At First Touch by Mattie Dunman Read Free Book Online Page B

diner for a shake.” I eyed him warily, trying to judge his motive. Intrigued, I flipped the switch in my mind that would make his thoughts open to me.
    “Say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes…”
    I laughed outright, excited and nervous, knowing from his thoughts that he was making a clumsy attempt to ask me out on a date.
    I’d been asked out my fair share in the past, but usually by guys who weren’t really interested in me, just wanted to be the first to ‘get the new girl.’ But I knew Carey wasn’t like them. While I wouldn’t exactly have called his thoughts pure, his intentions were, and for the first time, I really, really wanted to say yes. Every instinct I had cultivated over the years screamed at me to say no, take me home, and then get Dad and get out of town. But I was sixteen, damn it, he was gorgeous and charming, and I wasn’t made of stone.
    “Ok. I don’t see why not,” I replied with a thrill. His answering smile nearly knocked me unconscious. I was breaking all the rules now. 
    The five-minute drive to the restaurant was pleasant and we spent it joking about Preston’s reaction to our destination. It was blatantly obvious that Carey and Preston had a very antagonistic history and I found myself wondering what had happened between them. As though I had typed in a request in a Google search bar, the answer presented itself in my mind.
    Two years ago, they had been friends, attending a party that had gotten a little wild at a deserted barn outside of town.  Carey had gone to look for Preston, wanting to leave before things got too crazy, and found him up in the loft taking an unconscious girl’s clothes off.  Carey had pulled him off the girl and read him the riot act for nearly committing rape on an incapacitated partner. Preston didn’t see things the same way and they had never gotten over the ensuing argument.
    Since then, Carey kept a close eye on Preston’s behavior, and Preston did his level best to provoke Carey at every turn. I felt a rising disgust for Preston. In my mind there is nothing worse than taking advantage of someone who can’t defend herself.
    Carey, on the other hand, was an interesting challenge. I knew everything about him thanks to our little download session, and yet I wasn’t sure what he was going to do next. I couldn’t help feeling flattered that someone like him was interested in me, even though I knew it was partially because I was the new girl in a small town.
    We pulled into the parking lot of a dinky strip mall nestled at the base of a hill. There were four stores in it, a hair salon, and a restaurant called “Mickey’s.” Based on the number of teenagers I spied lounging on cars and sitting in the back of pick-up trucks, the diner was a popular after-school hang-out for Shank High students.
    Carey parked and told me to wait. He got out, dug his wallet out of his bag and paced swiftly over to the passenger side to let me out. After another strategic yank on the handle, the door swung open and I climbed out, shooting him a smile. I couldn’t believe the turn of events I had experienced today. I had made two friends already, a first for me. Despite all the warning bells going off in my brain, for the first time in years I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time I could fit in, have friends, live like a normal teenager.
    Carey laughed suddenly and I followed his gaze. Preston had pulled in on the other side of the parking lot, down by the hardware store. He jumped out of his truck and glared in our direction for a moment. Carey gave a nonchalant wave and winked at me. I grinned and waved. Preston nodded his head and stomped into the store.
    We laughed together a moment and I ignored another twinge of anxiety at the growing intimacy between us. He pulled the door open and led me to an empty booth, waving greetings at a few people. I noticed a number of jealous looks sent my way from the girls at the next table over. I