Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel Bella Emy (best ebook reader for laptop .TXT) 📖

“Thanks. My mom has been drilling it into my head since I’ve been a little girl, but I know why she did.” Sure, that’s the truth, but I wonder all the time if this is really my dream or more so hers. Before she started talking to me about Stanford, what did I want to do with my life? I don’t even remember anymore.

I catch him nodding from my peripheral. “She wants nothing but the best for her little girl.”

“Yes.”

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” he asks.

We stop at a corner and wait for the light to change to red before crossing.

I face him as we wait to cross the street. “No, it’s just me. How about you?”

He smiles. Can you say perfect? “Same… it’s just me as well.”

The light changes color and we walk again. We’re now just a few short blocks from my house, but I really wish I could have more time with him.

Wait, Lexi. What are you saying? What happened to stashing your feelings or whatever this is away? You can’t possibly fall for this guy.

I honestly don’t even know why I thought for just the slightest second that I actually had a chance with him. He’s gorgeous. Literally, hot. Once he steps foot at Tranquility Creek High, the girls are going to eat him alive. They’re going to be like vultures feasting on carrion.

“Well, this is me,” I say when we finally reach my house.

We turn to face one another, standing at the entrance of my walkway.

“This is you,” he smiles.

I grin nervously, not knowing what else to add. He looks at me, searching my eyes for something, but I’m not sure what.

“Hey, Lexi… I was wondering if I could see you again tomorrow night? Maybe hang out by the creek for a while, just the two of us?”

Well, I wasn’t expecting that at all. I’m honestly confused. He wants to see me again tomorrow, but he was ready to say good night to me so suddenly tonight? Something is not adding up. Maybe he has other plans or something he needs to attend to tonight. Maybe he has to be up early for work tomorrow. I don’t know what to think. One minute it feels like he likes me, and the next, it doesn’t. But how can anyone like someone after just meeting them a few hours ago? If anything, he probably just thinks I’m pretty. It can’t be anything more.

Because feeling anything else for someone so quickly would be unreasonable.

Because feeling anything more for a person you just met would be impossible.

As much as I want to say yes and see him again tomorrow, I can’t. I know me. I know how I am. I will probably end up falling for him, falling for him hard, just to wind up getting hurt in the end.

And I don’t want a broken heart.

I’ve never been in love before, but I’ve read enough romance novels and seen enough romance movies to know it’s not something I want to put my heart through. I don’t think I’d survive.

But he’s so tempting though.

The look in his green eyes…

The way his lips move when he says my name…

The sound of his voice…

It’s all so captivating.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I can’t tomorrow. It’s Sunday, and that’s typically family day.”

Well, it’s not a total lie. Sundays were always spent with the family, my mom insisted on them since way back when. But honestly, lately everyone has been doing their own thing. Dad’s been nose deep in work, locked away in his office, while mom does her gardening or other things on her own. Lately it hasn’t been what it used to be.

He smirks, and instantly, I know he knows I’m full of shit. Sort of.

Something in his eyes tells me he’s not ready to throw in the towel, though.

He brings a hand up behind his neck and massages it. Yeah, he’s definitely nervous and about to call me on my shit, I can feel it.

“Okay. Not a problem. I totally understand family time. I’ll see you around, Lexi, and I’m looking forward to it.”

He spins around, leaving me frozen, not knowing what to say, and strides away.

And just before he’s too far away for me to hear, he turns around and adds, “But I’m not giving up, beautiful girl.”

I’m stunned, shaken to the core. I watch him take slow steps and round the corner. Once he’s gone from sight, and I get my senses back, I shake my head and carefully sneak back inside.

Chapter Seven

“What the hell?” I sit up straight in bed as a loud boom wakes me from my slumber. My room is dark with only a sliver of moonlight coming in through the crack of the window. The sheer white curtains sway as a gentle late summer wind blows. I remember going to bed with the window purposely cracked so that Erin would be able to sneak in later.

The sound of her laughter suddenly makes me realize what the noise that woke me up was. I turn my head to the left reading the time on my clock. Just past 2 a.m. I shake my head, flip on the switch to my nightlight, and look over the edge of the bed. There, on the middle of the floor, is my best friend covering her mouth, giggling.

“Erin! Did you just get in?” I eye her as she struggles to stand. “Have you been drinking?”

“Girl, no!” she announces, finally getting the hang of how her feet are supposed to work. She plops on my bed and leans all the way back with the biggest smile on her face.

I giggle. “What is going on with you? I’m guessing you had a good night?”

Erin spins around so that she’s now lying on her belly. “Oh, my God, Lexi! Jason is amazing! So much so that I even think my parents would like him.”

I raise an eyebrow. Catherine and Jackson Cole, or as I call them, Mr. and Mrs. Cole, only want