Chapter 17

"How about this one?"

Stepping out of my en-suite, I smoothed out the bottom of the dress, biting my lip as I tried to gauge Emily's reaction.

It was New Year's Eve and Ryan had invited me out to an A-list nightclub that one of his friends owned.

To say I was nervous was an understatement. I'd never been one that enjoyed a night out all that often, let alone one that included the definite possibility of mingling amongst the higher class. The burning question of what to wear also posed a dilemma. I didn't want to stand out, but I also didn't want to be the only one not dressed to the nines. After asking Ryan about it, who'd been of no help, I'd gone to Emily for advice. Now, what felt like hours later, we were still in my room, going through all the dresses that the both of us owned.

Emily, who was sitting on my bed with a magazine in hand, looked up and smiled. "It's gorgeous Zoe, just like the last five you've tried on."

Turning towards the mirror I scrutinized the dress. It was form fitting, hugging all my curves, and stopped about mid thigh. The entirety of the dress was made of sequins, bar the sheer bits falling down the arms, and although it was a little flashy, I didn't think it looked all that bad. "You don't think it's a little..." I trailed, attempting and failing to bring the front of the dress up higher on my chest, "Risqué?"

"Trust me Zoe," she laughed, "No one is going to be complaining about a little bit of cleavage, especially not Ryan. Hell, I'd be impressed if he could keep his hands off of you at all in that dress."

My cheeks flushed a bright shade of crimson at what she was insinuating. "You think?"

Emily nodded, a smirk appearing on her lips. "Just be mindful that I don't want to see you guys stumbling through the door after midnight looking to tear each other's clothes off."

I didn't think that there was much she could say to make my blush any more prominent, but evidently there was, as I felt the heat from my cheeks trail down my neck. "Oh shut up," I mumbled, turning my back towards her in embarrassment as I mindlessly shuffled through some of my makeup.

"Hey, is that any way to thank the person taking care of your daughter tonight?"

Freezing in place for a moment, I slowly turned around, a sheepish smile on my face when I saw her eyebrow raised. "Have I said thank you for that yet?"

"Only about a hundred times."

"Really Emily, thank you," I repeated, my voice sincere as I smiled in appreciation.

When Ryan had asked me to go out tonight, I'd been very apprehensive about agreeing, as I knew that there was a slim chance that I would be able to find a babysitter for Abbie. However, when I brought the issue up with Emily, wondering if she knew anyone who could look after her other than Dustin's little sister, she surprised me by volunteering on the spot. I tried to object, not wanting to ruin her New Years plans, but she wasn't having it and was adamant that a night in with Dustin was all she needed for the night to be special.

A smile that mirrored mine appeared on her face as she waved me off. "Really, it's not a problem."

"I still feel bad..."

"Well don't," she cut me off. "Abbie will probably be asleep before you even leave tonight, so all you have to do is sit and wait until you're whisked off by your knight in shining armour to have a night that you'll never forget." Her eyes were twinkling with amusement as she continued, waving me back into my en-suite. "Now hurry up and get changed. You promised you were cooking dinner tonight, and it'd be a shame if anything happened to that dress before Ryan got to see you in it."

I shook my head and stifled a laugh, but turned and headed back into my en-suite without a reply.

Dinner ended up being quick and easy. I'd lightly seasoned a few chicken breasts before throwing them in the oven, and while they were cooking, I'd tossed together a simple vegetable stir-fry. It was healthy, it was simple, and it was delicious.

After the dishes had been done and the extra food put away, I'd left Abbie and Emily watching a children's program on the television as I headed upstairs for a shower. Stepping out of the bathroom minutes later, a towel wrapped around my body, I pulled out a lacy set of undergarments, slipping them on before I stepped into my dress.

Looking in the mirror now, I felt better about the dress. I appreciated the way it accentuated my body in all the right ways, and it wasn't all that flashy, which would make it easier for me to blend in with a crowd.

Not wanting to seem too formal, I'd opted to straighten my hair after drying it, leaving it to hang freely just below my shoulders. I then moved on to my makeup, keeping it as simple as I could before adding a dark berry shade of lipstick as a finishing touch.

"Momma."

Turning to see Abbie loitering in my doorway, I smiled softly as I noticed she'd already changed into a pair of princess pajamas and had a teddy hair tucked loosely under her arm.

"Yes?"

"Can you tuck me in?" she yawned, bringing a hand up to sleepily rub at her eyes. Looking at the clock, I saw that it was already after eight.

Where had the time gone?

"Of course," I replied quietly, grabbing her hand as I led her towards her bedroom, "Come on then."

Pushing open the door to her room Abbie's grip fell from my hand as she stumbled tiredly into her bed. Following behind her, I waited until she stopped wiggling around, her head lying comfortably on her pillow, before tucking her covers snuggly around her.

"You look pwetty," she mumbled quietly, her eyes shutting on their own accord, "I hope you have fun tonight."

"Thanks sweetie," I smiled, pushing some of her hair back from her face. Leaning down, I placed a soft kiss right above her temple. "Sweet dreams." Flicking her night-light on, I slowly backed out of the room as I heard her sound snores slowly start to fill the air.

Knowing that Ryan was due to pick me up any minute now, I scurried back to my room and packed my cell phone, ID, keys, and some cash into a small black purse. Emily and Dustin, who were cuddled together on the couch watching a movie, greeted me as I came downstairs, a pair of silver heels in my hand.

"So Abbie's asleep," I started, bending over to slip the shoes onto my feet, "And hopefully she won't wake up and cause you two too much trouble."

"Zoe," Emily spoke, her head turned towards me as she spoke, "Like I've said already, don't worry about it. We'll be fine. It's not like we haven't looked after her before."

"I just don't know how late I'll be home."

Emily cut off my rambling with a smirk. "If you even come home." The pink spots that blossomed on my cheeks were enough to make both her and Dustin chuckle. "Look, just forget about us and have fun tonight okay. You look too good to waste your night worrying."

"Thanks," I mumbled shyly, hearing a knock on the front door just as my blush finally subsided.

Emily grinned, nodding towards the front door. "Go on, your knight awaits."

Scrambling to the entryway, I pulled open the door to reveal Ryan, dressed in a burgundy dress shirt and a pair of black jeans.

"Hey, sorry for knocking. I would've rung the doorbell but I didn't want Abbie to..." he started, stepping inside as he spoke. His voice faltered as his eyes landed on me, his speech beginning to stutter. "Umm... oh wow, you look gorgeous."

His hand came up to move a few stray hairs away from my face, his thumb gently caressing my cheek as he did so. I leaned into his touch with a smile on my face. "Thanks," I said softly, my eyes leaving his for a moment as they trailed down his body, "You don't look too bad yourself."

A grin appeared on his lips before he closed the gap between us. His lips were soft but needy, and from just a few seconds of contact they were able to make my stomach tighten and toes curl.

I was the one who pulled back however, giggling as I brought my hand up to rub the purple tinge of lipstick from his lips. "Maybe you shouldn't have kissed me."

He didn't seem to find it a problem, as he leaned in once more to peck my lips again. "You mean like that?" he asked cheekily, raising an eyebrow.

"Just like that," I nodded, taking a peek in the mirror to my left to see that, surprisingly enough, my lipstick hadn't been smeared at all in the process.

"I'll let you in on a secret," he whispered, leaning closer so that his breathe fanned my ear as I felt the slight scratch of his stubble rub against my cheek. "It's going to take a lot more than a bit of lipstick to keep me from kissing you."

The sensual undertones of his voice were enough to make my cheeks flare up once more as I turned back towards him, my eyes meeting his own. I had no reply for him. My words were lodged in the back of my throat as the silence around us sparked with electricity.

He seemed to realize he'd somehow been able to render me speechless, the corners of his tilting up into a smile. He nodded towards the door. "Do you want to head out?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," I nodded, regaining my voice as the conversation steered away from the dangerous waters it'd been treading in previously.

Stepping outside with him, hand in hand as the door closed behind us, my eyes widened slightly at what I saw in front of me. Instead of Ryan's usual car, a sleek black limo sat at the end of my driveway, and although it didn't stretch out all that long, it still seemed a tad too much for just the two of us.

"What, no horse drawn carriage?" I asked teasingly, walking beside him as we headed for the car.

The chauffeur stood out on the curb, opening the door for us as we approached. "Maybe next year," he winked jokingly, making me laugh as we shuffled into our seats.

Driving downtown on one of the busiest nights of the year was sure to be a pain, with more than half the city out and celebrating, and as we sat stuck in traffic, the stereo system played out a smooth mix of music.

"So, are you excited to only have one more semester left of school?" Ryan asked, his fingers intertwined with mine.

I shifted my head from where it had rested on his shoulder. "More like terrified," I admitted, ducking my head as my gaze landed on the seam of my dress. "There are only a few months left until I'm no longer sitting in a class everyday learning about the world, instead I'll be out there living it. I'll have to find a full-time job, which will be hard enough to come by, but on top of that, I still have to look for an 8-week placement for the end of the term to even be eligible for my degree."

