Rae of Sunshine (Light in the Dark 1)

“Okay, maybe not chipper, but you’re definitely a morning person.” She lowered her arm and cracked her eyes open. “Look at you dressed and ready to conquer the world. It’s not fair. I don’t even feel like brushing my teeth.”

“Ew, Thea. That’s gross.” I moved across the room for my backpack and camera case. I was hoping to get a morning shoot in. The campus was so pretty in the early hours.

“Hey, at least I’m honest.” She rolled over then, but rolled too far and fell face first on the floor. I slapped a hand over my mouth in the hope that she wouldn’t hear me laughing at her. “If this is a sign of what’s to come today,” she mumbled, turning onto her back, “then I want a fucking do over.”

“Sorry,” I offered her a hand, “life doesn’t work like that.” I wish.

She took my hand and I helped her up. “Thanks,” she grumbled, heading for the bathroom. “I’ll see you for lunch.”

I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “See you later,” I called, heading for the door.

Since I had a while before my first class I spent my time walking around campus, snapping pictures here and there when something piqued my interest. I didn’t know why, but the moment I raised the camera to my eye I always saw the world in a different light. The chaos diminished and I saw only the beauty.

In the distance I saw a guy sitting against a tree with a book in his lap. He was completely absorbed in the words on the page and nothing around him seemed to matter. I focused on him and snapped his picture.

He looked up then and it was like someone kicked me in the gut. It was Cade. He grinned and I smiled in response as he raised a hand to wave me over.

I stood still for a moment, reluctant to join him. But I didn’t see how I had much choice unless I ran away.

I closed the distance between us and he smiled up at me from where he sat on the ground.

He lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the morning sun. “Well,” he chuckled warmly; his blue eyes making my stomach flip, “if it isn’t my morning Rae of Sunshine.”

“Still with the silly nickname?”

“Always,” he shrugged, causing his gray sweater to pull taut across his shoulders, “I like it.”

“It’s stupid.” I muttered, still standing there looking at him.

“That’s your opinion.” He patted the spot of grass beside him. “Join me for breakfast. I’ll share.”

That’s when I noticed he had a to-go box of breakfast food from the diner Thea and I had gone to a while ago.

When I didn’t move, his voice grew stern. “Sit, Rae.”

I sat. He was rather bossy and I couldn’t seem to ignore his orders.

“Eat. You’re too thin.” He pointed to the smorgasbord of food he had.

“You know,” I picked up a piece of buttered toast, “most guys think there’s no such thing as too thin.”

“Bullshit,” he chuckled. “That’s something girls believe because they’re often times way too self-conscious. Guys like curves. We want something to grab ahold of.” He raised his hands in the air, miming that he was grabbing some invisible breasts. “No one wants to cuddle a twig.”

I shook my head and nodded at the book in his lap. “What are you reading?”

“Do you really want to know?” He chuckled, bowing his head so that the longer strands of his hair hid his face from sight.

“Yeah.” I picked up the fork and took a bite of scrambled eggs. I wasn’t worried about using the same fork as Cade. After all, he already drank my coffee and we couldn’t forget the mouth to mouth incident.

He lifted the book in the air and I tried to hide my surprise.

“Harry Potter? Interesting choice of reading material,” I commented.

“I like fantasy books,” he admitted. “Historical ones too, like old westerns, but mostly fantasy. I mean, who hasn’t at least once wished they could be a wizard?”

I bowed my head and a small smile graced my lips. “I will admit to at one time thinking it would be really cool if I could do magic.”

“Ah, something we agree on,” he grinned, setting the book in the grass.