My Night Breeze (The Breeze Series)

My Night Breeze

(The Breeze Series)

  
M. L. Newman

PUBLISHED BY:

William Collins Publishing, London

Copyright © 2014 by Ashley Newman

U.K., U.S.A., Canada

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All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by
any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products
referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The
publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Editing services provided by LoriAnn Wale

Cover
Design provided by Justin Janusaitis

More information can be found at the author’s website http:// mlnewmanauthor.com/

ISBN-
13:

ISBN-10
:

Contents

Part One: Awakening

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Part Two: Kicking

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Part Three: Surfacing

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter One

About The Author

Audra
lay her head back, gazing out the window as the trees passed by in spurts of oranges, yellows and reds. The bright light from the still rising sun blinded her eyes in between the branches. Another Monday in the endless weeks of September; never changing.

The car slow
ed down at the corner to pick up Tobias. He always rode in the front passenger seat with his usual set of sunglasses hiding his light green eyes and baseball cap covering his bright red hair. No greeting was necessary, just the customary ride to the final destination. The drive wasn’t long enough for a quick doze, even though it would be preferred.

Jim pull
ed into the designated parking lot with little effort. His light amber brown eyes reflected in the rearview mirror while he ran his hand over his short brown hair. Audra’s and his eyes met for a fraction of a second, causing a tenderness to touch his features. They could be twins if there wasn’t a year between them and if his hair was much longer. He nodded outside, and she sighed in silent agreement. It was time for the long day to begin.

Audra collect
ed her backpack and zipped up her jacket a little higher. The sun hadn’t yet warmed the chill in the air. She wrapped her arms around her waist walking quickly inside the large two-story brick building. The white linoleum floor glared back from the florescent lights leaving an already uncomfortably cold feeling assisted now with partial blindness. The hallway was empty other than a few others, and it was confirmed; it was most definitely Monday.

She open
ed her locker, shoving the backpack inside, while pulling out her notebook for the next two classes.

“Ready for a lap?” Stephen asked
.

Audra
took in the sight of her truest friend. Stephen’s dirty blond shaggy hair in contrast to his dark brown eyes welcomed her. She agreed reluctantly, slipping off her jacket into the locker and locking it up.

They t
ook the usual route, going up the first stairwell on the right up to the second floor. Starting with the English wing, weaving through the math wing towards the history wing and down towards the language hallway.

The hallways slowly start
ed to fill up with chatter and slamming lockers. Stephen waved to a few of his friends but didn’t hinder the routine by slowing down. Taking the stairwell down to the first floor they continued down the science wing, passing the main office and guidance offices. It took longer going by the auditorium, but going anywhere near the cafeteria would set them up with a late pass for sure.

They walk
ed into homeroom together, sitting in the front right seats. Stephen leaned on the back two legs of the chair. Audra crossed her jeaned legs, leaning on her elbow to keep him in view. This was all routine.

“
Are you prepared for the Palamino quiz?” Stephen asked.

“As prepared as I can be
,” Audra replied.

Science ha
d never been a strong suit for her, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Audra had signed up for study group sessions, staying after school for tutoring with Mrs. Palamino; however, her struggles hadn’t lessened in the least. She even asked Jim to help, but after an hour, he threw up his hands claiming she was a lost cause.

“Ms. Spellman, can you come up here?” Mr. Donohoe ask
ed.

Audra glance
d up to find the homeroom teacher shuffling a few papers around on his desk. A guy stood beside him. She didn’t recognize him, but his face was eclipsed with midnight black hair.

“Looks like fresh meat
,” Stephen commented.

She slip
ped from her seat, striding up to the desk just as Mr. Donohoe held out a sheet to her. She scanned the schedule quickly and realized what was going on.

“
Mr. Tanner gets two days to figure out the building,” Mr. Donohoe said.

“Okay…” Audra agree
d and met eyes with the newcomer.

For as dark as his hair was, it wa
s eerily offsetting staring into a light gray eye. The majority of his face covered by his hair left a veil of separation that appeared deliberate. Although small, a silver lip ring gleamed back in protest. He didn’t appear threatening, but he hadn’t made being approached welcoming either.

“Five minute early departure
,” Mr. Donohoe continued.

He hand
ed out two passes each and dismissed them from his desk. The newcomer kept his head down, but he still towered over her shorter stature. The intercom buzzed for a moment before the national anthem started to play followed by announcements. Audra went back to her desk, sitting down next to her friend. Stephen took no time taking the paper from her fingers, perusing it.

“He ha
s P.E. with us,” Stephen advised.

Audra trie
d to pull the paper back, but her efforts were wasted. Stephen whacked her hands away.

“Mateo Tanner
,” he continued.

“Give it back
,” Audra complained in a rough whisper.

Stephen chuckle
d but handed it back. “Think he’s single?”

Audra shrug
ged in response; she only just met him herself. She glimpsed at the clock and collected her notebooks. As she started to stand up, Stephen poked her in the side.

“Get the deets. I want a run through by the end of the day
on him.”

Audra ignore
d him, going to the door where Mateo waited in silence. She pushed through the door, glancing at his schedule. He had Mrs. Hyde for art class first, and it wasn’t very far from homeroom. She guided him down the two hallways to his next class in silence. He hadn’t spoken one word to her, but he might be shy; this was his first day.

“The school isn’t as big as it seems
from the outside. Once you realize how every wing is separated, you’ll be an expert like the rest of us,” Audra advised.

He nod
ded, keeping silent. Audra bit the inside of her cheek. She looked back at his schedule in awkward silence. She signed up for Peer Services because she enjoyed helping others, and after being part of the group for two years, she was more than used to assisting new students around the school. Usually, she could keep up a conversation, break the newcomer out of their shell and make them feel at home. If the group leader could see her now, she’d be ridiculed.

