Heavenstone 01 - The Heavenstone Secrets

overprotected because we were so wealthy. I suppose we were. I wouldn’t doubt that I was the most innocent and unsophisticated of all the girls in my class.
    An hour or so into the party, one of the varsity basketball players, Martin McDermott, arrived, and that created a new wave of excitement. He started to describe the game from the team’s perspective, and the music was turned down. Everyone listened, and then Martin, who was treated like a returning war hero by everyone, especially Eddie, started to dance with one of the girls from the eleventh grade who had already consumed a lot of alcohol.
    We could see how all those who had started slipping liquor into their sodas were acting a bit wilder. The dance floor became more and more crowded, and the music got even louder.
    “There are definitely more than thirty people here now!” Kent shouted.
    “I know!” I shouted back. My throat started to ache from shouting to be heard.
    “This is a wild party!” Kent said.
    “Yes.”
    We tried to keep dancing, but everyone was beginning to bump into everyone else, especially the girls who had drunk too much liquor.
    “Let’s take a little walk,” Kent said to me when someone had offered him liquor to mix into his soda and he refused. “It might get ugly here soon. I’ve been drunk only once in my life.” He led me away quickly. “And it wasn’t pretty. I think I threw up my insides and had to grow new organs.”

    “I’ve only had a little wine,” I admitted. I didn’t want to sound so protected, but he was being truthful, so I thought I should be.
    He looked at his watch. “My father will be here in less than an hour,” he said. “C’mon.” He tugged me along faster.
    “Where are we going? How do you know where to go?”
    “I’ve been to Eddie’s house many times. We’ve been friends since fourth grade. Let’s go look at his horses. We ride them sometimes.”
    He led me through the kitchen to a back entrance. We went down a small stairway and turned right to the barn. Even this far away from the living room, we could hear the music and the laughter. We heard what sounded like something falling, too.
    “Eddie’s parents will kill him if anyone breaks anything,” Kent said.
    He opened the barn door and flipped a light switch to give us more illumination. The two horses in their stalls turned with interest.
    “He calls this one Chesterfield, and the other is Comet. Chesterfield was his grandfather’s name,” Kent explained.
    “They’re both beautiful.”
    “American quarter horses. Well trained, too. I’m not much of a rider, but on Chesterfield, I look like a real cowboy.”
    He walked down to a little area toward the rear of the barn, where there was equipment, saddles, and a small, well-worn leather sofa. He sat and looked up at me.

    “I’m really glad you came with me,” he said. “I’ve had a crush on you for a long time, but I was always too afraid to talk to you. Until just recently, that is.”
    “Why?” I asked, prepared to hear about the grand Heavenstone name or something.
    “I didn’t want to be embarrassed if you didn’t like me. I was a coward!” He laughed. “C’mon.” He patted the sofa. “Sit for a little while, and then we’ll go back to the party and watch everyone make fools of themselves.”
    I looked at the horses. They were both watching us with what looked like real interest. When I didn’t move fast enough, Kent rose a little, leaned forward, and took my hand, tugging me to the sofa. I sat beside him.
    “I was honest about myself, so how about you, Semantha? Have you been with other boys, boys maybe from other schools?”
    “No.”
    “I’m surprised you don’t attend a private school. Everyone is surprised about that, actually.”
    “My sister, Cassie, wanted us to, but my mother was against it. My father never went to a private school. I like our school.”
    “Yeah, me, too. Are you shy, too?”
    “I guess so,” I said.
    “Let’s find out.”
    He leaned toward me to kiss me, and I pulled back.
    “You didn’t complain when I kissed you at the game,” he said.

    “I’m not complaining,” I said.
    He smiled and moved faster this time to bring his lips to mine. It was a long kiss.
    “You’re the prettiest girl in our class, Semantha,” he whispered. “Maybe even in the whole school.”
    I started to shake my head. He kissed me again. I knew he expected me to kiss him back as hard and as long as he was kissing me, but when his