KISS
Tempestuous Series Book One
By Jalissa Pastorius
KISS
Copyright 2016 by Jalissa Pastorius
Cover Design by Jalissa Pastorius
This novella is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, and events portrayed in this novel are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. All rights reserved; the right to reproduce this book or any portion thereof in any form whatsoever in any country whatsoever without the express permission of the author is forbidden.
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Thank you for downloading this eBook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.
Acknowledgements
For those who dare to dream, embrace their nightmares and face adversity.
Title Page
Copy Right
Acknowledgements
1 Crushing on You
2 Butterflies in My Stomach
3 Date…ish
4 Secret Meetings and Wishes
5 Hollywood Elite
6 Racing Heart
7 I Won’t Fall for You
8 Lose Control
9 Innocent Rose
10 Torn
11 Kisses and Fireworks
12 Love Square?
13 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
14 Falling for the Wrong Guy
15 Rendezvous at Midnight…It’s A Promise
16 Boys Are Stupid!
17 Hollywood Unveiled
18 Shattered
Epilogue
Book Two: Thirst
About the Author
1
Crushing on You
She sat in the yard pulling the petals off a sunflower. The sky was clear and the wind played with the wisps that managed to escape her ponytail. She could hear the birds tweeting, singing a beautiful song that a masterful song weaver of nature could only comprehend. The petals were soft to her fingers, and she watched as the bright yellow petals floated away from her, dancing in the wind like a gypsy would. She looked curiously at the remaining petals. If she remembered correctly, there was a forgotten story that told of the sunflower’s history.
Her dad was quite the artist and dreamer. He was always telling her everything had a story, and never take something at face value. She smiled as she recalled the story of the sunflower. It was a tale of unrequited love. A water nymph had fallen in love with the Sun God also known as Apollo, but he did not return her love. He never noticed the feelings she had for him and fell in love with a water god’s daughter. The nymph continued to watch the sun god for his beauty stunned her; she did this without any proper nourishment and eventually turned into a sunflower. It reminded her of her non-existent relationship with Axel. He was the most popular guy in school and the girls were practically throwing themselves at him. She really needed to get over her so called crush.
“Iris!”
“Coming mom,” sighing she tossed the remains of the sunflower onto the grass where it remained forgotten like the water nymph.
She entered through the sun room only to hear her mother grumble about dreamers. Iris thought it was pretty funny since her dad was an artist, and spent majority of his time in his studio working on masterpieces. Her dad reminded her of a wanderer. He was always looking for the next adventure. She wondered if he ever thought he made a sacrifice by staying with her and mom. It brought an image of a wilting flower to mind. Her dad wouldn’t wilt though, because she would the sun that kept his day bright and mother no matter how insufferable she may seem at times would be the water that kept him nourished.
“Where’s dad?” she asked.
“You know he’s in the studio being destructive as usual. Oh, Iri look at you.”
“What?” she asked looking down at her shorts. There was a layer of dirt that covered her skin from being outside but she didn’t think it was noticeable, until you looked at the dirt imbedded underneath her fingernails. It didn’t matter how hard she tried. Dirt always found a way to her. Nature was conspiring against her once again.
“You’re covered in dirt and grass stains.”
“Mom, I can go take a shower.”
“That’s not the point. I just wish, oh never mind,” her mother said spotting the look on her daughter’s face.
Iris already knew what she wanted to say. She couldn’t understand her mother’s disposition. Iris wasn’t that girl. The overly popular girl her mother wanted her to be. She enjoyed spending her time surrounded by nature taking in the wonders of the world and learning its secrets. She had a birthday coming up in a few days, and while most kids desired cars for their seventeenth birthdays, Iris wanted a horse. She wanted to race towards the horizon with the beast and feel wild and untamed. She’d been begging her parents for one, but knowing her mother she probably had her hopes set on buying Iris a car.
“I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you go take a shower and we can go get a manicure?”
“Okay,” she said smiling. She held in the sigh that wanted to escape through her lips, but she really couldn’t deny her mother. She would rather be in the studio with her dad reading a book that would take her on an adventure while he worked.
“Maybe we can go to the salon too and get something done to your hair.”
“Not on your life mom. I like my wavy hair.”
“But it’s so long, how about getting it cut?”
“No mom!” she said running towards the back. She thought her hair was her best feature other than her light brown eyes. A woman’s hair represented her strength, well at least it did in the novels she read. The girl would be the main protagonist in the story and she would defeat her enemies. The heroine always had long hair and in the action books she read, women often hid weapons in their hair. It was definitely cool.