Audra skim
med his class indication realizing he was a junior just like her. Grasping at straws, she tried again.

“Being an upperclassm
an means that we get extra privileges. We don’t have to eat lunch in the cafeteria. There is a quad dedicated to us, and when the weather warms up, it’s nice to be out there.”

M
ateo kept his distance by not looking at her, but he nodded along. Audra sighed inwardly; she wasn’t doing a great job. Or maybe he was just making this harder than it needed to be. Audra set her shoulders and stuck her hand out to him.

“I’m Audra.”

Only then did he turn to face her, his eyes taking her in completely. The feeling of awkwardness started to seep in as her hand waited for an encounter. His eyes slowly grazed down her until it fell upon her hand. He looked at it strangely for a moment until he placed his in hers. His hand practically engulfed hers. It was warmer than expected but gentle.

He beg
an to pull back slightly, his fingers lightly caressing her wrist and palm before the connection was lost. The warmth hadn’t lessened upon her skin, and it felt comforting. A tiny smirk graced his lips only for the bell to ring loudly, ending the moment. Audra clasped both her hands around her notebooks.

“See you in a bit
,” Audra said, turning away.

Audra glance
d down at her hand while proceeding down the hall. The warmth had left tingles in its wake, causing the memory of his touch to last longer than it should. She lifted her hand, flipping it back and forth not seeing anything in particular. Without thinking, she placed it against her cheek, and it started to tingle there, too. How strange.

“What are you doing?” Jim ask
ed.

Audra look
ed up at her brother and clasped her hands back to her books. There was no way to explain the weird feeling. And Jim wouldn’t like the idea of anyone touching her, no matter how innocent a gesture.

“
Heading to Mrs. Palomino’s,” she advised.

Jim
walked with her to class, flirting with a few girls and giving the evil eye to any guy that smiled in her direction. Audra didn’t bother to complain; it’s done nothing to change Jim’s behavior in the past. Stephen was the only male specimen allowed near her, and that’s because his preference didn’t include the female population.

Jim g
ave her a playful nudge before she entered the class and settled down at her desk. Only then did she realize that Mateo never responded. His silence was still intact but his smirk wasn’t to put her off. At least it didn’t feel that way.

The class couldn’t end fast enough in Audra’s opinion
, but she felt anxious and nervous all wrapped up in one as she walked back to pick up Mateo. When she reached out to open the door, he pushed at the same time, hitting her hand. She quickly pulled it back rubbing the knuckles. The shock of the accident was more annoying than the abrupt contact.

Concern
etched over his features but no words passed from his mouth. Audra didn’t bother making a big deal out of it. She pulled out the schedule, not bothering to make small talk and guided him to the rest of his classes for the day. There didn’t seem to be a point in trying to talk to someone who clearly chose not to respond.

Audra slipped her jacket over her shoulders as the voices of Jim and Tobias started to approach.
She slipped her notebooks in her bag with a few books for homework before shutting her locker. Leaning back against it, her eyes befell Mateo digging into his own locker. She watched as another blond guy came over and began talking to him. She wasn’t close enough to hear if he responded, but it looked like he had. His lip piercing gleamed as it moved up and down.

Her jaw began
to tighten with annoyance. She was polite and welcoming to him, and he couldn’t be bothered to even say one word. Audra decided she wasn’t going to let it bother her any further. He obviously wasn’t shy, just a jerk.

“
What’s up with you?” Tobias asked.

“Long day
,” she stated.

She tugged
her backpack on before Tobias put his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him while he joked around with Jim. It hadn’t take more than one laugh to pass between them before Jim shoved him aside.

“Back off
,” Jim warned.

Tobias l
aughed, not bothered in the least. “Oh, come on.”

Jim shook
his head, standing his ground between her and his best friend. Audra didn’t dawdle, making a point to get in the backseat as usual. She could argue the same point for Tobias, but it wouldn’t make a difference. And in all honesty, she didn’t really care for his touching in the first place.

The ride back to the house wa
s short and loud. Compared to the morning when the guys were half asleep and quiet, it was like a rock concert on the way back in the afternoon. Audra quickly escaped the noise and scampered into the silent house, though she knew it wouldn’t stay that way for long. She kicked off her shoes at the door and went up the stairs to her room.

The cream colored walls
covered with movie posters and the twin sized bed neatly propped across from the window welcomed her. She tossed her backpack on the bed and opened up her laptop on the desk, playing background music to soothe her awkward day. Audra pulled out her assignments for the evening and began diligently working on them. It was already half past six when her cell phone went off.

“I’m in love!” Stephen exclaim
ed.

Audra smirk
ed into the line. “So soon?”

“Our eyes met
, and it was love at first sight.”

“Is he even aware of that?” Audra ask
ed.

“Don’t you dare mock
me. You will see tomorrow.”

“No judgment here. Just be careful
,” she advised.

“Always. What’s the deets with
tall, dark and eatable?” Stephen persisted.

Audra glare
d at the empty space before her. She most certainly hadn’t been thinking about those gray eyes looking into hers or the way his lips looked when pulled into a smirk. She hadn’t even thought about the way his skin felt against hers leaving a trail of heat or the tingling that lingered throughout the science quiz…until it was smacked with the door.

“Uh
, oh…I know that sound,” Stephen continued.

“What sound?”

“The sound of your silence. You have three of them: annoyed, speechless and in love. The third hasn’t come up without a celebrity, and the first one doesn’t last that long. Spill it.”