moved here.”
He grinned – a broad, friendly smile that made him
even more beautiful. “Yeah, I'm his nephew. I live with him
– and he makes me work for him after school. He wants me
to help pay my tuition here – the old-fashioned way. Hard
work and sweat and all that.”
“Were you at the luau last night?” I looked more
closely, eager to read in him any signs of recognition. “You
look awfully familiar.”
“Yeah...” He thought for a moment. “Yeah – so do
you, as a matter of a fact. I remember seeing you with your
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mom – Rose Evers, right? The new Event Director?”
“That's right.”
“She did a great job last night. I was going to go over
and thank her – the food hasn't been that good at a luau in
years. But then the dancing started, and I knew Antonio
would be anything but pleased if I missed that. It's my special
skill.”
My heart leaped. So it had been Varun I had danced
with last night! But his bearing was so different now. The
man I had danced with last night had been harsh, even
boorish, rough and almost cruel. But Varun was so kind and
sweet, with such a frank, straightforward manner. And while
the Cutter I had spoken to last night had been decidedly
foreign, Varun spoke with a distinctive all-American twang.
But if it wasn't Varun I'd danced with, that only left...
An all-too-familiar voice filled the air – slightly sour
and yet brilliantly aloof, with that same hint of an English
accent. “I hope I haven't arrived too late. Didn't hold you up,
did I, cousin?”
I whirled around to catch a glimpse of Chance Cutter
himself. Now that I saw him, I knew immediately that he was
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KAILIN GOW
the man with whom I had danced. His lithe, strong body was
narrower and taller than Varun's; his hair was not long and
blonde but slick and jet-black. The same powerful force
seemed to control him; his hips swayed ever so slightly from
side to side as he filled the room with his presence: dynamic,
cocksure. If I had thought Varun was the most gorgeous guy
I had ever seen, Chance was evidently giving him a run for
his money. The Cutters Cousins were the hottest men I’ve
ever seen.
“You're just in time,” said Dr. Newton. “The other
student has already arrived.”
Chance caught sight of me, and instantly his eyes
widened. Clearly he recognized me, too. But then he caught
sight of Varun, and it was evident that he was not pleased.
“So you're giving the tour, are you, cuz?” He scoffed.
“Had I known that, I wouldn't have bothered turning up.”
“Happy to see you too, Chance,” Varun rolled his
eyes. “Listen – just let me do my job, will you?” He handed
us each a map of the school grounds.
I looked up at Chance. So, this was the mysterious
dancer from last night, after all. I felt my heart pounding at
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the memory of his touch, at the heat of the flames – flames
that I was so sure were real. I remembered feeling their heat,
as powerful a warmth as the sparks I felt when he touched
me. Had it all been an illusion, as my mother had said? No,
it couldn't have been – it felt so real...
And then I remembered once again what she had said
about him. The girl who had been burned. The accident.
I didn't even realize I was staring until Chance
coughed out a distinctive a-hem. “So I take it you made it
home safe and sound,” he said in a disdainful tone. As I
looked up at him, I almost imagined that I could see the
flames lapping at his face once more.
“So you were the dancer from last night.”
“So, you figured it out. Clever girl.”
His words stung, and my cheeks grew hot. “Even
without the mask, I could recognize that stuck up tone
anywhere!” I shot back.
“Oh, look, she has a sense of humor.” He raised his
eyebrows, speaking to nobody in particular.
“Oh, look,” I glared at him, “he has imaginary friends
to talk to.” I looked him up and down. “I guess I shouldn't
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KAILIN GOW
be surprised. If I talked to people the way you do, I wouldn't
have any friends either.”
Varun's soft chuckle interrupted our discourse. “See
that, Chance? Guess you finally found a girl who doesn't
worship the ground you walk on.”
Dr. Newton was judiciously ignoring all of us,
working furiously on a set of papers, evidently far too old
and jaded to care about high school sparring matches.
“Sorry, Chance,” I laughed as I took Varun's bait. “I
come from Angel Island, Southern California. I've seen my
fair share of cocky jerks, and believe me – they were every
bit as handsome as you were.” This wasn't strictly true, but I
was too annoyed by Chance's aloof act to care.
Chance glowered at me, but by now my attention had
turned to Varun. “So how about that tour of Aeros
Academy?” I said, ignoring Chance's stare, the prickling in
my blood that reminded me of last night's flames. I slipped
my arm through Varun's.
Suddenly, the prickling disappeared. Instead I felt a
cool force – calm, as gentle as the lapping of the ocean under
the fool moon – overtaking
