by Sherry Soule
“Damn, girl,” Tanisha says as she lowers herself onto a chair in one graceful motion. “You really do have the worst luck.”
I nod. “Yup. But that’s all gonna change now.”
Shifting on the bed, I glance at Hayden still talking with my dad, who pats him gently on the back. Hayden’s head hands down and his body slumped. He must be as devastated as Zach about his mother’s homicidal actions. Hayden lifts his head, his eyes glassy with tears, but he can’t even look in my direction.
“Sloane, I’m so sorry this happened to you,” Viola says.
“Whatever,” I say. “It’s over and I’m ready to go home.”
My friends and brother stare at me with furrowed brows.
“Do you think she’s suffering from post-traumatic stress?” Tanisha asks.
Viola nods. “Most definitely. Anyone have any Xanax on hand?”
“You guys, I’m fine,” I say, taking another bite of my burger, then swallowing. “I just can’t wait to go back to Earth. I miss my cat and cable TV.”
“I think we can make that happen,” Jonah says, nodding.
“Tanisha, go get Sloane’s dad,” Viola orders. “Let’s fire up those spaceships and get our bestie home.”
EPILOGUE
Six months later back on Earth…
Fade in and action!
Grunting, I climb three flights of stairs to my dorm room, lugging two heavy textbooks, an overflowing backpack, and a Starbucks green tea frappuccino. It sucks that the dorm elevator has been out of order for weeks, but on the bright side, all the stairclimbing has helped keep my weight down.
The student lounge appears empty as I trudge along the corridor, the scent of burnt popcorn assaulting my nose. I push open the door to my room with one shoulder. The only way to describe the space with cinder block walls, a fresh coat of dull white paint, and the burgundy drapes sagging on the rod is that it resembles a stark prison cell. Still, I love it.
I lug my stuff over to my side of the room that’s crammed with my signature dark-side décor, an ornate black mirror and a twin bed covered with a black-and-white skull comforter and a row of Ugly Dolls leaning haphazardly on the pillows. My gaze goes directly to the corkboard above the desk pinned with cutouts of wedding dresses, morbid poetry, movie ticket stubs, and Hayden’s cute selfies. From one pic, his crooked smile stabs at my heart.
Nine days since I’ve spoken to him. Forty-two days since we’ve hung out. And the whole long-distance relationship thing sucks worse than a starving vampire.
I drop my books on my sticker-encrusted desk and hang one strap of my backpack over the chair. Taking a sip of my coffee, I plop on the seat and boot up my laptop. I have transitioned my Fright Night Babble column into a wicked cool blog and built an even larger fanbase. Who knew college kids loved movie snark so much?
My cell buzzes and I tug it from my pocket. I hit the “green” accept button and speak into the receiver, “Hi, Vi! How’s it going?”
“It’s going fang-tastic, chica, but I miss you. We should get coffee this week.”
“I don’t have any classes on Thursday afternoon, so we can get together then.”
I swivel on the chair and my gaze sweeps over my roommate Bella’s side, which looks like someone threw up Pepto-Bismol pink. Her books are strewn everywhere, a mini-fridge squats in the corner, and she has enough romantic movie posters to fill the room. The only thing we have in common is an unhealthy obsession with screenwriting and Indie filmmakers.
“Yup, I’m free,” Viola says and groans. “I just got off the phone with Zach. Being a long-distance couple is killing me.”
I pull out the straw from my drink, lick off the whipped cream stuck to the sides, then slip it back into the lid. “Tell me about it.”
“So, still liking film school?”
“Yup. Working on a screenplay with no clichés, which is surprisingly harder than I thought. How’s your cosmetology classes going? Shaved anyone’s head yet?”
Since the Zetas loaded us into three different spaceships for our return journey six months ago life has been hectic. After graduating and being accepted to the prestigious Los Angeles Film Institute, where I’m currently enrolled, Viola moved here to attend cosmetology school. The best part? We live less than five miles from each other.
“Nope, but I did get to highlight this girl’s hair with neon green.”
