PROLOGUE
452 Words
PROLOGUE
June 2000
“I can’t believe we’re graduating,” a breathless Madeline Smithing said as they walked into the holding room to line up for commencement. “It seems like just yesterday we were freshmen!”
“I know, Mad,” Mason Gentries replied softly. “It flew by.”
“Get you some, Gentries!” the class bully, Brock, yelled out as he moved past them.
Mason flushed deep red.
“Ignore him, Mason,” Maddie murmured to him. “You know he’s always been a rich, spoiled little jerk and he always will be.”
“I’m just glad he leaves you alone, Mad,” he told her sincerely. “I can take whatever he says to me.”
She paused and looked around. “Okay, it looks like my spot’s over there,” she noted. “Gotta love a last name toward the end of the whole alphabet. See you after?”
He nodded and watched her walk away.
I love you, Mad, he almost said, as he’d wanted to every day since the fourth grade.
But as always, he stopped himself.
She’ll never see me as anything more than a friend. I need to stop kidding myself and move on. Easier said than done, sometimes...
His train of thought was rudely interrupted by a shrill, grating voice.
“Hey, loser, you’re blocking my way,” Beverly Bennett, the head cheerleader and prom queen, snarled from behind him. He heard the snicker that meant Beverly’s sidekick Stacie Frios was, as always, within inches of her ringleader.
He turned around and looked at them.
“Did I say you could make eye contact? No. I did not. Stacie, did you hear me say that?”
“Nope, sure didn’t.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and waited patiently.
After a few moments she rolled her eyes and stepped to one side.
“Fine. I’ll go around you. I don’t have time for this.”
And she sauntered past, Stacie right on her heels like a faithful puppy.
***
Maddie took her place in line and looked back just in time to see Beverly say something to Mason.
Her hands clenched into fists as she watched from a distance, too far away to actually hear what had been said.
But knowing Beverly, it was condescending and rude, Maddie thought with a sigh. It’s a shame everyone’s so mean to him. It’s not his fault he wasn’t born in this town like the rest of us. If they would just take time to get to know him, they’d see how brilliant he is.
And cute, and funny, the part of her that had been crushing on him since elementary school chimed in. Bet he’s a good kisser, too...
Stop it, she chastised herself. We’ve been friends for years, and he’s never made a move. Which means he doesn’t see me that way, so, I need to get over this thing I have for him and move on. It’ll ruin the friendship one day if I don’t.
- Writer
