As I neared the living room, I dialed into an unfamiliar voice. It was soft and airy, making me slow my pace.
My younger sister was cool most days for a fourteen year old. She was what I would call alternative. Short brown hair, shaved on one side, chin-length on the other, and black-framed glasses. The thick, nerdy kind. Her friend probably looked the same. Another chick who didn’t do mainstream commercial fashions and brands. She probably listened to alternative rock, like Jill.
Not me, though. Gimme classic rock any day of the week.
I peeked into the room. Long blonde hair caught my eye. Bummer. I preferred brunettes. Not like I would ever consider one of Jill’s friends. That’d be weird, and Jill wouldn’t go for it.
Strutting in like I ruled the world, my mother’s face beamed. “Zach, I’m glad you’re here. Come meet Jill’s friend, Aspen.”
“Yeah, sure.” I shrugged, no big deal. The girl didn’t turn to acknowledge my presence. Stuck-up girls usually had princess complexes. I bit back a rude comment as it floated onto my tongue. Saying what I thought wouldn’t have bode well with my parents or Jill.
Veering around the sectional, I choked on my spit. Hypnotic green eyes connected with mine, stealing the air from my lungs. Seconds marched by, then Jill snickered, waking me from the spell I’d been under.
I was screwed.
Aspen’s lashes fluttered, the apples of her cheeks turning pink as she smiled softly.
Sparks ignited inside me like the ones in her alluring eyes. I was so screwed with a capital S.
“Aspen, this is Zach, my older brother,” Jill introduced. “He’s sixteen. Plays football on the varsity team.”
I puffed out my chest proudly.
Aspen dropped her gaze to her shoes, like she wasn’t impressed, but recovered quickly. “It’s nice to meet you.” She extended her hand, a first for me. I shook her warm, small hand feeling powerful and drawn to her.
A fruity scent tickled my nose. I stared at Aspen’s lips. Watermelon? It had to be watermelon lip gloss. Her luscious lips shimmered, tempting me to give them a lick.
“Good to meet ya,” I returned as my eyes trailed up to hers. “I turn seventeen in April,” I added like a dumbass.
“Dork,” Jill muttered, tugging Aspen’s hand out of mine.
Aspen tilted her head up, confusion in her green depths. She was a pretty little thing. Ivory skin, pink lips, and those glittering eyes lighting up my whole life.
I waited for her to respond, but she just sat there with an accessing eye.
“When I graduate, I’m joining the Marines,” I told her for no other reason than I didn’t know what else to say.
She looked at me strangely. “Hmm…”
That was it? Just, hmm?
“Well, let’s eat. I’m starved.” Mom directed everyone to the dining room.
Nice to meet you. Four unimportant, yet polite words were all Aspen spoke to me. The entire evening.
Was I invisible to her?
I didn’t understand it. Didn’t she feel the sparks between us? Was something wrong with me?
She wasn’t at all shy talking to my parents about moving up to Oregon from Southern California with her dad or the Dodgers or laughing at my dad’s corny jokes.
Kill me now, but she had the cutest laugh and did this little thing where she scrunched her nose when Jill teased her. So freaking adorable, it melted my heart. I should’ve been embarrassed for even admitting it, but I wasn’t.
My heart hammered in my chest, my armpits sweating the whole time she was here. Four words. Only four damn words. What was that about?
Two hours later, the front door closed. Aspen was gone.
I flew off the sofa, grabbed Jill’s hand to pull her down the hallway to my room.