Chapter 4

Year 2014/Amelia's POV

"Overreacting?"I sputtered,snatching the crumpled cheerleader tracksuit from Kaylee's outstretched hand.The bright blue fabric,plastered with the overly enthusiastic mascot of our high school,seemed to mock me in the girl's changing room."This outfit is a crime against fashion,Kaylee!"

Kaylee rolled her eyes,her amusement barely contained."Look,Ames,I know you're not exactly a cheerleader type,but it's all I could find on short notice.Besides,it's comfy,and trust me,comfort is what you need right now."

She was right,unfortunately,and as much as I hated her cheerleader outfit,I couldn't walk around in my soaked uniform and undergarments.

Comfy?This polyester monstrosity felt more like a torture device than anything remotely comfortable."I don't get it,Kaylee,"I sighed,tossing my wet blouse to her with a dramatic flourish."How did we even become best friends?You're all sunshine and pep rallies,and I'm…"I trailed off,unsure of how to describe myself.Wallflower?Socially awkward introvert?Neither option sounded particularly appealing.

"You're brooding and artistic,"Kaylee finished for me,a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips."And that's what makes you,you.Besides,opposites attract,right?"

"Maybe,"I conceded,a grudging smile forming on my lips.Despite our differences,there was an undeniable connection between us.Kaylee,with her boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm,had a way of dragging me out of my shell,forcing me to see the world in brighter colors and I made sure she didn't drop out of school.

A mischievous glint flickered in Kaylee's eyes as she leaned closer,her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper."So,spill it,Ames!How hot is this guy?Everyone at school's already buzzing about it."

I rolled my eyes,a familiar warmth creeping up my neck despite my best efforts to appear nonchalant."He's not that hot,"I mumbled,the lie tasting bitter on my tongue.Even as I said it,the memory of Adrian materialized in my mind,sharp and vivid.There he was,all broad shoulders and crisp white shirt clinging to a physique honed by years of athletics.The way his hazel eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement,the hint of a playful smile hovering on his lips...Okay,maybe a little bit hot.A lot bit very hot.

"Oh,come on,"Kaylee prodded,her voice dripping with disbelief."He has to be at least a seven,right?"

"Seven?"I scoffed,trying(and failing)to sound convincing."More like a four.Maybe a five on a good day with perfect lighting and strategically placed wind machines."My internal monologue shrieked in protest,but my voice held firm.There was no way I was admitting the truth to Kaylee,especially not now,not after he splashed mud water on me,a wave of icy water drenching me from head to toe.

I could still as annoyance had flared hot within me,but it had been quickly doused by his unexpected response.There was a hesitant smile playing on his lips,that infuriatingly charming one that seemed to crinkle the corners of his eyes in a way that made girls swoon.He fished a pristine white handkerchief from his pocket,and the sight of it against the backdrop of my soaked clothes only amplified my irritation.

"Here,"he'd said,his voice laced with a playful amusement that felt like salt in the wound."I'd offer to give you my spare clothes,but I doubt you'd like that very much."

I snatched the handkerchief from him,muttering a barely audible"thanks,"the sting of betrayal and humiliation hotter than the water itself.There and then,I vowed to avoid him like the plague.Thankfully,being a year apart meant that the odds of our paths ever crossing again were slim to none.And I intended to keep it that way.

"He's not that hot,"I said again,more to myself than to Kaylee as I stated pointedly at her.

"Uh-huh,"Kaylee said,her tone laced with sarcasm.

Sunlight streamed through the windows,casting long shadows that danced alongside us as we stepped out of the changing room into the hallway.

A beat of silence followed,and then Kaylee's eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint."Speaking of Adrian,I'm going to do some digging."

My brow furrowed."Digging?Digging about what?"

"About him,silly!"Kaylee exclaimed."Everyone wants to know more about the mysterious Adrian Kane."

"Mysterious?"I scoffed,a flicker of amusement dancing in my chest despite myself."There's not much mystery there,is there?"

"Oh,there is,"Kaylee insisted,a sly grin spreading across her face."Apparently,he keeps his personal life under tight wraps."

"Wait,"I interjected,my voice barely above a whisper."What do you mean?"

Kaylee shrugged,a mischievous glint in her eyes."Besides the few posts on his Instagram page,which have blown up,by the way,there's nothing else."

"Just be careful,Kaylee,"I cautioned,my voice barely above a whisper."Maybe some things are better left a mystery."

Kaylee winked a conspiratorial glint in her eyes."Don't worry,Ames.I know when to stop.Besides,I'm certainly not the only one who wants to know about East Portland High's newest bad boy."

As we pushed open the classroom door,a wave of chatter washed over us,instantly silencing the low murmur of our conversation.But the silence was short-lived.Within seconds,the chatter morphed into a collective gasp,followed by a flurry of excited whispers.

Glancing around the room,I saw the culprit–a group of girls clustered near my desk,their faces flushed with excitement as they huddled together,their voices barely above a squeak.The topic of their hushed conversation was obvious–Adrian Kane.

Rolling my eyes,I headed to my seat while classes went on.Just as the gnawing emptiness in my stomach signaled lunchtime,the bell rang and I practically sprinted towards the cafeteria,hoping to snag a decent position on the queue for Kaylee and me before the usual lunch rush.But as I pushed open the double doors,the smell of food was replaced by excited shouting and the unmistakable sound of a brawl.

Confusion warred with a surge of adrenaline as I peeked around the corner.There,in the middle of the usually bustling cafeteria,stood a scene straight out of a bad action movie.Drew Carter,the resident'it'boy and captain of the football team from senior year,was the focal point of the chaos.His face,usually a canvas of smug arrogance,was flushed red,spittle flying as he yelled profanities.Two of his cronies,equally menacing in their oversized jackets,were struggling to hold him back.

But the most surprising sight was who he was facing.There,sitting at a table near the window,radiating an aura of quiet control,was Adrian Kane.His tie was loosened,the crisp white of his shirt slightly wrinkled,but his expression remained cool,a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.He held a half-eaten sandwich in one hand,the other casually resting on the table,a picture of studied nonchalance.

My mind raced,piecing together the scene.

Jane,Drew's girlfriend,stood trembling very far away from Drew.Her backpack lay open on the floor,its contents scattered around her.

"Stay away from my girl,you fucker"Drew yelled,his face thunderous as he pointed in Adrian's direction.

Adrian,surprisingly calm and articulate,merely grinned and finished off his sandwich.

"Tell your girl to stay away from me,instead."

Drew,red-faced and fuming,yelled as he struggled against his cronies,while some girls hurried to help Jane pick up her things from the floor.

"Fight!Fight!Fight"Someone started chanting it wasn't long before the entire cafeteria erupted in a wave of excited chanting.As for me,I remained frozen in place,a bewildered observer of this bizarre turn of events wondering how in less than three hours of resuming at school,Adrian had managed to find himself in this kind of situation,but from the smile on his face,it was clear that this was not his first rodeo.

One thing was certain—Adrian Kane was trouble and not the good kind.