Infatuate Excerpt

7/28/2019 Infatuate Excerpt

1/15


2/15

cpyigh 2013 by aimee agesi

all ighs eseved. F inmin b pemissin epde seleins

m his bk, wie Pemissins, Hghn Miin H Pblishing

cmpny, 215 Pk avene Sh, New Yk, New Yk 10003.

H is n impin Hghn Miin H Pblishing cmpny.

www.hmhbks.m

tex se in Itc Klls P

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

cIP d tK

Mned in he unied Ses amei

tK 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

45XXXXXXXX


3/15

The Calm Before the Storm

1

Ihdn expeed he end high shl eel his wy. Se,

hee ws ein fzzy exbene wming he hilly hllwys

Evnsn twnship High Shl. thee wee jys sqels

nd heel hgs. thee wee ll es esive wpping

m ken gis lieing he . thee ws h spiied

hndeds lssmes simlnesly bzzing b hei

plns he ming week. B ll h hd nhing d wih

he milesne I hd ehed wih he ing h fnl bell se-

nds elie, nd everything d wih he wine whie blnkeing

he bll feld side he windw, whee s seehed

he pking l, hei hns hnking wildly. the hlidy bekws pn s ll. th Dne, Lne, nd I wldn be bk hee

nil Jnes gdin eemny wsn news n nyne elses

d. I gzed he windw gin s he chig wind wpped

wywd shee newspin nd he glps. In my mind,

memies swiled in he sme ekless wy. Gding ely hd

be he lime nilimx.the lke nex me slmmed nd Dne ppeed. S,

eveyne seems be ging Jsn abingns chisms py


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nigh, he needled me, eyebws wihing p dwn, p dwn.

He ws mking n me in he wy h nly bes iends n ge

wy wih.

Fnsi, I sid wih he ll dse neessy ssm. Iplled he ped phs m he inside my lke d

nd gve hem ls glne ll eed me wih eihe Dne

Lne hen gbbed my bg nd . I ndded he nw

empy lke, hen lsed i p ne ls ime. Bang. I shed

Dne lk h sid I wldn be swee-lked in ny py-

shing expediins. Spend he evening wih hse ll slppy dnks in Sn hs while Jsn nd cney hk p

in evey m? I hd gen ve my lngime sh, b I sill

didn eel like whing Jsn pw his binless bmbshell

giliend. N hnk y.

ae he ngin h ws pm n mephs

hee: he enie even elly hd gne dwn in mes, king

wih i he hisi Lexingn Hel dwnwn in wh hd been

dbbed he Ge chig Fie, P tw by he Chicago Tribune

Jsn hd lly lled me ne. I ws sn e shl le

he smme. I hd hgh i ws Dne plying ik

n me, nd by he ime Jsn nvined me i ws him, I ws

shked spek. I didn elly me, hgh by hen I ws

nheisilly seled in he byiend depmen. Mybebys hve sme s d when y n lnge need hem

nd h is peisely when hey fnlly s niing y.

S, hen hs n? Dne sked wih mk innene.

ths n-i-eveynes-lives-depended-n-i n . . .

again. I ldn esis dding h ls bi. I smeimes el like

Dne, Lne, nd I lived in n eniely dieen nivese meveyne else shl. We hd plyed his dd le in, well, sv-

ing hem m lsing hei sls his ps sping, b is n s


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5

hgh ny hem knew. I ws beginning hink I hd hll-

ined i ll. o lives Dnes, mine, Lnes hd hnged,

b n ne elses hd.

oky, ky, g i. He p his hnds p in sende.Ye n n. He psed, nd hen sked wih smik, Hw

b chisms l?

I snned he e nd s, b s sl nne he bdies

bning like hged ms lng he wded hllwy pid s

ny mind, s I plyed lng, wih js he slighes ll he eyes:

angels We Hve Hed n High?Dne gve me iendly smk n he m. H! am I zy

d hese jkes neve ge ld? He fxed his enin ve my

shlde. Ye sill ming ve hlidy mvie mdness,

igh?

