Something Beautiful.

Jamie McGuire.

To my sweet friend, Megan Davis.

Thank you for you.

Shepley.

"Quit being a p.u.s.s.y," Travis said, punching me in the arm.

I frowned and peered around us to see who had heard. Most of my fellow freshmen were within earshot, pa.s.sing us to head into the cafeteria of Eastern State University for orientation. I recognized several faces from Eakins High, but there were even more I didn't recognize, like the two girls walking in together-one with a cardigan and a light-brown braid, the other with golden beach waves and short shorts. She glanced in my direction for half a second and then continued on, as if I were an inanimate object.

Travis held up his hands, a thick black leather cuff on his left wrist. I wanted to s.n.a.t.c.h it off and slap him with it.

"Sorry, Shepley Maddox!" he yelled my name as he looked around, sounding more like a robot or a really bad actor. Leaning in, he whispered, "I forgot I'm not supposed to call you that anymore-or at least, not on campus."

"Or anywhere, douche. Why'd you even come if you're going to be a d.i.c.k?" I asked.

With his knuckles, Travis tapped the underside of the brim of my ball cap, almost knocking it off before I grabbed it. "I remember freshman orientation. I can't believe it's been a year. That's f.u.c.king weird." Pulling a lighter from his pocket, he lit a cigarette and blew out a puff of gray smoke.

A couple of girls hovering nearby swooned, and I tried not to vomit in my mouth.

"You're f.u.c.king weird. Thanks for showing me where to go. Now, get outta here."

"Hey, Travis," a girl said from the end of the sidewalk.

Travis nodded at her and then elbowed me, hard. "Later, cousin. While you're listening to boring s.h.i.t, I'm going to be b.a.l.l.s-deep in that brunette."

Travis greeted the girl, whoever she was. I had seen her in a few campus bas.e.m.e.nts the year before when I came with Travis to his fights at The Circle, but I didn't know her name. I could watch her interact with Travis and learn everything I needed to know. She was already conquered.

Travis's weekly count had slowed down a little since his own freshman year but not by much. He hadn't said it out loud, but I could tell he was bored with the lack of challenge from the coeds. I was just looking forward to meeting a girl he hadn't bent over our couch.

The heavy door needed more than just a tug, and then I stepped inside, feeling the instant relief of air-conditioning. Rectangular tables pushed together, end over end, made five lines, separated strategically in areas for flow and access to the food line and salad bar. One lone circular table stood in a corner, and there sat the blonde with her friend and a flamboyant fellow with a bleach-blond faux hawk that seemed to have slammed into a wall at his hairline.

Darius Washington was sitting at the end of the line of tables, sufficiently close to the round table, so I waited for him to see me. Once he looked over, he waved like I'd hoped, and I joined him, pretty stoked that I was less than ten feet from the blonde. I didn't look back. Travis was an arrogant a.s.s more often than not, but being around him meant free lessons on getting a girl's attention.

Lesson number one: Chase, but don't run.

Darius waved to the people seated at the round table.

I nodded at him. "Do you know them?"

He shook his head. "Just Finch. I met him yesterday when I moved into the dorms. He's hilarious."

"What about the girls?"

"No, but they're hot. Both of them."

"I need an introduction with the blonde."

"Finch seems to be friends with her. They've been talking since they sat down. I'll see what I can do."

I laid a firm hand on his shoulder, peeking back. She met my eyes, smiled, and looked away.

Be cool, Shep. Don't blow it.

Waiting for something as extremely boring as orientation to be over was made even worse by the antic.i.p.ation of meeting that girl. Once in a while, I could hear her giggle. I promised myself I wouldn't look back, but I repeatedly failed. She was gorgeous with huge green eyes and wavy long hair, like she'd just been in the ocean and let it air-dry in the sun. The harder I listened for her voice, the more ridiculous I felt, but there was something about her, even since that first glance, that had me planning ways to impress her or to make her laugh. I'd do anything to get her attention, even for five minutes.

Once we were given our packets, and the campus layout, meal plans, and rules were explained ad nauseam, the Dean of Students, Mr. Johnson, dismissed us.

"Wait till we're outside," I said.

Darius nodded. "Don't worry. I got you. Just like the old days."

"In the old days, we chased high school girls. She is definitely not a high school girl. Probably not even when she was in high school," I said, following Darius out. "She's confident. She looks experienced, too."

"Nah, man. She looks like a good girl to me."

"Not that kind of experienced," I snarled.

