I smile slightly as Brooke makes this tiny little gasp noise. Then I go on, because the story gets even better. Well, I think. “When I woke up I felt better—and sort of in love. But I didn’t see you again until the first day of school … then I was dazzled by my shell-giving mermaid.” I smile, “But she growled at me.”
She growls at me now too. Well, more like groans. Like she doesn’t believe a word I said. Doesn’t believe me whatsoever.
So, I give her my best confused smile, “What? You don’t believe me?”
“No. What I believe is you are a total player. And heartbreaker. Our past history lets me know that.”
In frustration, I watch her walk away from me. “It was kindergarten!”
CHAPTER 50
***BROOKE***
BROOKE
When I get to my locker, it is decorated to the hilt. It’s wrapped in heart decorated wrapping paper with hearts all over it—and shells too. In big bold print there is a sign tapped to it. I read it and practically pass out.
It says:
“You own my heart, Brooke. Will you make me happy beyond belief and go to the school dance with me? Love Rider (who is not a heartbreaker) (Despite whatever it may say on bathroom walls).”
I stare at the beautiful message, my heart breaking, and aching, and yearning. (It’s breaking because I know he’s only made this huge gesture for Daisy’s sake.) But it’s aching and yearning because I want it to be for real, so bad. I yearn with all my heart for him to really want to go to the dance with me. ME!!! Not stupid Daisy.
I sigh and turn on my heels, looking for Daisy. I mean, I’m hopelessly falling for the heartbreaker all over again. But I can’t. I can’t go through that pain again. So I quickly decide to cut the deal short. I’ll just confront Daisy with the truth—he’s not a heartbreaker; he’s really sweet. (Well, the sweet part is true anyway.)
On my way to find Daisy though, I stumble into Drew.
“Sorry,” I mumble distractedly.
“No, I get it,” he says sounding half-teasing, yet half-wistful. “You’re dazzled blind by Rider’s sign.”
I blink up at him. I am, yes—exactly that. It’s made me dizzy and blind and a klutz.
Drew ducks his head when he can clearly see my answer is yes.
He squeezes his eyes shut. “The cool girls always go for the hockey guys.”
He says it total deadpan, yet sardonic, since he’s the school quarterback and can get any girl in this entire school that he wants—well, as long as he doesn’t go around blindfolding them.
He gently blocks my way as I silently try to walk around him—after all, Laurie is my friend. I need to practice being a better one. Which means not getting chummy with her ex-boyfriend that has gone a little koo-koo.
He stares into my eyes hopefully. “I still have a chance with you in medical school, right?”
I draw out a breath. “Maybe.”
He grins weakly, “Come on, give a guy a chance to dream.”
I slowly nod. “Maybe.”
Then I run to find Daisy.
I find her in the bathroom, which is not a shock. She’s reapplying lip-gloss to amazingly gorgeous lips attached to her amazingly gorgeous face.
I sigh.
Then take a deep breath and just rip off the band-aid, quickly blurting out, “Rider isn’t a heartbreaker.”
Daisy looks at me dryly, then kind of rolls her eyes. “Well, good for you.”
She says it sarcastically.
I blink.
“What I mean is, he really likes you. A lot. He was just acting like he likes me, so you could see he’s not a heartbreaker.”
She tilts her head, looking confused. “He was just acting like he likes you?” She gives a little laugh. “Well, that makes more sense.” Then she adds, “No offense, but I was wondering what he was doing with you. I mean, he seemed in love. So, there was obviously something weird going on. But now I get it—he was acting.”
She muses. “He’s a good actor.”
I sigh. “Yeah.”
After an agonizing moment, I choke out the rest. After all, Rider has been really sweet to me, and he’s helped get Drew to back off, which is something I probably couldn’t have managed on my own. At all. So, though it’s painful, I attempt to return Rider a favor.
Though yeah, it kills.
I tell Daisy, “Rider really, really wants to take you to the dance—really bad. Like that sign he wrote? That was really meant for you. I mean, I know it has my name on it and everything. But the sentiment of it—it was all for you.”
