Page 3

For lunch Amelia and I grabbed our trays and ate outside.

It was a beautiful day, and the warmth of the sun did wonders to calm me.

Amelia told me about her summer. She traveled to Kansas for a month to spend time with her grandparents and spent the rest of the summer working at a nearby coffee shop.

She pressed me for more information about my summer, and why I never responded to her texts.

I didn't tell her much other than that I wanted a break from people and social media.

My 6th period class was Anatomy and Physiology while Amelia had Statistics.

Her classroom was in the same hall as mine so we walked there together.

When I got to my classroom, she gave me a goodbye hug and left.

On my way in I greeted the teacher and chose to sit at a desk toward the back of the class.

The tables were set up in pairs, so I put my bookbag in the seat next to mine hoping no one would choose to sit there.

I put my head down on the desk and waited for the bell to ring.

Suddenly I felt a presence beside me and heard my book bag being moved to the ground.

When I looked up I saw him standing beside me.

Dominic. He was not the little boy he was back in 7th grade anymore.

He almost doubled in size. All lean muscle and sharp features.

His olive skin glistened with sweat and he wore a black shirt and gray sweatpants.

I immediately looked away and focused on my notebook in front of me.

Goosebumps rose on my skin and I could feel my face flush red.

I could not deny his attractiveness. Dominic's icy blue eyes bore into me as he took the seat next to mine, his scent filling my nostrils with a mix of pine and rain.

The teacher began the lesson, but I could barely concentrate with him so close.

I tried to take notes from the powerpoint, and I stole glances at him when I thought he wouldn't notice. He seemed to exude power and danger. His presence made my heart race with a mix of fear and an unfamiliar longing. Why did he have to come back now, after all these years?

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class, Dominic turned to me. "Elaine," his voice was deeper, rougher than I remembered. "We need to talk."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "About what?" My voice came out barely above a whisper.

"About us," he replied simply, his gaze unwavering. "Meet me after school." And with that, he stood up and left.

I had absolutely no clue what he meant, and I spent all of 7th period thinking about it.

What did he mean by "us"? Was he just referring to the biting incident, or something else?

He also never gave me a meeting time or location.

Dominic probably planned to text me the details, so my powered off phone would be a great excuse as to why I never showed up.

I was thinking about running to my car after this class and leaving before anyone could spot me.

I waited anxiously for class to end with my packed up bag on my shoulders.

When I heard the bell I rushed out of the classroom heading towards the closest exit.

I probably looked strange sprinting around people in the hallways, but I did not care as long as I left before Dominic realized I had no intention of meeting with him.

Once I exited the school building, I broke out in a full on run into the parking lot. I piled into my old red Silverado, and tried to crank it. The engine started to roll over but it would not start.

"Come on! Not now you stupid thing!" I cursed as it still refused to start. "I changed my mind, you are a beautiful truck. Now please start." I whispered.

The engine finally fired, and I fled the school grounds.