Freshman Firsts (Connerton Academy Book 1)

by Cassie Hargrove

  Days go by without seeing the cat again and I eventually stop looking. I’m sure he went home to his family. That is, until he shows up at my window one evening after class and I open the window to pet him.

  “Hey. What are you doing here? How did you find me?” Seriously Harleigh? He’s a cat. Your window probably wasn’t even the first one he went to, you’re just the one to pay attention to him.

  Meow.

  He rubs his head into my hand as I scratch behind his ears. I wonder, again, if I should ask the principal about him, but before I can think farther on it, he jumps into the room and onto my bed and starts kneading.

  “You can’t stay here. Your family will miss you, and I can’t have pets.” But rather than doing anything to make him to leave, I sit on the bed and play with him until he curls up in my lap. When I reach for my phone to call Brian, Orion looks up at me like I’ve inconvenienced him by moving and I give him the look right back as I hit dial.

  “Hey beautiful, miss me already?” he chuckles down the line.

  “Well yeah, but actually, Orion showed up at my window and jumped in.”

  “Who?” I’m not surprised he forgot.

  “The cat, Bry.”

  “Oh. Weird. Do you think it’s smart to let him in your room?”

  “I don’t know, but he didn’t give me much of a choice and he’s just so cute. He’s starving for affection.” He snorts into the phone at me.

  “Can you come down?”

  “Yeah, be there in a minute.”

  A few minutes later, there’s a knock on my door before Brian lets himself in. The sight of him still makes my breath catch. I’m not sure I will ever get over that.

  “Hey.” I give him a big smile. I can feel the blush, but I do my best to stomp that shit down before he notices.

  “Hey beautiful.” He says as he sits down on the bed beside me, rubbing Orion’s head and is effectively ignored. “You’re going to ignore me eh?” Brian lets out a chuckled sigh.

  “Harleigh, are you sure him being in here is a good idea? He has a tag so he must have a family. He’s most definitely not wild.” He nods towards the ball of fur currently sleeping in my lap. “Not unless you have some sort of secret cat taming abilities I don’t know about.” He jokes.

  “It’s not like I’m going to keep him, but what’s the harm in letting him in once in a while? He just wants love.” I channel Addy and give him my best pout hoping he finds cute rather than childish.

  “Ah hell, how am I supposed to say no to that? You’re too fucking adorable.” Cue the blushing. How can I control it after he says something like that?! “But you should be careful, and he shouldn’t sleep in here. I promise to keep your secret gorgeous.”

  Holy shit! He just called me gorgeous. Cue swoon.

  “Bry, are you flirting with me?” I ask, too afraid to make eye contact. What if he isn’t and I totally misread that? Shoot me now.

  “You just now figuring that out beautiful? Cause I’ve been trying to since we met.” He actually blushes a bit before looking away.

  We sit there in silence for a few minutes while I take in this new information. He’s actually flirting with me? Yay! My inner self does a little jig while my stomach fills with butterflies.

  “I’m sorry if that makes you uncomfortable. You don’t have to say anything Harleigh. I like you, but I love being your friend and if that’s all I can have, I will take it. I don’t want…” I don’t give him a chance to finish his sentence before I lean over and gently place my lips on his.

  I’m really not sure where this confidence came from but I’m going with it. I really hope I don’t screw this whole thing up.

  “I like you too.”

  He smiles brightly at me before leaning in, my breath catching as he captures my mouth with his. This time his lips are pressed more firmly against mine, but he doesn’t try to deepen the kiss.

  “Good.” He says, pulling back just enough to talk, his lips never actually leaving mine and my heart flutters as he presses back into me again, his hand softly cupping my cheek as our lips move together like they were meant to do this. He gives me one more soft peck, before pulling back.

  Time seems to stand still as we sit there, his hand cupping my cheek as we look into each other’s eyes.

  As first kisses go, that was holy fucking EPIC! I can hear the squealing in my head from the excitement.

  “That was your first kiss?!” Brian manages to squeak out as he drops his hand and jumps off the bed like his ass is on fire.

  I groan, dropping my face in my hands.

  “Um, yeah. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” Shit, he’s panicking. Way to fuck this up Harleigh, he’s never going to talk to you again.

  “What? Of course I’m going to talk to you, I’m just... I need a second.” He says before he starts pacing the room like he’s on a mission. We stay like this for a moment while he processes everything. He’s pacing as I hold my head from embarrassment, when I feel movement in my lap.

  “Awe, sorry I kinda forgot about you buddy.” I tell him as he climbs off my lap and sits on the bed to watch Brian’s pacing.

  Meow, meow. Hiss. Meow.

  Brian stops when he hears Orion and looks at me before coming back to my side and moving him. He’s definitely not happy about it. He takes my hands in his and makes sure I’m looking at him before he speaks.

  “I’m sorry if I moved too fast. If I had known, I…I…fuck. I don’t know what I’d have done differently. I just know that I really like you Harleigh.” He sighs and leans his forehead against mine.

  This feels more intimate than I thought it would and I feel this anxious excitement bubbling in up in my stomach as I sigh into him. I want him, this, us. I’m just not sure what happens next.

  “This is new to me, but I like you too Bry. I’ve never been interested in dating until I met you.” I take a deep breath. “I’m just scared of it.”

  He squeezes my hands and looks into my eyes, his forehead still pressed against mine and our noses touching. “Scared of what?”

  “This feeling. I’m feeling so many things that are new.” I take a deep breath before continuing. “I just don’t want to jump into anything. I want us to just let things happen. I don’t want us to change in a bad sense.” A look of understanding crosses his face.

  “Okay, so maybe we just let it be. We kissed, we liked it,” he smirks at me “but I don’t want to pressure you. It’s the last thing I want.”

  “I don’t know what I feel. Other than happy.” I chuckle and sniff as a tear escapes down my cheek.

  “Don’t cry beautiful. It might just break me.” He gives my hands one last squeeze before reaching his thumb up to wipe away the lone tear and pulls me into a hug. “We can do this as slow as you want. Let’s just see how things go okay?” He asks and I nod into his neck.

  “Um, Bry?”

  “Yeah beautiful?” He pulls back to look at me, concern in his eyes.

  “Will you kiss me again? Please?”

  “Like now, or in the future?”

  “Now please. If that’s ok. If you want t…” I don’t get a chance to breathe before his lips are back on mine.

  This kiss is harder and deeper. He wraps his arms around my back as I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his neck. I breathe him in as I climb into his lap as he pulls away just enough to talk.

  “Of course I want to.” He breathes out against my lips before pulling me back in. I’m completely lost to these new feelings, and when I feel his tongue against my lips, I open up to him willingly.

  I let out a small moan when our tongues meet. I can feel his tongue ring as we dive deeper into the kiss. He brings one hand to cup my face to deepen the kiss even more, while the other hand presses into my lower back gently pushing my hips into his.

  The feeling of our tongues dancing to their own beat has me under a spell and I let out another moan. I’m starting to feel a heat building in my core and I instinctively roc
k my hips against him feeling the hardness beneath me. He’s hard for me.

  He groans into my mouth before pulling away to look into my eyes. Our breathing is coming short and fast as we look at each other. I really don’t know what just happened, but I know I want to do it again and again.

  He’s the first one to speak because my brain is still a puddle on the floor.

  “Fuck, that was incredible. I would love to do that again, but I think I should probably go. Tonight, has been a lot, for both of us. I don’t regret it though.” He explains.

  Clearing my throat, I nod before climbing off his lap and back onto my bed.

  “You’re right.” I’m blushing like crazy right now. I know I am because I can feel the heat in my cheeks like you wouldn’t believe.

  “I, um, didn’t mean to do all that.” I look down at his lap and he chuckles.

