Destined
By H. D’Agostino
Destined
H. D’Agostino
Copyright © December 2014 by Heather D’Agostino
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials I violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this books are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
The following story contains mature themes, profanity, and sexual situations. It is intended for adult readers.
Cover design by Kari March at K23 Designs
Edited by Rebecca Cartee at Editing by Rebecca
ISBN: 978-0-9907704-3-5
To you the readers…
You asked for more Nick and Leah. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I did.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Other Works by H. D’Agostino
Destined Playlist
Shattered Chapter 1
Prologue
Beginning of Junior Year
Leah
Never did I think that I would get everything I ever dreamed of. Never did I think that I would one day have to choose between the present and the future. Never did I believe that something that I thought would be so easy could become so hard.
Nick Sutter came into my life like a dark storm. I could see him coming, but was not prepared for the devastation that he would leave in his wake. He opened my eyes to a whole world I’d only dreamed of being a part of, and he managed to split my heart in two in the process.
ooooooooo
“Leah?” I could hear my dad downstairs banging around in the kitchen. I figured he must be making breakfast, but one could only guess. Dad had been in the habit of getting up early to cook for me. When he found out I had been going on my morning runs without breakfast, he had chastised me and began getting up to make sure I ate.
“Coming!” I called out as I got down on my hands and knees to search for my missing shoe. “There you are,” I muttered as I grabbed my sneaker, and began tugging it on. I stood, swept my hair up in a tie on top of my head, grabbed my iPod, and began descending the stairs.
“You need to eat something,” my dad scowled as I grabbed a piece of toast off the counter and took a bite.
“I will later,” I rolled my eyes at him as I pushed my earbuds into my ears. “It’s gonna get hot soon. I want to get my run in before school.”
Dad shook his head at me as I grinned back. I knew I’d won this argument. Mom and Dad knew that I wouldn’t hurt myself. Running was my life. I’d been doing it since I was fourteen. Now at sixteen, it had become an obsession. I wanted to be a professional athlete. I wanted to make the big time, and according to my coach, I could do it if I kept pushing myself.
As a junior, I was already captain of the track team and held the school’s record in all my events. The 400 meters was my passion, but I’d been added to the relay team this year and if I kept up my workouts, I might be able to attract some scouts this spring.
Once I pushed through the front door, I jogged down the driveway and set my pace. It was a beautiful summer day, and even though school was starting back, I was excited. My best friend, Avery, had spent the summer on the coast with her uncle and we hadn’t seen each other since June. It was the longest we’d ever been apart, and as I began to pick up the pace, my feet unconsciously steered me right toward her mom’s flower shop.
As my feet pounded against the pavement, I rounded the corner to see Mrs. Southerland opening the front doors to the shop, and Avery standing beside her with a scowl on her face. I grinned as I watched them and reached up to remove an earbud.
“Leeeaaaahhhh!” Avery squealed as she came rushing toward me. “I missed you so much.”
“Me…too,” I panted as I leaned forward and placed my hands on my knees. I lifted my hand to ask silently for a minute to catch my breath. After slowing my gasps for air, I grinned up at her. “How was Wilmington?”
“Great,” she grinned back. “Sun, boys, the beach, did I mention the boys?” she giggled.
I wrinkled my nose, and then pushed a few stray hairs out of my eyes, “I thought we weren’t worrying about guys this year?”
“Who said I’m worrying,” she shrugged as she wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “Ewww, Leah!” she recoiled. “You’re all sweaty!”
I laughed as I watched her rub her arm on her shirt. “That happens when you run in eighty degree heat.”
“I don’t know how you can do that before school. Aren’t you worried about showing up all grubby?”
“What time is it?” I darted my eyes around.
“Seven fifteen, why?” Mrs. Southerland straightened the sign she was setting up. I had almost forgotten that she was standing there.
“I gotta get home and shower,” I squeaked.
As soon as I turned and began to jog away, Avery shouted, “Want me to pick you up?”
I turned to jog backwards as I smiled at her, “Yeah.”
“I’ll be there at eight,” she giggled and then went back to helping her mom.
I ran as fast as I could back home. It wasn’t that far. We didn’t live in town, but Pittsford was small. We had one stoplight. It only worked during the busy hours of the day, and on Friday nights during football season, other than that, it just flashed red.
When I got back to the house, my dad was climbing into his car, getting ready to head to work. He owned the pizza shop in town that was right down the street from Mrs. Southerland’s flower shop. He worked almost all day every day, and when she wasn’t helping me, my mom was there, too.
“There’s breakfast on the counter,” he called as he waved to me. “Have a great first day.”
“Thanks, Dad!” I waved as I took the steps two at time, and rushed to get in the shower. I did not want to be late on the first day, and Avery was always early when she drove.
ooooooooo
“So…who do have for first period?” Avery reached to grab my schedule out of my hand as we made our way into the front doors of Pittsford High.
