Soulsearch (Teen Paranormal Romance Series) (The Soulmate Series: Teen Paranormal Romance Book 2) by Kellie McAllen

prom.   The theme was “Frozen” and the gym had been draped in sheer white fabric, shimmering with iridescence.   Bare branches, spray-painted white and sprinkled with glitter, created a winter forest around the dance floor, and sparkly silver snowflakes of various sizes dangled from the ceiling.   Obviously aware of the theme, most of the girls were dressed in light colors — ice blues, winter whites, and the palest of pinks.   Paige felt conspicuous in her royal purple gown, but no one paid any attention to them as they entered the gymnasium.  
    “Shall we dance?” Zach offered reluctantly, eyeing the crowd of teenagers swaying gracefully to the music.   He had no idea what he was doing on the dance floor.
    “Uh, yeah, I guess,” Paige replied, equally unsure.
    Taking her hand, Zach led Paige onto the dance floor and scrambled to remember the proper position for slow dancing.   A quick glance around revealed he wasn’t the only one who had no idea where to put his hands.   Paige guided him into position with an understanding smile and the two began an awkward sway.
    “So you know all about me now, Paige, but what about you?” Zach wondered as he led her carefully around the dance floor.
    “I know ALL about you, huh?” Paige retorted.   “ I know like, two things!   That’s not nearly enough to decide if I like you or not.   You have to tell me more than you told my father.”
    “Okay, so what else do you want to know, Miss Nosy?”
    “Well, I am curious, how did you end up with red hair and an Italian last name?   Is your mom a redhead?” Paige asked, tugging playfully at his coppery curls.
    “Oh well, you dug right to the heart of my sordid past with that one!” Zach replied cryptically.   Paige’s innocent eyes stared curiously at him and he decided he didn’t mind sharing as long as she kept looking at him like that.
    “No, everybody in my family is Italian, but my dad, well….he isn’t my real dad.   See, my mom and her twin sister Carla were dating twin brothers, Marco and Antonio Pasquetti.   Carla and Marco were pretty serious, they planned to get married, but my mom and dad were just having fun…till my mom got pregnant with me.   Thing is, she was raped by some other guy.   My dad’s a good man, though, and he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her after that, so he offered to marry her and help her raise me.   The two couples even had a double wedding.   Everybody thought it was pretty cool that twin sisters were marrying twin brothers.   People started to wonder, of course, when I came out all red-haired and freckled.   But my dad shut them down.   Like I said, he’s a good man, and he’s always been there for me and my mom.”   Zach quickly closed his mouth when he realized Paige was staring intently at him.   “Sorry, you probably didn’t want to know all that,” he muttered.
    “No, I did, Zach.   Thank you for telling me.   It really means a lot that you were willing to share that with me,” Paige answered earnestly.
    “I don’t think I’ve ever told anybody that,” Zach admitted.   “I don’t know why I felt the need to say it now.”
    “You can trust me, Zach.   Your story’s safe with me.   Believe me, I know how to keep a secret.”
    “I guess it’s not really a secret, it’s just not something I usually talk about, you know?” Zach explained.   “But you still haven’t told me anything about you.”
    “There’s not much to tell, really.   I’m kind of boring, I guess.   I like to do exciting things — I like the rush, but there’s never anything exciting to do around here.   I used to spend all my free time hanging out with Rachel, till she moved away.   Now I just wander the halls of the school, lonely and rejected….,” Paige joked.   “You met my parents.   I also have a sister, Emily, but she’s a lot older than me.   She’s out on her own now.   Do you have any siblings?”
    “No, I’m an only child.