Dawn by Ana Fuentes (best value ebook reader txt) 📕

ask Skylar, because to be honest I can’t stand the silence any longer.
“Uh, no, actually I just moved here last week. I used to live in Arizona…with my uh, mom.” he responds.
“Ahh, I see, so where are you going to go to school?” I ask casually. Okay, I hope it sounds casual.
“What’s it’s called again dad?” he asks turning to face forward.
Rick looks up at the review mirror and looks back at us. “Fort Bragg High.” He replies.
I twiddle my thumbs to try to hide my surprise, “Hmmmm I see.”
Skylar turns to look at me and raises his eyebrow, “Do you go there?” he asks me. I smile inwardly as I hear a trace of hope on his voice. Dear god, this boy really does like me. Fuck Vic. I have Skylar now.
“Yep,” I say, “Going to be a Sophomore, can’t wait to go back to school and see everyone.” I finish excitedly. I mean, I can finally brag to my friends I have a boyfriend. How great is that? I can finally join in on their guy conversations.
My body tingles at that thought. Yes, I can finally fit in with them. I snap out of my thoughts when I hear the engine stop. I look out the window and realize we’re here. The Big yellow ‘M’ marking its territory in the busy street called Apple. Yay, I’m actually starving. I touch my tummy gingerly and smile as I hear it rumble.
Skylar shots me a weird look, “Was that your stomach?” he asks me.
I open my mouth to speak “Ye-”
“God, you should hear her in the middle of the night!” exclaims Rick, cutting me off. I glare at him, but he just grins back at me.
“Gross! Dad, I did not have to know that.” Skylar says, then surprises me by reaching under the seat -where my left hand is- and taking ahold of my hand. He runs his fingers lightly over my knuckles, making me close my eyes in pleasure.
I open my eyes, and shoot Rick a glare. “Excuuuuuse me for being hungry,”
He barks out a laugh then looks over at my mom who is looking out the window, not even paying attention to what is happening. Wow, that’s my mom for you. Great isn’t she?
“Well…lets go!” he announces, opening his door and getting out. After that, my mom follows his lead, and after her me and Skylar. Once we’re all outside the truck, I walk ahead, leaving my mom, Rick and Skylar behind.
“Soooooo,” I hear Skylar, murmur, suddenly walking by my side. I look over at him and raise an eyebrow.
“Sooo what,” I respond, as we reach the doors. Skylar reaches over for the handle and opens the door, making a gesture for me to go in first. I smile and get in, expecting him to be behind me, but when I look over my shoulder I see he’s still holding the door, for my mom and his dad.
Ahh, whatever. I should just walk ahead. I go over to the line, stand there looking side to side and rolling back and forth on my heels. I stop abruptly, and almost fall sideways when I see the most unexpected person come out of the bathroom. Vic. Vic, wearing a pair of black Skinny jeans, and a red Nike shirt, accompanied by a gray beanie covering the back of his brown long hair. My appetite instantly flees, and I stare after him dumbstruck as he makes his way to the table near the window. He sits down and instantly joins in on the conversation the other 3 kids seem to be in. I only recognize him and this other one boy called Daniel, his best friend, well what seems to be the closest he has to a best friend.
“What are you looking at?” I turn to my side and see Skylar shooting the evil eye to the table where Vic is. Is he jealous?
“Uh, I uh, was um, you know, uh, nothing” I finish off in a hurry, I tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear and look away. Away from Vic, and Skylar.
“Yeah, whatever.” The way he says it, makes my heart beat in fear, and I turn to face him abruptly. But he’s not looking at me, he’s still looking at the table.
I suddenly have the urge to reach out to him and take ahold of his arm, but that would be weird. So instead I punch him lightly on the shoulder. He turns to look at me, trying to hide what looks like jealousy in his eyes.
“Skylar,” I say gently, looking into his green-hazel eyes. He open his mouth to say something, but at the same time the cash register person asks for our order.
“What may I get you guys today?” I turn to face the male voice, and see a guy of about 18 looking at us bored. He has gages, and bleached blond hair. God, he’s hot. His blue eyes move between Skylar and I, and he smiles, as if he’s in on the secret. He grins at me, then at Skylar. “Ahh, young love” he murmurs, in a low voice.
“I’ll uh, have a frappe mocha, small” I say, still not hungry for food. Even though I’m not looking at my mom I can feel she’s shooting me a confused look. I drop my gaze to the floor, and walk away to the farthest table from Vic I can find. A two person table, but considering my luck I’ll be alone. I cross my arms on the table and lay my head on them.
A few second later I feel someone start to poke my arm, I lift my head up and see Skylar looking at me intently. “Hey,” he says, tracing a finger on the table in random lines.
