though. They’ll just get confused.
Sudbury is a teeny, tiny town of pure cuteness located next to the seaport. It’s one of those blink-and-it’s-gone sort of town, but tourists think it’s adorable, so therefore the town makes good money. It’s a quiet little town, and not much criminal activity goes on. The last one I remember was when I was in seventh grade and Cody Sanchez broke a bubblegum machine to steal the candy. Yeah, it’s a town like that. Whittemore Prep is located smack dab in the middle of this tidy little town. It’s sophistication matches the students going there, who all appear to be clean and polite. In that case, we won’t mention the house parties, occasional illicit drug use, and Stuff a Freshman in A Locker Day. Although, that only applies to the Senior football team.
So, what you all need to know is that at this school, I am a nobody. I go to school, eat my lunch, study for my tests, and go home with hardly a word. I have all of one friend, Brady Coughlin, and other than that I am invisible.
Actually, I guess I’m not completely invisible.
I was sitting in the library, finishing a paper for my anthropology class and fantasizing about Collin Michaelson when someone sat down next to me. I peeked over and nearly died. Collin Michaelson grinned at me and tossed his hair out of his eyes. Someone so sinfully delicious should really just be homeschooled.
“Hey, uh, you’ve got a little…” He gestured to the corner of his perfect mouth. Oh my God. Was I seriously drooling? I hastily wiped my mouth and let out a nervous laugh.
“Thanks,” I muttered, turning back to my paper. I was extremely aware of him watching me. Why was he watching me? Wasn’t he breaking some sort of football captain code of conduct by socializing with the invisible, nerdy bookworm?
“Heaven, right?” I looked over at him when he spoke, but quickly looked away before I started to drool again. He totally wasn’t talking to me right now. I was clearly having some sort of orgasmic hallucination.
“That’s my name,” I said, staring at the computer screen and typing things I no longer cared about. “How can I help you?” Okay, Heaven, I said to myself. Shut up. You’re making yourself look like a complete idiot. From the corner of my eye I could see him grin. Damn he has a cute smile, I thought lustfully.
“I want you to go out with me,” He replied seriously. My image of him shirtless fresh out of the shower disappeared as my jaw dropped in shock. I kind of stared at him like a brainless moron before I finally burst out laughing. Collin appeared to be confused.
“Is something funny…?”
“All right, honey,” I laughed. “Who put you up to it?” I looked around the library. “Where’s the camera?”
Collin continued to look confused.
“Oh, come on,” I snorted. “Stop playing stupid. Seriously, who put you up to it? I’m really not in the mood to be humiliated so just spit it out.”
“What are you talking about?”
I sighed. “Someone dared you to do it, right? Thought it’d be funny.” Collin raised an eyebrow. I began to feel like an idiot.
“Actually, no. I’m asking you completely independently. You’re cute. And funny. And I like your style.” Now I really felt like an idiot. My face burned. He was serious. Collin Michaelson was asking me to go out with him. I laughed nervously again.
“Well, this is awkward. Wow. Um. Yeah. Sure?”
“You sound uncertain.”
“No, no. It’s just…well it’s you. Asking me.” I made is absolutely clear that he was obviously too perfect for me.
“So?” He seemed rather amused.
“So, it’s totally not supposed to happen. We’re on, like, opposite sides of the social food chain. You’re supposed to go with some drop-dead gorgeous cheerleader. Preferably the cheer captain. It’s the way of High School.” Collin laughed and leaned over so he was close to me. I inhaled. He smelled husky and masculine and the scent made my toes curl.
“Can I tell you a secret?” he asked.
“Sure,” I replied, my heart racing.
“I’m not really into cheerleaders,” he whispered. My heart was starting to kind of thud loudly in my chest and I prayed he couldn’t hear the obnoxious sound.
“Oh,” I whispered back. “So what are you into?” He grinned at me.
“Bookworms.”
I stared at him in disbelief. This was so not happening. Yeah, it was definitely an orgasmic hallucination.
“Are you serious right now?” I asked.
“Absolutely,” he replied. “So what do you say? You wanna be my girl or not?”
I couldn’t believe it. Collin Michaelson was asking me, Heaven Roberts, to be his girlfriend. Me, the invisible, dorky, nerdy bookworm. I had to let this sink in, but I didn’t have the time. Collin was waiting for my answer. I smiled at him.
