Image of You

Prologue

Kat pulled the books from her locker, her science folder slipping through her fingers and landing on the tile floor with a splat. The papers scattered in every direction, including the ones she had just completed for her extra credits with Mr Craigsdale. He was always pushing her, and if she was honest the interest he seemed to have in her was bordering on creepy.

She bent down gathering the papers as fast as her freezing fingers would allow. Leaving the house she had forgotten her gloves and the trudge through the snow had left her chilled to the bone.

A perfectly formed leg came into view, standing directly on top of the piece of paper Kat had just attempted to pick up. Tilting her head upwards she swallowed hard. Angela had propped her dainty foot on top of the papers that Kat was scrabbling to gather together.

"I see you've figured out your place in the world at last." Angela's voice dripped with sarcasm as she scrubbed the toe of her pumps along the pristine white paper, leaving a dirty footprint across the printed pages.

"Leave her be, Angela."

Matthew Henley appeared at Angela's elbow. Wrapping his arms around the tiny waist of his girlfriend he lifted her from the floor and off the papers that Kat had spilled. Angela was momentarily distracted from her cruel teasing as she threw her arms around his neck and rained tiny kisses down across his nose and cheeks.

"Why do you always defend the underdog, Matt? You know what she did to me. You know she told Crantree about my homework..."

"And you were cheating, so really it all works out." Matt sounded bored as he set Angela back down on the ground.

Kat kept her head down, choosing to focus on the papers spilled on the floor rather than get dragged into the argument that seemed to be brewing.

Angela slapped Matt's arm, her lips set in a pout that was sure to turn into a full blown tantrum if she didn't get her own way.

"When did you get all high and mighty?"

"When I realised what a drag you were..." Matt muttered the words under his breath, but he may as well have shouted them from the rooftop of the school.

The hall fell deadly silent and Angela's face turned from red to snowy white. Her perfect blue eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip quivered. Kat had witnessed meltdowns like this before. Matt and Angela were notorious for their arguments, everyone in the school knew what happened. But everyone was always interested in the couple. They were the popular ones. Their lives were vital to the life blood of the school. When they argued, everyone listened.

"Matt... How could you..."

"Zip it, Angela, I'm tired of all the games."

One fat tear rolled down Angela's cheek and plopped onto the tile floor. She scrubbed her hand across her face and pouted her lips further.

"You're a jerk, Matthew Henley! I hate you!" She turned and fell into the arms of her best friend who stood nearby, watching the unfolding scene with an expression of shock.

Matt didn't seem to be bothered by Angela's tears, instead he shrugged. A look of anger crossed his face as he caught sight of his own best friend Andy ambling down the hall towards the scene. Matt elbowed his way out through the crowd moving for the exit.

Kat sat on the floor and watched the scene. Angela and Matt had never argued like this before, and the look on Matt's face when he had caught sight of Andy said everything.

"Katherine, are you ready to present your project?" Mr Craigsdale voice cut through the commotion in the hall and dragged Kat from her thoughts. She jumped and began frantically trying to sort out the science folder.

"Just a minute, Sir."

He smiled and continued on down the hall to his classroom.

Angela caught sight of Kat's desperate fumbling and pounced. "This is all your fault! You caused this!"

Kat tried to shrug past the angry young woman in her way, but Angela chose that moment to draw out and strike. The slap sent echoing shockwaves up and down the hall. A collective gasp filled the air as Kat fell back against the lockers, her hands automatically going to her burning cheek.

"I didn't.. I didn't mean to... I didn't do anything..." Her words were drowned out by the sounds of the jeering students that surrounded her.

"I didn't mean it, I didn't do anything." Angela's voice mimicked the sound of Kat's terrified pleas. She drew out to hit Kat again, but the sound of Mr Craigsdale's voice cut through the crowd once more.

"What the hell is going on here!"

Angela's hand dropped back to her side and fresh tears flooded back down her face as she fled the scene. Her friends following her down the hall and the rest of the crowd slowly dispersing.

"Katherine are you alright? What happened?" The teacher indicated for Kat to follow him and she did, her hand still clamped against her throbbing face.

Chapter One

That was the last time I had seen Matt Henley, that was until now. He had made the rest of my high school life an absolute nightmare. It hadn't been his fault of course, the only one I could blame for that, was Angela. And really the bullying had been the least of my worries.

I watched as he strode down through the halls of the office. His dark brown hair was longer than I remembered, with a slight curl at the ends. It looked as though he had simply rolled out of bed that morning and ran his hands through it. But of course that was impossible. I'd worked with enough artists in my short career in the talent agency to know effort when I saw it.

His stride was long, and perfectly carefree. But in those eyes of his I could see something lurking just beneath the surface. Something that let me know he was feeling anything but carefree. They darted back and forth. The colour changing from molten brown to a softer amber depending on the way the light hit it.

