Chapter 3 The Last Person I Expected

• Juliet Morgan's POV
• I should have gone home.
• That was the logical thing to do.
• The game was over.
• Charles Harrison's team had won.
• Julia had screamed herself hoarse.
• And I had spent the last twenty minutes pretending I wasn't aware of the university's biggest basketball star looking in my direction every chance he got.
• A normal person would have left.
• Unfortunately, Julia Morgan wasn't a normal person.
• "Absolutely not."
• She grabbed my wrist before I could take two steps toward the parking lot.
• "We're going to the celebration party."
• I stared at her.
• "The what?"
• "The celebration party."
• My expression twisted into one of horror.
• "No."
• "Yes."
• I closed my eyes and begged for strength.
• "Julia, I have class tomorrow."
• "So do I."
• "I have studying to do."
• "You always have studying."
• "Because I'm trying to become a doctor."
• "And I'm trying to become the future Mrs. Charles Harrison."
• I nearly choked.
• "Please stop saying that in public."
• "I'm manifesting."
• "You're embarrassing."
• She grinned.
• "Yet you still love me."
• Unfortunately, she was right.
• Ten minutes later, I found myself standing outside one of the biggest houses near campus.
• Music blasted from inside.
• Students crowded the entrance.
• Expensive cars lined the street.
• The entire place looked like something out of a movie.
• "This is ridiculous," I muttered.
• "It's amazing!"
• "It's obnoxiously loud."
• "It's ostentatiously fun," my sister wiggled her bows.
• "It's unnecessary."
• "It's college."
• Julia practically dragged me through the front door.
• The moment we stepped inside, my headache began.
• People were everywhere.
• Music shook the walls.
• Students danced in the living room.
• Others crowded around tables covered in food and drinks.
• The smell of expensive perfume mixed with sweat and alcohol.
• I immediately wanted to leave.
• "Relax."
• Julia laughed.
• "You look like someone kidnapped you."
• "I do feel like someone kidnapped me."
• She rolled her eyes.
• "Just stay for thirty minutes."
• I narrowed my eyes.
• "Twenty."
• "Thirty."
• "Twenty-five."
• "Deal."
• I headed toward the kitchen before she could disappear.
• If I had to survive this party, I needed water.
• Lots of water.
• The kitchen was surprisingly empty compared to the rest of the house.
• Thank God.
• I grabbed a bottle from the refrigerator and leaned against the counter.
• For the first time all evening, it was quiet.
• Peaceful.
• Manageable.
• Then a familiar voice spoke behind me.
• "Not much of a party person?"
• My heart nearly stopped.
• I turned around.
• And there he was.
• Charles Harrison.
• In the flesh.
• Closer than he had ever been before.
• For a second, my brain completely stopped working.
• Which was annoying because I prided myself on having a functioning brain.
• His black shirt hugged broad shoulders.
• His dark hair looked slightly messy from the game.
• And his sea-blue eyes
• Yes, sea-blue.
• I noticed.
• Unfortunately.
• "You're staring."
• My eyes widened.
• "I am not."
• One corner of his mouth lifted.
• "You are."
• Heat rushed to my face.
• Fantastic.
• Exactly how I wanted this interaction to go.
• "I was just surprised."
• "To see me?"
• "To see anyone."
• His smile deepened.
• "Liar."
• I folded my arms.
• "Why are you talking to me?"
• The question slipped out before I could stop it.
• For the first time, he looked genuinely surprised.
• Then he laughed.
• The sound was warm.
• Unexpectedly warm.
• "Most people usually ask for a picture first."
• "I'm not most people."
• "No."
• His gaze held mine.
• "I'm starting to notice that."
• For some reason, my stomach flipped.
• Which was ridiculous.
• This was Charles Harrison.
• Basketball superstar.
• Campus celebrity.
• The guy every girl wanted.
• And I was reacting like a nervous teenager.
• "You're Juliet."
• I blinked.
• "How do you know my name?"
• "I asked."
• That should not have made my heart beat faster.
• Yet somehow it did.
• "You asked about me?"
• "I was curious."
• I stared at him.
• "Why?"
• He seemed to consider the question seriously.
• Then he shrugged.
• "You weren't trying to impress me."
• "Should I be?"
• His laugh echoed through the kitchen.
• A few nearby students turned to look.
• I suddenly understood why people liked being around him.
• The confidence wasn't forced.
• It felt natural.
• Effortless.
• Dangerous.
• "Trust me," he said. "Most people do."
• "I'll keep that in mind."
• "Please don't."
• I found myself smiling despite my best efforts.
• The realization annoyed me immediately.
• Charles noticed.
• Of course he noticed.
• "There's the smile."
• "What smile?"
• "The one you've been hiding all night."
• I rolled my eyes.
• "You sound very proud of yourself."
• "I usually am."
• "That's a terrible personality trait."
• "Yet here you are talking to me."
• Before I could respond, another voice cut through the conversation.
• "Charles!"
• A blonde girl appeared beside us.
• Tall.
• Beautiful.
• Confident.
• The kind of girl who looked like she belonged on magazine covers.
• She immediately hooked her arm through his.
• My smile disappeared.
• Interesting.
• Charles noticed that too.
• His expression shifted slightly.
• Not enough for most people to see.
• Enough for me.
• "We've been looking everywhere for you," she said.
• Her eyes slid toward me.
• Assessing.
• Judging.
• Dismissing.
• All within two seconds.
• I suddenly felt very underdressed.
• Very ordinary.
• Very aware of exactly who I was standing beside.
• Charles gently removed her arm.
• "I'm in the middle of a conversation."
• The blonde blinked.
• Apparently she wasn't used to hearing that.
• Neither was I.
• An awkward silence followed.
• Then Julia burst into the kitchen.
• Of course she did.
• The second she spotted Charles, she froze.
• Her mouth fell open.
• Then she noticed me standing beside him.
• Then she noticed we were talking.
• Then she noticed we were smiling.
• The look on her face was pure shock.
• I knew that look.
• It meant questions.
• Lots of questions.
• Dangerous questions.
• Questions I had absolutely no interest in answering.
• "Juliet?"
• Her voice sounded strangled.
• "Oh no."
• I closed my eyes.
• Charles looked amused.
• Julia looked horrified.
• And somehow, deep in my gut, I had a feeling my life had just become significantly more complicated.
• The expression on Julia's face told me one thing.
• She had just watched her dream guy talking to the wrong twin.