She smiles all happy. “Really?! I saw that sign. I was so jealous. But it was for me?”
Sadly, I nod. “All for you.”
CHAPTER 51
***RIDER***
RIDER
As I’m heading to first period Daisy comes up to me all smiling. So I’m thinking: Finally! She’s finally going to cave and give Jake a chance. Score!
But no.
Instead she shocks me by saying, “Yes! I’ll go to the dance with you.”
Her words stop me cold.
“Um … what?!”
She smiles huge, “Brooke sang your praises and said you’re not a heartbreaker—and you were just trying to convince me of that. She said you really want to take me to the dance. My answer is—yes.”
She smirks, “It’s funny that you kept using Jake as an excuse to talk to me.”
I run a hand over my face. “Um … it wasn’t an excuse. Jake really likes you. A lot. And he’s my friend, so I can’t take you to the dance—sorry.”
To my horror, Daisy’s eyes well with tears.
Her pretty face gets all blotchy from embarrassment—and seething rage. “You really are a heartbreaker—jerk!” she snarls, then storms away.
I watch her go, kind of shocked. Then scrub a hand over my face and groan. Guess I’m not going to get those tickets.
… or Brooke.
CHAPTER 52
***BROOKE***
BROOKE
During first period I get a text from Daisy sarcastically telling me, “Thanks a lot!”
I stare at her words, then send her some question marks.
She quickly rants that Rider IS a total heartbreaker and player and that he isn’t going to take her to the dance.
I stare at her words stunned.
What the—??
After class, I find Rider standing right outside my classroom door, apparently waiting for me.
My heart pounds frantically seeing him—because apparently he’s WAITING FOR ME. However, I try to not be stupid. Get a grip, Brooke, I tell myself, all the while trying desperately to remind myself of Daisy’s words—he’s a heartbreaker and a player.
Right. Got it.
So, instead of running into his arms, like I’m tempted to do, I glare at him and try to walk past him.
But he silently blocks my way. “You told Daisy I want to go to the dance with her?”
I look away from his staring, confused eyes, and try to answer matter-of-factly, “Well, yeah. Isn’t that what your poster on my locker was for? To show her you’re not a heartbreaker and that you’re willing to even go to a school dance for a girl?”
Rider slowly shakes his head. “No. The poster was to ask you to the dance—to show you I’m not a heartbreaker and I’m willing to go to a dance—for you.”
My heart ricochets off my ribcage and rainbows zoom around before my eyes.
I gasp in astonishment, “For me? But—but this was all for Daisy.”
“No Brooke. It’s not. None of this was for Daisy. It’s been for you. So you can see that I still really like you—that you’re still my love-bug. That you’re my mermaid. That I’m not going to play games and break your heart. That I’m not a heartbreaker.”
I’m breathless. And dizzy. I have to hold on to the wall to keep from toppling over. I suck in my breath, trying to get a grip. “But—but you already broke my heart.”
Rider groans. “You’re still
mad about kindergarten?! Brooke, you have to admit, that’s a long time to hold a grudge.”
He runs a hand through his hair in frustration. “Isn’t it maybe slightly unreasonable that you’re holding something against me that I did back in kindergarten?”
Heat swamps my cheeks. He has point. Maybe. Probably. I don’t know! It’s hard to think straight, since now I can’t stop being thrilled that he decorated my locker and asked me to the dance—because he wants go with me. Me! Not Daisy. Meee!!! Now all I want to do is … kiss him.
But I’m also afraid of the feelings crashing through me. Terrified, actually. Because although what he says is true—that it was way back in kindergarten—still it happened. And it hurt. A lot.
I mutter, “Okay, it was way back in kindergarten, true. But even so—the thing is, it proves the kind of person you are—your character.”
His eyebrows go up, “Or it proves I was seven—and stupid.”
I grunt. “Well, it proves the stupid part.”
His eyes twinkle. “True.”
Then he grins, “But nonetheless, I was seven.” He raises his eyebrows, “Would you really treat a seven year old this mean?”
My eyelids close. “Well, I was seven at the time too. And very fragile.”
