Honor (Kickstarting My Heart # 1) (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

The Invitation

I scanned the shelf for the right bag of chips before heading toward the mile long check-out line.

"Hey, you can go ahead of me if you want."

I lifted my head at the familiarity of the voice. The guy stood a few feet away, stepping out of line to give me his spot. He wore a devilish smile, dark hair slicked back to give his dark blue eyes a predominate mark against his pale complexion. He was attractive, not as much so as Andy, but he was still the kind of guy you saw in a modeling ad in a magazine.

"Oh, um, thank you." I sputtered, moving with a slight of hesitation in every step. He smiled, lifting the case of beer he was holding on to his shoulder.

"No problem. You're Ariel Thomas right?" I blinked in surprise.

He knew my name?

"Yeah. I'm sorry. . . do I know you?" he laughed.

"No, I knew Brendan. My old high school played him last year. I'm Ryan Dunn." he propped the beer on to his shoulder and outstretched his hand.

"Oh! I think Bren mentioned you! It's nice to finally meet you." I said with an overabundance of enthusiasm. He nodded and groaned as he shifted the case.

"You've got a lot of beer there." I stated the obvious.

Could I embarrass myself any more?

He got the hint and shook his head.

"I'm throwing a party tonight, you should come." I could feel my cheeks flush.

Ryan had been a couple years old than Brendan, hadn't he? Did I even want to go to a college party?

"You could bring your boyfriend too if you want." This made my cheeks grow warmer.

"Oh, I don't have a boyfriend. Andy was Bren's best friend." he raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing a word I said.

"Well, you could have fooled me. I saw the way you looked at him, and you were wearing his jersey. I sense a one sided love here. Unrequited feelings."

I can't believe a freaking stranger knows I have a crush on Andy and Andy himself still has absolutely no idea.

"Yeah, he's kind of dense, I guess. I'm just his best friend's little sister." Or I was. Bren was gone.

"So how about it? Come to my party! Show him what he's missing out

on."

"I'm only sixteen." I whispered.

"Doesn't matter if you stick with me. No one will mess with you."

I knew what he was trying to do, and maybe it was the reason I agreed to go. He was trying to cheer me up, pry me out of my shell.

"Okay. What time is it?" he shrugged.

"Anytime you wanna to show up. Here, let me have your phone." he insisted.

I watched him enter his number into my phone in silence. We checked out, him assuring me he could pay for my midnight snacks, before we walked out of the grocery store together.

"Just call when you get there. I'll show you around and everything." I smiled, nodding. He waved, returning the smile, then spun on his heel and started jogging toward his truck. I stood in front of the store for a minute, taking in what had just happened.

A college guy had been hitting on me, and I had just stood there and acted like a complete idiot.

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