Free The Promise of Tomorrow by J. S. Cooper Page B

shiny and bright as an emerald. Not that I had ever really noticed much about Nicholas Sanders before. All I really knew about him was that he was new to the town and school, and he was considered a bad boy. A bad boy who had tried to cheat off of my test the week before.  
    “Where are you going then?” He grinned at me, and a lock of dark brown hair fell into his face. He combed his fingers through it casually before tossing the hair off of his face.
    “Who do you think you are? Brad Pitt?” I laughed as I watched him, momentarily forgetting that I was mad at him for calling me out.
    “What?” He looked at me in confusion, and I realized he had no idea how cool guys thought they were when they flicked their hair back like that. Nick Sanders had no idea that he looked like a teen heart throb as he stood there so nonchalant and cool in front of me. A reincarnated James Dean in the flesh.
    “Nothing.” I shook my head and paused. “Are you going to tell on me?”
    “Not if you tell me where you’re going.”
    “Why do you care?” I stepped back, exasperated.
    “Why do I care that Lucy Oliver is sneaking out of school?” He smirked. “I think everyone in school would want to know.”
    “Yeah, I guess.” I squinted at him and then paused. “Hey, how did you know my name?”
    “You know mine, right?”
    I nodded and sighed. He was right, of course. It was a small school. Our knowing each other’s names meant nothing. “I’m going to a bookstore to get a book signed by my favorite author.” I looked at his face to see his reaction.
    “Oh my God, that’s not a joke, is it?” He laughed hard. “I knew you were a goody two shoes.”
    “I’m not a goody two shoes. I’m sneaking out of school, aren’t I?” I made a face at him.
    “I’m shocked you’re sneaking out by yourself. None of your friends are going with you?” He looked around in surprise. “Or are they meeting you outside?”
    “None of them are coming.” I looked down at the ground. I knew for a fact that my face was flaming now. This time in embarrassment. I didn’t have many friends because I had only moved to town at the beginning of the year.
    “Well, that sucks. I’ll come with you then.” He said matter-of-factly.
    “You want to come?” I looked up at him in surprise. “Do you like Nicole Krauss as well?”
    “Who?” His eyes were laughing at me for asking such a silly question. Of course he didn’t know her.
    “That’s the author I’m going to see. She’s my favorite because she—” I rambled and stopped myself. “I guess you can come if you want. We have to hurry as the bus will be there soon, and if we miss it, we’ll have to wait another 20 minutes for the next one. And then we’ll be late, and I won’t get to hear her talk.” I stopped as I realized he was staring at me intensely. “Why are you staring at me? What’s so interesting?”
    “You’re different, aren’t you, Lucy?” He smiled at me widely as he looked at me thoughtfully. “I do think you’re different from the other folks here in Herne Hill.”
    “I’m not from Herne Hill.” I explained, and grabbed his arm without thinking. “Let’s go.” I pulled him with me through the door and dropped his arm quickly as I realized what I had done. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
    “It’s okay. I like it when a pretty girl touches me.” He winked at me, and a warm blush crossed my face as I tried to hide my smile. He was the first boy that had ever called me pretty. It meant something to me. It was special. That was a moment I’d never forget. It was a moment that made me believe, that maybe, just maybe, I too could have true love.
    “Run.” I called out to him as I started running across the tarmac to the school’s entrance. I knew I had to run as fast as I could. I didn’t want any teachers seeing me walk slowly out of the school. I couldn’t afford to get in trouble for this. I had barely been able to come up with an excuse for