“Wicked cool,” I say, “And hang in there. Cosmetology school is less than a year, and by then Zach will have graduated and you’ll be able to return home to be with your one true love…as hard as that is to believe.”
“True, but I’m starting to really dig L.A.. Maybe I can talk Zach into going to a college in the area.” She sighs. “Speaking of true loves…you heard from Hayden lately?”
Hayden and his family boarded a separate spaceship on the return trip to Earth and instead of graduating with our senior class, he decided to take his GED and put off college for a year to accept his leadership duties with the Galactic Brotherhood, which I completely supported.
“Not as much as I’d like since we came home. He said he needed time to get through the whole traumatizing my-mom’s-an-attempted-murderer ordeal, so I’ve kept my distance. Although I think about him every day.” My voice catches and I take a sip of my coffee.
“Zach says that Hayden’s been crazy busy helping your dad kickoff the integration program. Why don’t you call him?”
Upon our return, my dad became the official Meleah Peace Ambassador and went into negotiations with the GB leaders and the president himself to officially, unofficially terminate the Sector Thirteen agency. Unfortunately, crazy Doctor Krilova escaped, but General Athens is being held by the CIA for debriefing, which could be code for mind-wiping. Maybe even a dose of waterboarding. One can only hope!
“Nah. I’m giving him his space, and I’m sure he’s busy with his GB duties.” I reach over the desk to open the window. Sharp winds blast me in the face, but it’s exactly what I need to stop the tears.
“Gotta run. My break’s over and I have an old lady who needs a perm. Bye!”
Smiling, I set the phone on my desk and log into my blog to write a new post. Since Bella isn’t here to witness the weirdness or complain about my moody sighing, I lift the collar of the T-shirt I’m wearing and sniff it. Hayden’s scent still lingers on the fabric, although to my horror, it’s starting to fade. He sent me a box of shirts to wear at night so it’s as if I’m cuddling with him, but lately, I’ve been wearing them during the day, too.
Even with all the late-night Skype calls, daily texts, and Netflix movie watching we do together, I miss him so much my heart throbs like a rotten tooth. Yet, for my own sanity, I haven’t given up doing my own thing or having adventures with my fellow future filmmakers. Both of us have been enjoying our independence while being apart and it’s only brought us closer together. Instead of worrying that our long-distance relationship will break us up, I believe through this experience, it’s made our bond even stronger.
The wooden floorboards in the hallway leading to my room creak, and I turn, expecting to see my roommate.
Hayden sticks his head inside the doorway and waves uneasily at me. “Hey.”
Fluttery sensations strike my belly. “What a wicked cool surprise!”
My heartbeat skips and jumps at the sight of him. Hayden stands there in faded skinny jeans and a dark blue tank. Avatars are tucked into the swoop-neck collar, pulling the front down enough for me to glimpse the muscles of his well-defined pecs. He tilts his head, running a finger along his jaw over the slight hint of blond stubble.
“C’mon in,” I say, swiveling on my desk chair to fully face him.
Entering the small room, Hayden has a bouquet of long-stemmed blood-red roses clutched in one hand and he places them on the desk. He steps back, shoving both hands into the pockets of his jeans. “How have you been?”
I stay seated because I’m afraid if I move, my heart will start beating so fast and hard, it’
ll become a one-man band in my chest. “Okay, I guess. How are you? How’s your family doing?”
“Fine…under the circumstances,” he says. “I never told you because I know this is a sore subject, but my mother and Delta stayed behind on Reticuli with the Zetas. My mother’s going to be rehabilitated.”
“How long will that be?” I ask.
“Until she becomes a model citizen,” he says, his voice hitching on the words.
“What about Delta?”
“The last I heard, she’s been taken in by a Zeta family. She’s just a kid and my mom used her. It wasn’t fair or right, and Delta didn’t know any better.”
“I never blamed her and I knew someone else was pulling the strings. Did your dad stay with them?”