Se hing. I ws Lnes vie, ming m behind me.

tw vinelike ms wnd nd my wis nd held me lse. He

lened his hin n my shlde. Wh ime d y wn s?

Hppy gdin, by he wy, he sid. He ned me,

lnging, pek me s nd fm n he lips.

and y, , I sid, js iis engh, kissing him

bk.

ugh. I swe, smeimes y gys e wse hn cney

nd Jsn.Im ended, I sid in mk pes.

Im n! Lne sid, sqeezing me. He plned n exgge-

ed smk kiss n my nek b hen sighened p js s

s. He pshed his lnky blk glsses he p n his nse,

his gze ding. Fm he ne my eye, I sw my vie

English ehe pssing, ying n see s, i seemed. Even -e Lne nd I hd been gehe s mny mnhs, I sill blshed

when we hd hese mmens shl. I neve wldve gessed I


6/15

6

wld be he ype even have mmens like his shl. I hd

pved be nyhing b his ype my enie high shl -

ee p nil his ls semese.

Dne shk his hed. the hings I p p wih in he nme iendship. I ws e. the hee s hd ne nhe nd

we wee gel. Dne nd I hd been pls sine we wee lile

kids. Lne hd been smehing lne nil h el in-

enship bgh s ll gehe in jni ye. I hd been

his ide s d smme shl nd gde ely. Wh

wld we miss? anhe pm? hed jked. and s we hd spenhse snny mnhs sdying, wiing ppes, king ess nd

nw we wee dne.

ae we lened lkes, we se dwn he hll,

Lnes wm hnd in mine. I ws sing hink his ne

migh be igh isk nigh, Dne sid, ndding in my die-

in.

Fine, Ill be hee. I sighed. I js hve fnish my llege

ppliins, I explined Lne. We n ll be evil genises

like Dne, wh n wie ppliin essys in his sleep. I ws

dne wih he nes I elly wned Nhwesen, univesiy

chig, Pinen, nd Hvd nd Yle (hse ls w wee

js kiks) b I sill hd my sey shls le. I hd wied

ill he ls mine n hse in he hpes h I wldn ellyneed hem.

Wheve, hees pleny ime, sid Dne, wh seemed

se pee gdes wih beking swe.

theye de in, like, week. Lne lghed. He ws ls

billin, b ws spemely gnized nd hd sen his bk

in Sepembe.Exly! Pleny ime! Dne shed h wide, winning

smile. Dde, Im fnishing mine n he wy he ip. Ill


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7

send em bee he plne kes . I slpped his m plylly.

He ws kidding nw.

the hllwys hd msly leed by he ime we mde i he

d. I wpped my s nd my nek nd Lne held hed me. the hee s sepped , nd gs wind

swped mee s. Heds dwn, we pshed n he L sin.

Ove he smme we hd sed king he L h mili

sp dwnwn nd hen wlked hgh pile bble

he ins he glms hel we hd ne lled hme. afs, we js needed be ne i, like nyne visiing gvesie.

We wld si wdlessly sing hgh ll memies he

hif nd he gd bese, despie i ll, hee hd sill been

sme gd we hd winessed hee.

We piked p h hle m weheed nveniene

se ndeneh he L ks nd mde wy Sh Mihi-

gn avene lng gngy sees h gew empie nd empie

by he blk. Evey inh sky ppeed gy s he wind whipped

s engh nvine me h even i we ween ging be sn

bding plne heded sh he nex ew mnhs, we pb-

bly wldn hve hd mny me pilgimges hee bee

he igid dephs el chig wine wld hve kep s

wy.Lisin. In js ve week, we wld be n wy hee.

We wee vlneeing in sden pgm in New olens,

ding hs mmniy sevie pjes, nd, I ld nly

imgine, hving n dvene w. I hd ne been Flid

Disney Wld wih my dpive mhe, Jn, b hewise,

I hd neve been he sh hn sins ple in Evns-ville, Indin. and se, I hd lived wy m hme, he h-

el, b h ws in chig. N me wh hd hppened he


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8

Lexingn, les he pximiy hme hd been m.