“Nosey much?” I lifted my hand above my head and out of her reach.
“Come on Leah, I wanna know if we have any classes together,” she whined just as I felt someone behind me. Before I could stop them, they grabbed the paper out of my hand and took off through the front doors.
“Cameron Sutter!” I yelled. “I’m gonna kick your ass!”
“He’s such a flirt,” Avery rolled her eyes as she shook her head.
“I know, right?” I groaned. “Come on. I’m sure he’s in there waiting for us to come after him.”
“I’ll help you torture him if you want. He deserves it after that stunt he pulled last year,” she stormed up to the door, yanked it open, and stood back to let me precede her inside the building.
Whereas Avery and I had been friends since kindergarten, Cam hadn’t joined our group until middle sc
hool. He and his brother Nick lived in the neighboring district. The two elementary schools were separate, but the middle and high schools weren’t. Cam was a flirt, but nothing like his brother. Nick Sutter redefined player. He was a senior this year and captain of the football team. He had girls following him around in droves on a daily basis. All he had to do was smile and panties would drop. It disgusted me. I couldn’t figure out what the draw was, and the more I saw of him, the more I was determined to stay away from him. I had goals, and being one of his conquests was not one of them.
“You gonna help me?” Avery tapped my shoulder bringing me out of my thoughts. “He’s standing there all smug like he owns this school,” she nodded her head in the direction of the lockers. Cam was standing there with his arms crossed, grinning like a fool as he talked to the one person neither of us could stand…Becca Taylor.
“I didn’t know they let skanks on this hall,” Avery called out as we approached them. “You might need to sanitize your dick if you dip in that,” she shoved into Cam’s side as she opened her locker.
Becca’s mouth dropped open as she turned furious eyes on Cam, “Aren’t you gonna say something?”
“Naw,” Cam chuckled. “She’s kinda right,” he shrugged as he watched Becca storm off down the hall.
“Why do you hang out with her?” I ripped the schedule he’d taken from me out of his hand as I began stuffing things into my locker. “She’s such a bitch.”
“Yeah,” he nodded as he tapped his index finger against his lower lip in thought, “but she’s hot, and the things she can do with that mouth…” he sighed.
“Ahhhh,” I groaned. “I don’t want to know.”
“So I was looking at your schedule,” he paused as if he wasn’t sure what to say next.
“And?” I turned and hoisted my backpack up onto my shoulder.
“And…why the hell are you taking senior math and physics?” He slowly shook his head as he waited for me to answer.
“Less stress next year. I want to concentrate on running. If I want a scholarship to somewhere, I need to train. If I get these out the way now, it makes it easier,” I shrugged as I started to head down the hall toward my first class. Avery sidled up beside me, but kept quiet as Cam rushed to keep up.
“Wait up!” he called. “Wanna hang out tonight?”
“I don’t think I can,” I mumbled as I rounded the corner to my first class.
“Why not?” He reached out and grabbed my elbow, causing me to stop and look up. “We won’t be doing anything we’re not supposed to,” he snickered. “I know you gotta protect your reputation and all…Golden Girl.”
“Shut up!” I groaned and rolled my eyes at him. I hated that name and he knew it. He teased me about it mercilessly; so did everyone else in the school. I couldn’t help it that my parents taught me right from wrong. I was a good girl and had no interest in breaking the rules. Not yet, at least.
“Suit yourself,” he shrugged again as he released my arm. “You in?” he turned toward Avery.”
“Sure,” she giggled as she ran her eyes down the front of him. “I’ll work on her,” she winked as he turned to walk away.
“Why don’t you want to hang out with us?” she whispered. “Cam Sutter is hot.”
“He’s a player, Avery. You know this. Why do you want to be with him?” I muttered.
“It’s an act,” she glanced around before leaning close to me once again. We were still in the hallway, and the bell had yet to ring. Our classes were right beside each other, which was nice. “I’ve seen the way he acts and heard him talk. When he finds the right one, he’ll settle down.”
“Yeah right,” I groaned. “I don’t see him settling down if he’s with Becca.”
“Becca doesn’t want him,” she muttered. “She wants his brother…Nick.”
“Becca and Nick, huh?” I sighed. “I don’t see that being a match made in heaven either.”
Cam was good looking, don’t get me wrong, but his brother…Wow! Cam and Nick didn’t share anything in the looks department except their sandy hair. Where Cam had brown eyes, Nick’s were blue. Cam was tall and lanky, probably because he was still filling out, and he had a runner’s body. Nick played football, and lifted weights on a daily basis. His body was chiseled to perfection. Each muscle bulged in all the right places. He was tall, but not as tall as Cam, and his body looked like a man’s, not a high school boy. He had girls falling at his feet daily. Well, most girls, but not me. I knew his type, and I wasn’t it.
