Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
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It Starts With L
The Letters of Love Series,
Book One
Cassandra Fear
It Starts With L
Copyright © 2017 by Cassandra Fear.
All rights reserved.
First Print Edition: July 2017
Limitless Publishing, LLC
Kailua, HI 96734
www.limitlesspublishing.com
Formatting: Limitless Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1-64034-150-0
ISBN-10: 1-64034-150-1
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
To my dad. This one’s for you. I’ll send a copy straight up to you in Heaven. There are no cowboys and Indians in this book, but read it anyway.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
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Chapter 1
The Bonfire
School sucked. Arielle’s junior year should have been great, but since the first day, it had already turned into the same thing as every other year. Bullying and being made fun of. Being skinny and part of the “in crowd” was overrated. She couldn’t wait to finish these last two years and be done with the people in her high school. Arielle stooped in front of her open locker, fumbling through the books that barely fit in the bottom.
“Ari, you okay?” Jess asked, coming up behind her.
Jumping a mile high, Arielle stood, then sighed as she faced Jess, one hand covering her chest. “Jesus, Jess. You scared the crap out of me.”
“No, you aren’t okay. I can tell.” Jess raised her eyebrows. “I don’t know why you let Karla Lust get to you. She’s nothing but a girl so insecure with herself she has to make fun of you and everyone else to make herself feel better.”
Arielle rolled her eyes. She’d heard it again and again. Karla might be making fun of her because she hated herself, but it never made Arielle feel better about it. In fact, it made her angrier. Why couldn’t she just leave her alone? Arielle couldn’t wait for this year to end. It would be Karla’s last unless somehow the girl flunked her senior year. Arielle chuckled to herself. She could see that happening, but she hoped it didn’t. With Karla gone, she’d be able to have the best senior year imaginable.
Jess smiled at her. “I can see the wheels moving behind those eyes. What’s going on in that head of yours?”
Arielle shrugged. “Way too much, like always.”
Jess wrapped her arm around Arielle. “Well, good thing we have plans tonight. First, we’re going to hit up the bonfire before the football game, then it’s a party at my house.”
“Come on. No parties. We can just hang at your house by ourselves.” Arielle’s voice came out whiny, even to her own ears.
Jess walked forward, pulling Arielle along with her toward the exit. The school day had ended and the weekend had arrived just in the nick of time. Maybe it would help make Arielle forget about Karla’s horrible teasing.
Jess gave her a knowing smile, as if she’d already won the battle. “Trust me, you’ll have fun.”
Arielle shook her head and looked at the ground. When she raised her eyes again, she was walking out the door, but something caught her eye. Not something, someone. He was tall with blond hair, completely shaved on the side and in a ponytail on top. He wore a sleeveless white shirt, accentuating his deep tanned skin and sculpted muscles.
He had to be new, no doubt about it. When his eyes met hers, Arielle’s chest felt like it had hollowed out, then he disappeared into the school.
Breaking the trance, Arielle moved her eyes to Jess and with her elbow, Arielle nudged Jess’s side. “Did you see that guy? Who is he?”
Jess tilted her chin to her chest and widened her eyes. “Who?”
Arielle sighed. “Never mind.”
They walked to Jess’s black SUV and got in. Jess drove Arielle home every day since she didn’t have a car of her own. Her parents couldn’t afford to help her and her part-time babysitting gig every other weekend didn’t pay enough to afford a car. Living on a farm had its perks, but money had never been one of them.
Growing up on a farm had been interesting though. Of course, it wasn’t a normal farm where cattle were raised or horses were stabled. Arielle’s home had chickens. Every single day after school, her chore list started when she collected eggs from the coop.
When Jess dropped her at home, she tossed her backpack on the front porch and walked around the side of the house, passing her dog, Stubby—named for his stubbed tail—and opened the wire gate of the chicken coop.
The chickens cluck clucked as she pulled the gate closed behind her and smiled. She loved coming out here, but she had to stop talking about how much she adored these pets. Her classmates, including Karla, used it as fuel to pour on the already blazing fire. The things they said…the names they called her. The best one was “the crazy chicken lady,” so full of creativity.
Kids were mean, but teenagers were meaner. Their teasing hurt, sure, but she wouldn’t let any of it change her. She went out to the coop even when she didn’t need to feed the chickens. It was quiet and she could think out there. Plus, she loved spending time with Mama, the pure black chicken who collected her own eggs and sat on them. Her sweet chicken had a job to hatch those eggs and create new chickies, and as much as Arielle would love to let her have her way, she couldn’t. The coop didn’t have room for any more. She picked Mama up and placed her on the floor, tucked the eggs in her basket, then Arielle hightailed it back to the house.
