The Boy Who Chose Me

Chapter One: The New Boy

Maggie Harper tugged at the sleeves of her oversized green hoodie as she walked through the crowded hallway of Maple Grove Middle School. Students rushed past her in groups, laughing and talking about summer vacation.

She kept her eyes on the floor.

Being noticed usually meant someone was about to make a joke about her.

Maggie wasn't the fastest runner in gym class. She wasn't the prettiest girl in school. She wasn't the loudest or the funniest. She was just... Maggie.

She preferred books over parties, baking cookies with her grandmother over shopping, and scary mystery novels over romance stories.

"Morning, Maggie!"

She looked up to see Noah Bennett waving wildly from his locker.

"Morning," she replied with a smile.

Noah had been her best friend since second grade. He never cared what anyone thought and somehow always managed to make Maggie laugh.

"You look nervous."

"I have a math quiz."

"You survived Mrs. Langley's history tests. You'll survive math."

Maggie laughed.

The first bell rang.

As everyone settled into class, Mrs. Langley smiled at the students.

"Before we begin, I'd like everyone to welcome our new student."

The classroom door opened.

A tall boy with dark brown hair stepped inside. His gray eyes scanned the room before settling on Maggie for just a second.

Something about the way he smiled made her stomach flutter.

"This is Elias Ashford," Mrs. Langley said. "His family just moved here."

"Hi," Elias said quietly.

"There happens to be one empty seat."

Maggie looked beside her.

No.

Please don't be—

"Elias, you'll be sitting next to Maggie."

He walked over and slid into the chair beside her.

"Hi," he whispered.

"H-hi."

Great.

Now she was blushing.

The rest of class passed in a blur.

Whenever Maggie glanced over, Elias was paying attention to the lesson—or so it seemed.

At lunch, Noah raised an eyebrow.

"The new kid kept looking at you."

"He was not."

"He absolutely was."

Maggie rolled her eyes.

"You're imagining things."

"Nope."

Before Noah could say anything else, someone placed a lunch tray on the table.

"Mind if I sit here?"

It was Elias.

Maggie's heart skipped.

"Sure," Noah answered before she could.

For the next twenty minutes, Elias asked Maggie about her favorite books, her favorite desserts, and even remembered that she liked cinnamon rolls.

Most people forgot what she said before lunch was over.

Elias remembered everything.

When the bell rang, he smiled.

"It was nice talking to you, Maggie."

"You too."

As he walked away, Noah leaned closer.

"I don't trust him."

"What?"

"He seems... too perfect."

Maggie laughed.

"You're ridiculous."

"Maybe."

Noah watched Elias disappear around the corner.

"But my gut says something's off."

That afternoon, Maggie walked home smiling for the first time in weeks.

She didn't notice the black car parked across the street.

She didn't notice someone watching from inside.

And she definitely didn't notice the photograph lying on the passenger seat.

It was a picture of her.