Rushing to her room she jumped into the shower. The hot water pummeled her skin and gave her more time alone with her thoughts. She had great parents even though her mom was pushy. It had been getting worse lately and Iris didn’t understand why. She jumped out of the shower and grabbed an outfit. She ached to put on a nice pair of jeans and a tee shirt, but she could see the disappointment flaring up in her mother’s eyes so she gave in once again by putting on a nice white summer dress that hugged her upper body, and flared out at the hips. Throwing on a pair of red three inch pumps and grabbing her black clutch completed the outfit.
When she saw the joy in her mother’s eyes Iris knew she made the right decision.
“You look gorgeous! Iri!” her mother complimented. Iris fought the blush as it worked its way up her neck. Must fight it.
“You should definitely invite some of your friends over.”
Iris frown slightly at her mother. Inviting her friends over was a no go. They were a group of nice girls at times, but they could be downright crude and she didn’t like it. If they ever found out she was loaded, she would skyrocket to popularity so fast her head would spin, and she did not want to be in the spot light. She saw what it did to people. It changed them and not for the better. Her father was a world-renowned artist and her mother was one of the top heart surgeons in the country. They lived in a home that cost millions of dollars. She was grateful that her father put his foot down demanding something out in the country with lots of acreage. Iris knew she would’ve shriveled up and died had she been living in the city like her mother wanted.
“Maybe some other time,” she said to her mother as she plastered a smile on her face and followed her out the door.
2
> Butterflies in My Stomach
Iris and her mother took their usual seats at the nail salon. Iris smiled as her mother did all the chattering with the manicurist.
“Iris you should try the gel nails, it’s all the rave.”
Iris sighed. She knew this was coming. Her mother had been trying to get her to try it for ages. She just didn’t see what all the hype was about. She preferred her natural nails. She saw the flash of disappointment in her mother’s eyes once again and cave.
“Fine.”
I’m such a pushover.
She was starting to think her mom wanted her to be a glass doll.
“Are there any interesting guys at school?” her mom asked her. Iris immediately fought the blush that threaten to sweep her face. She had the biggest crush on Axel. He was the most popular guy in school and all the girls were crushing on him. He had raven colored hair and a pair of the lightest blue eyes she’d ever seen. He made her heart melt.
No. No. No! Why was she asking me about boys? I’m practically invisible. He probably doesn’t even know I’m alive. I’m not even sure of my feelings. It’s not like there’s butterflies in my stomach or anything. It’s just a phase. I’ll get over it. Oh no! I’m sweating. Damn. Keep cool.
“Not really,” she said avoiding eye contact with her mother. Axel intrigued her. It wasn’t his popular status or his good looks, okay that may have something to do with it; but it was those moments when she saw him alone and pain reflected in his eyes. He was human just like everyone else. She often wondered if popularity came at a cost. Oh well not her business.
“What about college? Do you know what you want to study?”
It was a good question. She was only sixteen but she often thought about the future. The only thing that called her was nature; maybe she could go into agriculture. She didn’t have a clue.
“I don’t know. I like nature. Maybe I could be a marine biologist or go into agriculture.”
“Those are interesting things. You don’t want to go into medical field?”
Iris didn’t have a remote of interest in the medical field. Why would she?
“Baby, you could try, especially with that IQ of yours.”
“Maybe,” she said to placate her mother. She couldn’t wait to be done so she can hide away in dad’s studio. It made her think about Axel. She wondered what his parents were like and what he did in his spare time. If her mom ever found out she was crushing on a guy she would die.
Iris already had the figure of an adult woman. She blamed her voluptuous mother. She’d been as her mother would call it blessed with the same curves. She had round hips and wore a D cup bra. She knew there were girls out there who would kill for a body like hers, but honestly they could have it. If she got any bigger in the chest area she was going to be cursed with back problems.
Her mother decided to stop at a grocery store to her horror. She hoped, she didn’t run into any of her classmates. They probably wouldn’t recognize her anyway. Somehow this idea was supposed to cheer her up but it immediately caused her to sink into a slight depression. School sucked anyway…stupid stereotypes. Exiting the store, she was ready to scream for joy, when a woman collapsed on her way into the store. Naturally her mother’s response as a doctor was to go aid the woman.
She watched as her mother reached for the woman. She turned the woman on her side and told Iris to call 911. Iris did as she was told. They were starting to get a lot of attention.
“Stand back, I’m a doctor,” her mother yelled as she started to pull her stethoscope out of her purse. Iris had no ideal her mother carried such tools in her purse. She had a small first aid kit too. Was that thing connected to the wizarding world?
Her mother reported all the woman’s stats and information to the emergency personnel when they arrived. Iris watched as the woman grasped her mother’s hand and asked her to stay. What the hell was this? Where was she supposed to go? The woman on the stretcher then pointed at someone else Iris hadn’t noticed. It was her son.
