AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So, what’s your story?” he asks as I pop another piece of bread into my mouth, finally starting to relax a little.
I finish chewing before answering. “No story. At least not an interesting one.”
“How did you end up at Parkview?” He picks up his plastic spoon and jabs it into his cup of yogurt.
“My mom remarried.”
“Where did you go to school before?”
“Bristol.” I take a long pull of water.
“No shit? I have a friend that goes to Bristol. Sarah Jennings. Do you know her?” The sound of the familiar name sends a warm sensation through my limbs, bringing back a small piece of home.
“Sarah Jennings is one of my closest friends.” The smile on my face is completely unforced for the first time all day. “How do you know her?”
“We dated over the summer a couple of years ago. It didn’t work out, but we’ve stayed in touch.”
“Wait.” I hold up my hand, starting to piece together the puzzle. “You’re the Charles? The one she met at the fair the summer between freshman and sophomore year?” Sarah talked about this guy all summer—though she never called him Pierce that I can remember. She hyped him up to the point that Savannah, Jane, and I had started to believe she had made him up. No guy was that perfect. Our suspicions only grew when they conveniently broke up right before school started and not a single person ever met him.
“The one and only,” he boasts.
I immediately make a mental note that I need to call Sarah and apologize for giving her crap about this guy all those years ago.
“I’m not going to lie to you, we all thought she made you up,” I admit. “You know, she still has that stupid stuffed turtle you won her on the balloon dart game,” I tell him, laughter dancing around my words. I purposely leave out the fact that up until today, I believed she had won it herself or conned one of the workers into giving it to her for free. Sarah has a way of getting what she wants.
“I know, she makes me say hi to the damn thing every time we FaceTime.” He chuckles.
“What a small world.”
“That it is,” he agrees. “Wait, so if you went to Bristol….” he trails off. It’s now his turn to put the pieces together. “Are you Oliver’s new stepsister?”
“The one and only,” I repeat his words back to him. “Though if you’ve heard of me, that can’t be a good thing.”
“I heard whisperings that his dad remarried and that he had a new stepsister. I just didn’t realize you were the same age as him. I was envisioning some cute little girl with pink cheeks and pigtails.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” I tease.
“Oh honey, I’m not even a little disappointed.” He makes a spectacle of checking me out. While normally I would feel a little put off by his forwardness, there’s something so comical and endearing about the way he looks at me that makes me want to laugh rather than wrap my arms around myself to shield my body from his wandering eyes.
“Do you think you could hook me up with your brother? I mean, I’ve been on a girl kick recently, but I’m feeling like it’s time to switch things up.” He winks playfully at me.
“One, he’s not my brother. And two, I’m pretty sure you’d have more luck than I would, considering the guy hates my guts.” My brow furrows. “Besides, I don’t think he swings for your team.”
“Damn shame, too.” He grins, and I realize that he’s trying to lighten the mood.
I’m really liking this guy already. My heart warms at the thought. I think I might have just found my first friend.
“Nah, you’re too good for him. He’s a narcissistic asshole. Trust me, stay as far away from that one as you can.”
“I don’t have a death sentence,” he jokes. “But he sure is pretty to look at.”
“I guess if you like the pretty boy type.” I shrug, realizing Pierce is also what I would consider a pretty boy.
“What’s wrong with a pretty boy?” He arches a brow and gestures to himself.
“I just meant….” I stutter out.
“Relax, Rylee.” He laughs. “I’m only messing with you. And don’t worry. I know exactly who Oliver Conley is, and other than appreciating his good looks, I know to stay far, far away. His group is not too accepting of my lifestyle.”
