CHAPTER 1 BLACKRIDGE HIGH
LILA
I had moved to Blackridge because of Caleb.
For Caleb.
Not because of the snow. Not for the school that was the best in the state. Definitely not for the snobbish wealthy kids who appeared to have been lifted straight out of a ski resort catalog.
Just Caleb.
For him.
That's what you do for love, right?
After my mother remarried and moved me three states away, we were forced to live apart and had been together since middle school. We managed to make it work for two years through late-night phone calls, unexpected visits and constant texting. His love was my first.
One and only love— those kinds of love found only in novels and movies— thus our happy ending was to transfer to Blackridge High in the middle of the semester. I ought to have known better.
But I was in love and couldn't wait to see him and give him what I had been saving since I got into high school.
My virginity.
Our one-week anniversary of finally living in the same zip code again was set for Friday.
That morning, I had taken his favorite hoodie from his gym locker to surprise him and I was wearing the strawberry-scented lip gloss he said he liked. The door of the changing room was ajar and I was rehearsing in my head how I would jump on him.
Then, I heard laughter. I grinned at first. I assumed he was talking on the phone or making jokes with his hockey friends. Then I heard her chuckle.
Wait!
Madison. The girl who had shown me such warmth and hospitality on my first day.
Telling me that Caleb was fortunate to have me and we would make a lovely couple when we get to college.
The person who smiled too broadly and gave me an overly tight hug, almost breaking my bones and gave me a tour around the school. There was a twist in my stomach. I pushed open the door. And saw him.
Caleb. Undressed. Hands all over her. Madison's dumb, fake nails were dragging down his abs as if he was hers.
At first ,they didn't see me.
I stood there motionless, like a character in one of those awful teen dramas where the girl enters at the wrong moment
But it was not a television show. It was freaking real. Madison let out a cry and pushed Caleb away as if she were the victim and batted her lashes .
"Oh my god—Lila."
Caleb just blinked. He then had the gall to chuckle like this was some stupid rehearsal and the director had yelled.
"CUT!"
"Baby, it wasn't really that serious. It was just a dare. An ordinary dare."
I was silent.
A dare?
I didn't hurl a heavy object at his deceitful lying face or scream or cry. I simply let his hoodie fall to the ground.
"Congrats," I said in an oddly composed tone. "You both win."
Then before they could see my tears I turned and left and I had no idea where I was heading.
I continued to walk. Past the main building outside the gym, past the lot of teachers. The school's rear bleachers were covered in snow. I didn't care that the wind was stinging my cheeks and I was getting cold. I somehow found myself at the old hockey rink which was supposedly off-limits after dark.
Even though the rink was closed, the lights were out and the metal gates were chained, I managed to get inside by finding a gap in the fence. The moonlight glinted on the ice.
It was silent here, cold and void just like my heart that had been shattered like it was just egg shells. I sat with my knees pressed to my chest on the rinks edge and allowed the quiet to envelop me.
"I thought you would be in tears by now."
I jumped. At the other end of the rink, a shadow emerged, towering, broad shoulders, a black hoodie pulled up over untidy hair. Sharp smirk, even sharper jawline.
Ryder Black.
Team captain for hockey. He was rumored to be an Alpha or something like that that no one dared discuss aloud.
He looked dangerous and untouchable, radiating the bad boy vibes, having girls following him like butterflies because he was too handsomest for his own good and he knew it that's why he was rude and cold.
I was surprised that he even spoke to me.
"How long have you been looking at me?" I wiped my face. I hated being seen when I cry.
He gave a shrug in response.
" I've seen you walk in here like the God of war after you broke his heart."
I snorted. "Pardon me?"
"You dropped that guy's heart in the hallway like it was garbage and I saw it."
I rolled my eyes. "He cheated —"
"Enough of the explanation, I know. Don't bore me."
My eyes grew redder. "I don't even know you too well."
He stepped closer, his boots echoing on the floor and said.
" Don't need to. You should be grateful he broke your heart. That boyfriend of yours is a two headed snake." he said and I swore I saw something flash in his eyes, like a tiny gold glint. "I love your scent." He said.
I gave him a weird look.
"Why are you here at all?"
He stopped. Something briefly flashed behind his eyes. Something crazy.
"I could ask you the same." he gave me a long look. "That scent." He shook his head.
I started to retort but he smirked once more and I detested how gratingly flawless that grin was. I got up and walked away.
Scent. Scent. Scent.
Why does he keep repeating that.
I didn't wear any perfume..
Silly jerk.
I brushed the snow off my jeans and asked "Are you going to tell the principal I broke in?."
"Only if you let him know that I did as well."
Only the moonlight and tension separated us as we stood there facing one another in the cold. He literally walked across the ice as if it were pavement when he arrived.
Without any effort. No hassle and all.
"You skate?" he asked.
"No."
"Well," he said. "Then you're not going to follow me."
Before I could ask what he meant, he turned around like a ghost and then he skated farther into the rink. I detested having to keep looking. Before I could stop myself I called out .
"Hey."
His back was turned, he stopped in the middle of his
glide.
"My name is Lila."
He remained motionless, did not even give a nod. But his voice echoed like thunder over the ice. "Whatever."