CHAPTER 6

"Earth to Ava!" Erin waved her hand in front of my face. "What was that?"

"I... I don't know," I whispered. "Did you see the way he looked at me?"

"Uh, yeah! Girl, I think you just had a moment with the hottest guy to ever set foot in this school. And you're telling me you've never met him?"

"Never." But even as I said it, I knew it was a lie. I had met him. Somewhere. Somehow. I just couldn't remember.

The rest of the morning was torture. I sat in English class, staring at the same page in my textbook for forty-five minutes without reading a single word. My mind kept replaying that moment in the hallway, the way his eyes had found mine like he'd been searching for me. The way my bruise had burned.

In second period History, I caught a glimpse of him through the window in the door. He was walking past with a student guide, getting a tour of the school. Our eyes met again, and this time I saw him falter mid-step. The student guide kept talking, oblivious, but he wasn't listening. He was staring at me with an expression I couldn't read—part wonder, part pain, part something that looked almost like fear.

I looked away first, my hands trembling so badly I had to sit on them.

By third period, the whispers had intensified. Everyone was talking about Roger—that was his name, apparently. Roger. It didn't sound familiar, but it felt familiar, if that made any sense. Like a word in a language I used to speak but had forgotten.

"I heard he's from Boston," someone said behind me in Chemistry.

"No way, he's definitely from somewhere in Europe. Did you hear his accent?"

"He doesn't have an accent, idiot."

"My cousin said his family is loaded. Like, private jet loaded."

"Then why would they move here?"

Good question. Why would anyone move here? Our town was the definition of middle-of-nowhere. We had one grocery store, one gas station, one coffee shop, and a whole lot of nothing. People left this town; they didn't move to it.

Unless they were running from something.

Or looking for something.

I shook my head, trying to focus on the teacher's lecture about chemical bonds. But my shoulder throbbed, and every time I shifted in my seat, I could feel the bruise pulling at my skin.

By lunch, I couldn't take it anymore. The cafeteria would be packed, and I knew Roger would be there. Everyone would be watching him, trying to figure him out. And if I was there, if our eyes met again...

I couldn't. I just couldn't.

I pulled out my phone and texted Erin: "Skipping lunch. Need coffee. Meet you after school?"

Her response came immediately: "You're avoiding the hot new guy aren't you?"

"Need caffeine and space. That's all."

Fine. But we're still going to that party tonight. I'm not taking no for an answer. I'll bring clothes to your place after school."

I didn't respond. Instead, I slipped out a side door and headed for my car. The coffee shop was only a couple of blocks away, and right now I needed the familiar comfort of my favorite place more than I needed food.

The drive was short, but it gave me time to try to process everything. The nightmares. The bruise. The new guy—Roger—and the way he looked at me like he knew me. Like he'd been searching for me.

It was all connected. It had to be. But how? And why couldn't I remember?

Maybe the coffee shop would help. Maybe being in my safe space, surrounded by the smell of coffee and the quiet murmur of normal people living normal lives, would help me feel grounded again. Help me think clearly.

I pulled into a parking spot and sat for a moment, gripping the steering wheel. I could do this. I could go in, order my usual vanilla latte, sit in my favorite corner booth, and pretend everything was fine.

Everything was fine.

I took a deep breath and opened the car door.

The moment I stepped inside the coffee shop, the familiar smell of brewing coffee filled my nostrils. I inhaled deeply, feeling some of the tension leave my shoulders. This was good. This was normal.

I glanced around the room, scanning for an open seat. The place was moderately busy—a few regulars I recognized, some people working on laptops, a couple on a date in the corner. My usual table by the window was taken by an older man reading a newspaper.

That's when I saw him.

My heart thundered in my chest and my palms became sweaty. Roger was sitting at a table near the back, a book open in front of him, a cup of coffee steaming beside him. He was definitely the guy that gave me a sense of déjà vu. Up close, he was even more striking than I'd realized. Tall with a muscular build, light brown shaggy hair that looked like he'd run his hands through it a hundred times, and those striking blue eyes that made it hard to look away. His lips were perfectly curved, and for a split second, I had the insane thought that I would love to kiss all over his body.

What the hell is wrong with me? I have never wanted to do that to a guy I havent formally met before. Geez, this guy was driving me crazy already. My cheeks flushed bright pink.