For Auld Lang Syne (Navy Book 1)

The Beginning...

Devon's sister, Bree, was at it again. She was a horrible sister and she always wanted what Devon had, her toys, her treats, her boyfriends, not that she had all that many at the ripe old age of thirteen. But this time was the absolute last time that she took something away from her. She held back a scream as she banged out the back door because her mother had just told her to pick another dress.

Devon had found a dress that was perfect for the dance, it was just the right color and made her feel beautiful, but Bree had ruined it. She had kicked and screamed and thrown a fit because the dress she wanted to wear for the dance was the same color.

Bree's dress was yellow, not purple, and looked nothing like hers, but it didn't keep her from lying and telling her mother that it did because Bree knew that Devon would look better than her, older than her, and that was why she had thrown a fit and won her own way once again.

Angry and upset she heard her name called from across the fence but she ignored it, knowing it was only Josh. He would take Bree's side no doubt, he almost always did, everybody did. Josh McIntire, he could do no wrong, all of the girls at school were in love with him including Bree. He always got what he wanted too.

Charging towards her tree house, she started the climb, a mist of angry red making her careless. She was halfway up the tree when she lost her footing and with a cry, fell to the ground below. Before her world could stop spinning Josh had cleared the fence and was next to her, helping her sit up and regain control, but when he touched her arm she cried out in pain and he jerked his hand away.

"What did you do!" he shouted at her.

"I fell you moron!" she shouted back before she burst into tears as the whole sorry story tumbled through her lips like it always did. Even though she sometimes hated him, he was her confidant. The one she would go to when no one else was on her side.

"Don't cry Firefly," he tenderly whispered as he took her face in his hands and kissed her softly, gently. He had never called her that or kissed her before and she paused, mid hiccup, looking up at him, shocked by the endearment and the kiss.

Suddenly, Josh wasn't just Josh anymore, she looked into his beautiful grey eyes as he tucked a piece deep her red hair behind her ear, his finger brushing her cheek as he smiled tenderly at her.

"W-w-what did you call me?" she whispered.

"Firefly, you're like one you know, you're a little spark that lights up a room."

And just like that, she knew she was in love with Josh MacIntire, and she would be for the rest of her life.