Free The Hollow by Jessica Verday Page A

I needed to do some squats, or lunges, or something, ASAP.
    Panicking, I dug wildly through my closet for something else to wear, and the bed was soon covered in several heaps of hastily discarded clothing. I finally went with my these-always-make-my-butt-look-cute jeans and a long black wraparound sweater. I topped it all off with a red and black plaid fedora hat. After looking myself over exactly twenty-three times in the mirror, I felt pretty confident that my outfit was as good as it was going to get.
    Some eyeliner, eye shadow, and a couple dabs of concealer were next, and I was almost done. I swirled some blush over my cheekbones and chose a lipstick in a shade called Daredevil. After carefully applying the lipstick, I cast another critical eye at myself. "What do you think, Kristen?" I said softly to the mirror. "Do I look okay?"
    But the mirror didn't answer me, so I turned away to finish getting ready.
    My hair was the last step, and I held my breath while I shook out the bun and tousled a couple of pieces. More than once in my life I had wished for perfectly straight blond-as-can-be hair instead of the black curly locks I was stuck with. But today I didn't wish that. Today my hair was soft and sexy.
    After putting on my hat at just the right angle, I rearranged a couple of loose tendrils so they framed my face. It was turning out to be a good hair day after all.
    I pulled a ten-dollar bill from my wallet and stuck it into my back pocket before grabbing my cell phone to check the clock one last time: 9:54. Perfect timing. It would take me about twenty minutes to get to the river. Punctual, but not desperate.
    I hurried out of the room and clambered down the stairs to the kitchen. A note from Mom on the fridge said that she and Dad would be in meetings all day long and that I should pick up dinner later. Even more perfect. No parents asking annoying questions made my day a whole lot better.
    There was a twenty-dollar bill under a magnet next to the note, and I could practically feel the lightness of the day as I scooped it up. I ate a granola bar and grabbed a cup of orange juice. Then I checked to make sure I had my house key before locking the door on my way out.
    It was time to go to the river.
    * * *
    I tried not to walk too quickly, pacing myself to arrive just before ten thirty. I didn't know if Caspian had meant for me to meet him at the bridge or not, but that's where I was headed.
    Skipping the cemetery, I stuck to the main road. My heart was beating faster, and butterflies were starting to swim in my stomach. I could see the bridge now. I scanned the river's edge but didn't see him. My heart sank. He wasn't here.
    Yet, I tried to console myself. He just isn 't here yet. He had said he would meet me, so there wasn't any reason to think that he wouldn't.
    Maybe he decided against it, a little voice nagged in the back of my head. Or maybe he had already left. He probably had other things to do instead of waiting by a river all morning long. Doubt filled my mind, and my steps slowed. Am I too late? Should I go back home?
    I checked the clock on my phone again: 10:2. Should I wait? For how long?
    Uncertainty prodded me to climb down the embankment. I couldn't see under the bridge, and I clung to some small shred of hope that he might be waiting for me there. Stepping carefully around tree limbs and loose rocks, I made my way down. As I descended lower and the underside of the bridge became more visible, I spotted someone sitting on the ground reading a book. His hair gave him away.
    My stomach somersaulted… He was here.
    He looked up when he heard me getting closer. His smile was beautiful.
    "Hey, Abbey." He closed the book and stood up.
    My answering smile was so wide, it felt like my face would split in two. "Hi, Caspian."
    He lifted his other hand and held out a slightly wilted violet to me. "Sorry it's all… rumpled. I picked it for you earlier. They grow all over the place here."
    I could feel the surprise