Chapter 2

CHAPTER

TWO

Stanley

I don't think I've ever felt skin this soft. My Lena, my magic, stands still as I rest my hand against her cheek. All these years, I swore my dad was just talking shit, but he was right. It happened in an instant. Gramps says it took longer for him, but for me, as soon as she turned around, I could feel it in my soul.

Feel her.

If my buddies could hear me now, they'd give me shit, of that I'm certain. They're all about sleeping around and playing the field. I'm not into playing games with someone's heart, and definitely not with hers.

"Me?" she whispers. Her eyes are wide, and I can see the confusion in their blue depths.

All I can do is smile at her. I can't explain it, because, in truth, I don't really understand it myself. All I know is that my dad and my gramps both said I would know when I've found my magic. That's this moment, standing here with the beautiful Lena.

She's my magic.

"Come on. I'll show you around." I drop my hand from her cheek, instantly missing the feel of her soft skin. "Can I see your schedule?"

Her hands have a slight tremble when she hands it to me. I want to tell her that I'm not crazy. I know what she's thinking. For the last eighteen years, I've thought the same thing. The men in my family were crazy, talking about magic all the time. Each time, my mom and my grams would just smile and nod, accepting their crazy stories of love. I thought they were just indulging them, but now I know better.

Pushing thoughts of my family out of my mind, I focus on my girl's schedule. "You have all but one class with me." I smile up at her. "This way." I keep her hand in mine. PDA warnings from teachers be damned as I lead us down the hall to where I was before I volunteered to take Abigail's place this morning. "This is study hall. We're in there together."

"Okay." Her reply is soft, but the look on her face tells me she's concentrating. She has a determined look about her, and I'm sure she's processing and memorizing where she's supposed to go each day.

"Hey." I give her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'll be here to guide you. Every class, I'll make sure you get to where you need to go."

"You don't have to do that."

I wonder if her lips are as soft as they look. "I want to. Come on, let's go through the rest of your schedule."

"The only class we don't have together is the last one. You're in Home Economics, and I'm in shop class. I'll walk you, and they're in the same hall, so I'll be waiting for you when class is over. Did you drive?"

"I drove."

"Good. We won't have to rush to get you to your bus."

"You really don't have to walk me to all of my classes," she says. "I appreciate you showing me around. I should be okay." She seems flustered and a little confused at my announcement.

"Oh, I'm walking you. Not just today but for the rest of the year. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't?"

"Boyfriend?" Her eyes grow wide, and her mouth hangs open in shock.

"Well, not yet, technically. I need to ask you, and you need to make me work for it. Nothing worth having comes easy. That's what my dad always says. Besides, I need to prove to you that the magic is real. All I ask is that you let me. That you don't entertain seeing anyone else until I've had my chance to do that?" She seems to freeze at my admission. Her gaze is distant before she brings it back to me.

"I don't know that I'm emotionally there. My life has been—hard." Her confession is whispered, and a little haunted.

I want to demand that she tell me everything, but I slow my roll. I'm coming on strong and can hear my dad's voice in my head telling me to give her some breathing room. I don't want to give her room. I want everyone in this damn school to know she's mine.

I take a slow, deep breath and pull her into my arms. Instead of demanding to know what's been hard in her life, I give her the solace of my embrace instead. I let her feel through my touch that I'm going to be her safe place to land. That's what my mom and Grams say about Dad and Gramps, and I plan to be that for Lena.

"You take all the time you need. I'll be right here." Unable to help myself, I place a kiss on the top of her head before releasing her. "Come on." I step back and take her hand in mine. She stands still, staring at our joined hands, as if she can't believe she's let me touch her. "Let me show you the cafeteria. We have the same lunch period, so I can introduce you to my friends then." I start to walk away, but she doesn't move. I stop and turn to look at her, and she pulls her hand from mine, taking a couple of steps back. I know I'm coming on strong, but I can't help it.

"I don't know why you're being so nice to me. This isn't at all what I expected on my first day. The hottest guy in school doesn't usually want anything to do with me. I'm plain Jane. Nothing remarkable about me. So, please, Stanley Riggins, if this is some kind of ‘new girl' joke, please, I beg you to walk away." Tears well in her eyes, and my heart squeezes painfully inside my chest. "I've had enough heartbreak for a lifetime." Her voice cracks, and so does my heart.

I turn back around and take the two steps to stand toe-to-toe with her. Placing my index finger beneath her chin, I lift so our gazes connect. Beautiful bright blue orbs full of pain, and if I'm not mistaken, hope, peer back at me.

My heart is racing because I hate the thought of her in pain. Lifting her hand, which isn't securely enclosed in mine, I place it flat on my chest. Her eyes widen a fraction and I know she can feel how fast my heart is beating.

"This is not a joke or a game. I'm not that guy, Lena. I will never be that guy. I want to get to know you. I want you to give me all of your time and attention, and in turn, I'll give you all of me. I want to know that you'll give me a fair shot at being yours."

"You want to be mine?" She says it like it's the craziest thing she's ever heard, and maybe it is, but it doesn't make it less true.

"Only yours." I stare deep into her eyes, willing her to trust me.

She's quiet, studying me. I stand still, holding her hand in mine while pressing the other against my chest, and give her all the time she needs. The bell is going to ring soon, and I'm going to have to take us to our next class. I hope she finds whatever she's looking for before that happens.

"We need to slow this train down a little."

"I'll take this as slow as you want. Just promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"It's just me. You give me that chance to let you see I mean what I say. Think of us as exclusively seeing where things go." I wink, trying to lighten the mood.

