Chapter 1
Kylie
“Just so you know, your friends are watching us,” Myles said with a meek smile, nodding toward the gaggle of girls behind her. Kylie glanced over her shoulder at her friends who were giggling. Kylie sank her teeth into her bottom lip, but closed her mouth quickly, embarrassed by her pink and silver braces. She couldn’t wait to get those things off, but that would be another two years. Kylie raked manicured shaky fingers through her thick raven locks that hung down her back.
She couldn’t believe it. Myles was actually talking to her. Myles Russin, the cutest boy in the 8th grade. Was this what flirting felt like? Her palms began to sweat.
Kylie beamed, practically melting into her locker. “No, they’re just being…goofy. They uh…they think you’re like, really hot.”
Myles turned ten shades of red and smiled a face-splitting grin. She grinned to herself. He couldn’t hide his excitement if he wanted to. “Th-they do?” He glanced at her friends again. They continued to snicker. “Wh-what do you think?”
“Me? Well, I think you’re…” Play it cool girl, play it cool. “Okay.”
“Just okay?” Myles chortled.
Kylie suppressed her laugh and glanced down at her pink high top Sketchers. She stole a quick peek at him, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her mermaid stud earrings. Myles was one of the tallest boys in the 8th grade, much taller than she was. His voice was starting to deepen, just like Mrs. Vance taught them in sex-ed class last quarter. Kylie thought he looked like a model or better yet, a movie star. The bell rang snatching her from her trance. She realized she'd been gazing into his hazel eyes. Awkward.
“Um, maybe we can hang out one day.” He cleared his throat as his voice squeaked slightly.
Kylie’s pulse quickened. “Really?”
“Yeah really,” he playfully nudged her shoulder. “I think you’re cool. We should hang out.”
“Okay um, well you could always come to my house to watch TV or something. My mom won’t mind.”
“Cool,” he responded looking down at his feet. The blush in his cheeks gave him away. “Wh-what about this afternoon?”
She immediately pulled out her smartphone. The second bell rang, indicating they had two minutes to be in their seats. “Er—let me text my mom.” She began typing furiously.
“Okay, just let me know.” As he began his journey to class, her phone buzzed. The returning text from her mother said, Absolutely not! I will not be home until 6 o’clock. No boys unless I’m there.
She looked up from her phone and stopped him, “Myles.”
“Yeah?” He turned. His sneakers squeaked against the tile floor.
“My—my mom just texted back.” Kylie stuttered.
“Is it cool?” He looked hopeful and clutched his backpack tighter.
Kylie glanced at her phone again. The words on the screen stared back at her, “Absolutely! It’s totally cool.” She fired off her address and time to meet at her house.
