Chapter 2
425 Words
POV: Harley
My mind answered instantly.
Of course I do.
How could I ever forget Lucius Thorne?
The neighbor’s boy who had always wanted to play with me when no one else did.
The boy who had always smiled so brightly, like he was genuinely happy just to spend time with me—little nobody me.
He made me feel special.
He made me laugh.
He made me jump in excitement whenever he came over and called for me.
I remembered Lucius all too well, even after seven years apart.
He looked different now.
Taller.
More mature.
And even more handsome than I remembered.
But his face was still etched into my memory as though no time had passed at all.
My pulse quickened.
Back to the present, I forced myself to speak.
“I do remember you,” I said.
“Lucius, right?”
He smiled.
“Right,” he replied.
“I just wanted to welcome you back to the neighborhood, Miss Rose. I saw you moving back in.”
“That is so nice of you, Lucius,” Mom said warmly. “Harley and I were actually just talking about you.”
“Mom!” I called, mortified.
Lucius’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.
“You did?”
Mom smiled.
“You two used to spend so much time together when you were little.”
“It’s been a long time since then,” Lucius said.
He glanced at me.
My eyes drifted downward to the wooden floorboards.
“How are your parents?” Mom asked.
“Great. Nothing much has changed,” he said with a small laugh. “They’re still nagging as usual.”
“Lucius,” Mom scolded playfully.
I smiled despite myself.
Then his eyes met mine again.
My heart skipped.
I quickly looked down at the floor, suddenly fascinated by the grain of the wood beneath my feet.
I’d thought my crush on him had disappeared years ago.
I’d thought it had been nothing more than childish admiration.
Apparently, I’d been wrong.
Very wrong.
“Harley?”
His voice pulled me back.
“Hm?”
“I asked if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight.”
“Oh! I—”
“She’d love to,” Mom answered before I could finish.
“Mom—”
“Great,” Lucius said, smiling.
And just like that, my fate was sealed.
Dinner with Lucius Thorne.
On my first day back.
My pulse raced all over again.
And somehow, I had a feeling this was only the beginning.
- Writer
