Chapter 1: The Meeting Up

First chapter.

1: The Meeting Up

Tuesday the fourth of December

     I walked the street alone. It was colder than normal this winter. My dad had called my cell this morning and told me not to head to my school. I had perfect attendance, but it’s not like anyone noticed, nonetheless I followed his instructions and planned to meet him at his office building at eight thirty on the dot.

     I parked my new Mustang a few blocks from his building so I could walk. Everyone rushed down the sidewalk trying to get to work on time, though they seemed to slow and do a double take as I stepped out of my black 2012 Mustang. My designer name brand clothes only added to the number of jaws dropping. “Gosh, I thought I played it down today.” I thought to myself as I hurried down the street avoiding eye contact from hungry males and jealous females.

     I wore nameless brown knee-high boots, UGG gloves, and dark wash skinny jeans that hugged my tall skinny frame in all the right places. My plum V-neck sweater showed enough cleavage to spark boys’ interest, but covered enough to be appropriate in my father’s workplace.  My tan toggle button jacket hung open regardless of the freezing cold temperatures.

     Momentarily I stopped, frozen, in the center of the sidewalk, my thoughts had consumed me to the point of paralysis. Finally after the longest fifteen seconds in my life I regained control of my body. There was a boy about my age, maybe older, standing in front of me. He had hold on my upper arms and was staring into my ice blue eyes. His green-brown eyes warmed as he saw me come out of my trance.

     “You were out for awhile.” He said quietly still holding onto me. He grinned down at me; he was nearly half a foot taller than me. I lifted my chin up a little further to see a dimple on his right cheek revealing itself to me. I blushed like a young schoolgirl who caught a football playing senior smiling at her. I had been in this new state for less than twenty minutes and already a handsome stranger caught my eye.

     My dad’s workplace was in Vermont while our house was on the outskirts of New York. It was quite a drive but he insisted I go to school in New York. I knew my father would do anything for me. After my mom died ten years back he did everything he could to give me the world. When I got into music he bought me a recording studio space. When my sixteenth birthday rolled around he bought me everything on my list and threw the best party one dad and my best friends could. I think you get the picture.

     Anyways this meeting felt out of place. His work time was my school time. Again I was lost in my own personal world. I shook my head to try and return to the Earth plane. I had momentarily forgotten about my handsome stranger. He still stood there, eyes burning into mine.

     “You still here?” He asked me, never losing eye contact. I nodded yes, and then gave him my signature white smile. He let go of my arms; his hands went straight into his back pockets.

“What’s your name?” He asked. I hesitated, I thought about refusing. “I’m just wondering. What if you don’t know your own name? I would for sure be deemed worse citizen of Vermont this year if I left you here helpless, not even knowing your own name.” He said clearly noticing my reaction. I chewed my bottom lip, still thinking about answering. “My name’s Emerson, Emerson Phillips. Happy? Now since you know my name you have to give me yours.” He smirked at me, knowing I would.

     “Fine, you got me. Just promise you won’t hit on me or try to get my number yet.” I said feeling confident in myself. He raised his right hand then mimed zipping his mouth shut and throwing away the key. I giggled a little. “Okay, good. My name is Lauren Daniels; I was on the way to my dad’s workplace. His name is Thomas Daniels you probably would know him. Not me.” I said.

“Well, I thought I knew you from somewhere!” He exclaimed, I put a puzzled look on my face, and then frowned.

     “Our dads work together, I’ve met your father lots of times. So I guess the pretty girl in his pictures is you.” I blushed hoping my dad hadn’t told Emerson too much, he laughed loudly. “Let me walk you to the building, I was headed that way anyways.” He offered. I nodded telling him yes.

            I turned my back to him for a second to watch my car lock a few blocks in the distance. When I turned back shyly his eyes were wide. I laughed nervously; I really hoped he wouldn’t have noticed.

“That’s yours?” He asked still gawking. I nodded slowly. “Well your dad must love you a lot! Gosh. How old are you?” I counted up on my friends like a child, still beaming at him.

“Sixteen? What, since when? That’s insane! I’m seventeen and have loads of money but still not a car close to that nice!” He didn’t take his eyes off my shiny black Mustang for what seemed like forever; finally he shook his head at me and turned away. I was shocked; did he think I was a spoiled brat or something? Gosh, I didn’t do anything to him! Come on it’s just a car!

“Sorry to interrupt your thought Lauren, but it you’re coming, the building is this way.” He grinned sticking his thumb over his shoulder laughing at me quietly.

“Oh yeah. I knew that.” I said catching up to him. He slipped his arm around me when I was besides him on the sidewalk.

“It’s okay Laur, we’re all a bit slow sometimes.” Emerson looked down at me displaying his dimple once again. I liked how he just met me, but was already using my nickname freely. I bit my lip; it was way too hard to be mad at this boy. I had a feeling this wouldn’t be our last time meeting.

“Maybe I wouldn’t be so slow if you didn’t distract me from what I was doing.” I exclaimed, slipping out of his hold and skipping away not looking back.

“What now pretty boy?” I asked turning to see him right in front of me. My breath halted in my lungs.

“Wanna say that again Daniels?” He growled. Gosh he was adorable when he was mad, I could not get over him! Granted I just met the boy, but still I liked him.

“Wow, touchy. Sorry, someone has anger issues.” I laughed, his features softened and a smile crept onto his face. “Come on, I’m gonna be late for my meeting. Besides it’s freezing out here, omigod! I am in desperate need of a latte! Know any good places Emerson?” I asked though I highly doubted this boy frank lattes. I nudged him with my elbow.

“Well your dad’s building has a café on the ground floor, they have pretty good lattes in my opinion.” He said placing his hand that was in his back pocket into his front pocket pulling out a shiny white iPhone.

“See I’m not the only one with shiny expensive toys!” I pointed to his phone. He slipped it back into his pocket raising his hands in surrender. “Now that that’s settled, let’s go I’m probably way late and that yummy latte is calling my name.” I said pulling him down the sidewalk in the direction of my dad’s building.