The Rebound: The Wrong Cinderella's Story - (Sample)

Chapter One: Violet

My ankles crossed under the table in the student union as I placed another deliciously salty fry in my mouth. It wasn't every day that one could get a free show with their meal, but there I was, enjoying both. Don't misunderstand me, I know that the amusement I was feeling from watching it was wrong. Yet, I continued to munch on chunks of oil-crisped potatoes like it was popcorn with wide eyes, unable to do anything but stare at the couple that was fighting only a few tables down.

There wasn't much other conversation in the crowded room, and I contemplated telling them that their discussion was not private, but my ass stayed glued to my seat as I ate. If they wanted to make this everyone's business, that was their choice. The last thing that I wanted was to be pulled into the drama.

As one of the only girls in the school who wasn't completely in love with the beautiful cheerleader and quarterback's storybook romance, I was highly entertained.

"Four years, Diana! Four years, and now you want to break up so you can get the 'full college experience'?" My eyes followed his hands as he used air quotes and even as heartbroken as he looked, the motion brought a small smile of amusement to my face. "All that means is that you want to fuck other people! If that's why then just say it."

Diana quickly looked around the room, and her face turned a bright crimson as blood rushed to the surface. My eyes met hers briefly as she scanned the area, and realized that they had a rather large audience. I took that moment to plop the quickly cooling fry into my mouth before I broke eye contact. I grabbed the paper cup in front of me to take a sip as she ducked her face behind a curtain of her platinum blonde hair.

The lightweight object in my hand made me frown, and I shook it slightly to feel a small amount of pop left inside. As my lips wrapped around the straw to take the last sip, it echoed loudly to indicate that I had run out of my drink. I winced as my roommate, Chloe, kicked my shin from the loud gargle, and I pursed my lips at her with an unamused stare as I set the cup back on the table. She was horrified by the attention I drew from the noise, as the table next to us also turned to glare at my interruption to their dinner theater. I sent a small shrug her way in a 'what can you do' manner before we both turned back to the subject of everyone's fascination.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it!" Diana said harshly as she picked up her fork and began to push around the horrid spaghetti our university served. "I just think that we need to experience different things, and I don't want to continue this conversation here! You're making a scene!" I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that. There was no doubt in my mind that he was right in his assumption, but I'm sure that wasn't something she wanted publically announced.

To some, it may have been a good idea to have that type of conversation in a public place in order to control and limit the person's reaction as most people don't want to draw attention from emotional outbursts. Unfortunately for her, it seemed that he didn't care if he made a scene.

"Like what?" He snapped. "The only thing that you can't experience when you're in a relationship is someone else!" His black hair slid between his fingers as he ran his hand through it in frustration and left a tussled, 'just rolled out of bed' look.

Even I had to admit that it was a good look for him.

I let out an involuntary snort at his comment. She could very well experience another person while she was still in a relationship. He was lucky that she was at least breaking up with him first.

"I said I don't want to do this here. Let's go back to your place and talk about this." She begged quietly as she leaned forward on the table and barely avoided her hair from becoming a part of her meal.

My hand automatically went back to the paper boat my snack had sat in, and I blindly felt around for another, my eyes still on the couple. It was like a horrendous car accident, and I was thankful that I was not the only one openly staring. At this point, almost the entire dining room was.