Burn:
The Burn Series
By Amanda Lawrence Auverigne
Copyright © 2014 Amanda Lawrence Auverigne
Smashwords Edition
All rights reserved. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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Chapter 1
So here you are.
At my feet. Weeping as usual.
What's the trouble this time? What is your ailment today?
I look down at the mass of shining blonde curls that lay on your head and I sigh.
You look up at me with wide blue eyes.
A red rose is clutched in your right hand.
I watch you pull the delicate blood colored petals from the thorny stem of the flower.
The petals fall to the floor in a graceful cascade of crimson.
The petals are so red.
They are the color of blood.
You toss the empty stem onto the floor before you gather up the fallen petals.
You are still sobbing as you rise to your feet and move closer to me.
The blood red rose petals are clutched in your shaking hands and you gaze into my eyes as you place the scarlet flower bits slowly and carefully onto my head.
I do not move.
You gaze at me for a few moments and you take a deep breath and call my name wistfully.
I do not answer.
The tears that pour from your sapphire-colored eyes are like liquid crystals and if I had any tears left I would weep for the sight of your beauty.
I've cried floods of tears for you already. There are none left.
Even if I wanted to cry for you now I couldn't. I loved you so much for so long.
And you didn't even know that I was alive.
I remember the first time I saw you in freshman year.
It was in early fall. The sun was shining and it was chilly.
You were in the green field near the Athletic building playing football with your friends.
I was walking with Karen across the gravelly running track near the field.
You were so handsome.
Your hair was like the sun. Your eyes were so blue.
I watched you.
You threw the ball to your friends with unmatched grace.
I watched your movements as if in a trance.
I heard Karen babbling beside me but I ignored her.
I couldn’t stop staring at you.
After a few minutes I heard a scream beside me.
It was Karen.
I kept walking and I turned towards her.
"What is it…" I said just before I slammed into a steel bench that suddenly popped up in front of me.
The front of my legs crashed against the bottom of the thing and before I knew it was airborne.
I turned in the direction my body was soaring and I saw the bench.
I was falling.
I was falling very fast.
Falling towards the bench.
The steel bench. The cold hard bench.
And during my fall, I suddenly realized with great fear that my landing would be on my face.
Then something weird started to happen.
I couldn't breathe.
And then my body slowed down a little.
It seemed as if time stood still for a brief moment.
But this momentary pause did not last.
I was falling again.
I fell fast.
And then I hit the bench.
I landed on the bench hard on my left side.
I lay there for a few moments in a pain wracked stupor before my body went limp.
And then, I rolled off of the bench.
I landed on the gravelly ground on my back.
"Ow," I said.
I heard a chorus of manly 'Oooooooooooooohs' and I knew that a lot of people had seen me fall.
And then I knew that you had seen the whole thing.
Just my luck.
The sensation of pain in my side subsided and the feeling of humiliation quickly took its place.
"Oh no," I mumbled. "Tell me he didn't see that…"
Karen was immediately at my side.
"Whew that was a close one!" Karen said patting my cheek. "I didn't know that it was possible."
I sat up with confusion. I rubbed at my side and looked at Karen.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Nothing," Karen said quickly. She looked at my face with concern. "Are you okay Penny? I mean, we've been walking this track for like two months and you should have like seen that bench there. See the brass plaque on it? The date is 1928 so that bench has been here for like eighty years or something."
"It's been here that long?" I asked. I looked at the bench.
A shiny plaque was attached to the right side of the steel bench.
"It does say 1928," I said. "That thing is old."
"Yeah and you were like walking way off of the path almost near the grass. What happened? You were like on another planet or something," Karen said.
"Well I kinda wasn't paying attention," I said rubbing my head.
The sound of boisterous shouts echoed from the field.
Karen and I turned in the direction of the sudden noise.
We watch the group of hooting boys resume their game of football.
You were standing in the middle of the field.
Your shouting friends were near you.
The boys were looking at the football in your hands.
You were looking at me.
Our eyes met for a few moments and there was an expression of concern on your face.
I felt my cheeks get hot and I couldn't look away from you.
One of your friends yelled at you about tossing the pigskin.
You shook your head as if coming out of a trance before you turned away from me. You yelled at your friends before you threw the ball.
"Oh," Karen said. "I see why you were sooooooooo distracted and almost had a concussion just now. He's cute but dangerous. He's in my Bio class but I can't remember his name. The girls are always all over him."
