Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
I had to be sure.
“Do we know you?”
His grin was teasing, a knowing glint in his eyes. “Think hard, Winny.”
It hit me like a ton of bricks. The shared secrets, the childhood games, the promises of an unending friendship. “Lucy?” The disbelief in my voice was evident.
The metamorphosis from the nerdy boy I was so fond of to this charismatic man was nothing short of staggering.
“It's been a while, Winter,” he murmured, his eyes roaming my face, likely searching for remnants of the girl he once knew.
“Lucy?” Mara’s eyebrows quirked upwards. “Wait, you two know each other? You know him?” she asked, her tone a mixture of surprise and intrigue.
“Lucian,” he clarified with a hint of darkness in his voice. His eyes flickered to mine, and his expression softened. “Only she calls me Lucy.”
“Is that so?” Mara mused in a tone that told me she was sensing a backstory.
"We grew up together. Childhood friends," I explained, smiling wistfully as memories of forgotten summer days came flooding back. “We lost touch when high school started. This guy vanished off the face of the earth.”
Keenly sensing a deeper narrative beneath my words, she leaned forward and smirked. “Well, Mr. Childhood Friend, why don’t you take a seat?” She gestured towards the empty chair beside me.
Lucian hesitated for a split second. His eyes flicked over to another table. “Do you mind if Thorne joins?” he asked, nodding towards the man with striking blue eyes and blonde hair. Thorne, apparently.
“Why not? The more, the merrier,” Mara responded cheerfully.
Lucian lifted his hand in the air and caught his friend’s attention. He made his way over, sliding into the chair across from me, while Lucian took the seat directly to my left. His obsidian eyes were endlessly deep, exuding a raw intensity. Thorne’s casual, laid-back demeanor was a juxtaposition to Lucian's darker allure.
“Thorne, meet Winter and...?”
“Amari. Or just call me Mara.”
Thorne's eyes lingered on me a moment longer than socially acceptable before he gave us both an easy-going grin. "Pleasure to meet you," he said, his voice smooth and confident. “Especially you.” His gaze pinned me, making me both curious and slightly unnerved.
Raising an eyebrow, I couldn’t resist asking, “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
Thorne chuckled, “Lucian’s told us quite a bit about you.”
Us?
Mara, ever the inquisitive one, tilted her head. "So, what brings you guys here? I don’t think you attend Ravenswood.”
“We thought we'd come see the campus in all its glory,” Thorne replied.
Before Mara could press further, the music shifted and an old school song began blaring through the bar, earning a few whoops and cheers for those that knew it.
“What the heck is this?” Mara asked with a laugh, reaching for her drink again.
After the track played a couple seconds, I placed the tune and began singing along, earning stares from Throne and Mara that were comical.
“Are you guys serious? It’s freaking Bon Jovi! I shouted over the music. The infectious beat seemed to call out, inviting everyone to let go and dance.
Lucian smiled and leaned in, his voice brushing against my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
“Dance with me? For old time’s sake?”
“Uh.” I glanced at my empty glass. I had turned down every offer thus far. The other guys tonight? They didn’t stand a chance. But Lucian… “For old time’s sake? How can I say no?” I mused, the liquor flowing through my veins encouraging me to get up and move.
He glanced across the table. “Do you mind?”
Mara waved her hand dismissively, urging him on. “Go ahead, take her away. Show her a good time.”
Lucian grinned, a mysterious glint in his eyes, “That’s the plan.”
Taking my hand, he led me to the dance floor, leaving Mara and Thorne in what sounded like the beginning of playful banter and curious conversation. Despite literally just meeting, she must have really been feeling him.
Lucian and I delved into the heart of the dance floor, all questions on hold as we rekindled our connection amidst the crowd, two souls intertwining once more. The world faded, and for a moment, it was just Lucian and me.
His eyes roamed over me, and it felt like a caress. “Sailor Moon,” he noted, taking in the crescent moon that I'd affixed to my forehead, a trademark of the iconic anime heroine. “The champion of love and justice.”
I laughed, warmth spreading through me at his acknowledgment. “You remember!”
It was a small thread that connected our present to a shared past, where afternoons were spent with the background noise of cartoons while we tackled homework, Sailor Moon being my favorite. He never complained, only teased me endlessly about it and my childish crush on Tuxedo Mask.
I let my gaze wander over his attire, a perfectly tailored ensemble that exuded a dangerous charm. “And what exactly are you supposed to be? Enlighten me.”