HUNTED: A CSI:NY FANFIC

PROLOGUE.

"Sophie, come here." I turned around impatiently and looked at my mother.

"Mum, Garrett is at the door. I'm late already." she beckoned to me with two fingers and I went to her. The thing is, you didn't ignore my mother. Not if you wanted your body intact. She used a hand to cup my face and ran the other through my hair, straightening it out.

"You look so beautiful dear. Just like your sister. I can't believe you'll be sixteen in a few days." I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Mum," I whined. She finally let me go, and I practically flew down the stairs. I didn't even have time to catch my breath before I saw him. He was talking to my father and by the looks of it, charming the pants off him. But then again Garrett Reed could charm the pants off anyone. At that moment, he lifted his eyes and met mine and he gave the most dazzling smile.

Breathe Sophie, I reminded myself as he made his way over to me. Garrett leaned down to kiss my cheek.

"You look beautiful." he whispered into my ear. We walked to the door and my father saw us off.

"Bring her home by ten." Garrett smiled at my dad.

"I will sir."

Later that evening, Garrett took me to the pond where the seniors went skinny dipping last year. It was adorned by weeping willows and was very close to school.

"Pretty," I whispered. It was really windy and goose bumps rose on my skin.

"Cold?" He put his jacket around my shoulders. Ever the gentleman.

"So what's a guy like you doing here?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Guy like me? I wonder what kind of guy you think I am."He smirked and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't give me that face, you know what I mean Mr Popular." he put his hands in his pockets and I realised it was really cold.

"Sometimes stuff just gets really crazy and you just need to get out, you know?" He looked down at me. "This place is sorta like my personal get away. Along with a few other people. Until that kid went missing here." Fergurson Stone, my former lab partner. He was a really nice guy, he asked me out two days before he dissapeared and I turned him down, it was the last of many. We were quiet for a while, then I decided to break the silence.

"So why are you here now?" I asked and regretted immediately. To show it to you dummy. He looked at me.

"Cause I'm really nervous. Isn't it obvious?" I shook my head. "I don't think you know exactly how beautiful you are Soph." I blushed and cast my eyes down. Omigosh, he called me beautiful. He totally likes me, I don't see why.

I never remembered how that night ended. If I knew, I would have hugged my mother and told her I loved her before I ran down the stairs. I would have playfully teased my dad about being too overprotective before I left with Garrett. I would have called my sister, Brooke and told her how much she meant to me. I would have kissed my little brother Corey, and told him goodnight.

If only I knew, I would have told Garrett I'd liked him back sooner, so we'd never have gone on that stupid date. At least, he would have known how I felt, and he wouldn't have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But I was never able to say those things, my goodbyes.

And now, I never will.