She laughs. "Okay. Just—give me some time."

"Time." I nod. I feel as if a ton of bricks have been lifted off my shoulders. She's mine, or she will be. "I can give you a lifetime." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. She shakes her head, amused, but I mean it. I feel the spark that ignites between us. The air is charged. She's it.

She's my magic.

The bell rings, and without another word, I lead her to our next class. I pull us to the back of the room and sit in the chair next to hers. All of my buddies come over to say hi, and I introduce them. I'm aware of the looks I'm getting from my fellow classmates and teachers, but I don't care.

All day, she's right next to me. When I have to drop her off at her last class, I'm tempted to go to the office and ask to switch to home economics. Lena just laughs at my suggestion and pushes me down the hall as she enters the room without me. By the time the bell rings, I'm full of nervous energy. I jump out of my seat, rush two doors down, and wait for her.

"Hey." I'm going for casual, but we both know I had to work to get through the throng of students to be here this fast.

"Stanley."

"Lena."

She grins, and it lights up her face. "I guess you're going to walk me to my car?"

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't?"

"Not my boyfriend," she tosses back with a lighthearted laugh. She glances over at Gail, the girl she was talking to. She's a sweet girl. We've gone to school together our entire lives. I'm glad she's being nice to my girl. At least she appears to be. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Gail flashes her a wide smile. "Yep, and you can bet we're going to talk about this." She waves her hand between Lena and me.

"Nothing to talk about," Lena tells her.

"Uh-huh. Take care of my new friend, Stanley Riggins."

"Always, Liz."

"Not my boyfriend," Lena says once Gail has walked away. There's humor dancing in her eyes.

"I'm working on it, Lena. I'm working on it." Throwing my arm over her shoulder, we make our way outside. She points out her Jeep, and we head that way. "Want to come over for dinner?"

She laughs. "No, thank you."

"How about we hang out after? Work on homework." I'm reaching here, but I'm not ready to let her go just yet.

"It's the first day of classes. We didn't have any homework."

"Never hurts to work ahead." We both know that I'm full of shit, but that's okay. She's smiling, so I'm taking that as a win.

"How about I'll see you tomorrow?" she suggests.

"That's a long time from now."

"You're going to be just fine." She surprises me when she raises up on her tiptoes and presses her lips to my cheek. "Thank you for today. You made it so much better than I thought it would be."

"That's how every day will be, Lena."

"We'll see." She opens up her car door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Stanley Riggins." She climbs into her Jeep and drives away. I stand here, like the lovesick fool that I am where she's concerned, and watch until I can no longer see her vehicle.

"What's up with you?" Roger asks.

"That's the girl I'm going to marry." I point to where Lena just disappeared down the road.

"What did you take?" he asks, concern lacing his voice.

"What?"

"You have to be on something. Come on, man, you're better than that."

I can't help it. My head falls back in laughter. "I didn't take anything. It's all about the magic, my man."

"Magic? Right?" he draws out. "Magic pussy, maybe," he mutters.

"Don't." My tone is stern. "Not with her. Don't go there."

He raises his hands in the air. "You do you, Riggins. All I'm saying is we're too young to be tied down. We need to taste all the flavors before we decide on our favorite."

"I already know my favorite. I'll catch you tomorrow," I say to my best friend, tossing my hand in the air. I make my way to my truck and head home.

"Finally!" I exclaim when my dad walks through the door from work.

"Talk about a welcome home." He chuckles. "What's up, kid?"

"Magic."

Dad tilts his head to the side and studies me. "What about it?"

"Not it. Her."

A slow smile tugs at his lips. "Her, huh?"

"All these years I thought you and Gramps were pulling my leg." I run my fingers through my hair. I didn't think he'd ever get home. I glance at the clock and see it's ten minutes after five. He's usually home at five. That was the longest ten minutes of my life. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but I needed to talk to him.

"All your eighteen years, huh?" he jokes.

"I'm being serious here, old man. She's… everything."

He nods. "Yeah, sounds about right."

"She thinks I'm crazy."

"That sounds about right too," he says. "You're going to have to tone it down, son. You can't scare her away. The magic, it's ours, but the women, you have to woo them still. It's not the same for them. This is a Riggins thing," he adds. "When we fall, we fall hard. I'm glad you're smart enough not to fight it. You're young, though. Are you sure?"

"Dad," I groan. "I'm positive. It's her. She's new in town, new to school. Her name is Lena, and she has dark hair and big blue eyes, and she's… her. She's mine."

"Then do right by her, Stanley. Never let a day go by that you don't tell her what she means to you. Well, actually, start out slow. Show her you're a man of your word. Be there for her and support her. I'm sure being new in town, this is all scary. Take your time, but be consistent. Show her what it means to be your magic."

"I told her all of that." I puff my chest out, proud that I got it right.

"Sounds to me like you've actually been listening when I thought you were letting my advice go in one ear and out the other." He smirks.

"I'm always listening, but I admit I thought it was all just two old men talking, trying to pull a fast one on me."

"I would never do that."

"Yes, you would." This time, I'm the one laughing. "But this magic you and Gramps keep talking about, I felt it. It's real. You're not crazy old men, after all," I tease.

"When do we get to meet her?" he asks.

"You just told me to take it slow."

"That doesn't mean you don't get to spend time with her. Besides, I should get to meet my future daughter sooner rather than later." He pauses, waiting for, I'm sure, a negative reaction from me.

He's not going to get one.

I'm young—just turned eighteen a couple of weeks ago—but there is nothing about the thought of Lena being my wife that scares me.

The magic is definitely real.