When Ella Daniels and Micha Scott are fourteen, they make a pact to leave the small town of Star Grove and create better lives for themselves. The pact was made as best friends, but over the next six years, their friendship begins to intensify. Feelings change. Grow. Veer towards love.

But one tragic night changes everything. Hearts get broken. And the future they had planned changes forever.

*This novella takes place a little less than a year before The Secret of Ella and Micha. It contains glimpses of when Ella and Micha were younger, including a scene of when Micha first fell love with Ella.*

As we pull our hands away, I grow nervous because now I have to actually kiss him. And not just kiss him, but kiss my first guy ever.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I double check, wiping my palm on my jeans. “Because I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“I’ll show you.” He’s already leaning in, his intense aqua eyes zeroed in on my lips.

My heart dances like a crazy person in my chest, and I feel like I’m going to throw up. Micha, I …” I trail off, sucking in a huge breath as his lips touch mine. My fingers tense around the chains and my whole body stiffen while I try to figure out what on earth I’m supposed to be doing. Clearly not just sitting here, frozen.

“Relax,” Micha whispers, putting a small bit of space between our lips.

Thinking the kiss is over, I let out a quiet, relieved breath. But the relief is short lived because, a microsecond later, his head dips forward and his lips brush against mine again. Only, this time, it’s different. This time, he slips his tongue into my mouth.

Oh, my God, his tongue is in my mouth.

Micha Scott’s tongue is in my mouth.

And I just touched my tongue to his.

Before I can even register what’s happening, we’re kissing. And I mean full on French-kissing. It goes on for what feels like minutes, our knees knocking against each other as Micha plays with my hair and continues to kiss me. Unfamiliar feelings prickle inside me, ones I’m pretty sure I’ve never felt before, and that terrifies the living daylights out of me. They make me feel so…

Out of control.

And Micha is supposed to be my stability.

I’m about to pull away because I can’t take the terror hounding inside me anymore when a loud crash echoes from nearby and we both jerk apart, wide-eyed and gasping for air. My cheeks start to burn and even Micha appears embarrassed, which has never happened before—at least, from what I’ve seen.

Seconds later, reality crashes over me.

Oh, my God, I just kissed my best friend.

Jessica Sorensen is a #1 New York Times and USA Todaybestselling author who lives with her husband and three kids in Idaho. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

Social Media Links:
Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads