Sometimes

Chapter one

This part, and the whole story, is dedicated to LDCrichton!  Thank you so much for giving me the motivation and inspiration to get somewhere with this story some day :)

I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on him.  Partly because he was the hottest guy I’d ever seen; lip ring, chestnut hair, coffee coloured eyes.  But also because somehow I’d managed to tip my glass of orange juice all over him.  I mean, yeah, great first impression.   I still blamed the way my heart was hammering through my chest like it was going to explode, though.  And anyway, it was his fault for walking into the kitchen looking like the image of perfection while I was minding my own business making a drink.  He shouldn’t have snuck up on me.  Still, I’ll never forget the way my brain was shouting one thing…

   “He’s ugly.”

No.  I think I remember it being something along the lines of ‘Oh my God.’

    “I mean, really.  People like him shouldn’t be allowed out in daylight.”

Cassie’s voice brought me out of my daydream and back to the reality which was the crowded college lunchroom.  I peered up from my lunch of cheese and crackers, (I had a thing for cheese at the moment) to see a guy walking past our table wearing a black t-shirt and dark jeans.  His hair was long, past his shoulders, and his skin was pale.

    “I mean, I’m trying to eat.”

I finally turned my gaze to the girl sitting next to me.  She was frowning and her nose was scrunched up, giving off the impression that she’d just smelt something horrid.  She fixed her eyes on me and waited for my response.

I sighed.  I really did love Cassie, but her constant need to slag someone or something off could be a little tiring.  Especially when college seemed to have dragged on this week and it was only Monday.

    “I suppose he could do with a haircut.”

Cassie’s eyes widened.  “You suppose!  Guys with long hair are just gross.”

I shrugged and popped a slice of cheese into my mouth.

    “Goth guys are just,” she paused, biting her lip in thought.  “Wrong.”

I suddenly felt my temper rise.  “Can’t we give the ripping into people a rest?”

Cassie raised her eyebrows in surprise before she pushed her half eaten salad into the center of the table.  “I’m sorry, H.  I forget sometimes.”  She twirled a strand of her hair around her pinkie finger.  “How is Leanne, anyway?”

I sat back into my chair and watched the boy Cassie had just hated on, leave the college canteen.  In my opinion, he wasn’t that bad looking.  Not that I’d ever tell Cassie that.  She’d be on me in a second, eyes wide and tongue wagging about how I was never to say something so ridiculous again.  Actually, he kind of looked like Leanne’s old boyfriend, Tom.  It wasn’t though; Tom was covered in tattoos.  Leanne, my older sister, was a self-confessed bad boy chaser.  I, however, was known for my taste in rather more plain guys.  Eric from French class.  Pete from English class.  So why, all of a sudden, was I crushing on Sonny?  The same Sonny who was my sister’s best friend and total rocker bad boy.

    “Has she had her tattoo done yet?”

I stopped pondering and turned back to Cassie.  She was looking into her compact while applying yet another layer of mascara.   She pouted at herself before looking up at me.

    “No.  She can’t decide on the final design and Dad said she can only have it done if she’s one hundred percent happy with it.”

    “But she’s nineteen.  She shouldn‘t have to listen to your Dad.”