On her way, she stopped to pet Stubs, setting her basket on the ground. His black fur had a tan stripe running down the middle of his back and his belly matched the color of the stripe. The German Shepherd mix was the friendliest guy and one of the best dogs Arielle ever had. Even though a chain locked him in place near the dog house he loved, Arielle let him loose daily to run and get the exercise he ne
eded.
Her family had a ton of land. Every year they planted vegetables and then sold them all summer. The season had almost come to an end, but the stand would remain open at least through pumpkin season.
Arielle smiled as Stubs wagged his tail. “You’re such a good boy, aren’t you?”
He barked, as if in answer. She tapped her chest, letting him jump up on her even though her parents hated when she did that. But he gave the best hugs.
When she finished, she picked up the basket and shot through the kitchen door. The front of the house seemed so far away, even though she’d left her book bag there. But she could get it when she finished her chore.
In the kitchen, Arielle grabbed an empty egg carton, slid the brown eggs inside, and placed them in the fridge. Mom would be proud since she didn’t have to ask Arielle to do her chores.
As she closed the fridge door, Arielle’s big brother, Reed, flew through the small hallway, brushing up against her as he started rummaging through the cabinets. He was a senior this year and told Arielle before school started, “Well, sis, it will be better if you act like I don’t exist.”
Reed had the whole popularity thing working for him as one of those jock boys who played football and basketball and every other sport he could manage. Arielle didn’t have to be told to pretend he didn’t exist. Really, it had been easier than she cared to admit because they had never been close. They ran with different crowds and had absolutely nothing in common. Sure, she loved him. Deep down, she knew he’d protect her from anything bad ever happening to her, but it didn’t change the fact they didn’t like each other much. Maybe things would change as they got older, or maybe they wouldn’t. Either way, she would be there for him and he would be there for her, but from a distance.
“Hey, dweeb. What are you doing?” Arielle asked, using the nickname he loved the most.
He shoved her arm. “Don’t call me that.”
She put her hands up in front of her, shaking them. “Ooh. I’m scared. What are you going to do about it?”
He wrapped his elbow around her neck. “This.” Then he took his knuckles, scraping them back and forth along her head.
She ducked out of his reach, planting her hands on her hips. “Seriously, dweebus? Noogies? Aren’t we a little old?”
He laughed. “You’re never too old for noogies, baby sis.” Then he got serious, angling his chin and getting his focused creepy eyes, all wide and brown. To some people they might not be creepy, but to her they were. Arielle didn’t know many people who could widen their eyes quite like Reed could, but he always got his point across when he did. This time was no different. “Remember that.”
Arielle shook her head as she walked toward the front door, but the phone started ringing and she turned, running back to the dining room to answer it. Reed plowed ahead, trying to get there first, so she bumped him out of the way.
“Hello.” Her voice came out breathless. When Reed glared at her, she couldn’t help the big, goofy grin that stretched across her face.
“I forgot to tell you to be ready at six.” Jess sounded excited.
“You didn’t have to call to tell me that. You already told me earlier.” Arielle walked out of the dining room toward the front door to fetch her backpack, chuckling.
“Well, I forgot.”
Arielle shook her head, smiling. “What am I going to do with you?” She smacked the door handle, springing the screen door open.
“Accept me as I am?”
Arielle leaned against the banister. “Already have, Jess. You can’t get rid of me now.”
She could hear the smile in Jess’s voice. “Glad to hear it.”
Arielle lifted her book bag up, dangling it from two fingers. She tilted her head, pinching the phone between her shoulder and cheek. With her other hand, she opened the door, moving through the living room and back into the dining room. She threw her backpack on the table and stared out the window, grabbing the curtain and dragging it back and forth. “Do I have to go tonight?”
Jess sighed. “Arielle, we’ve been over this. You need to get out of that house once in a while. No more being a hermit this year.”
Arielle dropped the curtain and sat down at the dining table. “But being a hermit is so much fun. You should really try it sometime.”
“Um, how about no? You need to try not being a hermit sometime.”
Arielle nodded, but then realized Jess couldn’t see her through the phone. She knew her friend had a point, but it didn’t make it any easier for her. She liked to stay at home, locked away in her room with her journal, writing the evenings away. “Guess I’ll see you tonight, then?”
“Yes. Tonight. Be ready.”
“Okay. Bye.”
Again, Arielle could hear the smile in Jess’s voice. “Bye, Hermie the hermit crab.”
