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MISSING PIECE

    Eight days left.

    There were only eight days left for the spring dance.

    Suddenly, it seemed like there was not enough time at all. Too soon, his thoughts echoed in his head, it was all going to happen too soon.

    He heard someone call his name and he turned around to find Riley looking at him curiously.

    "What?" He asked, noticing the expectant look on her face.

    "I asked if you were okay?" Riley repeated, phrasing it as a question instead of a statement. "You seemed lost for a minute there."

    "Yeah... Yeah, just," he scratched his jaw absentmindedly, "just thinking about the dance, is all."

    "Right," she raised her eyebrows sceptically. "Because you're finally going to meet her. Dying declaration of eternal love and all that."

    He rolled his eyes. "Well, damn, Riles. Don't sound too thrilled about it or anything. It'd be absolutely terrible if you were happy for me."

    She sighed, looked away and then at him again. "But you actually like her? Her? Nova?"

    "Like I said, don't be too happy for me. Really. The enthusiasm in your words is too much."

    "Enough with the sarcasm, already," she snapped. "I just... Don't they say that Nova's got her head in the clouds or something? And honestly, the girl's been on enough dates to make a calendar jealous!"

    He shot her a deadpan look. "If you think I've put in all the effort and the planning into the whole secret admirer ordeal only to hear your whining about her and then bail at the last minute—"

    "No, no, no! God, no. I wasn't — don't bail on your plan. Even though she's just another thirsty queen bee whose world revolves around what colour her nails should be painted on each day of the week and if her eyeliner is on point or not—"

    "I'm really not sure how this is you not whining about her," he interrupted dryly.

    Riley glared at him, "what I'm trying to say is, don't bail. Despite what an airhead I'm positive Nova is, I still think standing her up would be a dick move."

    "Don't worry," he murmured softly, a content smile on his face, "I don't plan on ditching the night of the dance. I promised her a spectacular night — one that she'll always remember. And I plan on giving her exactly that."

    Riley stared at him a moment longer, wondering how someone so smart could be smitten by Nova Hart of all girls.

    Yeah sure, Nova was pretty. The classic all-American beauty with blonde hair and blue eyes and sun-kissed skin. But surely her looks were all that she had going for her, right? Even Mallory had agreed with Riley on that.

    Then again, he'd been Riley's close friend for ages now, long before Mallory joined this school. And if Nova was what he wanted, then Riley was going to accept that.

    It was just that everything seemed to be changing so fast — he was completely taken with Nova Hart, the popular It-Girl and Mallory was growing even more infatuated with Graham Miller, the undeniably hot running-back of the football team.

    Riley suddenly wondered if she wasn't seeing something. Something that was there but she couldn't quite put her finger on...

    ...like a missing piece in an intricate jigsaw puzzle, not allowing her to see the whole picture.

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