“I used to like that boy over there, huge crush.” I begin, fighting the urge to look away from Skylar. I notice a look of surprise pass over his face.
“How long?” he asks, his voice sounding neutral.
“It was just a petty crush, you know unrequited.” I say taping my fingers awkwardly on the table.
“Soo, who was it? Does the guy have a name?”
I look over my shoulder at Vic, and his group of friends. He laughs at something one of them says, and it hits me that I used to love that laugh. Adore the way he would tilt his head back if it was a real laugh. Images of how I would stare at him at school, always looking at him, while he was chatting away with the other girls pass through my mind. How I used to envy that.
“You see the one with the brown long hair, wearing the red Nike shirt, and the black skinny jeans” I reply, “His name is Vic, Vic Fling.”
“The one with the beanie?” he questions, jealousy clear on his voice. Ah, why is he jealous? He’s way better looking than Vic, and well he actually likes me. Unlike Vic, who I’m no one too.
“Uh, yeah, that one” I reply, just as my mom sets my frappe mocha on the table, and Skylar's drink. Which happens to be a frappe mocha too. I smile. Then she goes over to the table where she and Rick are. Thank god, she’s out of earshot, this way she cant hear what we’re talking about. I turn my attention back to Skylar.
“That’s nice.” He says coldly while he looks away, and takes a sip of his drink.
A feel a sharp prick in my chest, and tears burn in my eyes. Is this our first fight? A day into our relationship, does this mean its not meant to be? Oh no, please don’t let it be that.
“I’m over him, you know.” I murmur softly.
That catches his attention, “You are?” he asks incredulous, his eyes wide and looking at me expectantly. My lord, he’s insecure.
“Yes, besides the fact that he never liked me, never spoke a word to me.” I reply sadly, remembering all the time I spent love-struck over him. He was everything to me, everything I thought I needed.
“Then he’s a bastard,” he says, making me smile. “It was his loss.”
“More like gain, I’m a freak, no one likes me.” I respond, taking a sip of my frappe mocha. I moan loudly. Daaamn, so gooooood.
Skylar snorts, spitting some of his drink on the table. I instantly burst out laughing.
“Dawn” my mom hisses loudly. I look around and realize Vic, and his table are looking at us. Oh, shit. I look away hastily, and turn my attention to Skylar.
“God, you’re stupid dude,” I say giggling.
“Yes, yes I am” he replies winking at me, then he gets a napkin and cleans up his mess. I flash him the middle finger.
He gasps, and puts a hand on his chest, and for the first time I notice he has a ring on his index finger. Its pure metal with no design whatsoever on it.
I bite my bottom lip, “Soo I never knew you had a ring,” I comment, taking a long sip of my mocha. He shifts his gaze away uncomfortably, looking anywhere but me.
Ahh, I see. That type of ring. Probably a girl gave it to him, an old girlfriend- But wait, he said he had never kissed a girl before. But he could have been lying. Still, he did seem pretty confused on the whole kissing thing. But that doesn’t mean he couldn’t have had a girlfriend before. They we’re probably in love, I think acidly. My stomach churns uncomfortably at that thought.
“Who gave it to you?” Was it a girl? Was she pretty? How old was she? Was she blond? Did she have big boobs? I ask trying not to let any jealousy creep into my voice. Because I am NOT jealous of any and I mean any girl he may have dated in the past.
He looks at me slightly, then shifts his gaze to his hands which are laying on the table. “It was my best friend’s,” he says softly.
Soo the chick was even closer to you than I thought, I think acidly. God, I think I hate her already. Goddamn her.
“So why did she give it to you, was it a leaving gift?” I ask trying to sound normal.
He looks up at me, and knits his eyebrows together in confusion. “It was a boy,” he says, “And he gave it to me because he died, he had cancer.” His voice cracking when he says ‘he died’.
I gulp shamefully. Oh shit, and here I was thinking it was from a girl. God, I’m pathetic, I only made the day worse.
“Is-Is that why you moved here?” I ask softly, wanting to reach over and squeeze his hand.
He looks up at me, his eyes glazed. “His name was Nick, he was barley 15, his birthday was two months ago. He died, uh, 3 weeks ago.” He finishes, his voice cracking again at the last sentence.
“I-I-I don’t know what to say Skylar, I’m-I’m so sorry.” I respond awkwardly. Oh, Kate I’m so sorry for what I did yesterday. I cant let these fights ruin our beautiful friendship. I miss her so much.
“It’s okay babe” he murmurs, making my stomach flutter, just as someone from Vic’s table walks by. The one that Vic was sitting across from, a guy with blond curly hair, and piercing green eyes. I feel my face heat up at his stare. Is he going to go tell Vic about this? What will Vic think? Will he- Oh that’s right, Vic doesn’t know who I am. Or cares.