"His name is Matthew Campbell," I said quietly. "He's a freshman too. Chemistry major. He's Pre-Med actually with a minor in Literature. He writes poetry and music. He's really handsome and nice and I think I…"
Karen looked at me and she blinked quickly.
"You think you what?" Karen asked.
I turned away from you reluctantly and I stared at Karen.
"Karen," I said. "Do you believe in love at first sight? Because I think I'm in love with Matthew. Or at least in serious like."
Karen smiled.
"I do believe in love at first sight but," Karen said tentatively.
"But what?" I asked.
"Matthew is kind of a player," Karen said slowly.
"Oh," I said.
I was quiet for a few moments before I turned away from Karen. I looked at the field and I gazed at you.
"I don't care," I said. "I really really like him. I know it sounds crazy. But I think I love him."
"It'll burn out," Karen muttered.
I turn to her.
"What?" I asked.
"
Nothing," Karen said. "Come on. Let's get back to the dorms huh? Hopefully we won't be seeing this whole thing with you, the bench and you not seeing it and falling on top of it YouTube later."
"Yeah," I said.
Karen helped me up and we left the field.
I kept staring at you the whole time.
I loved you Matthew. So much.
I tried talking to you several times after that. But there were always other people around and I found that I just couldn't tell you how I really felt.
Not without you thinking that I was some crazy stalker girl.
But I did follow you.
We didn't have any classes together but I knew your schedule.
I followed you for three years. Waiting in the shadows. Hoping that you would look at me. Talk to me and acknowledge my existence.
But you never did.
Sure I tried to forget you.
I had alot of flings with alot of useless guys. I felt empty inside each time I let one of them touch me. They weren't you.
Matthew, you were the one I wanted. And you didn't even know that I existed.
The years passed.
In junior year I saw you with your girlfriend Hannah.
She was so beautiful.
Her hair was so red and her green eyes were like emeralds.
You had hooked up with dozens of girls over the years, but none of them made you smile like she did.
I knew you really loved her.
And when I saw her for the first time up close, I knew that there was no chance for me.
She was so beautiful.
And I'm not.
So I let you go.
Finally.
Painfully.
During the last months of junior year I spent most of my time crying over you.
Karen was concerned about me. She was always there for me when I needed her.
We were seated in my room on a Saturday right after midterms when I cried most of the morning and afternoon thinking about you.
Penny had arrived with Chocolate Cherry Bing ice cream, Chocolate Chip and Almond cookies, huge deli sandwiches, Chewy Fruit candy and eight of my favorite movies.
We ate, talked and watched a few movies. And after awhile I started to feel a little better.
Despite it all, I still cried sporadically throughout the day.
"Penny," Karen said. "It will be okay."
"I know but I just love Matthew so much," I said. "And he doesn't even know."
"He should know," Karen said coldly.
"He's happy with Hannah now and we just have to admit that I never truly had a chance with him. Not really. Maybe it's just destiny. Us not getting together."
"You make your own destiny," Karen said quickly.
"No," I said. "Matthew and I are just not meant to be. No matter how unhappy it makes me."
"What if I…what if there was a way that things could change for you and him?"
"Change?"
"What if there was a way to get Matthew to…I dunno…notice you and like you maybe?"
For the first time in weeks I laughed.
"That's not going to happen," I said. "Hannah is beautiful and she and Matthew make a lovely couple. And I'm happy that he's happy."
"Then why are you crying?"
"I just have to get this out of my system. It's been almost three years and I don't want to waste any more time on this. Next year is our last year of university and I want to get through it without being miserable and wearing my heart on my sleeve. No, it's time for me to stop crying about this impossible situation and just move on. There are other guys out there. Just not him."
"Penny…"
"No I'm fine, Karen. And thanks for coming to see me today. You've always been there for me and I really appreciate it."
I hugged Karen.
Karen hugged me back.
"You don't have to thank me for that. I was coming to see you anyway."
"Its just that I know you had plans with Mark."
"Don't worry about it. Mark knows that you're my best friend. I know it's been hard for you the last few days and I wanted to make sure that you're alright. Are you? Alright I mean?"
"I’m fine, Karen. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay."
"Its just that you're my bestie and I hate to see you sad."
"I’m fine, Karen. In fact I’m cheered up already. Now I'll start the next movie."
"I get to pick!"
"Okay."
"How about this one?"
"Great. A comedy will do me good right now."
