Our Little Secret
By Ashelyn Drake
Our Little Secret
Copyright © 2015 by Ashelyn Drake.
All rights reserved.
First Print Edition: September 2015
Limitless Publishing, LLC
Kailua, HI 96734
www.limitlesspublishing.com
Formatting: Limitless Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1-68058-256-7
ISBN-10: 1-68058-256-9
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
To Ayla with love.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter One
The hallway is even more crowded today, thanks to the new basketball trophy in the display case. All the players keep huddling around it, and all their adoring fans huddle around them. I’ve never seen girls swoon like this, and unfortunately they’re blocking my view of Toby. I can just barely see his face around the mass of limbs reaching forward to touch him.
“You’re coming over after school, right?” Tori asks, coming up behind me.
“What?” I jump and turn away from Toby, practically smacking my head on my open locker door.
“What’s gotten into you?” Tori asks.
“Nothing. I was just trying to remember what I need for next period.”
“Try books, like always.” She eyes me and shakes her head. “Seriously, it’s like you were in another world. You had that same stupid look Meredith always gets when my brother walks by. It’s nauseating.”
I force a laugh. “Meredith really likes Toby, doesn’t she?” The thought makes my stomach churn.
“Likes? The girl’s obsessed.” She turns and rolls her eyes at the crowd around Toby. “Look at her. If she rubs up against him anymore…well, let’s just say the girl has a future in porn.”
“Tori! That’s a little harsh.” Although Meredith really does need to learn about personal space. “How can Toby stand her touching him like that?”
“Because she’s head cheerleader.”
I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I have to filter my thoughts better, especially around Tori. “Right. So, do you think he’s into her?”
“Not really. He’s into basketball and his schoolwork. Who would’ve thought my brainiac brother would be so popular? Sure as hell not me.”
“That’s because you’re his sister. It would be totally disgusting if you saw him the way other girls do.”
She shrugs. “I guess so, but you don’t get it either, do you? I mean, we grew up together. You’re practically related to us.”
Related? Not even close. Or all these thoughts I’m having about Toby would be really uncalled for. “Whatever. Let’s just get to class before the crowd heads this way and tramples us to death.”
She loops her arm through mine and practically drags me down the hall. “I get why girls drool over Ryder. He’s wicked hot, has money, and drives an awesome car. But Toby’s just…Toby.”
“You don’t know anything about cars.”
“So? It’s pretty, and I’d look amazing in the passenger seat.”
She would. Tori is every bit as pretty as Toby is hot. Being twins will do that, though. Tori has a model’s face with a short pixie cut to show off her perfect cheekbones. And her legs go on forever. At five foot eight, she only has three inches on me, but it seems more like ten, probably because she’s always in heels. My ballerina flats do nothing for my height, but God, they’re comfortable.
“Earth to Becca.” She yanks on my arm. “What is with you today?”
“I didn’t sleep well. Sorry.” Actually I slept great, thanks to another dream about Toby.
“Neighbor’s dog keep you up again?”
The Ackles have one of those tiny dogs that people carry around in purses. It yaps at everything and must be afraid of the dark with the way it carries on all night. “I forgot to put in my earplugs.”
“God, it sucks that you have to live next door to Meredith and her freaky little rat-dog.”
Tell me about it. Not that I think I have a shot with Toby, but even if I did, I’d never get past Meredith. She’s hated me ever since the first grade when I showed up at school with the same Barbie lunchbox she had. She swore I did it on purpose. I never understood what the big deal was, but Meredith has always wanted to have things that no one else did. Right now that thing is Toby. “I’m sure once she ropes Toby, I’ll be seeing them together all the time.”
“I pity you.” Tori squeezes my arm before letting go and turning down another hallway. “See you after school. And could you bring some popcorn? We’re out. Douchewad devoured it last night watching the game.”
Toby likes popcorn as much as I do, and we’re both strictly kettle corn people. Something about the sweet and salty combination is just perfect. Opposites that go so well together. Kind of like me and Toby.
“Get some sleep, Daniels,” Tori says before walking away.
I don’t need sleep. I need to get over my best friend’s brother.
“Hey, Becca.”
My heart flutters at the sound of Toby’s voice. I take a deep breath before turning around to face him. “Hi.” My face falls when I see Meredith at his side and a train of girls following behind them.
Toby smiles and keeps walking. Meredith turns her head and glares at me. I do my best to hide any hint of anything more than friendship toward Toby, but if anyone is going to figure out I have a crush on him, it’ll be her.
I don’t hear a word of what Mr. Rollar says in trig. I really should pay better attention. My last three tests were all Fs. How can I ever hope to be worthy of Toby when I’m a failure? To everyone else, he’s the star basketball player, but I’ve known him all my life. I know basketball is only part of who he is. He’s smart, sweet, and caring. When the bell rings, I gather my stuff, which is still in my messenger bag since I never even bothered to take out my textbook or notebook, and head for the door.
“Miss Daniels, may I speak with you for a second?” Mr. Rollar says, halting me in my tracks.
I grip the strap of my bag and brace myself for a lecture. “Yes?”
“You seemed very distracted today. I don’t recall you having your book with you.”
“Oh, um, I’m not feeling very well. Sorry if I was kind of spacey. I’ll be better tomorrow.”
“I hope so. Your grades have been slipping lately.”
Oh, please, don’t turn this into a “you’re not living up to your potential” speech. My grades were never good in this class. I just don’t understand trig. But my plummet from Cs to Fs has his attention.