B nw . . . New olens? My plse piked p.

I plled my jke lse nd me nd glned m behind

in my hi Dne n my le, wh ws whing hesky, nd Lne n my igh, hnds in his pkes nd his eyes n

he pvemen. Nne s hd spken sine bding he L in

Evnsn. th, in isel, seemed be sign h hghs

wld hve been nely idenil.

We ned he ne nd nd selves he he

Lexingn Hel debis. Wheneve I sd hee, i ws lmsimpssible imgine wh he enne, wih is swping w-

ning nd sely seps, hd ne lked like, hw w e w

windws hd ehed en sies in he sky. the bilding hd

been deimed in sh wy h i seemed bmb hd gne

inside. only jgged pins he fs level emined, spiky bis

he de jing p nd . the es his behemh hd

been eded n me hn seies mnins piles

ddly shped gmens, like ne hse 3-D pzzles hi-

el lndmks h Lne liked p gehe nd disply in

his m.

thee hd been endless news sies b he gedy. In he

immedie emh, hey elgized he impssibly glms

wne, aeli Bwn; he send in mmnd, Lin Gve;nd hei beil b sinise s, knwn s s he of

ll ssmed hve been ned ds in he mes. Lucian.

Even nw, i ws hd hink him, imgine wh hd be-

me him. Wheneve he ep in my mind, I hd sw

hse memies wy. the lss him sng. I hd pined

evey ile, ed hem js ne, nd ked hem wy in nenvelpe nde my bed.

F esie ed wee hse me een piees speling


9/15

9

wh migh be dne wih his hllwed gnd. thee ws lk

epening he hel ne dy, b nw he sie sd mpleely

nhed. a les like his i sill el like s.

Wih hed hnks e , sne, nd bik nh-ing beneh snekes, we wnd wy p vie hill

debis nesle in gins wised mel bem h ws like

blehe se. Fm hee we ld lk dwn in glly whee,

n snny dy, y ld see he ysls he hndelie sp-

kling m whee i hd shed he he lbby. I ws

he vey ls sign he plene he ple whee eh shd been swep ee, hd llen in lve, bee disveing

h he peple we wee s enmed wih wee ying ei

s hei dk wys. and in , hey ween peple ll; hey

wee devils, wh hd sed like s b hd ls hei wy nd

wee nw in he bsiness bying sls, gning gnd wishes,

nd fnlly mmiing hei nves n eeniy belw.

In me dys, we wld, I hd n db, be hs bk

in sme vesin h wld ll ve gin. ths wh wied

s in New olens nd we ll knew i, even i we hdn spken

i ye. I js mde sense. I hed my nekle glden n-

gel wing sengh, hen wmed my hnds nd my ppe

p. Lne ighened his m nd me s I hddled lse.

t esie imes in he Big Esy, Dne sid, his vie hevys he held his p h hle in s.

t vlnism, New olenssyle, I eed, hlding

mine , .

chees, sid Lne.

added Dne, bee sipping: thnk y, M. cnn

Mills, sden din exdinie.Vlnee ism, vlnism hd been binsm

s ls smme. I we wee gding ely, we esned,


10/15

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we needed d somethingwih ll h ime. the hee s wee

type a si nd semese, nd we hdn elly

wned e llege ely. th el like . . . mh.

thee ws ledy engh n minds g jmping in nys inense demi psi js ye.

the ide igined when I hd ened my ld ndy

sipe jb Evnsn Genel Hspil in Jne, wking lng-

side Jn. one enn, pikp bskebll gme lnded n

--wne, ne cnn Mills, in he Er e king n el-

bw he eye. I ws gly, b i ld hve been mh wse. Ididn h h he ws he ype wh ld pll he disheveled

lk: gged nd hlei, he hd diy blnd hi, he sy

gd lks p mnin limbe, nd n esy hm, even

e hed injy. I ws bsy dy he hspil, nd sine hey

wned mni him nssin, he ws hee nil e

nighll. I ws emving his dinne y, enjying eeing lll

in he dys iviy, when he sed lking.