His eyes shifted over me, running across my face before dipping to admire the open neckline of my shirt. When his eyes returned to mine he smiled. An easy curling of his lips. Any other woman would have fallen off her chair to have Matt Henley look at her that way. Any other woman that wasn't me. I'd seen what lusting after Matt could do. And it made me determined to avoid that fate at all costs.

When I didn't fall on my knees begging for him to take me across the desk his look changed. All of his confidence disappeared like the off switch of a light. Leaving something vulnerable in its wake.

He disappeared into the head office at the end of the hall and I swallowed hard. The moment I'd read his name on the client list for the morning I'd been overcome with nerves. But now that the moment had passed, the initial encounter, I could relax. He didn't know me.

Releasing the breath I'd been holding without fully realising it, I stood up from my desk. My legs were still a little shaky as I crossed the office and headed for the kitchen. Tea, I needed tea. Something to settle me.

Pulling open the nearest cupboard door I grabbed the box of camomile tea bags and cursed under my breath as nothing but empty fragrant dust flakes floated down to me. Stephanie was always stealing my tea bags. She denied it, but I knew it was her. I set the box down on the counter and a small hysterical laugh escaped my lips.

It really was beyond sad. This was what my life had been reduced to. Worrying over who had stolen the last of my tea. No wonder I was so utterly alone. I gripped the edge of the counter and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to destroy my carefully applied mascara.

Why had it all gone so wrong? Was I really such a terrible person that I deserved to have my life destroyed so thoroughly? It was a miracle I'd even managed to get the job I had. Luckily Brody seemed to have a soft spot for me, and he didn't care about my record...

A record. It didn't even seem possible. I was the meekest person I knew and yet I had a criminal record. Crime really didn't pay, and what made it worse was being accused of something that was taken utterly out of context.

"Hey, gorgeous." That voice, I'd have recognised it anywhere.

My head snapped up and I glanced back over my shoulder. Matt had propped himself in the doorway, his arms crossed absentmindedly over his chest. It was a defensive move. Or at least that was what all the good body language books told you. But what did Matt have to be defensive about? He had everything. If anyone was going to behave defensively, it should be me.

I tilted my head to the side and narrowed my eyes. "Don't bother, I'm not interested in what you're peddling, mister smooth."

He smiled, and it opened up his entire face. His mouth lifted and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he started to laugh.

"You got some guts."

I bristled as he continued to laugh. "Guts? It takes guts not to find you irresistible? Now who has an inflated view of themselves?"

"It's not inflated. I can personally attest to everything being the size it was meant to be. The size god created me to be." He winked and I scoffed.

Grabbing a glass from the counter I headed to the sink and filled it with water. I gulped down the cool liquid, all the while only too aware that his dark eyes were boring holes in my back. I set the glass in the sink and turned. He continued to watch me with a knowing smirk and all I could do was sigh and drop my arms to my sides.

"What? What is it? I'm not interested, I've told you that."

"I know you."

The words stalled my heart. I had been so certain that he didn't recognise me. That I changed enough so that he didn't know who I was. That he didn't know of my disgrace.

"I don't think so." The blood rushed to my face and I ducked my head in an attempt to hide the blush. But it was too late. He'd seen it. He sauntered into the small room, that only seemed to shrink further with each step he took closer to me.

"I do. I know you..."

I shook my head, my lips clamped tight together. His fingers felt rough against the soft skin of my face as he tilted my face back up to look at him.

"Kat." He whispered my name. The silky sound of his voice over my each letter gave me shivers.

"You're wrong. You don't know me." The words left my mouth in a half strangled sob. But in his eyes I could see that he had latched onto my identity. He knew me. Remembered me as the dull, lifeless, geek from high school. I had been a nobody. Still was a nobody. But I'd had aspirations, everyone knew that.

He opened his mouth as though to ask me more questions but the sound of a woman clearing her throat had me springing away from Matt. I stumbled his hands wrapping around my upper arms, keeping me from falling flat on my face.

I darted out past him, pulling out of his grip and running for the door. Stephanie stood watching us. Her blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. I gasped for air as I made a run for the door.

Brody appeared in the door to his office, a look of irritation making him appear even more commanding.

"Kat, where's Matt? I need you and him in here... As soon as he wants to that is." Brody rolled his eyes, but I shrugged as I made my way as quickly as my legs would carry me to the main doors.

"Kat, where the hell are you going? I said I need you in here."

I didn't stop to listen. I just rushed through the main office doors and down the corridor that led to the main doors. The second I pushed out into the afternoon sunshine I let out a sigh of relief. I couldn't breathe in the office. My body refusing to cooperate with anything I might want.

Matt had stolen my breath, my voice. He knew me. Knew who I was.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." The words crowded around in my head and tumbled from my lips. Why hadn't I called in sick today? Told Brody I had a headache. Anything, anything other than this. If he knew who I was then my entire world was on the verge of collapsing around my ears like a house of cards.