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PART I
18 YEARS AGO
CHAPTER 1
ELLE
"You smell bad, Eleanor. You should take a shower." Cindy Monroe, the captain of the cheerleading team, said with venom in her voice as she pinched her nose.
I hugged school books tightly to my chest and kept my eyes focused on Cindy's designer shoes.
Other girls who stood behind Cindy giggled.
The west-end hallway of Groveton High School was crowded with kids as they slammed locker doors, texting on their phones or hurrying to the lunchroom.
Cindy's boyfriend, Jason Young, a Groveton Tigers football player, suddenly appeared. He was tall with broad shoulders and had blond hair.
Jason flashed a wolfish grin when he grabbed my books, wrenched them out of my arms, and dropped them on the floor.
I knelt to gather my books as my throat burned with embarrassment, and my eyes filled with tears. Then, there was someone else who knelt beside me. I looked up to see Billy Cooper, the most beautiful boy I had ever seen, with dark brown hair that was messy on top, some of it hanging in front of his blue eyes.
He picked up my math and history book and handed it to me. "Are you okay?"
We stood at the same time as I stammered, "Um. Yes."
Billy turned and glared at Jason, and even though he was a few inches shorter and not as built as Jason, Billy had this vibe of dangerous energy.
"Let's go out to the yard so I can kick your ass," Billy growled, his hands clenched into fists.
Jason chuckled, but he looked nervous. He wrapped his arm around Cindy's shoulders and walked away.
"That's what I thought, dumbass," Billy said, then turned to me. "If that jockstrap messes with you again, kick him in the nuts, okay?"
I giggled, hugging my books, but I couldn't speak. So I just nodded.
My heart thudded hard when he smiled, and I swallowed the lump in my throat.
I pushed the glasses up the bridge of my nose while I watched Billy walk away.
God, he had such a nice butt!
As he walked toward the heavy double doors that led outside to the courtyard.
I lowered my head to smell my armpit.
I showered that morning, brushed my teeth, and put on deodorant.
I didn't stink. But Cindy Monroe sure did.
It was lunchtime, and I usually sat in the cafeteria and ate lunch with the only two girls I called my friends, Sarah and Hailey.
But not that day.
"What the hell. Here goes." I whispered to myself, took a deep breath in, and exhaled. Then, I followed Billy outside to the courtyard.
It was October and chilly outside, and I shivered. I smelled cigarette smoke in the crisp air while all the boys and girls stared at me. It was a brief moment of discomfort because of my shyness before they turned away and talked amongst themselves.
I spotted Billy sitting at one of the picnic tables with his then-current girlfriend, Sadie. Hendrix Stone, Billy's best friend, stood close by, smoking a cigarette and texting on his Blackberry.