He shakes his head, shuffling his sneakered feet. “No. In fact, he’s filing for divorce. My father feels terrible about what they did to you. He admits to being an ass, but he never wanted to physically hurt you. Actually, we’ve been going to therapy once a week.” He shrugs, hanging his head. “It’s okay. Kind of getting better…”
“How’s your brother doing?”
“Uh, well, Zach had a hard time facing the truth and leaving my mother behind.” Hayden lifts his head, rocking on his heels. “I-I did too at first. It’s been a tough couple of months.”
Tears spring to my eyes and I want to hug him, but I’m afraid he’ll run away like a skittish horse. “I can’t even imagine what you guys have gone through.”
Hayden clears his throat. “Look, I’m just going to say this quick before I chicken out…I’m sure you hate my mother, and with good reason. She’s made unforgivable mistakes. That’s mainly why I’ve stayed away. I assumed you didn’t want to see me for awhile, but I couldn’t stand it a moment longer. So here I am, hoping you’ll give me one last chance.”
I blink. “Why wouldn’t I want to see you?”
“Because everything bad that’s ever happened to you is my fault. Your life has been constantly in danger because of my ex-girlfriends and dysfunctional family.”
Sighing, I push purple hair away from my face. “Hayden, it’s not your fault that your mom took it upon herself to try to break us up and murder me.”
“Oh, yes, it is!” Hayden throws out a hand, pacing the space between my chair and the bed. “If it’s not one of my jilted girlfriends trying to kill you, it’s their parents, or my own family—”
“Hayden—”
“But I’m going to make this up to you, Sloane. I swear it!” He paces faster. “I know you deserve better and a guy without so much baggage.”
“Hayden—”
“I know just showing up here like this isn’t enough to make amends for all the wrongs, but I realized without you in my life, it’s like there’s a hollow place inside my chest that just keeps growing bigger. I keep thinking, I’d be better off alone. Except I’m nothing without you, only an empty space,” he says, his voice hoarse, on edge. “No matter what happened in the past. No matter what you and I went through. And no matter what you say in the next thirty seconds is going to change the fact that I will always love you, Sloane. You’re my best friend and favorite person on the planet. I can’t imagine my life without you in it—”
“Hayden!”
He stops pacing. “What?”
“Are you going to kiss me?”
Hayden steps closer, lefts me up out of the chair, and touches each cheek delicately with his palms. Then he lowers his head and places his lips over mine. Our bodies smash together with a force that’s as strong as comets exploding and showering down all around us. The kiss deepens and he’s no longer desperate or guilty. I’m not lost or uncertain. We’re not worrying about disapproval from our peers or jealous exes or family issues. We’re not anxious about hiding our relationship from the world. He’s just Hayden kissing Sloane, and I’m just Sloane kissing the boy she loves. Together, like a real couple. When we part for air, our chests heave against each other and his arms tighten around my waist.
“Hmm, maybe I should stay away more often,” he teases.
“Never again.” I take his hand, lead him to my bed, and swipe my stuffed dolls onto the floor.
He sits and leans back against the headboard. Stretching out beside him, I rest my head on his chest, curling into his side.
Hayden lightly kisses the top of my head and sighs. “I still don’t get it. I know the dinner with my parents was a total bust, but my dad seemed okay with it. Then my mom goes and starts plotting your murder after I announce our engagement. We can call it off now, but please keep the ring—”
“Oh, Hayden Lancaster. You’re so cute,” I say, tilting my head to look at him.
He wraps one arm around me. “I am?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” I kiss his cheek. “I love you.”
Hayden shifts, his eyes brimming with tears. “Still?”
“Yes, you big dummy.”
“And do you still want to marry me?”
I sit up straighter and he does too so we can face each other.
“Only after a long engagement. I plan to finish school before I commit to any I dos,” I say, making air quotes with my fingers.
“I can live with that.” He pulls me closer, our breath mingling. “I really want to kiss you again.”
