The Year I Became Isabella Anders (Sunnyvale, #1)

“Very badass.” He stares at me long enough to make my insecurity go up about a thousand notches. “I was actually just teasing you about your clothes. Although, you definitely pull off the wet clothes look.” He tugs on a wet strand of my hair and dazzles me with a lopsided smile. “Relax, Isa. I’m not making fun of you. Never have.” His smile broadens. “And you look fine in wet clothes. But cold.” He nods at the door. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”


I wrap my arms around myself as I shiver. “I am kinda freezing my ass off.” My teeth clank together as the chattering sets in. “But don’t worry, I’m tough.”

“I know you are.” He winks at me for God knows what reason. I must give him a funny look, because he laughs and says, “Relax, I don’t bite,” before opening the door.

We step inside the washroom and I slip off my shoes so I won’t track mud all over the hardwood floors.

“You should take your jacket off too,” Kai says as he shuts the door. “My mom is weird about us tracking water through the house.”

Nodding, I unzip my jacket and slip my arms out of my sleeves. Kai watches me from the doorway like I’m the most fascinating thing in the world as I hang it up on the hook near the door. Thankfully, my shirt’s fairly dry, and after losing the cold, wet jacket, my body temperature starts to warm up again.

“So . . .” I wrap my arms around myself more. I’ve never been in his house before, and I feel so nervous. “You said you could take me to the store.”

He nods, backing through the doorway and into the kitchen with his eyes on me. “I can give you a ride when I head out to a party if you want.”

“Okay,” I confusedly follow him into the kitchen, “but that means I’d have to walk home.” I hold up my hands when he arches a brow at me. “Which is totally fine by me.”

He scoops up an apple from a basket on the counter. “It’ll probably be late when I head out. I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to be walking around in the rain while it’s late.”

“Um . . .” Okay, I so don’t get guys. Didn’t he offer to take me to the store? So why does it sound like he doesn’t want to now? “I guess I can just walk there right now then.”

He bites into the apple and studies me while chewing. “Or, you could just go with me.”

“To a party with you.”

He chuckles, wiping juice from his chin with his sleeve. “You don’t have to sound so disgusted when you say it. I promise I’m not that gross.” He wavers, bobbing his head from side to side. “Now the party on the other hand, I’m not going to make any promises.”

“I don’t think you’re gross. I’m just confused.”

“Over?”

“Over you inviting me to one of your parties. I mean, I know you said that when you were drunk, but I didn’t think you were serious.”

“I was—am. And it’s not my party. It’s Bradon’s.” He takes another bite of the apple. “You know. That guy you met at my locker.”

“Yeah, I remember,” I say, trying not to think about how he blew me off the moment Bradon showed up.

“Something’s up,” Kai accuses, eyeing me down. “You have a tone.”

I shrug, feigning dumb. “That’s just how my voice sounds.”

“No, it doesn’t.” He sinks his teeth into the apple again. “You don’t like Bradon.”

“I don’t even know Bradon, other than the two seconds we met at your locker.”

“Then what’s with the tone?”

I chew on my bottom lip and shrug.

He gives me a stern look. “Isa, don’t make me get it out of you.”

I roll my eyes. “You say that like you have the power to actually make me. And you don’t, unless you’re secretly a wizard.”

He smashes his lips together, suppressing a laugh. Then, with his gaze trained on me, he sets the apple down on the counter and cracks his knuckles. “I do know how to make you, even if I don’t have magic powers. Well, unless you’ve become less ticklish over the last five years.” He bedazzles me with an arrogant grin as I step away from him.

“You promised me when I told you my kryptonite that you’d never use it against me,” I gripe as I take another step back. But this time, he matches my move, stealing the space I put between us. “Kai, I’m serious. You promised you wouldn’t ever tickle me.”

“I don’t remember making such a promise.”

“Oh, yeah, well . . .” I frantically search for a way to stop him.

“I don’t know why you’re acting so scared. There’s nothing to get scared about. It’s just a little tickling.” He innocently bats his eyelashes at me

“Oh yeah, well . . . FYI, you just fluttered your eyelashes like a girl.” I know it’s a lame attempt to get him to stop, but it’s all I’ve got at the moment.

Of course, he finds my attempt more amusing than annoying, and even laughs. I narrow my eyes at him, trying to think of a better insult, but I’m blindsided as he barrels at me with his fingers ready to attack my sides.

“Kai! Stop!” I squeal, hunching over and trying to protect my sides with my arms. I snort a big old pig laugh as he tickles the air out of me. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to tell everyone at school that you know what kryptonite is and that you used to want to be Superman.”