Karma

by Nadine Nightingale

  His full lips curl into a big smile. “Aye, aye, Captain,” he says, saluting me like a good soldier.

  Throwing my backpack over my shoulder, I face Alex. “Take good care of him.”

  Alex nods, but won’t meet my gaze. “Always.”

  For the last time, I drink in his God-like appearance: the ripped jeans that fit him like a second skin, the striking face that has always been so hard to resist, and the malachite eyes that offer an eternity of happiness.

  Having second thoughts?

  Does it matter?

  I walk toward the bus. My stupid heart jumps at the sound of Alex’s voice. “Manda, wait.”

  I look over my shoulder. “Don’t tell me you already miss me,” I tease.

  He jogs toward me.

  Cliché alarm!

  Stopping inches in front of me, he looks me in the eyes. “I know I’ve been a jerk most of the time, but I just wanted to…” He trails off and drops his gaze to the ground.

  I hate when people get sentimental. “It’s okay, Alex. You don’t have to—”

  “Yeah, I do.” He holds my wrists and stares at me. Something dark passes through his eyes, and before I know what’s happening, his lips are on mine.

  The people around us cease to exist. My heart pounds and excitement bubbles in my belly. I scrub my fingers through his hair. He pulls me hard against him. Nothing about this kiss is gentle or innocent. It’s masochistic torture, but it’s real.

  He pulls away, out of breath, wide-eyed. “Thank you,” he whispers. “For everything.”

  My senses reel, and I have a hard time catching my breath. There’s something about the kiss that scares the living shit outta me. It was almost like—

  The end?

  “Alex, what—”

  “Hey, honey,” the driver, yells. “You coming or what?”

  Stepping back, Alex smiles sadly. “You should go.”

  Every fiber in my soul tells me to stay, but I can’t. “Goodbye, Alex.”

  “Bye, Manda.”

  I can still taste him when I get on the bus and watch the doors to my past close in front of me.

  A word about the author…

  A passionate reader and writer, addicted to the dark side of the craft, Nadine grew up with Marvel heroes and horror films. She loves stories that challenge gender stereotypes and religious beliefs and that tackle topics such as racism and cultural differences in an entertaining way.

  Nadine has a BA in Comparative Religions and studied Creative Writing at the University of Oxford. If she isn’t traveling the world, she’s reading, writing, or watching movies.

  Thank you for purchasing

  this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.