S, ye in med shl ve Nhwesen? he sked

me in shen dwl. He we gze ph ve ne eye.

Hw lng yhink ill his hels p?

Y ms n be ble see vey well, I sid, smiling. Im

js vlnee hee. Im in high shl. S I n give ny med-

il dvie b I can hk y p wih he elly gd kies mhe bek m dwn he hll i ye sill hngy. Smeimes

he nigh nses sel em, s I lwys hide ew.

I migh ke y p n h, he lghed.

Whees he gy wh did h y?

My bddy. cnn shk his hed. Im in wn ew dys,

seeing iends. Didn expe spend i hee.I el s bd him, nd sine I wsn needed nywhee


11/15

11

else h mmen, I hng nd nd hllenged him gme

pke.

I hd js wn nd nd ws gheing p he vending m-

hine M&Ms we sed being when cnn sid, S ye vlnee? I help n pgm in New olens. ciy kids,

Kin viims, ll ss mmniy eh. Be yd like

i.

Hw mh wld y be? I held hndl M&Ms.

He lghed, king ne nd ppping i in his mh. We ll

i vlnism dwn hee.ths hy.

Y shld pply. Y n me hng . Wines mh

nie hee.

By he ime cnn ws elesed, he hd wn me ve, nd he

pmised e-mil me he ppliin. Dne nd Lne hdn

needed mh nvining jin me. as sn s we wee eped

we begn wndeing wh migh elly be wiing s in New

olens.

So . . . Someone hd to brek this silence s we stred t the

ruins. anyone getting ny fbulous grdution gifts? I sked,

my voice s light s possible. Jon ws tking me for girls dy

of shopping nd sp tretments in the city before I left, in her

continuing effort to mke me less of tomboy. I loved her for

tht.

Sill ying nvine my mm he hes ble alines

is whwhile invesmen. Dne, esiden gmnd,

lghed qiely himsel.

Lne plled his m m me nd lened wd, elbws n

his knees s he sdied he bildings mnins emins. ahsh gs blew giy spy bik nd m ds in


12/15

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es. N, he sid fnlly, his ne . B lly, I kind

hve smehing y gys . . .

Hw b Seventeen? and ne he gssip mgzines; hsee n. Us Weekly? I shldve ided he hspil gi

shp. Jn shk he gy pnyil nd gbbed he mgzines

he newssnd in n he shie.

I eel s bd Im leving gin. Ye se heye ll ky?

F he send ime in ye I ws king leve bsene m

my vlnee hspil jb nd I ldn help b eel gily Igew p h ple, nd I didn like le dwn he peple

hee. they wee like my exended mily.

Is fne. they lve y, Jn ssed me s she snned he

iles gin. Hw lng is he igh?

Js nde hee hs. N bd.

She plked hid mgzine Entertainment Weekly nd

slpped i n he ne. Well ke his ne, , she sid

he wmn inging eveyhing p. Nhing wse hn nning

eding meil n igh.

thnks, Jn.

o se, sweeie, is he les I n d. She pid he

mgzines nd hnded me he bg, hen p ne m nd me,

wheeling my sise wih he he m s we wlked ndnd ses ne he seiy hekpin. Im vey pd y,

y knw. She sqeezed my m. Even i Im n ne hnded

peen hilled wih his ip. I ndded. Jn hd hd p p

wih l in he yes shed spen wih me, side m whing

he ple whee I inened in he sping bn he gnd. She

hd ken me in when I ws js fve-ye-ld kid le dedn he side Lke She Dive wih n memy nd n ne


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lking me. I pbbly hdn been he esies wy he,

hen single nse wking he le shi, begin he ene s

n dpive mm.

