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fidgeting. “No,” I told
her, and I wasn’t entirely lying. She didn’t really know anything
about me.
    “What’s your name?” She stepped forward, and
I instinctively took a step backward.
    “Eli.” I gave her my middle name, also not a
lie.
    “Eli…” she repeated, watching me
consideringly. “Are you sure we haven’t met? You seem so
familiar.”
    I had to get out of there before she figured
me out. “I, uh, gotta hit the road, but thanks for the dance,
princess.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I spun on my
heels and all but ran for the terrace doors, snatching my helmet up
and shoving it onto my head as I fled. I zig-zagged through the
crowd inside the ersatz ballroom, and was out the front door and
racing down the marathon of steps in no time flat.
    “Wait, Eli!” Katie’s voice sounded from
somewhere behind me, somewhere too close for comfort. I was only
about halfway to the bottom, and I lost my concentration—and my
footing. My foot slid out of my boot, and I stumbled down a handful
of steps before catching myself.
    I froze, unsure if I should go back from my
boot or just keep going. The click-clacking of Katie’s heels on the
stone steps as she descended after me made up my mind for me. I
righted myself and took off again, limping my way down the stairs
two at a time. Dad’s motorcycle seemed a hundred miles away, but I
finally made it. I swung a leg over and kicked it upright in one
smooth move. The engine turned over easily, and revved dramatically
when I took off. I tried hard not to look at Katie on my way by,
but my gaze drifted to her without my consent. She stood at the
bottom of the steps, her expression both sad and confused, and for
a moment, I considered staying, telling her the truth, risking my
heart for the possibility that she might feel the same way about me
as I felt about her.
    But at the last second, I caught site of Brad
coming down the steps behind her, and his arrival on the scene
knocked me back into my place. Katie and I were from two different
worlds, and I’d made a huge mistake forgetting that.
     
    Like what you read?
    Read more for free at RosieSomers.blogspot.com

Other books by Rosie
Somers:
     
    Pride Goeth Before
     
    Seventeen-year-old Gabriella Pierce is used to
taking care of herself, but she’s about to become responsible for a
whole lot more. When she gets a visit from three men claiming to be
stewards of rings imbued with the powers of the cardinal sins, her
life is changed irrevocably.
     
    Gabby is the steward of Pride.
     
    To make matters worse, she’s falling hard for fellow
steward, Grant Barnett, and he hates her guts. Now Gabby has to
learn to protect the world from Pride without letting her feelings
for Grant get in the way.
     
     
    Because I’m Disposable
     
    Callista Tanner was in the bathroom slitting
her wrists the night her father took a fatal plunge down the
stairs. People around her think she attempted suicide because she
found him dead—or worse, because she had a guilty conscience. Few
know the truth; Michael Tanner had been beating her for years.
     
    The freedom that should have come with her father's
death becomes a cage of rumors and self-doubt. Callie seeks escape
in the most destructive ways, bringing her emotional scars to the
surface for the world to see.
     
    One bright spot exists in Callie's dark world.
     
    Lincoln Devaux refuses to let Callie sink fully into
the depths of her own depression, stepping into her life when she
needs someone the most. She tries to push him away, but Link is
determined to save Callie from herself. Even when she doesn't think
she's worth saving.

About the Author
     
    Rosie Somers is a beach-going book addict who's been
crafting stories since before she learned her ABCs. She writes YA
things, and she sings—mostly just in the shower. She can most often
be found volunteering with local animal rescues, crocheting funky
hats for her friends, or eating herself into the poorhouse