“Absolutely.”
I stood in front of my mirror, scrutinizing my reflection. As I studied myself, I came to the conclusion that I could in fact be classified as pretty. My skin was light, thanks to my mother, and my hair fell in carrot-red curls to the middle of my back. My eyes were big and green, framed by thick eyelashes. Of course I’m not Irish. What a ridiculous notion.
I turned away from my reflection and faced my closet. Collin was taking me to some fancy restaurant at the edge of town by the wharf. It was one of those dressy kind of places and I had no idea what to wear. If I had any specific assets to show off, like boobs or long legs, that would potentially narrow down my search, but I didn’t so I was at a loss. I stared down at my chest. Although, I supposed 34B wasn’t too bad…
I pulled out an emerald green dress that I had worn to a wedding a few years ago and slipped it over my head. The silky fabric swished around my knees as I waltzed back to the mirror. The green contrasted nicely with my skin and my hair, and the sweetheart neckline actually did a thing or two for my cleavage.
“Not bad,” I said to myself, twisting to admire the dress.
“Not bad at all.” I jumped at the sound of the voice coming from the doorway. My best friend Brady was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Brady was actually a bit of a stud with his messy brown hair and chocolate colored eyes. His chest was broad and strong and his arms looked huge crossed the way they were. He pushed himself off the wall. “What’s the occasion?” He crossed the room and sat on my bed. I turned back to the mirror to apply my makeup.
“I have a date,” I said, trying to sound casual as if it wasn’t a huge deal.
He snorted. “You? A date?” I glared at him. “With who?” I cleared my throat and looked away. He was not going to believe me at all.
“Um. Collin Michaelson?” He gaped at me.
“Shut up,” he said. “Collin Michaelson?” He snorted again.
I turned and glared at him again with my hands on my hips.
“Excuse me,” I began angrily. “Is there a problem? Is it, like, completely unbelievable that he asked me out? Am I like, not good enough for him or something?”
“No, no. Not at all.” Brady looked flustered. “It just surprised me, that’s all.” He looked at his feet.
“Sure, sure,” I said, smacking him on the arm. I twirled around in my dress. “So, what do you think?”
Brady studied me for a long time, until I started to feel uncomfortable. He suddenly appeared to be a little gloomy.
“You look beautiful,” he mumbled, looking away. He stood, and without looking at me, headed for the door. “Have fun tonight.” I heard him running down the stairs and raised an eyebrow. Huh. I wonder what his problem was.
The doorbell rang. Oh shit. He was already here? Okay, deep breaths. I grabbed my purse and wrap and hurried down the stairs. Collin was standing in the doorway, having what appeared to be a lovely heart-to-heart with my father, judging by the terrified look on his face and my father’s threatening tone of voice.
“Hey,” I said, breaking the tension. Collin’s face lit up when he saw me and I tried not to look too pleased. I mean seriously, a girl like me should never get a look like that from a guy like him but I did, so naturally I was extremely flattered.
“Hey beautiful,” he replied with a grin. My father shot him a death glare. I sighed. “You ready to go?”
“Yes,” I answered, probably too quickly. Collin grinned again and I blushed. I turned and pecked my father on the cheek. “Bye, Daddy.”
“Have fun, sweetie.” Collin turned to escort me to the car. My father grabbed his arm and stopped him. “Not too much fun,” he ordered in a low voice. “You hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” Collin replied, sounding very nervous. With that, we headed out to the car.
“Don’t mind him,” I soothed as we drove past the shops downtown. “He’s not a psychotic as he seems. He’s really kind of like a playful kitten.” Collin snorted and put an arm over my shoulder. I thought I would burst with happiness. “No, really,” I defended, trying not to show my dorkiness. “I give him a ball of yarn every Christmas.”
“I’m sure you do,” he laughed, pulling into the parking lot. He cut the ignition and walked around the front of the car, shutting my door before I could get out. Before I had a chance to get really confused, he opened the door himself. I laughed.
“Let me be chivalrous, will you?” He took my hand and led me into the restaurant. The restaurant was small and dimly lit. The tables were covered with white table cloths, with a single rose in the middle. Classical music played in the background. “What do you think?”
“It’s very nice,” I said as we were escorted to a table. “Definitely not what I’m used to.” To be honest, I thought it was very cheesy and stereotypical, but I kept that to myself.
