|Book 1|
Andorra keeps her head down, but that doesn't stop the new guy at school from noticing her. There is something dark and sinister about him, but that only draws her closer. The only thing keeping them apart is their hatred for each other and...
Right at 7:40, Kyle was knocking on the door. Of course, Andorra's dad decided he would answer the door and try to integrate Kyle, but of course, the blonde was delightful as always. He was pleasant and charming and everything that Andorra knew a boyfriend should be.
When he saw her, it was like time had stopped. His eyes had grown wide, his lips had parted in surprise, and there was something else, something dark in his gaze that made her stomach clench in nerves.
She was sure her cheeks were as red as her dress when she met his gaze, and she struggled for a moment to even breathe. He was looking at her with a look that hard to decipher, a look that told her she was the only girl on the planet at that very moment.
"Andorra... you look stunning." She heard a hint of disbelief in his voice, like he wasn't sure she was actually standing in front of him.
She smiled at him as she approached, her movements confident in her living room. "So do you. Are you excited? I'm not so sure I am."
Kyle let out a laugh at her apprehension, because of course she was worried about the dance. Andorra was worried about everything that involved being social. He watched as she looked over her shoulder at her parents, her smile wide and reassuring.
She caught sight then of her aunt Ruth and Paul, and her mood suddenly plummeted. Of course, she knew they had been there all along, but seeing them reminded her of how much they hated her. She pushed that thought away, and turned back to Kyle.
His gaze was behind her, though, and his face was pinched in a strange way, like he'd eaten something rotten. She opened her mouth to ask, but it was then that she realized who he was looking at. Paul and aunt Ruth... why would he be looking at them like that? As far as she was concerned, Kyle had never met them.
"Kyle?" She asked, her voice tentative. She put a hand on his arm, her touch light but a reminder of her presence. When Kyle looked back at her, his smile was more forced, but he didn't mention anything about her aunt or Paul. Instead, he grabbed her hand and pulled her from her own house, out into the freezing cold. Andorra's bare arms were screaming in shock at the cold, and she immediately wanted to turn back around for a coat.
There was no time. Kyle was already at his car, opening the passenger side door for her. She cast one last look at her house before she got into the car, not seeing any faces in the window, which shocked her. She imagined that at least her mother would have been looking.
Kyle started the car and smiled at her again. "Thank you for letting me be your date, Andorra. You look absolutely radiant."
He was saying that as if he hadn't had the reaction to her aunt in her own house. Andorra wanted to press him for answers, wanted to open him up and find out all of his secrets, but she held her tongue.
Instead, she ducked her head and let the smile come naturally, like it always did when he complimented her.
* * *
Please play the song above right here!! It goes with this part of the story <3
* * *
When they arrived at the dance, she felt like she was going to be sick to her stomach from how nervous she was. This wasn't her - she didn't dress up, she didn't wear makeup, and she certainly didn't go to dances with attractive boys.
When Kyle opened her door, she felt for a moment like she was living someone else's life, because weeks ago, she had been perfectly content living her life the way she always had; alone and independent. But now, as she pressed her hand in Kyle's, she realized everything she'd been missing. She wondered if people would have noticed her if she'd dressed like this at her old school. She wondered if she would have gone to a dance with a cute boy, like she was doing now.
But, the past didn't matter. What mattered was the way Kyle was leading her into the school, the way he squeezed her hand reassuringly when she passed in their tickets, and the way he looked into her eyes, asking her if she was ready.
She was.
She gathered the bottom of her dress, pushing away the nerves, and Kyle opened the gym doors, letting the light from the hallway flood into the darkened room, the music pouring from the gymnasium. Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer was playing as she took a step in, and everyone turned to look at her. Everyone in the gym, everyone who had either ignored or bullied her, turned to watch.
Her skin was glowing like it had been in the store, a brilliant hue that made people blink once, then twice, then three times to make sure it was real. If her hair was real, or if it was golden thread pulled back into the lavish braided bun. If she was real, as she stood there, her skin glowing and her dress flowing around her like it had a life of its own.
She smiled tentatively at Kyle, and took a step inside the gym, letting the doors slowly close behind her. But, she barely noticed as her eyes immediately met Noah's, right as the song belted out
Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift you open hand
Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance silvermoon's sparkling
So kiss me
And in that moment, Andorra swore her heart stopped beating. Even though she was there with Kyle beside her, even though Noah had been with Shaniah earlier that morning when the girl had been bullying her, and even though Noah had never been nice to her, she found herself lost in his eyes. Those ever-changing blue eyes, which were now closer to white as they looked at her.
She didn't know what to say, or what to do, but Kyle fixed that problem. He stood in front of her, breaking her gaze from Noah, and held out his hand. A nervous smile played on his lips as he offered her his hand, hoping she'd dance with him.
She gripped his hand tightly, her own smile nervous as she allowed him to pull her into the dance floor, the music carrying them into a soft sway. He bent down to her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. "You, Andorra, are the most gorgeous girl in this room. I am honored to be your date this evening." She didn't know it then, didn't know what was to happen that very evening, but at that very moment she was convinced this was the best night of her life. If only she hadn't been so naive.
* * *
THE SEQUEL IS ALMOST HERE!
Go check it out on my page and leave a vote on the prologue! I'll be picking a random voter to dedicate my first chapter to!
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GOLDEN will be released January 1, 2021
See you soon ;)
I'm updating early because Frostbitten Past is finally on the charts!!
It's #900 something, but STILL, it finally made it on the charts! Which is pretty hard to do with fantasy books on this site, since there are so many!
I hope you're all enjoying the book so far! I know I am. Next chapter, things are about to take a turn for the worse... hope you're prepared!
