Staring at me.

Creepy.

He didn't reply to Chris's question. Instead, after a short hesitation, he turned and walked away, exiting the school completely through the doors at the end of the hall.

"He totally interrupted us." Chris looked down at me with a grin. "That's just rude, don't you think?"

"Very rude," I agreed, deciding to put whoever he was out of my mind immediately.

"Now, where were we?" he asked.

"Before or after you kissed me?"

"I'm thinking… during." He bent his head to mine again for another quick kiss before the bell rang, signaling that lunch was over and I had to head to my next class.

By then I had a permanent smile on my face.

I was finally sixteen years old. I had the coolest best friend. A gorgeous, popular guy had just asked me to go to the school dance. And he'd kissed me!

Everything I'd ever wanted in life was coming to me. I seriously couldn't have asked for anything more.

Now I just had to make sure that nothing spoiled it.

Chapter 2

I stayed after school to study for an English test I had the next day on Romeo and Juliet. When I left at five o'clock it was already dark outside, but I didn't hurry home since I knew nobody was there. Mom and Robert were at his company's Christmas party and wouldn't be back before midnight.

I'd forgotten to wear the hat, gloves, and scarf Mom had given me yesterday as part of my birthday present. The winter chill bit deeply into me as I left school property, but I was in too good a mood to let the subzero temperature bother me.

Well, not much, anyway.

It was a fairly short walk home. Twenty minutes if I went the regular way-up a hill and through a maze of well-populated streets. If I wanted to, I could even hop on the bus that went right past the mall on the way to my new neighborhood.