"Alright I'll start it up."
Chapter 2
Time passed.
I managed to maintain my 3.9 GPA despite my emotional meltdown after letting you go.
And as quickly as it began my junior year of university ended.
I didn’t see you much that semester. And I was kind of glad.
It made letting you go all the more easier.
I worked at a small Accounting firm as an intern that summer.
I learned a lot and after awhile I actually started to feel normal again.
Happy even.
In truth, I had forgotten about you.
After the summer ended, I returned to university.
I felt fine emotionally and mentally. And I was ready to start my senior year.
Senior year was the best.
I hardly saw you at all.
I studied hard, partied with friends and had a great time.
And as quickly as it began, senior year ended and it was graduation time.
I saw you at the graduation.
You were sitting next to me during the ceremony.
It was inevitable because of our last names.
Yours was Campbell.
Mine was Camden.
I didn’t find it odd that we were seated together.
You were staring at me during the ceremony.
I was playing games on my cell phone.
After some time, my battery was starting to die and I wondered if Karen and brought her portable cell charger with her.
Her last name was Grayson so she was seated a few rows behind me.
Every so often, I got a funny text message from her that interrupted my gaming concentration.
When Dean Whitmore called my name I jumped up moved to the stage.
I heard you call my name.
I got to the stage, climbed the steps and walked across.
My feet started to hurt.
I was wearing a pair of extremely high and very expensive shoes that I had bought from an online store two weeks before.
I didn’t practice walking in the heels before the ceremony at all.
I had tried them on once and had forgotten about them until the morning of graduation.
As I walked across the stage, my feet wobbled and I hated the fact that I didn't take the shoes for a practice walk before graduation day.
I was moving really slow towards Dean Whitmore.
I actually thought that I'd make it to him and snatch my diploma from his hands without incident but then something happened.
My high heeled shoes suddenly rebelled.
My feet wobbled crazily just before I felt the heel on my left shoe break.
I tripped over my feet as soon as I reached the Dean.
His eyes were wide as he saw me falling towards him.
It was a YouTube moment for sure.
I fell on Dean Whitmore and we both went down.
He hit the stage on his back.
I landed on the stage on my side.
There were people all around us.
They helped us up.
I was mortified.
As usual.
After a few seconds, I took off my high heels and I held the savage creatures in my left hand. I moved to Dean Whitmore with a smile. I raised my right hand.
I wanted my diploma.
Dean Whitmore's wrinkled face was red when the people finally got him to his feet.
; He looked at my face and glanced at the shoes in my hand before he looked up at me.
After a brief moment, the old man smiled and he handed me my diploma.
I took my diploma and slid it in my left hand balancing it between my shoes. I raised my right hand and clutched Dean Whitmore's outstretched hand.
I shook it firmly.
The audience cheered.
"Well done Miss Camden," Dean Whitmore said.
"Thank you sir," I said removing my hand from his.
Afterwards, I turned to the audience.
Dean Whitmore cleared his throat before he shouted another name.
"Matthew Campbell!"
I moved away from the center of the stage and my bare feet slapped against the wooden floor. After a few moments I stopped and I looked at the shoes in my hand. I turned to the audience and walked to the edge of the stage.
I stopped there.
My feet were still hurting.
Without thinking, I raised my left hand and I threw my shoes into the crowd before raising the diploma over my head with a primal scream.
One of the flying shoes hit Hannah in the center of her head.
She was sitting in the first row.
"Ow!" Hannah shouted.
Whoops!
I rushed off of the stage and moved to her.
"I’m so sorry Hannah," I said.
Hannah looked at me with narrowed green eyes.
"Its okay," Hannah said coldly. She handed me my shoe. "Take your damned shoe."
"Thanks," I said taking the shoe quickly.
Someone handed me my other shoe and I grabbed it and rushed to my seat.
I sat down and looked at my phone.
I was tapping my YouTube icon hoping that my battery would last long enough for me to view my recent mortification online when I heard your voice.
"Penny," You said.
I turned to you.
You were holding your diploma in your left hand. You were looking at me and smiling.
"Nice throw," You said.
"Huh?" I asked.
"The shoes. That was cool."
"Oh no that wasn’t cool."
"It's definitely something everyone will be talking about for years."
"I'm just glad Dean Whitmore didn’t take back my diploma. Oh and I'm also glad that I didn’t' get arrested for assault."
Burn (The Burn Series, Book 1) Page 1
