Read Online The Wrong Path_Smashwords by Vivian Marie Aubin du Paris - Free Book Online Page B

remember ever having been there before, even though she had lived in New Kingston her entire life. Will had pulled off onto a dirt shoulder that looked like it had been made to park on, and as he climbed out of the car, she followed slowly, hesitantly. She wasn’t the least bit afraid of Will, but being out in the middle of nowhere with someone who wasn’t her boyfriend—even someone who was—didn’t seem particularly safe.
    “Where are we?” she asked, as he started walking through the trees.
    “The overlook.”
    The… what? She followed him through the trees, confused. She had definitely never heard of the overlook.
    The trees thinned, and to her surprise, opened up to reveal, just as Will had said, an overlook. She sucked in a breath at the beauty they stood over, dazzled by the scene. They were above the town, which looked small and impossibly far away. Beyond the town she could see an expanse of forests, and in the distance, large snow-covered mountains completed the sunny scene.
    “It’s beautiful!” she gasped, turning to Will. She felt all of her fear and anxiety fade as she looked out over the bluff, a hidden little recluse undiscovered by others.
    Will smiled slightly. He hopped up onto the edge of the stone wall, leaning against one of the pillars. She hesitated, peering over the edge. There was a small platform under it, jutting out from the hill, but it was still a long way down. Despite her fear, she steeled herself and carefully lifted herself up as well, leaning against the pillar opposite Will. Even with both of their legs stretched out, they didn’t quite touch.
    “Do you come here a lot?” she asked.
    He let out a slow breath and looked out over the valley. “Yeah,” he admitted.
    She couldn’t hold back the smile that turned her lips up. He looked almost reluctant to tell her, in a boyish, shy way, but at the same time, he seemed so pleased with his space. “I can see why,” she said, looking back over the bluff. “It’s really nice here. Peaceful.”
    He said nothing in response, but unlike normal, she didn’t mind the silence. She could hear the wind rustling through the trees, and the birds chirping around them. The tranquil atmosphere soothed her nerves and she felt herself relaxing, filling her with a sense of serenity.
    She couldn’t help but think it was odd that Will liked to hang out here. He didn’t strike her as the type to appreciate nature’s beauty so much… He seemed more like the type to hide in the back of a coffee shop, looking around with disdain.
    “Do you think your friends will be okay?” she asked finally, looking over at him.
    At her question, his eyes fell closed. When they opened again, they were impossibly dark. He shot her an arrogant smile. “Of course. If anyone can get out of that kind of trouble, it’s them.”
    She fidgeted, fingering the edge of her skirt. “That’s good.”
    He cocked an eyebrow. “You should practice your sincerity.”
    She flushed and looked down at her lap. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m glad they’ll be fine.”
    “Really? Last I checked, it was their fault that the entire school is talking about you.”
    The amused challenge in his voice, coupled with his words, made her flinch. So he had heard. The memory of the other students’ words came flooding back into her mind and she had to force back her tears, twisting her fingers in her lap. “It’s not their fault,” she argued quietly. “They didn’t put it in my drink.”
    “Oh, yeah, that’s right… It was, who…? Your friends, wasn’t it? The jocks you hang around? My friends might provide, but they certainly wouldn’t dose someone’s drink.”
    She quickly slid off of the waist high wall, his mocking words stabbing straight into her heart. “I’m sure they were just trying to help me relax and have a good time,” she insisted quietly. “We should go. Can you take me back to school?”
    He was in front of her before she could take another