Fallen Stars and Broken Dreams - C.C. Masters Page 0,60

with a smile. While Ekaterina was a common name in Russia, most Americans would consider it odd. Not that some of them didn’t also think Katya was strange, but at least most people could pronounce it correctly.

“How about Kat?” she said cheerfully. “I’m Abby.”

“Um, okay,” I agreed hesitantly. The guys already mocked me by calling me a kitten. Did I want the whole school calling me Kat?

“Awesome!” she said sunnily. I could already tell that Abby was far more bubbly than anyone else I’d ever met. “Headmaster Rufford, I can take it from here,” she said with a grin.

Abby linked arms with me and pulled me out of the office with her. “You’re absolutely gorgeous,” she giggled. “I’m pretty sure most of the guys are going to fall in love with you the first week.”

“Uhhh, thanks?”

She giggled again, and I took a moment to take her in. She was wearing a typical school uniform with a plaid skirt, a white button-down shirt, and a fitted navy blazer. At least I wouldn’t have to stress out about what I was going to wear every day.

Abby’s fun attitude was infectious, and I found myself smiling along with her. “Are you sure they aren’t already in love with you?” I teased her.

Abby had blond hair that fell in shiny waves down to her waist and huge green eyes. Her hourglass figure had plenty of curves to fill out the uniform, and she was wearing a very stylish pair of heels. I didn’t doubt that Abby was part of the ‘in-crowd’, whomever that would turn out to be. She was stunning, sweet, and fun.

Abby giggled again. “We’ll see. I plan to get a killer body over the summer break. I’ve been doing a low carb thing, even though it makes me super-cranky. And I’ve been busting my ass in the gym with squats and stuff.”

“This is you being super-cranky?” I asked in disbelief.

“Nah,” she whispered. “I totally cheated this morning, but I only had half a pastry, so I’m trying to pretend it didn’t happen.”

Abby was so vivacious and full of life that it was impossible not to smile along with her.

I grinned at her. “Can we be friends?”

“Duh,” she laughed. “It’s obvious we’re going to be besties by the end of this tour.”

As Abby led me around the campus, she gave me all the good gossip, along with pointing out the essential places that I’d need to know. She breezed past the residence halls, since I wouldn’t have any reason to go there.

“Because if you find a guy, you can just bring him home with you,” she explained.

I laughed, but finding a boyfriend was the last thing on my mind right now. I just wanted to get back to my old life.

“You live here year-round?” I asked curiously.

Her brightness dimmed for only a second before it was back in full force. “Yup, I usually meet up with my dad for Christmas every year, though.”

I couldn’t help but notice that she hadn’t said ‘go home for Christmas,’ I wondered what it was that her dad did for a living? Was it rude to ask?

“And you live with the Wilders,” she said pointedly. “How’s that working out for you?”

I sighed. “Richard is nice enough, Maverik hates me, and Kingston can get a little too friendly at times,” I told her honestly.

Abby threw back her head and laughed. “So, things are great?”

“Fantastic,” I said sarcastically.

Abby gave me a shoulder bump. “You can either be sad about how your life sucks, or you can laugh at how outrageous it all is. You’ll feel better if you laugh.”

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye as we strode down the walkway arm-in-arm. Abby had a smile on her face and a bounce in her step. If she hadn’t given me a couple of little hints, I would have thought that her life was perfect. But Abby was hiding her sadness deep inside. Who’s to say that she didn’t have the right idea? Abby was living her life to the fullest, and I needed to start doing the same.

We passed by tennis courts on our way to the athletic building, and I was amazed again at just how huge this school was. There was an actual stadium in the back that looked like it was probably used for football.

“This is our last stop,” Abby told me cheerfully. “Then we can go find lunch. I’m starving.”

My stomach grumbled, and I remembered that I hadn’t eaten my breakfast