  “It’s okay. Really, I just think we need to, um, cool off a bit. I don’t want to scare you.” He looks bashful “And I’m a bit uh, I’ve never exactly had that happen before. I mean, like when I’ve kissed someone else. Obviously, it’s happened before, I am a guy. Ah fuck, I don’t mean I’ve kissed a lot of girls either. I promise I’m not a man whore or anything…shit, I really need to stop talking now.” He blushes and the look of embarrassment on his face melts away any awkwardness I feel, and for the first time, I think he’s absolutely adorable instead of just sexy as hell.

  I like this side of him.

  “It’s ok. I totally get it, well as much as I can, I guess. Not like I’m a guy or know what that feels like.” I gesture to his obvious bulge before slapping my hands over my face. “Sorry.” I swear this blush may be permanent at the rate we’re going.

  “I am such a dork.” I let out a nervous laugh behind my hands and he joins me.

  “That makes two of us, beautiful. I’m gonna go. See you tomorrow?” He asks as he stands up and starts walking to the door. I stand up to walk him out. I may be embarrassed but I’m not a dick.

  “Definitely. Goodnight Bry, and, thanks.” Seriously Harleigh, stop blushing! You just made out with the guy and felt his boner. He heard you moan. It’s time to stop being so shy around him.

  “You’re welcome.” He leans down to kiss my lips gently. “Night beautiful.” He says, and then he’s gone.

  It takes locking the door and climbing back into bed before I realize that Orion is gone, and I have no idea when he left. I resign myself to the fact that I won’t get anything else done tonight and get ready for bed and shut the lights off before crawling under the blankets.

  3

  Harleigh

  I barely slept last night. I went from being high on the aftermath of our kiss, to drowning in anxiety over what today would bring. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make my brain shut the hell up and I began to be filled with doubt.

  Would he regret it? Are things going to change? Will I lose him as a friend if he does regret it? What will our new normal be like? Will people be able to tell that we kissed?

  I know it seems silly to care about the last one, but Colten’s group of assholes have been getting progressively worse lately, and I don’t want them to take something amazing and tarnish it. I want it to be a wonderful memory I will always look back on. That’s not too much to ask right? There’s my grandma thinking again.

  I do my best to make myself look presentable, but I am going to be real with you. When I don’t get enough sleep, I end up looking like the living dead and I have a seriously bitchy attitude, but I will NOT let anything ruin this day. It’s going to be a good day.

  I repeat this mantra in my head as I leave my room to meet Brian and stop in my tracks.

  He’s literally standing at my door looking like sin in tight black skinny jeans and a black t-shirt that leaves little to the imagination. I can see the outline of his abs, that’s how tight it is. How does he look more gorgeous every day? Seriously.

  “Hey beautiful.” His voice washes over me like a calm wave and all of my doubts disappear. Whatever comes from that kiss won’t change our relationship. We started as friends, and it will either stay that way, or will build naturally like it has since the day we met.

  Taking a deep breath, I meet his eyes and can see my nerves reflected in his eyes. I’m not the only one wondering what’s next and that gives me comfort. Everything will be okay.

  I lean in towards him and lightly kiss the edge of his mouth and wrap my fingers through his. I don’t even think about it. It’s like I’m on autopilot and just acting on instinct.

  “Hey Bry.” As I pull my face back, I can see his face lit up with a gigantic smile and I love it. It literally melts me from the inside out. Pretty sure I am in serious danger of becoming a puddle right in front of him.

  He lets out this sigh of relief and contentment and squeezes my hand as we start heading towards first period.

  “Is it cliché to say I missed you last night?” he asks in a shy voice.

  “Not at all. I missed you too.” I lean into him, my shoulder resting on his arm as we head down the path towards the school.

  A feeling of unease washes over me making me stop dead in my tracks. I feel like I’m being watched. I look around us to find a tall guy by the doors of the school looking at us and scowling like he’s disgusted with our display of affection.

