Page 1 of This Memory (Moose Village #3)

Brystol

Senior Year, High School

One of the things I loved about being a senior was getting to work in the office for my free period.

What made it even better was the hottest guy in school, Gavin Quinn, also worked in the office at the same time.

He was incredibly sweet and kind to everyone, including me, the shy girl who loved math and history.

I’d been in love with him since kindergarten.

Well, it seemed like it had been that long.

The only problem? I wasn’t the only one lusting after him.

It seemed like every girl in school was in love with Gavin.

He was tall and had a fit, athletic body.

His brown hair was mostly short, but he always wore it a bit longer on the top.

His boyish face was handsome, and when he smiled at you, Lord, the heavens opened and angels sang.

And those brown eyes of his weren’t a typical brown.

They were chestnut in color, with sunbursts around his pupils.

At least, that was the only way I knew how to describe them.

My head popped up when I heard the door to the principal’s office open. “Brystol? Gavin? Could you both please come into my office?”

Gavin, who’d been reading a book since we didn’t have anything to do, looked up and smiled at Mrs. Larson, the school principal.

I set my own book to the side and started for the office. Gavin waited and motioned for me to go in first. My cheeks heated and I whispered, “Thank you.”

He winked and replied, “Ladies first.”

If there was one thing everyone knew about Gavin, it was that he was an endless flirt.

He flirted with everyone, including the teachers.

So when he flirted with me, I didn’t think anything of it.

But sometimes I would look up and catch him watching me.

He’d smile, and my heart would trip over itself.

His smile did things to me I really didn’t want to admit.

Mrs. Larson pointed to a table in her office. “I need you to assemble these handouts and staple them. They’re lined up in the order I want them. Once you have them stapled together, put them in this basket here.”

“Easy-peasy,” Gavin stated, as he pulled a chair out and sat down. I followed his lead.

“I have to go observe a teacher, so I’ll keep the door open. If you need anything, just ask Mrs. Reynolds.”

“Will do,” I said, as I started to make the packets.

We worked in silence for a bit before Gavin spoke. “What are your plans for tonight?”

Glancing up, I tried to act normal. I hated how I was so awkward when it came to Gavin Quinn.

“I’m going to see a reshowing of Roman Holiday .”

He frowned. “Is it an old film?”

I smiled. “Yes, it first came out in 1953. It was my grandmother’s favorite movie. I remember watching it with her when I was little. Anyway, they’re showing it at the theater all weekend. ”

“Are you going with Aurora?”

Aurora Banks was my best friend. We did everything together. Like Gavin, she was more popular than me. A cheerleader, she often tried to talk me into trying out for the squad. The idea of performing in front of the whole school freaked me out, so I never tried.

“No, she’ll be out of town with her family this weekend.”

“Who are you going with then?”

I shrugged. “Just me.”

Gavin searched my face and looked down at the papers once again. He cleared his throat. “I could go with you. Maybe pick you up or meet you there.”

I blinked at him a few times. “You?”

He laughed. “Yeah, is there something wrong with me?”

“No!” I said quickly, before clearing my throat and speaking more casually. “No, but…why would you want to see an old movie with me , of all people?”

Gavin’s brows drew in. “What do you mean, you of all people?”

I shrugged. “It’s just, you’re so popular and, well…I’m not.”

“So? That doesn’t mean we can’t hang out together. Besides, I’d like to get to know you better.”

I smiled as I bit down on my lower lip. I knew Gavin was probably just being friendly.

But a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder if it was more.

Could he really be interested in a girl like me?

I was pretty—not beautiful—like some of the girls he’d gone out with, but I liked my button nose, blue eyes, and long, wavy blond hair.

My body was in decent shape since I ran nearly every day.

I wore glasses and almost always kept my long hair pulled up.

Although, I couldn’t wait to get contacts so I could ditch the glasses .

“Tell me what the movie is about.”

Getting back to work on the papers, I replied, “Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are in it. It’s based in Rome, and she’s a princess in hiding. Gregory Peck plays a journalist. My grandmother used to say it was the best romance story ever.”

His brows lifted. “Well then, I have to see it now. Do you have a ticket already?”

Nodding, I said, “I actually have two because Aurora was initially going to go with me before her family made plans.”

A wide grin appeared on his face. “Perfect. I’ll buy the snacks; you provide the ticket.”

My stomach swooped at the idea of going to a movie with Gavin. “Okay. Do you want to meet there? The movie starts at seven.”

“Sounds like a date.”

“A date?” I echoed, before I could think better of it.

Gavin winked again. “A date.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “Okay, a date it is.”

“So, until then…tell me about yourself. We’ve been going to school together since our elementary days, and I still don’t know much about you.”

“There isn’t much to know. I like to read, and math and history are my favorite subjects. I plan on going to college for business management, and one day, I hope to take over the toy shop my mother runs.”

“Your grandfather opened it, didn’t he?”

I smiled. “Yes, he was always a big kid at heart, so it wasn’t surprising he decided to open a toy store. I work there some weekends and during the summer. ”

“So you want to run the toy store, huh?”

“That’s the plan,” I said as I stapled another packet. “What about you? What are your plans after college.”

He shrugged. “My mother wants me to go to college, but I think I’ll become a New York state police officer, or maybe a Moose Village officer.”

My eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yeah, my dad’s a cop, his dad is a cop, and his dad before him was a cop. My older brother James is already a cop here in Moose Village.”

“What does your mother want you to go to college for? Degree-wise, I mean?”

He laughed, but there wasn’t an ounce of humor in it. “She thinks I would make a great doctor, or maybe a lawyer. I barely get by with my current grades; I can’t even imagine going to medical school. I have no desire to do anything but be in law enforcement.”

“Then you should go into law. Or if you want a degree, you could do criminal justice.”

He sighed. “You have more confidence in me than I do, Bry.”

The use of the nickname both surprised and thrilled me. “I think you’re smart, even if you pretend you’re not.”

He looked up at me, and our eyes met. Something arced between us, but I couldn’t grasp the significance of what it was at the time, a connection I couldn’t explain. A slow, sexy-as-all-get-out smile appeared on his handsome face.

“You don’t miss a thing, do you, Brystol Duggan?”

“I guess not. Why pretend not to be as smart as you are?”

He shrugged. “The guys would tease me relentlessly if they thought I was book smart. ”

“So? Maybe for a few days or weeks, but then they’d get over it. There isn’t anything wrong with being smart and athletic.”

He shook his head and went back to work on the packets. Shortly after, the bell rang, and we both stood.

I started to walk off, but Gavin reached for my hand, bringing me to a stop. “I’ll see you at seven at the movie theater later?”

Trying to ignore the rush of butterflies in my stomach, I nodded. “See you then.”

Aurora and I walked side by side down the hall as I told her about my conversation with Gavin and how he wanted to meet me at the movies tonight.

“I don’t know why you’re so surprised; you’re beautiful, Brystol.”

I waved her off. “I’m plain.”

She laughed. “Hardly. You think your glasses make you look geeky, but it’s the opposite.”

We reached our lockers, and I heard Gavin’s voice. His locker was right around the corner from mine and Aurora’s.

“Speaking of.” She giggled, and I hit her arm and told her to be quiet.

“What do you mean, you’re not coming tonight?” someone asked, though I couldn’t tell who it was.

“I have plans tonight,” Gavin said.

Someone else laughed. “Dude, you’re not serious? I thought you were screwing around with me.”

“Wait, serious about what?” Lucas Walker asked .

“Nothing,” Gavin said. “It’s nothing.”

The first guy spoke again. “Our Gavin here is going out with Brystol Duggan tonight.”

Aurora reached for my hand as I held my breath. They were teasing Gavin about meeting me at the movies. I looked at Aurora, waiting for Gavin to come to my defense any moment now.

“Dude, a charity date with that nerd?” Lucas scoffed.

“She’s not a nerd,” Gavin said.

Aurora smiled at me, and I smiled back.

“Dude, why not go out with Aurora instead? She’s hot as hell!”

My smile faded, along with Aurora’s.

“Are you so hard up for sex you have to go after the class nerd?” Lucas asked, as the other guys laughed. I strained to hear Gavin’s reply.

“I can get sex anytime I want, thank you very much.”

Aurora shook her head as she leaned in. “He’s all talk.”

“Like last weekend? Didn’t you fuck that hot cheerleader from Lake Placid?”

“Shut up, I did not,” Gavin replied, as the rest of the group laughed again.

“You’re not gonna get shit from Miss Goody-Two-Shoes,” one of the guys said.

“Come on,” Aurora whispered, “let’s go.”

I shook my head and stayed rooted in place. I had to hear Gavin’s response.

“Trust me, if I wanted to get into Brystol’s pants, I could,” Gavin stated.

His response made me feel sick. I placed a hand over my stomach.

“Then why go to the movies with her?” Lucas asked .

“Like I said, it’s nothing,” Gavin replied. “I felt sorry for her, that’s all. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“So it is a charity date. You’re a better person than me, I’ll tell you that.

No way would I go out with that girl. She’s pretty, I’ll give her that, but she’s boring as hell, doesn’t utter a word unless it’s to answer a question in class, and I bet if you did fuck her, she’d just lie there like a frickin’ log. ”

A couple guys laughed, and I peeked carefully around the corner where I saw Gavin smirking.

I turned and quickly walked away.

Aurora caught up and wrapped her arm in mine. “Ignore them, Bry. They’re just a bunch of assholes.”

I wiped the tear from my cheek and nodded. As we were making our way out to my car in the school parking lot, I stopped and faced Aurora. “I can’t meet him there tonight. I can’t .”

She took both of my hands in hers. “I’m going to tell my mom I can’t go this weekend.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. Go with your family. I’ll be okay.”

“It’s not fine . You’re my best friend, and you need me. Don’t worry about meeting him. I’ll meet him—and give him a piece of my mind!”

I hugged her and fought the urge to cry but ultimately lost.

Wrapping her arm around my shoulders, Aurora guided me to the car’s passenger side. “I’ll drive.”

As I slipped into the car and wiped my face, I saw Gavin walking out of the school, flanked by four other guys, all football players. They were all laughing, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was still at my expense .

Gavin suddenly looked directly at me in the car. He frowned as I wiped more tears from my face. I turned away and said, “Go, Aurora. Go .”