Free Mirror in the Forest: Book One by B. Groves Page A

shake as Tessa continued to talk to her.
     
    She wanted to face him finally, and see his reaction.
     
    He walked by with the other boys laughing, and turned to her.
     
    Like a slow motion movie a slow smile spread across his face, and he nodded to her.
     
    “Nice,” he said and then walked away.
     
    Jessica could only stand there with her mouth gaping as he continued down the hallway.
     
    “Oh my God,” Tessa kept whispering to her over and over again as Jessica just stood there.
     
    “About time,” Alex said with a grimace.
     
    Jessica could not think of the words to say, and the bell ringing finally brought her out of her hypnotic state.
     
    Jessica said goodbye to Alex and Tessa and went to her first class.
     
    She sat down and talked to some classmates that hardly spoke to her in her four years in high school.
     
    She noticed Mandy come into class with two of her entourage.
     
    Mandy kind of jerked when she spotted Jessica, and sat down with a grin on her face.  
     
    Class started and Jessica was barely paying attention to the lesson, because of the attention she was receiving.
     
    “Psss,” a voice next to her whispered.  
     
    Jessica jumped a little and was glad the teacher hadn’t noticed her reaction.
     
    She turned to the boy next to her, and he quickly passed her a note.
     
    Jessica looked at him confused, but took the note and hid it under her books. She waited for the teacher to turn back to the chalkboard when she unfolded it.
     
    I love your hair, Mandy
     
    Jessica smiled, and turned to Mandy and her friends. Mandy looked at her and gave her thumbs up before turning back to the teacher.
     
    Jessica could barely pay attention the rest of the day, she was so happy.
     
    Jessica went to leave that day, and spotted Danny again as he made his way out to the parking lot. Jessica stood on the corner waiting for her mother.
     
    She froze because she knew Danny had to walk by her with his baseball friends.
     
    Her palms began to sweat, and she felt weak in the knees. Her heart fluttered, but she noticed that it wasn’t the strong reactions she used to have. Suddenly, the young Sheriff flashed through her mind, but she disregarded it.
     
    She knew she had to turn and say something, but what?
     
    “Hey,” a male voice said to her right.
     
    She turned sharply, and blushed at her reaction.
     
    She was looking into the deep blue eyes of the guy she had been in love with for years. She was looking at a square jaw line, and whiskers covering it.
     
    She thought she heard his buddies snicker in the background. He turned to them with a glare, and thankfully, they stopped.
     
    “Hi,” she said. She blushed even more as her voice came out in a high pitch.
     
    “Are you going to Mandy’s party Saturday?” He asked, smiling at her reaction.
     
    Jessica could only stare for a moment, and finally she found her voice as the boys started to laugh again.
     
    She shook her head finally gathering her thoughts.
     
    “Yes….yes I am,” she said, her throat suddenly became very dry.
     
    Danny smiled at her making Jessica almost melt into the pavement.
     
    “Right on. I’ll see you Saturday,” he said.
     
    “Cool, see ya then,” she answered, trying to be calm.
     
    The other baseball players said bye to her, and Jessica could only stand there looking stupid.
     
    As her mother pulled up she barely remembered getting into the car and driving off, with the thoughts of Sheriff McKenzie still coming back to the forefront of her mind.

Chapter 9
     
    “I like that,” Mary said to Jessica as she came down the stairs Saturday night. Tessa had just called and said she was on her way.
     
    Jessica had her hair curled a little for the party, and was dressed in light blue jeans, and a simple white blouse, and beige sandals. Mary wanted to put makeup on her, but Jessica wasn’t ready for that yet, but finally agreed on some lipstick and foundation.
     
    “Do you like it?” Jessica asked,