December (The Page Sisters Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

up, but I follow him down the hall. He knows I’m following him and he doesn’t tell me to back off. He leads me into an office in the back of the bakery.
    I close the door with evil intentions in my heart. He stares at me for a moment, then he moves to the large window by the desk. He stares at the empty grass field that is now dusted with snow flurries. I stalk him.
    He’s older than me.
    He’s bigger than me.
    I’m still going to hit him anyway.
    My mom tells me all the time that getting physical isn’t the answer. She tells me it’s never the answer. But it’s the only answer I have when someone hurts me. I like to fight. I like to hit.
    My fists ball up tight as I stand in front of him. He doesn’t look at me. His gaze is fixed on something outside the window, the sun shining its golden halo on him. This pretty boy could pass as an angel standing here, flooded in the warmth of the sun. That’s not going to keep him from getting hit, though. Even angels need to be punished.
    I strike fast, cracking his head against the window with a hard shove of my hand. He groans out in pain like he’s never been hit before. He sounds like a wounded baby animal. I’m super quick when I bring my arms forward, lifting my fists in front of my face. I’m in a fighter stance, ready for war. It helps that Gray and I have been fighting for years. I’m used to beating up guys.
    He doesn’t hit me back. He stares at me, his blue eyes watering. He’s going to cry. What freaking baby.
    The unbelievable look he gives me makes me feel bad, but only for a brief moment. “There are consequences for your actions. You can’t go around and say whatever you like to people without any repercussions.”
    He places a hand into his thick locks and rubs, his other hand wiping at his wet eyes. “I can’t believe you hit me. That hurts.” 
    “Let me see,” I say, rolling my eyes. I’m starting to feel bad again. Maybe this boy has never been hit before, or maybe this boy has been hit too many times.
    He bends his head towards me. I’m surprised he trusts me as much, being that I just made him cry. I place my fingers into his soft hair and sift through until I feel the large lump growing on his scalp. He tenses when I trace it. I part his hair with my fingertips and look at the red bump.
    “It’s not too bad,” I say, then I kiss it and gently pat his hair.
    He lifts his head and stares at me again. My lips part and I can barely breathe. This time he looks at me different. He looks at me like the way I look at Danny, with so much awe and wonder.
    “Josh, are you guys alright in here?” Piper asks, bursting through the door.
    “Yeah,” he says, never taking his curious eyes off me. “We’re fine.”
    “Yeah,” I add, eyeing him carefully. I smile at him and he smiles back. “We’re friends.”
    Danny squeezes into the doorframe with Piper and he looks at Josh.
    Josh’s smile sharpens when it’s aimed at Danny.
    Today I have met Josh.
    Josh is cold air.
    I am warm air.
    And together we will collide.
    Together we will create thunderclouds.

CHAPTER FOUR
    T HE P RESENT
     
     
     
     
     
     
    There’s nothing better than spending time with your family on lazy Sunday afternoons. Flopping down on the cushion next to July with a big plastic bowl of cheddar Ruffles in hand, I curl up next to my sister, who is completely engrossed with the music video. Chloe, a full-fledged purebred Rottweiler, jumps on the couch and stretches her solid body across me and my sister’s lap. She looks up at me with those large chocolate brown-colored eyes, begging for chips. Rubbing her massive head, I feed her a few. I’m a sucker when she begins to beg. Chloe knows this. She manipulates me with those big ole eyes and she has me wrapped around her large doggy paw.
    Shaking my head, I watch her floppy cheeks go to work as she chomps down. She’s technically Danny’s dog. He bought her when she was only a pup. It was right before he disappeared