After a long, bully-dodging day capped with an after-school make-up test, Lyla trudged to the parking lot with Darcy.

"Thanks for waiting for me," she said.

"No biggie. How did you do on your test?"

"It's not the first time I faked my way through an essay exam." Lyla rubbed her eyes. "And bonus. I didn't need a graphing calculator."

"So maybe you'll graduate with me after all."

When they arrived at Darcy's car, Lyla got in and let out a long yawn.

"So how about all that about Carissa?" Darcy raised an eyebrow.

"My brain is too tired to absorb any more info." Lyla yawned.

Darcy started the car. "Okay."

Lyla said, "She got accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, right?"

"I mean the modeling thing."

"Wait. What?" Lyla leaned in.

"How did you miss that?"

"Maybe because no one is talking to me."

While driving out of the lot, Darcy said, "Supposedly, the Ford Agency is interested in her."

"The real Ford Agency?"

"That's the rumor. She's living her best life. She and her mom are flying up to Manhattan for an interview."

"Seriously?"

Darcy said, "When Carissa's a cover girl, I guess they can PhotoShop in a personality."

"When you're that hot," Lyla replied, "I don't think they care a whole lot about your personality."

"So..." Darcy smiled her evil grin.

"So, what?"

"Jack."

"What about him?" Lylas asked.

"Poor Jack will be left behind with nobody to keep him company on those lonely summer nights."

"Stop it," Lyla huffed.

"You don't think he's chasing her up to New York, right?"

"Kinda doubt it." Lyla sipped her Red Bull. "I think his dad got him a personal trainer, coach, whatever you call them. He's going to send try-out videos to some colleges."

"And he's going to be hanging around here all summer, right?"

She shrugged.

"Put on your positive pants." Darcy grinned. "Door's wide open, girl. All you gotta do is ring his doorbell."

"Yeah, right." Lyla blushed.

"We should definitely stop by the store on our way home."

"For what?"

Darcy winced as she examined her friend's bruised eye and swollen lip. "You're gonna need a ton of makeup to make that face presentable."

"Now we're being mean."

Darcy flipped down the visor in front of Lyla. "Time to face reality."

Lyla winced at her reflection in the vanity mirror.

...............................................................................

Saturday afternoon, Lyla went to the athletic field where Jack worked out with the team. She watched him through the fence. Her face was no longer swollen, makeup disguised the fading bruises.

Jack tossed the football around as if he'd never missed a snap. In fact, he looked sharper than ever. With pinpoint accuracy, he threw long balls down the field, hitting his receivers in stride. His performance was impressive.

When practice had finished, he spotted her on the sidewalk. He pulled off his helmet and made his way to the fence, a grin widening on his face.

"Hey," he said and flashed that devastating smile of his.

Lost in his warm brown eyes, her knees went weak.

"You looked amazing," she said.

"Thanks." He grinned.

She could have stood there all day admiring that gorgeous face and those broad shoulders.

"So..." He wiped his hand on his pants. "You wanna maybe get something to drink? Or maybe food or something?"

"All of the above."

"Okay, look, I'm gonna grab a shower and I'll be out in ten minutes. That work for you?"

"I'll be right here."

She watched him jog toward the locker room, following a group of players into the building.

Lyla imagined Jack in the shower, soaping the perspiration from his sinewy body. She fantasized about sneaking into the locker room and joining him in the steamy shower. She'd surprise him with tender kisses as the warm water rained down on them. Her heart pounded faster thinking about his arms and shoulders slick with soap, his lips wet with her saliva. She imagined beads of water forming on the tile walls, and on their skin as the steam rose, enveloping them in a hot mist.

BANG. A stiff wind toppled a garbage can, jolting her out of her fantasy. A gust of breeze sent empty plastic bottles, cups, and fast food wrappers tumbling down the sidewalk in her direction.

She turned her back to the raging wind and shielded her eyes with her forearm. As abruptly as the wind had kicked up, it died. Everything went silent and still. When she took a step back on the sidewalk, she heard crunching. She looked down to discover that she stood ankle-deep in a carpet of leaves.

Her heart thundered.

In her back pocket, she could feel her phone buzzing.

Maybe it was only a coincidence, but Lyla was too frightened to answer.

.....................................................................

https://www.wattpad.com/822348938-dirty-secrets-prologue