He grins. “Apparently.”
Then he adds softly, “But I was fragile too.”
My heart goes all mushy. I peek up at him to find him watching me. With a sad smile he explains, “I may have seemed like a tough kid to you. But when it came to you Brooke, I was just a love-struck kid with a fragile heart.”
His eyelashes lower as he stares at my hands.
“You broke my heart Brooke,” he says huskily. “I never let you know that—because I was trying to be the tough guy everyone seemed to think I was—but you hurt me. You broke my heart, Brooke.” He looks deep into my eyes. “And I swore I wouldn’t let another girl do that.”
Then he says, “But it was kindergarten. I forgave you—can’t you forgive me?”
I jerk my head up at him. “Forgave me for what?!”
“For calling me ‘stick boy.’” He edges closer to me with a sheepish grin, “That hurt my little boy feelings. Crushed them, actually.”
My heart slams against my chest. I murmur the words, “Stick boy.”
I don’t say it as a question; I say it in astonishment. I forgot I used to secretly call him that. But it was a secret.
Rider nods slightly. “I saw you called me that. You wrote it to your friend Rachel on the bus when we were going on that field trip to the—”
“The museum,” I finish the sentence for him in awe. The field trip to the museum is where he broke my heart.
I swallow. “Rider, I liked you right from the start—before I even knew your name, after you asked me to be your partner for ‘Skip to my Lou.’ It was our first day of school, and you were playing with a stick, waving it around on the playground. Rachel had asked me teasingly if I could have any boy for a boyfriend in our kindergarten class, who would I choose … and I said, “Stick-boy.” It just became our secret name for you.”
Rider’s lips part.
Looking astonished and bewildered, he rubs the back of his neck. “Huh.”
“Anyway,” I exhale, “You shattered my heart—yes it was way back in kindergarten, but then—”
He doesn’t let me finish. He takes me in his arms, sending fireworks through my body. “Okay, Love-bug,” he says huskily, “I was an idiot. I was an idiot when I was seven, and I was an idiot every day until this moment. What I should have done is kissed you. That’s all I want to do—kiss you, and take you to the stupid dance, and show you that you’re my mermaid and I’m not a heartbreaker—and that I love your shells.”
His eyes stall on my lips, then his words heat up my entire body as he murmurs, “Can I kiss you mermaid?”
I gulp. I want him to do it—of course. But I’m a little afraid that his kiss can’t measure up to Drew’s, but he pulls me to him gently, and I quickly realize that is no problem. None whatsoever. His hands come on either side of my face, and his warm lips lightly brush against mine, first soft and gentle and feather light, then passionate, so hungrily, his spectacular delicious kiss sending me to heaven.
I hear angels sing as his eager passionate hot hungry kiss goes on and on, driving me wild, making me weak in the knees. It wipes out all memory of Drew’s kiss … or any thoughts of Drew whatsoever.
Rider, oh man. Holy smokes and yowza!—the boy can kiss.
And un-break my heart.
In fact, he’s soaring it to heaven with lightning speed.
“See, I’m not a heartbreaker,” he tells me softly against my lips. “I’m a heart melter.”
It’s true. Sooo true.
He whispers, “You know how I know?”
“How?”
“Because I know you little mermaid,” he strokes my hair softly, “Kindergarten Girlfriend. Your heart is mine. I have a box of shells that tell me so.”
“And my lips tell you so,” I murmur.
He grins, “Oh yeah? Let me hear them.”
“My heart is yours,” I whisper.
He smiles huge and pleased, a little groan coming from his talented kiss-swollen lips.
Still smiling huge, he raises his eyebrows. “Now let me feel them again.”
I let him feel them all day.
In fact, I let him feel them the rest of the school year.
CHAPTER 53
***EPILOGUE***
I had my kindergarten boyfriend back. My heart was whole, and happy beyond belief.
(And I changed the poem about him on the bathroom wall.)
Rider Hanson is so not a heartbreaker.
He’s the best boyfriend ever.
And he’s mine.
All mine.
Yay me!