“Most guys take you to McDonald’s or something, right?”
I stared at the menu, trying not to blush and failing miserably.
“This is the first date I’ve ever been on,” I muttered into the menu. Collin looked surprised.
“Really? A girl like you has never been on a date?” I blushed at the compliment.
“No,” I said. Collin leaned forward on his elbows.
“Well, then I guess I’ll have to make this one extra special.” The waitress came by to take our orders and I stared at my hands. The growing silence was beginning to get a little awkward.
“You can talk, you know,” Collin teased. I looked up and laughed nervously.
“I know, I just don’t know what to say,” I replied.
“Well, you can start by telling me about yourself.”
“Okay,” I began. “Well, I’m seventeen years old. I was born on October 9th, 1992 in Coventry, Maine, and I’m an only child. My favorite color is purple and I love summer. I’m allergic to bees and cats, I’m arachnophobic, and I love Yodels. My mother is a psychologist and my father is a mortician.”
“Wait a minute,” Collin interrupted. “Your father is a mortician? As in, cuts up bodies and checks out their insides?”
“Yes,” I said with a shrug. “But he’s a playful kitten, remember?”
“I don’t know,” he said with mock worry. “He seems even more psychotic to me now that I’m aware he knows how to wield a scalpel….”
I laughed as the waitress came back with our food. I thanked her and turned back to Collin. “I assure you, he’s perfectly harmless. Even though he could cut you up, remove your liver, and sew you back up like it never happened.” I took a bite of my chicken. “Mmm,” I added. “The chicken is good.” My phone buzzed. It was a text from Brady.
“Who’s that?” Collin asked.
“Just my friend,” I replied, typing back my message. “He wants to know how it’s going.”
“He?” I looked up. Collin’s face changed. It was darker somehow. He looked almost…angry. What was that all about?
“Collin, he’s my best friend. Chill.” He tensed and looked even angrier. I reached out and touched his hand. “It’s fine.” He jerked it away and abruptly stood and grabbed his coat.
“C’mon,” he growled. “We’re leaving.”
Seriously?
“Leaving?” I repeated, grabbing my things. “But we just got here…”
“We’re leaving!” he snapped. I shrank back and followed him out the door. Well, that went well, I thought bleakly to myself as he slammed the car door and sped out of the parking lot. What did I do that was so wrong? Talking to Brady couldn’t have been that bad. I peeked over at Collin, who glowered at the road in front of him. I stared out my window, fighting the urge to cry. Whatever I did, he was mad, and probably didn’t want to see me anymore. At least I dated him for a few hours, I thought miserably. We pulled up in front of my house.
“I’m sorry,” Collin whispered, breaking the tense silence. He turned in his seat to face me. “I acted like a jerk.”
“Yeah, you sort of did,” I agreed darkly, refusing to look at him.
“Please forgive me?” His voice sounded a lot closer. I turned my head to find his face very close to mine. His eyes were so blue and sincere as he brushed his hand against my cheek. I felt my anger dissolving into a puddle of goo.
“Absolutely,” I sighed, and then his lips were on mine. My heart pounded frantically in my chest. His lips were soft and gentle his breath was sweet in my mouth. I felt drunk when he finally pulled away.
“Well,” I breathed. “Okay.” I opened the door and stepped out in to the cool air. Collin walked me to the door.
“I hope you enjoyed yourself, even though I was a jerk.” I smiled.
“I had fun,” I replied. “Thank you.” Before he could say another word, I quickly pecked him on the mouth and dashed inside.
“How was it,” my mother called from the living room. I stopped dead in my tacks, remembering the dark look on Collin’s face.
“It was fun,” I said unconvincingly. My high from Collin’s kiss disappeared.
“You’re home earlier than I thought you would be.”
“Yeah. Something…came up,” I lied. “And we had to go.” I knew she didn’t believe me, but she said no more about it. “Well, I’m off to bed. Night, mom.”
“Night, honey.” I dashed upstairs and threw on pajamas and curled up on my bed. There was something about Collin that made me uneasy. It was the way his face had darkened. It scared me. He had another side to him. A bad side. I didn’t want to bring it out again. I decided to keep this secret to myself. Little did I know how many secrets I would end up keeping in the next few months.
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