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Chapter One

Roman

I fell in love for the first time when I was seventeen

One simple mistake altered the course of my future, of my very existence

Until that day, feelings had always seeical My world was too dark and chaotic for so as obscure as love to develop

It was h school That made—three? four? —this year alone

The locker I’d been assigned wouldn’t open no matter how many times I spun the combination or slammed my filthy, worn boot into the rusty metal front

“Do you mind?” A soft voice came from beside me

I glanced down Five-feet-nothing of waist-length red-gold hair, soft blue eyes, and freckles stared up at me A se to kiss

“I can’t get it open”

Amusement flickered over her stern expression “Maybe that’s because it’s my locker”

“No, it’s not” Even though I already had a bad feeling in ht, I handed over the yellow slip of paper I’d been given this

“Hainst that plump bottoainst “It says seventy-six, but that can’t be right”

She stepped forward, not at all intimidated by my size—I had to be at least a foot taller than her Her war hair tickled my arm She smelled like flowers after a rainstorm I’m not ashamed to admit I stood there and inhaled her

The lock clicked, and she opened the door “See? It’s my locker My combination works on it Yours doesn’t”

“Well, shoot”

She grinned at me “What’s your name?”

“Roman”

Laughter spilled out of her “I’ to share ross boy things in it”

I scratched the back of ’”

“Uh, dirty socks”

“No problem”

“Jockstraps”

A grin threatened to break free at the corners of my mouth “Don’t have one”

“Anything smelly”