Grinning from ear to ear, Arielle hit the button to disconnect the call and set the receiver on the charger.
***
Getting ready for something had never been harder. Arielle had no idea what to wear and she never really put makeup on, but she decided tonight, if she had to go out, she’d go all out.
Her closet mimicked the aftereffects of a bombing, but somehow she found the dress she wanted. She pulled it over her head, watching as it fell right above her knee. It had green polka dots, which stuck out against the dark blue color of the fabric. The warm temperature made it easy to veto the matching tights. She dug through the bottom of her closet until she found a specific pair of dark green flats. She slipped on the glittery shoes, which reminded her a little bit of Dorothy’s ruby slippers, although hers were emerald and had no heels.
Arielle grabbed her makeup bag and headed downstairs to the one bathroom in the house, off the dining room. She put on some light blue eyeshadow, then some glitter gel over it, and before it had time to dry, she dabbed some blue glitter over the shadow on her eye. After she finished with the other eye, she drew a line with eyeliner on her bottom lids, followed by a couple coats of mascara, and then she stood back, admiring her work in the mirror.
She should totally do this more often, put makeup on. With her long blonde hair falling past her shoulders and the eye makeup, she looked decent. Not gorgeous like a lot of other girls, including Jess, but she would take decent.
If only she knew how to do anything at all to her hair. Running her fingers through it, she grabbed the ends and pulled it up around her face, then dropped it back down and shrugged, leaving the bathroom.
She glanced at the clock in the kitchen. It read five forty-five. Already? How had so much time gone by? No wonder she didn’t have time to do any of this in the morning. Sleeping a few extra minutes became priority one when she stayed up late writing all the time.
Dad came out of his bedroom as she started to walk to the front of the house. “Where are you going tonight?”
“A bonfire and then back to Jess’s. I’m probably going to spend the night, if that’s okay.”
Dad shrugged. “I guess that’s all right. You stay there almost every weekend. But be home tomorrow night. Your mother doesn’t have to work so we are going to have a nice family dinner.”
Arielle smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “I can do that. Love you, Dad.”
“Love you, Ari. Have fun tonight.”
She nodded and skipped out the front door, stopping when she ran into Reed on the front porch.
His lip curled up. “Where do you think you’re going dressed like that?”
“To the bonfire.” She rolled her eyes. “Duh!”
He shook his head, leaning back against the banister and crossing his arms over his chest. “No. I don’t think so. Not my bonfire.”
Arielle rolled her eyes. “Give me a break, dweeb. It’s not your bonfire, it’s for the whole school. And sorry, we’re going. Get over it.”
Reed grinned from ear to ear. “Did you ask Dad?”
Arielle grinned. “Nope, but I told him and he was fine with it.”
Reed stomp
ed and ran through the front door. “Dad. You can’t let Ari go to everything…” His voice faded as the door shut, leaving Arielle smiling.
Jess’s SUV pulled up and Arielle hopped in the passenger side. “Let’s have some fun.”
Jess did a double take. “Wait a minute. Where’s my best friend and what did you do to her?”
“She’s still here, but she’s letting loose tonight.”
“Good. Then let’s get out of here before she changes her mind.” Jess laughed.
What Jess didn’t know was Arielle wouldn’t change her mind. Not tonight. She needed a little fun in her life, and starting today, she would let herself have it.
***
Tigers High was bursting with life when Arielle and Jess got out of the car. There were people everywhere. A big pile of long sticks in the form of a teepee sat in the middle of the crowd, ready to be burned. Arielle didn’t know what they were waiting for to light the fire. Maybe darkness, but so many of the kids from school were already there they might as well start.
Security officers stood at each corner of the area, bluetooth headsets at their ears. Arielle couldn’t blame the schools. With all the bomb threats and school shootings, it made her feel better knowing the school officials took precautions.
Jess grabbed Arielle’s hand. “I think Damien and Garrett are over there.” She pulled Arielle as she weaved through the crowd.
Damien and Garrett, Jess’s boyfriend and his best friend, were standing with a group of people all dressed like Jess. She wore a short black skirt with fishnet stockings and combat boots. Her shirt was tattered in the front with a white tank top underneath it. Her hair draped to her shoulders, pure black with blue streaks down the front.
Arielle dressed in darker colors today, but she would normally wear pink. It was her favorite color. So hanging out with all the goth kids made people look twice most of the time. Sometimes she cared what people thought, like Karla and her groupies, but she didn’t care about a lot of the other kids. She tried not to care about any of them, but she couldn’t stop herself most of the time.