His mouth possessively covers mine, and I stop breathing. Hayden’s body shudders, our chests pressed together. Explosive tremors shoot through me as he deepens the kiss, parting my lips. I lean closer, running my fingers into his shaggy hair. My heart expands like an inflatable raft to the point of near bursting. The rush of sensations swelling within my body feels thrilling and electrifying. After we break the seal of our lips, he smiles at me with that heart-melting grin as if he’s the happiest guy on the planet. Deep down, I know I’m the luckiest girl.
“Now comes the really scary part,” I say.
“What’s that?”
“Do you realize you haven’t officially asked for my parents blessing?” I say, sliding off the bed and getting to my feet. “Now, Hayden, don’t give me that look. I had to have dinner with your mother, so you can do this for me.”
He stands and kisses me again until I forget all about the kidnappers, judgmental parents, bitter ex-girlfriends, and everything bad in this messed up yet beautiful world. Even Cyclone Sloane fades like a long lost memory.
“You ready?”
“More than ready, Peaches.”
Hayden and I teleport to my house in Grimm Haven, where we find my parents in the living room watching TV. They glance up, and my dad lowers the volume with the remote in his hand. We step in front of the flat-screen, and my mom raises an eyebrow.
“Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Masterson.” Hayden takes my hand and squeezes it. “I really want to marry your daughter, and before you say no because you think we’re too young, I just want you to know that I love Sloane with all my heart.” He stands straightener. “I’m a decent person. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I’ve never been arrested, and I don’t drink coffee because caffeine makes me jittery. I plan to go to college and I believe in a higher education. The bottom line is that I want to spend the rest of my life making your daughter happy.”
My dad scoots forward. “Anything else I should know, young man?”
Hayden shakes his head. “No, sir.”
My dad glances at my mom, who shrugs. “He had me at making Sloane happy. That’s all a mother really wants, and if Hayden can make her smile this much, then I welcome him into the family.”
“And we’re waiting two years,” I say. “It’ll take me that long to pick out the perfect Gothic dress, anyway.”
Sometimes love stories like ours go off script and take a detour, but that’s just fine with me.
Roll credits.
HUMBLE REQUEST
Dear Awesome Reader,
First off, thank you for buying this book! I originally planned this series as a trilogy, but these books are so much fun to write that I could expand on Sloane and Hay
den’s adventures if I get enough requests and reviews posted online. If you want more Sloane escapades, then please let me know!
And if you enjoy my brand of storytelling, I would be beyond grateful if you would take a moment to post an honest review to share your passion for reading somewhere online to help other readers discover this series. Readers can just leave a short review wherever you purchased this copy on places like Goodreads and/or Amazon.
Please also consider helping me spread the book love by joining my street team, or by supporting the #StarlightSaga through blog reviews, tweets, or Facebook posts. It takes time away from my writing to promote my work, but with your help, I can start publishing sooner because that’s the best incentive in the world for an author to keep writing—and faster!
Peace, love, and books,
Sherry
ALSO BY SHERRY SOULE
SMASH INTO YOU
Bad-Boys and Dark Secrets Are Tough To Keep
Serena DuPont isn’t interested in falling in love again. Been there, done that, and she has the pulverized heart to prove it. Leaving behind those sucky romantic choices, she transfers to a new college her sophomore year. All Serena wants to do is pledge a sorority, stay focused on her classes, and swear off sexy players.
Tell that to Cole Prescott, the incredibly gorgeous complication that threatens to crush her newfound resolve. Keeping him in the “friend zone” won’t be easy, especially when the sizzling chemistry between them is so damn combustible. But that’s not Serena’s biggest problem…
While pledging Zeta Beta, her life gets flipped horribly upside down by a series of ominous threats, nasty rumors, and even blackmail. And the only place she finds comfort is in the arms of the off-limits frat boy she should be avoiding.
Unless Serena can prove her innocence to the ultra-saucy sorority that’s accused her of being involved in a lewd sex scandal, Serena is at risk of losing the future she’s fought so hard to rebuild. Resigned to the fate of the Greek gods, Serena might not be able to lie her way out of this epic disaster.
BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN
