was the senior. He looked like a model, like he didn’t belong walking through the halls of a high school. A three-sport athlete with a wit and charm that won over every single adult in the building.
And every single girl in the school.
Andie watched him from afar, like every other ordinary girl. She had often heard him referred to as a “ladies’ man” by the adults in the building, but Andie knew that was an understatement. Girls threw themselves at him, girls that were older and more beautiful and more experienced than Andie. He was the untouchable dream. And Andie was infatuated.
Her mother once found a notebook of hers on which she’d drawn a huge heart with their names in the center. The rest of the cover had been decorated with the words I love Derek in all different sizes, styles, and colors.
“That boy’s too old for you,” her mother had said, tapping the book firmly with her index finger.
“No he’s not,” Andie had protested softly. “He’s in high school, just like me.”
Andie’s mother shook her head firmly, spinning the book around to face Andie. “You don’t love boys like this. Na agapas me to kefali sou, kai tha eisai asfalis,” she said, tapping her temple. “Love with your head, and you’ll be safe.” She straightened up, her eyes on Andie. “You love with anything else,” she had said with a dismissive wave of her hand, “you find yourself in big trouble.”
Andie had rolled her eyes at the warning. It didn’t even matter; it wasn’t like she’d ever have a chance with him anyway.
And then came that Thursday afternoon when he approached her after volleyball practice.
She stood there like a deer in headlights, absolutely stunned. Derek O’Donnell, talking to a freshman? And when he asked her to come to the homecoming party that weekend, she felt a thrill course through her body like nothing she’d ever felt before.
She begged Tracey to go with her, finally managing to convince her after a long struggle, even though Tracey told her that Derek was a “man-whore who probably just wanted to get into her pants.”
Andie knew it was just jealousy speaking. After all, he had plenty of opportunities to “get into the pants” of other girls. He didn’t need her for that. He was genuinely interested in her. She could just feel it.
She and Tracey lied about being at each other’s houses that night, and when they arrived at the party, Derek grinned. Every time he handed her a drink, he winked. And every time he put his hand on her back, her neck, her upper thigh, she felt bolts of electricity sizzle through her body. Being next to him, having him touch her, was unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
She felt turned on. She felt sexy.
She felt powerful, having the attention of this boy.
A little later that evening, Andie had gone to the bathroom, and when she opened the door, he was standing there. He backed her into the room and shut the door behind him, and at that moment, Andie was afraid. Afraid that she would make a fool of herself, afraid she wouldn’t know how to kiss, that she would use too much tongue, or not enough, afraid she wouldn’t be good enough for him.
She was afraid of all the wrong things.
He approached her quickly, backing her into the glass of the shower door behind them as he started kissing her, and as much as she tried, she couldn’t keep up. It was sloppy, and forceful, and her head kept banging into the glass door behind her.
This wasn’t at all how she’d pictured it would be.
His hand came to her breast, squeezing it firmly, and she tried to protest, but his tongue was in her mouth, making speech impossible.
Instead, she gripped his wrist and tugged. When his hand came free, she was relieved, until she felt it quickly slip underneath her skirt. Before she could react, his fingers were inside her. She flinched, standing up on her toes to get away from the pressure and the pain. Andie gripped his wrist, tugging again, but this time he couldn’t be budged.
“Can you stop? Please? You’re hurting me,” she mumbled against his mouth.
“Shh,” he said against her lips. “I’m helping you, baby. This is never going to work if you don’t loosen up.” And then his mouth was on hers again before she could even comprehend what he meant.
Her head was swimming, and suddenly he shifted his hand, causing the pain between