Started With A Kiss

Chapter 1

♡ Chapter 1 ♡

I considered book stores my second home. I loved everything there, from the thousands of books to the friendly store assistants that treated me like family. What more could I ask for?    

I was currently browsing through the Adult Fiction section in Barnes and Noble. Today, the huge store was pretty empty since it was one of the warmest days of winter this year. There was just a little snow out there, and most people were outdoors, making the most of the day. 

I, however, was perfectly happy staying indoors in the warmth and comfort of the bookstore. I ran my fingers along the spine of the many books on the shelf, stopping on one that caught my attention. I removed it carefully and turned it over to read the synopsis at the back. 

I loved cheesy, romantic stories, and this one seemed promising. I held it to my chest and started walking to the corner of the store so I could sit down and enjoy the book. Golden blonde hair caught my attention, and I turned to look at a blonde girl. Of course, I was unable to multi-task, and stumbled over flat ground as I tripped over my shoelaces. I caught myself before I fell onto the floor.

"She's such a tall freak," I heard the blonde girl murmur audibly to her redheaded friend. The both of them continued to stare me down as I walked past. Instinctively, I hunched my shoulders, trying to shrink in size. I hated my height. I hated how I was taller than ninety percent of the girls and boys in school; I hated the dirty looks the shorter girls would shoot me, and how they called me a monster behind my back; I hated how boys rarely asked me out because their ego couldn't handle the fact that I was taller than them.

I flipped the book open to the first chapter and started reading it while walking to avoid any other looks that other people were sending me. As I got more and more interested in the book, I lost myself in the romantic storyline between the two lovers, imagining my own fairytale. 

That was, until my right foot got stuck in the corner of a bookshelf, and I fell forward. I shut my eyes instantly, bracing myself for the fall towards the hard ground. I waited for the pain. However, instead of falling on towards the ground, I fell on something - or someone - else. My lips smashed against the person's and our teeth knocked against each other roughly. 

The both of us fell to the ground in a heap. I got up quickly, groaning quietly to myself. Other than the throbbing pain in my lips, I wasn't hurt. However, this was extremely embarrassing; I wanted to curl up into a ball to avoid the embarrassment. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. 

I opened my eyes reluctantly, and turned to the stranger, praying that he wasn't an old, disgusting pervert or someone from my school, or this would mark the end of my entire life.

After a moment, the stranger let out a soft groan. I rushed over and offered my hand to pull him up. He grabbed it and with some force, I managed to pull him onto his feet. When he dusted his jeans and stood up straight, my eyes widened. 

This stranger was taller than me. Two and a half inches taller than me, to be precise. I could look at his face without having to crane my neck downward - which brought me to another point. 

He was incredibly good-looking. His dark brown hair was slightly shaggy and covered his eyebrows. His cheekbones were high and well defined, a feature that was a complete turn on. And of course, he had the brightest blue eyes I'd ever seen. They were a dazzling electric blue color.