Trixie.
“It’s been ten years, Amy, and not a day has gone by that I didn’t regret what happened.”
She frowned. “What are you talking about, Brad? What’s there to regret?”
His eyes had turned mellow and sweet, melancholy even. “Everything. Nothing. Just… never forget that… Brad Fuller loves Amy Remington.”
She grinned, remembering what Brad had carved in that old oak tree lining one of the fields back of the house. Must have been when they were ten. Jackie had thrown a fit when she saw what he’d done, but she didn’t care. Jackie could find her own Brad. This one was hers. And now, it seems, he seemed to suddenly remember his boyish sentiments. Well, that was a first, she thought. In all the time they’d been going steady, he’d never even mentioned the L word once. She figured he just liked to hang out with her because she was fun to be around, and she let him go all the way, something not all girls were into.
The rest of the drive no more words were spoken, but she thought deeply about what he’d said. Never forget… Brad Fuller loves Amy Remington. A warm glow suffused her and spread out inside her chest, and when they finally arrived at Jefferson High, a stupid grin was etched on her lips. Brad… loved her? Really?
She waited for him to open the door, and when she stepped out and hooked her arm in his, she knew this night would be special. A night to remember.
Chapter 15
The night was going well, all things considered. Brad had escorted a ravishing Amy into the school ballroom, and the kids had greeted them like royalty, which in a sense they were. Prom King and Queen of yesteryear, though Amy didn’t know that, of course. He just hoped being in these familiar surroundings would stir a memory, and perhaps bring back the real Amy, substituting her teenage alter ego.
Though he had to admit she looked every bit as lovely as she had when he’d escorted her down these halls the first time around, and he was just as enamored now as he had been then. The only difference? This time he knew he was in love, back then his cocky eighteen-year-old self had denied the claims of his heart and had looked upon Amy as merely a conquest. A mere notch on his belt before he set out into the world and laid down his claim for real.
That his future had been walking right next to him had never occurred to him back then, but it did so now, and if this experience had taught him anything, it was that second chances are something to hold onto and seize with every fiber of your being. He just hoped he wouldn’t mess this up like he had the first time.
“Care to dance, my lady?”
She regarded him with sparkling eyes, and he felt a familiar weakness affecting his knees. God, she was beautiful. Even more so than back then. “Don’t mind if I do.”
He led her to the dance floor, mirror balls throwing around their sparkling glitter in all directions, the music a soft mellow slow dance. Kids looking impossibly young—had he ever been this young?—were glancing in their direction as they took to the floor and started their first turn.
She rested her head on his shoulder, and his heart sang as he pulled her close. He’d never, not even in his wildest dreams, hoped ever to hold her like this ever again, and now he was, and he just wished this moment would last forever.
“Brad?” she murmured.
“Mh?”
“Don’t you think it’s weird that… there’s no one of our year here?”
“Perhaps they’ll show up later on. The night’s only just begun, honey.”
“Mh. Maybe you’re right.”
She gazed out across the room, at the twinkling multi-colored lights giving the ballroom a festive look, and at the ribbons and garlands she thought she had helped create, though now she wasn’t so sure. Plenty of faces were staring back at her, but there was none that she recognized, which struck her as weird to say the least. Where was everybody? Then she decided Brad was right. Perhaps their friends would
“It’s been ten years, Amy, and not a day has gone by that I didn’t regret what happened.”
She frowned. “What are you talking about, Brad? What’s there to regret?”
His eyes had turned mellow and sweet, melancholy even. “Everything. Nothing. Just… never forget that… Brad Fuller loves Amy Remington.”
She grinned, remembering what Brad had carved in that old oak tree lining one of the fields back of the house. Must have been when they were ten. Jackie had thrown a fit when she saw what he’d done, but she didn’t care. Jackie could find her own Brad. This one was hers. And now, it seems, he seemed to suddenly remember his boyish sentiments. Well, that was a first, she thought. In all the time they’d been going steady, he’d never even mentioned the L word once. She figured he just liked to hang out with her because she was fun to be around, and she let him go all the way, something not all girls were into.
The rest of the drive no more words were spoken, but she thought deeply about what he’d said. Never forget… Brad Fuller loves Amy Remington. A warm glow suffused her and spread out inside her chest, and when they finally arrived at Jefferson High, a stupid grin was etched on her lips. Brad… loved her? Really?
She waited for him to open the door, and when she stepped out and hooked her arm in his, she knew this night would be special. A night to remember.
Chapter 15
The night was going well, all things considered. Brad had escorted a ravishing Amy into the school ballroom, and the kids had greeted them like royalty, which in a sense they were. Prom King and Queen of yesteryear, though Amy didn’t know that, of course. He just hoped being in these familiar surroundings would stir a memory, and perhaps bring back the real Amy, substituting her teenage alter ego.
Though he had to admit she looked every bit as lovely as she had when he’d escorted her down these halls the first time around, and he was just as enamored now as he had been then. The only difference? This time he knew he was in love, back then his cocky eighteen-year-old self had denied the claims of his heart and had looked upon Amy as merely a conquest. A mere notch on his belt before he set out into the world and laid down his claim for real.
That his future had been walking right next to him had never occurred to him back then, but it did so now, and if this experience had taught him anything, it was that second chances are something to hold onto and seize with every fiber of your being. He just hoped he wouldn’t mess this up like he had the first time.
“Care to dance, my lady?”
She regarded him with sparkling eyes, and he felt a familiar weakness affecting his knees. God, she was beautiful. Even more so than back then. “Don’t mind if I do.”
He led her to the dance floor, mirror balls throwing around their sparkling glitter in all directions, the music a soft mellow slow dance. Kids looking impossibly young—had he ever been this young?—were glancing in their direction as they took to the floor and started their first turn.
She rested her head on his shoulder, and his heart sang as he pulled her close. He’d never, not even in his wildest dreams, hoped ever to hold her like this ever again, and now he was, and he just wished this moment would last forever.
“Brad?” she murmured.
“Mh?”
“Don’t you think it’s weird that… there’s no one of our year here?”
“Perhaps they’ll show up later on. The night’s only just begun, honey.”
“Mh. Maybe you’re right.”
She gazed out across the room, at the twinkling multi-colored lights giving the ballroom a festive look, and at the ribbons and garlands she thought she had helped create, though now she wasn’t so sure. Plenty of faces were staring back at her, but there was none that she recognized, which struck her as weird to say the least. Where was everybody? Then she decided Brad was right. Perhaps their friends would
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