"Hey honey," my mom yells from the living room, "can you come here please?"

"Uh, yeah sure, I'll be right down," I yell back, pausing the TV then heading downstairs, looking for her, "yeah mom?" I ask, finding her in the living room, tapping on a phone.

"I got this new phone and they had me get a new number so I wanted to make sure you get it in case something happens," she says, showing me her contact. I repeat it in my head, engraining it into my memory for later.

"281-550-2200, got it," I say as I hand her phone back to her, "I have to head to work so I'll text you when I get there, okay?"

"Sure thing, I'll just be here alone... waiting for your return," she giggles, making me smile.

"I told you, you could've gone off with dad to Germany. I would've been fine but no, you insisted you stay," I say raising a brow and she shrugs.

"Actually he said I'd be a good idea if I stayed. We didn't want you to be lonely," she says looking back to her phone.

"well, who's the one complaining about being lonely?" I chuckle and she just scoffs, shaking her head.

"Instead of teasing me you should head to your job, there are better people to tease there," she sighs in defeat and I nod, laughing before heading back up to my room to get dressed. I quickly grab my phone and start to edit her contact, deleting the previous number.

"281-500-2300" I mumble to myself as I type it in. I begin getting dressed, putting on my Subway shirt, visor, then walking right back out my bedroom door. "Okay mom, I'm leaving," I say, giving her a quick kiss on the head as she sits on the couch, "see you in a few."

"Alright sweetie, don't forget to text me! The keys are on the island," She says as I grab the keys along with my purse, walking out the door.

"Sure thing!" I shout before closing the front door, heading to the car.

・・・

As the entry bell rings my co-worker Jamie jolts her head in my direction and smiles at me, waving, "Hey Elle!"

"Hey Jamie, you working with me?" I ask, heading to the back with her to put on my apron.

"No sadly," She says, wiping the counter, "I actually have a date with Ryan in a little bit," she smiles, blushing.

"How dare you leave me here for Ryan, how could I ever forgive you," I sigh, dramatically draping my hand over my forehead and making us both laugh.

"Of course not Elle, you will forever be my number 1 babe," She winks, smirking. The shift buzzer goes off and her eyes light up, "Well I guess that's my cue! Bye Elle," She says giving me a quick hug before grabbing her bag and walking out.

Oh right I need to text my mom, I remember, grabbing my phone from my pocket and sending her a quick text.

Me: Sorry I'm not there, I love you!

I wait for a minute or so for her to answer but she doesn't reply, catching me by surprise. Maybe she's busy, I think to myself, putting my phone back in my pocket as a family walks in.

"Hello and welcome to Subway, what would you like today?"

・・・

"Mom, I'm home!" I say opening the door to see her still on the couch, this time reading a book.

She sets her book down, smiling gently, "Hey sweetie, how was work? You didn't message me."

"It was a pretty slow day so they sent me back early," I reply, "and I texted you once I got there, is your phone loading slowly?" I ask, taking out my phone.

"No, my phone has actually been loading pretty quickly," She says, taking it out, "Here let me see." She unlocks her phone then opens her message icon, shaking her head, "still nothing, are you sure you messaged my number?"

"I'm pretty sure it's right," I say, opening her contact, "can you say it again?"

"Okay," She says, opening her contact, "281-550-2200."

"Oh, I missed two numbers," I mutter, fixing the contact. "Then who did I message?" I ask out loud as more of a thought than an actual question.

"Not sure, but whoever it is may have messaged you back," She says watching my phone buzz in my hand. I look down at my phone and open my messages, seeing a message from Jamie.

"No it's just Jamie," I say, reading the text.

Jamie: my date is officially a go! He has a nice car ;)

Me: You're doing amazing sweetie! Love you lots and have fun x

Jamie: love you to bits and thank youuu :)

"Anyways," I continue, "I'm sure the number is out of service but I'll message it again just in case but for now I'll be doing my homework upstairs if you need anything. Have fun reading-," I say, glancing at her book, "Divergent?" I give her a strange look as she keeps her eyes on the pages, turning them over to continue reading.

"Hey, a friend recommended it. Don't judge me for being a little late to the trend," she says waving me off as I chuckle and turn on my phone, messaging the number.

Me: Sorry that was an accident, wrong number.

I put my phone back into my pocket and quickly give my mom a hug before heading to my room.

"Okay, night mom."

"Goodnight honey."

・・・

Four class packets of the review later and I finally finish three and a half hours later. I check my phone to see it's 10:33 PM and stuff all my things in my backpack then onto the floor to begin getting ready for bed. Once I'm done I get on my bed with my laptop, leaning my back against the headboard before turning it on. As I'm opening Netflix my phone begins to buzz. I look down to see Jamie calling me.

"Hello?"

"Who did you message at work?" She asks frantically, catching me off guard. 

"Uhm, I thought it was my mom's number but apparently it wasn't I don't really know," I say, pausing, "wait, how'd you know I messaged someone?"

"Because the person you messaged, kind of spread the message," She says, causing my body to become tense.

"Well, who did I message?"

"Uh- you aren't going to be very happy," she begins to get quiet.

"Jamie it's fine, just tell me."

"Let's just say, it's the snake's property, to say the least."

"Snake as in Veronica Benson snake?"

"That's the one."

"No... no, I didn't."

"Yeah... you kinda did."

"I sent an I love you text to Jullian- like Jullian Wilder, Jullian."

"The one and only."

"But I said it was an accident," I say as I put the phone on speaker and go back to my messages. "Shouldn't I be fine then?"

"I don't know, we all know how Veronica loves to conspire a whole ordeal when it comes to her prey," Jamie says then sighs. I open the messages to see my first one sent as blue, but the second one was green.

"I did send that it was an accident but that message was green while the other one was blue, what does that even mean?" I ask, the line going quiet for a moment before receiving a reply.

"That you got blocked." She says shortly. 

"I got blocked." I sigh, rubbing my face in frustration, "so that means he can't see it was an accident."

"Exactly."

Jullian Wilder, the rudest, immature, egotistical, known-to-be asshole in the world (oh my godd I could go on)- who happened to be my childhood neighbor/best friend/crush/future hubby/loyal person/did I mention best friend?- got a text that says I love him when I clearly do not- anymore rather. Plus he can't see that it wasn't even a message intended for him, fan-fucking-tastic.

Veronica Benson, possibly- no, definitely even more rude, possibly even more egotistical than him, who just so happens to already hate my guts for no apparent reason at all, is his 'thing' and is already conspiring an ordeal over an accident... which she can't see because he blocked me.

"Well, shit," I say, most likely a little louder than I probably should've, throwing my phone beside me on the bed.

"It'll be fine Elle, just act like it never happened and it'll be fine," Jamie says in an attempt to calm me down but pretty much doing the opposite.

"'It'll be fine,'" I let out a dark laugh, "oh my god Veronica is going to try and murder me in my sleep," I say frantically, "not to mention how the person I sent it to is going to take it."

"Just explain the situation if anybody asks you, then it'll be fine. Or even better, just act like it didn't happen," she recommends. I let out a deep breath to try and calm myself down. Just act like it didn't happen and if anybody asks just explain it was an accident, then it'll be fine. "Fine," I say, finally calm, "but can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, anything." 

"Pray for me."

・author's note・

Thank you for reading chapter one!

As I'm currently editing this in 2019 it's crazy to think that two years ago I started this book and it ended up becoming my greatest accomplishment as it ended in February of last year.

I'd like to thank you all personally, old readers and new readers, for reading this book, (even if it's just this chapter) since it has helped validate and further my desire to pursue reading in the future.

wow kristin, you sound so mature writing this author's note woahhhh

but seriously, thank you all from 2019 me and 2017/2018 me and for making this book one of the things that I can say I'm actually kinda proud of. (My other book, on the other hand, 'Alexander and Abigale' I uh- yeah pls don't read that it's pretty cringy.)

I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter :)

And If you didn't like this chapter, it's okay! Everyone likes a different style of writing, plus you can try out 'Just by Mistake' which is a continuation of this book from a different character's perspective (does include spoilers of this book) and is standalone so you don't have to read this book to understand what's going on.
 

But anyway, I digress. Thank you if you even read this author's note all the way through... I should probably stop writing it now.

Bye Bye! 

・originally published on June 20, 2017・updated on June 24, 2019・