  “Harleigh, you okay?” Brian’s voice is filled with concern as I look over at him and give him a small smile.

  “Yeah, sorry. Just got this weird feeling and it took me by surprise.” I tell him the truth. “Have you seen him before?” I nod towards the guy at the door. “He’s staring at us.”

  Brian looks in that direction before shrugging his shoulders.

  “I’ve seen him around. He’s in my art class before lunch. You know, the one class you aren’t in with me.” He laughs and it’s enough to break my unease.

  Damn, I love the sound of his laughter. It always brings me out of my thoughts and back to the present moment. “He’s probably not trying to stare, but you’re hard not to notice, beautiful. A guy would have to be blind to not get caught up looking at you.” He says as we start walking back to the school.

  As we get closer, I grip onto his hand just a little tighter because he makes me feel safe.

  “You do realize you’re insane right Bry?” I say as I knock my shoulder into his arm so he knows I’m joking. “You’re the only guy that sees me like that, and I like it that way.”

  “Oh beautiful,” he looks down at me smiling. “you really don’t see what the rest of us do, do you?” He shakes his head and stops us to look into my eyes.

  Before I can speak, he reaches a hand up to grasp my chin and tilts my face up to look at him, leaning in, he kisses me softly, lighting a fire inside of me and setting those butterflies off again. “You are stunning and unique, and most definitely worth looking at.” He says, pulling back.

  That’s it. I’m a complete goner. My thoughts are no longer anywhere but here in this moment. I never want to feel anything less than I do right now. I’m at peace and deliriously happy. If my entire day is like this, I am going to be floating.

  “A girl could get used to this.” I sigh contently as we head into the school. The guy long gone.

  Brian

  I am getting increasingly worried about Harleigh as the days go by. It’s easy to tell she knows nothing about who or what she is, and it won’t be long until others figure out that she is clueless, which will put her life in danger.

  When I called Dad to talk to him, things didn’t quite go as planned. I figured he would be proud of me for starting to come into more angelic abilities and he was, but he was also concerned over Harleigh as a whole. What was I doing with her? Was I sure I had gotten an angel command?

  To say my father doesn’t trust my abilities or me would be an understatement. My entire life, he assumed I would follow in his footsteps and be the good little soldier that he is, but that’s not who I am.

  I’m half human and I have human emo
tions.

  I can’t and won’t ever be fully like him, and he is having a hard time coming to terms with that. I wish I could say it doesn’t bother me, but it does. All any child wants is the love, support and acceptance of their parents, and my father has struggled with that since day one. He doesn’t hate me, but you can tell he wants more for me than a meager human life.

  We yelled, talked, yelled some more, and then came up with a plan. He was going to talk to other angels and see if he could figure anything out. Until then, I am supposed to keep my mouth shut and just be her friend and watch over her. I’m not supposed to say anything about our world to her until I hear back from him.

  It’s been weeks, and after that mind-blowing kiss, I feel like I just can’t keep this from her anymore. She needs to know what is happening around us so I can help keep her safe in a world she is unequipped to deal with.

  I’m just about to walk into art class and sit by Darren so we can talk. I really didn’t like how he was looking at her earlier. He’s not a bad guy, but I feel very protective of her.

  Just before I walk into the classroom my phone goes off and I answer it.

  “Hey Dad. What’s up?” I ask and walk back outside, sitting on the ground a safe hearing distance away from everyone else. I hope he has some good news because time feels like it isn’t on our side right now.

  “I got the answers you were looking for, but before we go into that, I really want to apologize for not believing you Brian. You were right, she is your first assignment. I am proud of you for recognizing the call son.” It’s strange to hear my father praise me. It’s not something that has ever really happened before…but there are more important things to discuss right now.

  “Thanks Dad. So, Harleigh…what did you find out?”

  “I’m coming to the school. I’ve spoken with the principal and after this class, you are excused for the rest of the day.” He sounds short and clip like an army drill sergeant.