new and interesting about our friend here.”
An unexpected shiver ran down my spine. “You’re talking about Matt, aren’t you?”
“The one and only. And to help you get in the mood, I thought this might jog your memory.” She stood, walked over to our iPod dock and pressed play. I should have known she’d be prepared.
Before I could brace myself, the powerful, bittersweet strains of Alicia Keys singing Fallin filled the room. Shocked, I closed my eyes and let the song wash over me. My friends had the good sense to remain quiet.
I felt the last twelve years drop away effortlessly. I was sixteen again, on my back deck, sobbing softly in Maddy’s arms. I opened my eyes and met Maddy’s gaze. The hurt was long gone, but the support she’d offered me then and in the years since had never wavered. Reading my mind, she reached over and gripped my hand tightly. Hand in hand, we let the song play to the last poignant violin strains and sat silent for a minute.
Finally Scarlett broke the silence. “Man, that woman can sing.”
“That song gives me chills,” Cate agreed, looking at me, her blue eyes filled with concern.
I let out an easy laugh. “I’m fine,” I reassured them. “That was my recovery song, although looking back I’d say it was overly dramatic.”
“Christa completely banned me from playing it around her for about five years,” Maddy told them.
“So who was Matt?” Cate asked, gently.
I sighed. “Matt was my first.”
Chapter 8
You couldn’t help but notice Matt. All the girls at school did.
He had the sort of charm that was completely effortless, and people—boys and girls—gravitated toward him. Matt had the effect of making anyone feel they were a friend, even if the association was only passing.
I had of course noticed him, but only ever with the sort of distant admiration that was reserved for someone you knew you could never have. Until the night of the semi-formal. He was a year ahead of me at school and one of the popular girls had invited him as her date for the evening. To our surprise, this girl was more interested in one of his friends, so Matt had spent the night mingling.
When the dancing started, he confidently and easily had his pick of the girls on the dance floor. He didn’t stay in one location for long and I wasn’t exactly shocked when he came our way and started dancing with Maddy. She was stunning of course, and any guy in his right mind couldn’t help noticing her. Despite the attention, that night Maddy wasn’t interested. She was still extremely shy around boys, so she danced politely with Matt for a song and then excused herself.
Which left Matt standing next to me. If he was disappointed, he didn’t show it. To my disbelief, we ended up dancing for the next five or so songs. Then, when he grabbed my hand and pulled me off the dance floor into the clear spring evening, I was flattered and nervous.
Outside he offered me a cigarette, which I took gratefully, relieved to have something to do with my hands.
“You’re a good dancer,” he said, studying me as though he had only just noticed me for the first time.
I hadn’t known what to say. “So are you,” I replied, awkwardly.
Despite all his charm, I guess teenage boys aren’t much for foreplay and he leaned down and placed his lips on mine.
Tragically, I’ll admit I was smitten by that first kiss. His lips were so soft and he seemed to know exactly what he was doing—it was only later I’d reflect more fully on that fact.
He was tall, with sun-kissed blond hair that was long in the front so that he had to continually keep brushing it from his eyes. He was good at sports, and while he hadn’t entirely outgrown that teenage lankiness, he was built. A teenage girl’s dream and he was interested in me.
“And everyone else as it turned out,” Maddy interjected dryly.
“Oh no,” Cate cried, as if it hadn’t occurred years ago. “What happened?”
I grinned wryly. It may have
An unexpected shiver ran down my spine. “You’re talking about Matt, aren’t you?”
“The one and only. And to help you get in the mood, I thought this might jog your memory.” She stood, walked over to our iPod dock and pressed play. I should have known she’d be prepared.
Before I could brace myself, the powerful, bittersweet strains of Alicia Keys singing Fallin filled the room. Shocked, I closed my eyes and let the song wash over me. My friends had the good sense to remain quiet.
I felt the last twelve years drop away effortlessly. I was sixteen again, on my back deck, sobbing softly in Maddy’s arms. I opened my eyes and met Maddy’s gaze. The hurt was long gone, but the support she’d offered me then and in the years since had never wavered. Reading my mind, she reached over and gripped my hand tightly. Hand in hand, we let the song play to the last poignant violin strains and sat silent for a minute.
Finally Scarlett broke the silence. “Man, that woman can sing.”
“That song gives me chills,” Cate agreed, looking at me, her blue eyes filled with concern.
I let out an easy laugh. “I’m fine,” I reassured them. “That was my recovery song, although looking back I’d say it was overly dramatic.”
“Christa completely banned me from playing it around her for about five years,” Maddy told them.
“So who was Matt?” Cate asked, gently.
I sighed. “Matt was my first.”
Chapter 8
You couldn’t help but notice Matt. All the girls at school did.
He had the sort of charm that was completely effortless, and people—boys and girls—gravitated toward him. Matt had the effect of making anyone feel they were a friend, even if the association was only passing.
I had of course noticed him, but only ever with the sort of distant admiration that was reserved for someone you knew you could never have. Until the night of the semi-formal. He was a year ahead of me at school and one of the popular girls had invited him as her date for the evening. To our surprise, this girl was more interested in one of his friends, so Matt had spent the night mingling.
When the dancing started, he confidently and easily had his pick of the girls on the dance floor. He didn’t stay in one location for long and I wasn’t exactly shocked when he came our way and started dancing with Maddy. She was stunning of course, and any guy in his right mind couldn’t help noticing her. Despite the attention, that night Maddy wasn’t interested. She was still extremely shy around boys, so she danced politely with Matt for a song and then excused herself.
Which left Matt standing next to me. If he was disappointed, he didn’t show it. To my disbelief, we ended up dancing for the next five or so songs. Then, when he grabbed my hand and pulled me off the dance floor into the clear spring evening, I was flattered and nervous.
Outside he offered me a cigarette, which I took gratefully, relieved to have something to do with my hands.
“You’re a good dancer,” he said, studying me as though he had only just noticed me for the first time.
I hadn’t known what to say. “So are you,” I replied, awkwardly.
Despite all his charm, I guess teenage boys aren’t much for foreplay and he leaned down and placed his lips on mine.
Tragically, I’ll admit I was smitten by that first kiss. His lips were so soft and he seemed to know exactly what he was doing—it was only later I’d reflect more fully on that fact.
He was tall, with sun-kissed blond hair that was long in the front so that he had to continually keep brushing it from his eyes. He was good at sports, and while he hadn’t entirely outgrown that teenage lankiness, he was built. A teenage girl’s dream and he was interested in me.
“And everyone else as it turned out,” Maddy interjected dryly.
“Oh no,” Cate cried, as if it hadn’t occurred years ago. “What happened?”
I grinned wryly. It may have
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