********
Note: Keep reading. There is another romantic teen story after the following book info on the next page.
Note From the Author, Melanie Marks:
I hope you liked the book.
There will be more to their story in the future.
If you would like to receive email notifications of my newest books, email me at:
[email protected]
My website is:
http://www.byMelanieMarks.com
Check often as I’m always writing new books
Information about this book:
Tough Griffin Piper (Rider’s best friend and hockey captain) that is so in love with his girlfriend, Ally, is from Melanie Marks’ book, His Kiss. After the following book info there is a peek at that book. (The book is available now.) After that, there is a bonus short teen romantic story included in this book. Enjoy.
Newest books by Melanie Marks:
Smokin’ Hot (Accidental) Kiss
Love Liam
Kissing Kade
Ex-Boyfriend
My Brother’s Best Friend
Dearest (Hot) Enemy
The New Boy
My Stepbrother’s kiss
My Forbidden Heartthrob
(Right now each book only costs a dollar)
(Or you can read them for free with Kindle Unlimited)
Update: Melanie’s very newest book is: “The Player (plus: Ally Has Amnesia)”
That’s one book with two stories: It has the novel, “The Player,” plus a bonus story called: “Ally Has Amnesia.”
It’s a standalone novel; available now
Summary of
Melanie Marks’ newest novel
The Player (plus: Ally Has Amnesia)
His name is Dane McGraw, but he’s known as “The Player.” He was called that even before I became his very first girlfriend—back in MIDDLE school. But that was years ago. He’s forgotten all about me … right? Well, that’s what I thought when I started spreading my lies about us—on the Internet. He moved away and he’s all famous now, so I thought he would never know that I made him my new fake boyfriend. And said he adores
me and brings me flowers.… Until he shows up at my door—with flowers (!!) …Um?
The explanation:
When my boyfriend dumped me for my total archenemy (Nina), to save face I posted on my blog that I didn’t care because I had a date to our school dance with The Player. I only did that because I knew my archenemy (Nina) wanted him, and my ex-boyfriend (Back-stabber) was jealous of him. Two birds—one stone. However, for some reason no one believed my crazy lies about The Player. Probably because, you know, they were crazy lies—about The Player. But whoa! Here he is, at my door for the dance—The Player. With that same ol’ player grin that has always played with my adoring heart. Yikes! I need a player’s manual … and an ambulance. ‘Cause I’m swooning for the boy that broke my heart. AGAIN!! (Help!)
http://www.amazon.com/Player-PLUS-Ally-Has-Amnesia-ebook/dp/B019YZT8OU/ref
Summary of
Melanie Marks’ newest novel
Smokin’ Hot (Accidental) Kiss
Okay, I’m just going to start by saying I did NOT mean to make-out with my total enemy’s (smokin’ hot) boyfriend. I swear! I mean, I know it sounds like the perfect revenge, since my total enemy became my total enemy by making out with my boyfriend (who, you know, became my ex boyfriend after that). Still, even so—I did NOT make out with my enemy’s (hot) boyfriend on purpose. Really!! TRULY!!! Not gonna lie, though—Mmmm. Oh man! That kiss … I can’t get it out of my head. Or dreams. Smokin’ hot Sutter Sinclair, that boy can kiss!
http://www.amazon.com/Smokin-Accidental-Kiss-Melanie-Marks-ebook/dp/B01F4YB4I8
Summary of
Melanie Marks’ book
Kissing Kade
To get back at her cheating ex-boyfriend, Leah Hanson impulsively kisses the hot new guy at her locker, only to discover when roll is called that the dreamy boy she just kissed is in her first period class (yay!) but then she discovers he isn’t just any boy. (Gasp!) She just kissed her childhood ex-stepbrother. Face-palm. Not going to lie though, the kiss was smokin’ hot!! However, Leah only kissed those fantasy-inducing lips to (metaphorically) stab her ex-boyfriend, not to SWOON over a steamy kiss ... from an ex(sort of)relative. She really can NOT catch a break. (Or stop thinking about that kiss.)
Heartbreaker Hanson Page 15