I sill dn elly knw why his is s impn y, b Id ndesnd is gd ppniy, Jn nined. B I

did ell y h New olens hppens be he mde pil

he wld igh nw, didn I? She whispeed his ls p, s

hgh she didn wn end he iy. and, yes, she hd ld

me his millin imes, nd i wsn even e.

Is n he mde pil the world. Is me like i s leds he nin. I ws js helping me se. Evey iy hs

ime.

Well, i shld be leding he nin in Sat ses. o n-

dm s kindness.

I dn hink hees ny wy mese h. Wh knws,

mybe i des.

She p he hnds n my heeks, lking in my eyes. Im js

ging miss y s mh.

Me . I ied sedy my vie nd seel my neves, b

oHe ip wsn exly he ms Zen-like ple. Lines

snked endlessly, peple nning hei ges s hgh m-

peing in k nd feld even. I el shp png, wishing

be nde he ves my bed hme, b gh i bk. Yelly dn hve wi, hgh. Dne nd Lne will be hee

sn, Im se. I men I heked my wh hey hve be

hee by en feen heye geing le behind. I hped Dne,

eve shinbly le, wldn mke s like hse ni pe-

ple ing hei ighs.

I dn wn y wiing hee lne. Besides, Ive g skp ll he ime I n wih y. She p bh ms nd me.


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and, by he wy, n I ge lile edi leing y g n his

ip wih y byiend?

Jn, I sid, lling my eyes. this ws ls well-veed e-

iy. Y lve Lne.I knw, I knw. I js n believe I wn see y s

lng. We hd plnned he me visi midwy hgh he

ip, sine shed neve been New olens.

I ndded b ws insnly dised by nmbes p-

liming he new ye, whih ws b een hs wy

bbbing wd me. they wee hed spings nd hed-bnd p Dnes hed. I lwys el elieved hving him ne. I

seled my qesy smh.

Hey, Ms. t! He ehed dwn nd gve Jn hg.

S gd see y, de! and en we lking esive?

thnks! He shk his hed ee.

Will hey le y hgh seiy like h? I jked, iking

ne he nmbes. Y lk like he se.

Fley will ge y eveywhee! and elx, I bgh pi

y, .

I hd lgh. Lne gh be hee sn.

I sw him. Hes, like, w mines behind me. He ws sill

ying lk his mm esing him in hee. I hd n

keep mine m llwing.See, Hv, Im n he nly ne, Jn piped p.

I n ge id his ne. I pined he. I ldn help

b eel hw Id miss he. I sill wsn eniely se b his

new lie I ws leding, nd I didn like keeping sees m he.

B wh ws I sppsed sy? So, it turns out I really have to go because,

you see, Im an angel in training all three of us are and this trip is somehowpart of the second of three tests we need to pass to get our wings. And, by the way, if


15/15

15

I fail, I basically . . . I ldn even fnish he hgh. My smh

hned nd I bke in ld swe.

Jn ws sill lking: and besides, y wldn wn hve

by y wn mgzines, wld y?thee he is, Dne ineped s Lne mbled in hgh

he ds wih his vesize del bg.

Sy, gys, he sid. Hi, Ms. te. Hw e y?

Why, hell Lne! S gd see y. Ye lking dppe

dy, she sid, spkling. He we jens nd hdie pking

m nde his eee.um, hnks, Ms. te. He smiled shyly. Hey, lemme ge

hese, he sid s he gbbed my bgs.

oh, hnks, y dn He js shk his hed. I sill

ended pes geses like h hbi, b I ws seely

gld h Lne didn lisen. S, I gess we shld pbbly ge

ging, igh? I ppsed. Jn gve he bys hgs nd wished s

lk nd hen, s hey sed wlking seiy, she held me

in lng embe.

Im pd y, Hven, hney. remembe ll.

Pmise. I ndded nd, wih wve, begn wlking wy,

h p wih he gys.

In he disne, Jn lled : Le he gd imes ll,

sweeie!I wved gin. Laissez les bon temps rouler, I sid my mp-

is. Lne slwed his pe send give me he qikes

kisses.

B n mh! Jns vie ng gin.

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