Axel Rotterdam.
She sat in the passenger side of the car as he drove behind the ambulance towards the hospital. Iris had dreamt of this moment forever; somehow it wasn’t exactly what she hoped for. She wanted to fill the silence, but what should she say?
Gosh I’m such an idiot. He’s hotter in person and up close. Sheesh. The flames of hell are licking at my heels.
Axel’s eyes slanted over toward the gorgeous girl beside him. He’d never seen her before. Her amber colored eyes gazed cautiously at him before returning to her lap. Did she go to his school? She had beautiful blond hair that matched the woman who provided emergency care for his mother. Axel was terrified of his mother going into an episode. She was sick. He didn’t want to think about it, so he asked a question to fill the silence.
“What school do you go to?”
“Same as you,” she replied effortlessly. This was new. He wasn’t used to being treated with indifference when it came to women. Axel had been around the block a time or two.
“How come I’ve never seen you before?” he asked perplexed.
“You have. I’m just not usually dressed this way. This little ensemble was to please my mother.”
“I would have remembered your face if I’ve seen it.” He understood about the whole parental thing where they try to impose their will upon you. Parents always chuck it up to them knowing what’s best for you. Axel called it bull crap.
“Look, I’m sorry about your mom,” she whispered.
“Yeah me too.”
Axel swore he would find out who the girl was in school.
“Can I give you my number?” he asked her. He wanted to slap himself. Why would he ask? Most guys would just write it down and slip it to her, but he instinctively knew that wouldn’t work with this girl.
“I don’t know, can you? You’re just infatuated with what you see now. This isn’t the true me. This is who my mother wants me to be. Find me at school and then…maybe I’ll take your number,” she said smiling at him.
He pulled up to the emergency entrance and parked the car. He looked at her and his heart stumbled in his chest. She had the most carefree smile he’d ever seen. It was a unique smile. He’d like to think she reserved it just for him.
“Deal.”
They both exit the vehicle and preceded towards the hospital where chaos was bound to ensue.
3
Date…ish
Iris watched in amazement as doctors, nurses, rushed towards Axel. He was practically a celebrity there. It was startling to see him go from the nice charming boy, to this figure that everyone wanted to associate with. She stood off to the side.
People couldn’t help themselves. He was one piece of hot ass. C’mon look at those bulging, lithe muscles underneath that stubborn fabric called clothes. He was tall too, and I’m always a sucker for tall guys.
There was no way she’s going near him. Spotting her mother, she rushed towards her.
“Mom!”
“Over here honey!”
“What’s going on?” she asked with wide eyes. Was it selfish to say she wanted to go home and hang out with her dad?
“That’s Mrs. Rotterdam. She’s doing much better.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s very sick dear and has a heart condition.”
“Can’t you fix her?”
“It’s not that easy. Let’s go before someone recognizes me.”
“I thought you like that stuff mom.”
“Not when I’m off duty. Hurry your dad should be pulling up.”
They got into the car and soon Iris’ thoughts were filled with Axel. Why didn’t she take his number? Her hormones and heart said yes, but her mind said no. She was so stupid at times. She probably was the only girl in the school that turned down the guy. She wondered how long his mother had been sick.
Once she made it home, Iris raced upstairs to her room to get out of the dress she’d been wearing. She wanted t
o go hang out in her dad’s studio. There was always something going on in there. She walked and looked slowly through her father’s work. There were sketches, paintings, and even models. She loved all his work. Some of his work was abstract and then there were the faces of people he would draw. Her dad had an uncanny ability to capture the emotions in the person’s eyes; it was like they were looking at her.
She inherited her dad’s artistic ability, but she was always gazing off into the sunset to do anything about it, however since meeting Axel she wanted to paint his pain filled eyes.
It wasn’t that morbid…was it?
She grumbled to herself setting the painting down. She wanted to be swept away in a passionate romance. She giggled perhaps her mother was right. She did spend quite amount of time surrounded by books. Iris picked up a sketchbook absentmindedly and began sketching eyes that had become the center of her universe. Would he remember her? Would he find her? Gah! She should have taken his number when she had the chance. She groaned slamming her head into her sketchbook.
I’m such a dope. How could I miss such an opportunity? I mean he was right there, I could practically smell his breath. Whhhhy?
“Hey sweetie, whatcha ya got there?” her dad asked entering the studio, interrupting her internal rant. Iris threw the sketch book away from her as if it was contagious and looked at her father with wide eyes.
“Nothing,” she said stammering. Slow down heart. She was afraid it was going to give her away, not that her wide eyes and stammering didn’t already do it.
Kiss Page 1