Rae of Sunshine (Light in the Dark 1)

Eventually I brought my attention back to the group gathered around me. The last thing I wanted to do was look like I’d zoned out again. Thea was going to start thinking I was weird if she didn’t already.

I was uncomfortable in my current position. I turned so I was sitting sideways on the lounger.

Cade used my movement as an opportunity to scoot closer to me.

My body tensed up at his proximity.

His arm brushed against mine and I shivered.

I wasn’t sure if I loved or hated my body’s reaction to him. I was going with hated, because it was completely unfair that one guy could affect me in such a way.

Not even Brett—I cringed as I thought of his name—had made my body react like this. I was drawn to him like a fly to honey—which only ended in disaster.

I wasn’t dumb or naïve enough to believe that Cade saw something in me. Guys like him—hot jocks—wanted one thing and one thing only and that was an easy lay. He wouldn’t get that with me.

“So, Rae,” Cade turned to look at me, his blue eyes sparkling, “what brings you to Huntley University?”

What a stupid question.

“Uh…I wanted a degree and college seemed like the most logical place to achieve that.”

Jace’s lips quirked in a smile and Xander chuckled.

“You’re a sassy little thing, aren’t you?” Cade grinned.

Thea watched her brother and I with a careful gaze.

Little thing? Considering I was five-foot ten I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been described as little.

I eyed Cade, but he was unfazed by my glare. He was something else.

“It was a compliment,” he finally said.

“If that’s what you call a compliment then you’re really shitty at them.”

Xander snorted and Jace actually cracked a full smile.

“Excuse me,” I stood up. I didn’t know where I was going. I just knew I had to get away. Cade was making my brain fuzzy.

I hadn’t made it far when some idiot bumped into me. A small scream escaped my throat as I stumbled.

There was no ground to break my fall.

I went straight into the swimming pool.

I heard Thea’s scream just before my head submerged.

Water stung my nose and since I hadn’t been prepared to go face first into the pool, water entered my lungs.

My vision grew spotty and I floated down.

Sinking.

Drowning.

Gone.

***