Forever Changed

“Because just a week ago I still detested you.”

“Fair enough, but do you still detest me now?” he asked, accentuating the word.

“No,” I said quietly, confused at the emotions he was evoking in me.

“Give me a chance,” he said.

“But your dad…” I said, voicing the reason we would never work.

“My dad’s done enough to us. Why should he get the chance to continue dictating our lives?” he said, placing his right hand on my shoulder. He slowly moved it down my arm, making it tingle. His hand continued to travel down until he was clasping my hand in his.

“Give me a chance,” he repeated, bringing our clasped hands up between us.

“This is insane,” I whispered.

“Maybe, but in a good way.”

“What if you find out I don’t live up to this crazy illusion you seem to have about me?” I asked.

“Kassandra, you’re just going to have to trust me on this,” he said, leaning forward to kiss the knuckles of the hand he held.

I shivered as his breath left a trail of heat against my skin.

“Okay,” I finally conceded.

“You’ll go out with me tomorrow night? he asked, kissing the palm of my hand. My knees went weak as I sagged against the car door.

“Where?” I finally squeaked out.

“My band jams every Thursday night on some property Drake’s family owns. We can grab a bite to eat afterward.”

“Okay,” I said again, sounding like a parrot.

“Should I pick you up?” he asked.

Reality sank in at his words. There was no way I could bring him home. My mom had just recently started to function again. I couldn’t imagine how she would handle me dating someone who should be considered the enemy.

“Don’t over-think it,” he said, studying my face.

“How do you know what I’m thinking?”

“Told you, you’re an open book to me,” he said, stroking the side of his hand down my face to emphasize the point.

“Whatever,” I said, enjoying his hand on my skin way more than I should. “I’ll meet you there,” I said, finally breaking the contact as I opened my car door. “Text me the directions,” I added, sliding into the driver’s seat.

“How do you know I have your cell phone number?” he asked, placing an arm across the top of the door.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

He laughed out loud. “Okay, I do have it, but it’s not like I’m a stalker or anything. Besides, I got it from your Facebook profile.”

“I didn’t know we were Facebook friends,” I said puzzled.

His grin said it all. “I guess you could say I’m handy with computers,” he said, laughing at my expression.

“Right,” I said, suddenly curious if he was the Facebook phantom I had seen on Lacey’s page.

He closed the door before I could ask him any other questions.