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I can’t be this obsessed with her already. I mean, I haven’t spoken one word to her. I don’t even know her name. And yet, every muscle in my body tenses, my heart thundering in my chest as I take her in.
She must be a transfer student. She seems a little too old to be a freshman, and I feel like I would have seen her around last year if she had been. There’s no missing those curves, her brilliant green eyes, and the shy, teasing smile she’s giving me. Besides, Sequoia University isn’t very big. Everyone kind of knows everyone.
And I’m going to knowher.
I take a deep breath before I head her way. It feels like I’m heading toward my future. That thought should freak me out, but instead, it only has my pace picking up. I only have one speed, after all; fast.
TWO
Locklyn
“What do you think?”Elodie asks me.
She’s screaming to be heard over the music and cheers of the crowd, and I lean toward her before I answer.
“It’s a lot busier than I thought it would be!” I call back. She nods.
“It’s a small town. I think this is the only thing to do around here,” Malia answers.
She probably has a point. Sequoia University is a small campus located in an even smaller town. There’s really only one main street where everything is located, which makes finding your way around town easy but can also make for some boring times.
I don’t mind the change of pace. Growing up in New York City, especially with my social-climbing parents, was one endless parade of social obligations and traffic. So far, I love the small-town vibe. I’ll take boring and content over stressed and miserable any day of the week.
I only just arrived in Sequoia for college a week ago. I lucked out and met Malia and Elodie on a roommate posting. Malia was supposed to be rooming with her old friend, Gwen, but she’s been staying with her boyfriend or boss or something over at the Stud Farm.
Malia has been here the longest out of the three of us. Elodie and I are transplants, but Malia has already been here for a semester over the summer. She’s also from Los Angeles so she’s more familiar with the area than Elodie and I.
I look around the crowd as the first race finishes and my eyes feel like they’re going to burst out of my head. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when Malia invited us to the race. The three of us stick out like sore thumbs here. Most of the girls are walking around in cutoff shorts that are basically just underwear. One girl walks past in a string bikini, and I frown.
“Is there a pool or something around here?” I ask Malia. She laughs and shakes her head, her red hair swishing around her shoulders.
“Nope.”
I look down at my jean shorts, a pair that ends mid-thigh, and my plain green tank top. I knew that it was going to be hot, which is why I picked this outfit, but I’m still wildly overdressed compared to the others.
Malia and Elodie are both wearing similar outfits, and I wonder if they feel out of place here surrounded by all of these half naked people. Probably not. Why would they? Both women are effortlessly gorgeous and wear their curves with such grace. Me on the other hand? Not so much.
The dark gray Mustang crosses the finish line almost a whole car's length in front of the other driver, and I cheer along with everyone else as the engine rumbles back to where the cars are parked.
I don’t know what it is that makes me look as the driver climbs out from behind the wheel, but when I do, the air drains from my lungs. I can hardly breathe as I take in his tall, muscular frame.
The man’s smile is the first thing I notice. It spreads across his face in a genuine look of contentment. Something about it just seems so… free. Like he’s fully at peace. I’ve seen a lot of fake smiles in my life, but his isn’t that.
I can’t make out the color of his eyes from here but they look dark. His skin is tan like he spends a lot of time outside, and I take an involuntary step closer to him. He’s slender but with an athletic build, tall and packed with lean muscle. His dark brown hair glistens in the low lights of the other cars’ headlights, and when a lock falls across his forehead, I have the strongest urge to brush it away for him.
He glances over at me, and I gasp as his dark eyes meet mine. The man pauses, and I wonder if he’s grossed about me ogling him, or if maybe… maybe he’s half as attracted to me as I am to him.
When he grins, I know I have my answer.
Holy hell. Is this really happening? What do I do? How do I flirt? Mayday!
I can feel the blush staining my cheeks, but I smile back at him, giving him a small wave as he heads my way. My palms start to sweat, and I turn to Malia and Elodie, wondering if they have any advice on what the hell I should do now. They’re both busy talking and looking toward the cars that are lining up for the next race.
I turn back to where the guy was, but he’s not there anymore. The crowd has moved and I wonder if he found someone else. That makes sense. He’s way out of my league, and likely far more experienced than me. It’s not hard, since I’ve had zero dates, boyfriends, or kisses to speak of. I try not to be too disappointed as I turn back to my friends.
“Whoa!” I squeak when I turn around and almost run right into someone’s chest.
I look up… and then up a little more.
