Chapter One

Todd couldn't help but to gulp at the mischievous gleam in Trace's eye as she pulled him around to face her. He watched as her grin widened and her left eyebrow rose before she did the unexpected.

She pulled the frightened boy in to a deep, almost needy, kiss. He was so surprised that it never even occurred to him to try and pull away. After exactly one minute, Trace pulled back, flashed him her mesmerizing smile and casually walked away.

Todd watched her leave in a daze. He could not believe that a) she kissed him, b) it was amazing, and c) he was falling for this strange girl after 10 minutes of being scared for his life and one minute of magic.

As Trace walked away, she couldn't help but smile wider as she thought about the fact that she caught the guy off guard and that he seemed to enjoy the kiss.

Well, she thought, if he wants me, he's gonna have to impress me, which will not be easy.

Just as she reached the doors to go inside the building, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Next was history. Luckily, she already learned the current lessons at her previous school, leaving her to daydream.

After a while, her thoughts turned to Todd Smith. She knew she over reacted just a little, tiny bit to his comments. Of course he thought it was strange that she sounded American. Everyone did, including herself. Her mom was British, born and raised in London.

It didn't matter where her dad was from, since she grew up with her mom. She had never been to the States, nor had anyone in her family, or any of her friends. It was just plain weird.

Trace then found herself wondering about her dad. The father she never knew. She didn't know anything about him, other than he had blue eyes and a cleft chin. (He must have, no one on her mom's side does.)

Well, she also knew the story of how they met and apparently fell in love. Her mother once told her that he had just arrived in London for work when she first met him. He asked her out straight away and they dated the whole time (one and a half months, pretty long business trip) that he was there.

However, he never had the chance to learn that his love (as Trace liked to think) was pregnant. He died in a car crash. They never recovered his body because the car had caught on fire and was completely burned by the time it was put out.

Trace was pulled out of the memory when the bell rang.

As she was walking to her next class, physics, she couldn't help but notice that Todd was heading to the same classroom. She smirked and thought about the kiss they shared earlier. No doubt he would stare at her throughout class.

And he didn't disappoint. The two spent the whole time playing some twisted game. Trace would stare dreamily off in space or lean onto her desk so her body would be facing the boy. He would then stare at her.

Every few minutes she would glance over at Todd and plaster a look of pure annoyance on her face, causing him to look away, blushing.

As much enjoyment that Trace got out of her activity, she was still relieved when the bell finally rang and school was over. As soon as the two exited into the hallway, Todd followed Trace to her locker, managing to look like a lost puppy.

As she fed the combination to her lock, Trace said without looking up, "Quit following me, unless you want a real beating."

Todd, determined not to be scared away, took a moment to gather the courage needed to speak. After putting some books from the locker to her bag, she looked at him and said, "Look, I don't have all day to stand around waiting for you to talk. So either say what you gotta say or beat it."

After swallowing, he asked in a rushed voice, "Wouldyoumaybewannagooutwithme?"

The girl knew exactly what he said and took a second to smile before pretending to think hard about it. After a minute, she couldn't keep up the charade and replied, "Nah, I don't think so," before walking away, chuckling.

Todd was left standing in the middle of the hall, feeling (and looking) much like a kicked puppy. After Trace disappeared from his view, he snapped out of his trance, sighed, and, shoulders slumped, turned and left.