“See ya after class,” Avery called as she pushed me from behind. The bell had rung, and I stumbled through the door just as everyone was taking their seats.
“Thanks,” I called back as I shook my head and began searching for a seat. This was Physics class, a senior class, and I was determined to prove I belonged.
After taking a seat near the front, I pulled a notebook out of my backpack and set a pen on top of the desk. I was just getting ready to write down the directions that were up on the board when the door to the classroom squeaked open.
“You’re late, Mr. Sutter,” Mrs. Riley scolded as a perfectly put together Nick Sutter strutted into the room.
“Won’t happen again,” he grinned at her as he headed right in my direction. He moved with ease around the desks and seated himself right behind me. After dropping his backpack to the ground, he slid into the seat and, after stretching his legs out and bumping my chair in the process, he crossed his ankles. My back stiffened as I turned around to glare at him. “Sorry,” he muttered as he took the baseball cap he was wearing and turned it backwards.
I rolled my eyes and turned to face the front of the classroom. This was great. My first class and Nick Sutter was in it. What was even worse? He chose to sit right behind me. Just great…
Chapter 1
Seven Months Later…Spring Junior Year
Leah
“Fifty-eight seconds,” Coach Wilson smiled as I began slowing to a jog.
“Not good enough,” I panted. “I need to take at least another three seconds off,” I scowled as I stretched my hands above my head and began walking around trying to make sure my legs didn’t cramp.
“Leah…” Coach Wilson shook his head. “You’ve already taken five off since last season. Stop trying to kill yourself.”
“I need a scholarship,” I squeezed my eyes shut. “My dad can’t send me where I want to go without one.”
“I understand that,” he moved closer and slung an arm around my shoulders, “but you need to stop pushing so hard. You’re gonna burn out if you don’t.”
I nodded as I turned to glance out at the track. I was one of the last few people practicing. Everyone had gone home at five, and here I was…pushing myself harder. The only person still here was Cam.
“Go home,” Coach Wilson narrowed his eyes at me. “We’ll work on this some more tomorrow.”
“Yes, Coach,” I gave a quick nod. “I need to cool down first, and then I’ll head out.”
“Good girl,” Coach chuckled as he turned to place his stopwatch and clip board in the equipment bag behind him. “See you tomorrow.”
“See ya,” I called as I took off in a light jog around the track.
When I finished my cool down, I began walking toward the bleachers. I’d left my backpack and gym bag sitting there, and my dad would be by to pick me up soon. I still didn’t have a car, and even though I could drive, my dad always came for me.
Just as I was standing to hoist my backpack on to my shoulder, I heard a rumbling coming up the dirt drive that led to our track. I knew what it was, or should I say who it was, without even looking up. Nick was here to pick up Cam.
His cherry red Chevy pulled into the dirt lot, stirring up dust in its wake. The radio was blasting some country song, and Nick was relaxed back in the seat. I stood there admiring the view for a few minutes as I grabbed my things. Nick was wearing a gray Pittsford High Football t-shirt and a pair of aviators. His left arm was hanging out the wi
ndow, and the same black baseball cap was backwards on his head. Before I could look away, he turned in my direction and smirked.
“Damn,” I muttered. He’d caught me staring, and based on the reaction he was giving me, he seemed pleased. I shook my head in disgust as I lifted my bag and began shuffling toward where my dad would soon be arriving. The frustrating part was that Nick was in the same place.
“Hey, loser!” Nick cupped his hands around his mouth as he shouted toward his brother. Cam shook his head and flipped Nick the bird before rounding the track for another lap. “I’m leaving your ass here if you don’t come on,” he yelled again before turning his attention to me. I was just passing his truck when I noticed a candy wrapper on the ground. I leaned over, picked it up, and tossed it in the trash can nearby.
“So, do you ever get tired of doing the right thing?” Nick snickered as he pushed open the door of his truck and grinned at me.
“What are you talking about?” I rolled my eyes. “Like you care about anything. If you’re able to do the right thing, you should,” I glared at him.
“Well I guess so…if you’re perfect,” he groaned and turned away from me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I whipped around.
“Figure it out, Golden Girl,” he shrugged, before climbing back into his truck and cranking the engine.
I stood there in amazement as I watched him peel out of the parking lot leaving Cam down on the track. When Cam saw him, he began racing after him, but he was no match for a vehicle.
“I can’t believe that stupid asshole just left me here,” he panted as he shook his head. “What a dick!”
“I’ll give you a ride if you want it,” I shrugged, just as my dad pulled in the lot. “Grab your stuff.”
“Thanks,” Cam sighed as he began jogging over to the bleachers to grab his bags. “I owe you,” he chuckled as he came rushing back and climbed into the backseat.
“Just tell your brother to leave me alone,” I looked back over my shoulder as Cam closed the door.
Destined Page 1