Darius chuckled. "Calm down. You haven't even met her. You need to be careful. Remember Anya? You got all tangled up with her, and we thought you were going to die."

"Hey, f.u.c.ker," Travis said from under a shady tree, about a hundred yards from the entrance. He blew out a last puff of smoke and pinched off the cherry, mashing it into the ground with his boot. He had the satisfied smile of a man post-o.r.g.a.s.m.

"How?" I said in disbelief.

"Her dorm room is over there," he said, nodding his head toward Morgan Hall.

"Darius is going to introduce me to a girl," I said. "Just ... keep your mouth shut."

Travis arched a brow and then nodded once. "Yes, dear."

"I mean it," I said, eyeing him. I shoved my hands in my jeans pockets and took a deep breath, watching Darius make small talk with Finch.

The brunette had already left, but thankfully, her friend seemed to be interested in sticking around.

"Stop fidgeting," Travis said. "You look like you're about to p.i.s.s your pants."

"Shut up," I hissed.

Darius pointed in my direction, and Finch and the blonde looked at Travis and me.

"f.u.c.k," I said, looking to my cousin. "Talk to me. We look like stalkers."

"You're dreamy," Travis said. "It's going to be love at first sight."

"Are they ... are they walking over?" I asked. My heart felt like it was about to claw through my rib cage, and I had the sudden urge to beat Travis's a.s.s for being so flippant.

Travis scanned with his peripheral vision. "Yeah."

"Yeah?" I said, trying to suppress a smile. A stream of sweat escaped my hairline, and I quickly wiped it away.

Travis shook his head. "I'm going to kick you in the b.a.l.l.s. You're already freaking out about this girl, and you haven't even met her yet."

"Hey," Darius said.

I turned and caught the hand he held out to me in a half high five and half handshake.

"This is Finch," Darius said. "He lives next door to me."

"Hi," Finch said, shaking my hand with a flirtatious smile.

"I'm America," the blonde said, holding out her hand to me. "Orientation was brutal. Thank G.o.d we're only freshmen once."

She was even more beautiful up close. Her eyes sparkled, her hair glowed in the sunlight, and her long legs looked like heaven in those frayed white shorts. She was almost as tall as me, even in sandals, and the way she held her mouth when she spoke, coupled with her full lips, was s.e.xy as h.e.l.l.

I took her hand and shook it once. "America?"

She smirked. "Go ahead. Make a dirty joke. I've heard them all."

"Have you heard, aI'd love to f.u.c.k you for liberty'?" Travis asked.

I elbowed him, trying to keep a straight face.

America noticed my gesture. "Yes, actually."

"So ... are you accepting my offer?" Travis teased.

"No," America said without hesitation.

Yes. She's perfect.

"What about my cousin?" Travis asked, shoving me so hard that I had to sidestep.

"C'mon," I said, almost begging. "Excuse him," I said to America. "We don't let him out much."

"I can see why. Is he really your cousin?"

"I try not to tell people, but yes."

She scanned Travis and then turned her attention back to me. "So, are you going to tell me your name?"

"Shepley. Maddox," I added as an afterthought.

"What are you doing for dinner, Shepley?"

"What am I doing for dinner?" I asked.

Travis nudged me with his arm.

I shoved him off me. "f.u.c.k off!"

America giggled. "Yes, you. I'm definitely not asking your cousin on a date."

"Why not?" Travis asked, feigning insult.

"Because I don't date toddlers."

Darius cackled, and Travis smiled, unfazed. He was being a d.i.c.k on purpose to make me look like Prince Charming. The perfect wingman.

"Do you have a car?" she asked.

"I do," I said.

"Pick me up in front of Morgan Hall at six."

"Yeah ... yeah, I can do that. See you then," I said.

She was already saying good-bye to Finch and walking away.

"Holy s.h.i.t," I breathed. "I think I'm in love."

Travis sighed, and with a slap, he gripped the back of my neck. "Of course you do. Let's go."

America.

Freshly cut gra.s.s, asphalt baking in the sun, and exhaust fumes-those were the smells that would remind me of the moment Shepley Maddox stepped out of his black vintage Charger and jogged up the steps of Morgan Hall to where I stood.

His eyes scanned over my pale blue maxi dress, and he smiled. "You look great. No, better than great. You look like I'd better bring my A game."

"You look average," I said, noting his polo and what were likely his dress jeans. I leaned in. "But you smell amazing."

His cheeks flushed dark enough to show through his bronze skin, and he offered a knowing smile. "I've been told I look average. It won't deter me from having dinner with you."

"You have?"

He nodded.