"Hey," Ryan said, his hand coming up to cup my chin as he turned my gaze back to him, "It might seem scary now, but it'll all work out in the end." A soft smile appeared on my lips at his encouraging words. "Plus, if you ever need a recommendation letter I'd be happy to write one. I'm sure a lot of magazines would love to hire you if they knew how close you were to one of Hollywood's finest celebrities."

I laughed and shook my head, grateful for the mood change as he grinned. "No thanks," I replied, pecking his lips, "I think I'd rather fight this battle on my own."

"And that's what makes you so admirable," he said softly, making my forehead ripple in confusion. "You could easily use me to better your career as a journalist," he added, his eyes scanning my face, almost as though he was trying to commit this moment to memory, "But you aren't. You're completely content with taking your fate into your own hands and just letting me sit beside you through it all as your biggest supporter."

"You might be my second biggest supporter though," I counter-acted, trying not to think about how raw and true his words truly were, "Abbie's got you beat by just a bit."

He smiled. "Second biggest supporter then."

"And thank you, for saying that," I continued, "You know I'd never use your job to further mine."

"I know you wouldn't, which makes this", he paused, squeezing my hand for emphasis, "All the more real to me."

And he kissed me then, showing me in one simple movement the truth that laid behind all the words he did and didn't say.

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I was taken by surprise as the car lurched to a stop at what looked to be a dead-end road, but as the chauffeur appeared to open the door and Ryan climbed out, it seemed as though it wasn't a mistake. This was our stop.

"So," I started, climbing out the limo as Ryan offered me his hand, "Where exactly are we?"

"We're at the club," Ryan replied, gesturing vaguely to the one story building across the street.

Eyeing the building in front of us, I was skeptical. If it wasn't for the people walking through the entrance, all dressed to the nines and ready to impress, I would've never guessed that a nightclub laid just a few steps through the front doors.

Intertwining his fingers with my own, I allowed him to lead me across the street, and after giving our names to the guard at the door, we were led inside where the night seemed to just be getting started, despite it being just shy of nine 'o'clock. While the crowd wasn't all that large yet, the music had already started to blast from the speakers.

As I took in the space, I realized that there were two levels to the clubs. The top level, and the one we were on, seemed to have booths and other seating options spread out over the area while two bars, one on either side, served drinks to paying customers. The bottom level however, which was built into the basement of the club, could be over looked from where we were standing. There was a dance floor that spread across the entirety of the level, as well as a DJ booth at the front where two men were currently spinning their tracks.

"How is this place not more popular?" I asked, raising my voice to be heard above the music as I followed Ryan towards the nearest bar.

"My friend was pretty selective when he opened this place a while back," Ryan started, nodding towards a pair of empty stools at the end of the bar. "He didn't want just anyone coming in and causing trouble, so he left it pretty low key. The place isn't advertised much, and the only ways to get your name put on the list are to know the owner, have connections, or be willing to pay quite a lot of money for a good time. Unless you're here with someone, if your name isn't on the list outside, the bouncers won't let you through."

I raised my eyebrows. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," he nodded before flagging down the man behind the bar. "Do you want a drink?"

"Sure," I replied, eyeing the menu behind the board, "I'll have a strawberry daiquiri."

"You like the fruity drinks, huh?" Ryan commented with a smile as I shrugged in response. He turned to the bartender, relaying him my order. "And I'll have a jack and coke," he added, sliding a twenty dollar bill across the bar.

"The drinks are expensive," I muttered as I grabbed my drink, low enough so that nobody but Ryan would be able to hear me.

He laughed in return, taking a sip of his drink before resting it down on the counter. "Yeah," he agreed. "When my friend started to get a lot of repeat business he started jacking up the prices, knowing that the people who came here could afford to spend a few extra bucks on a drink."

"Telling lies about me again Ryan?" a new voice added teasingly, his hand clamping down on Ryan's shoulder as he hovered behind him.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "But where was the lie David?" he shot back with a grin before waving his hand between the two of us. "David, this is Zoe. Zoe, this is David, the owner of this place." I set my drink down next to Ryan's, waving hello with a smile on my face.

David nodded down at me in return, a smile on his lips. "So, you're the girl that this one can never stop going on about."

"I guess I am," I answered, laughing lightly as I saw the tips of Ryan's ears tinge a dark shade of pink. "Anyways, how do you two know each other?"

"I was friends with one of his cousins when we were younger," David started to explain, "But we ended up going to the same high school so we hung out a lot as we got older."

"He also failed to mention how I helped him design and build this place when I was looking for a way to pass the time between auditions," Ryan added on. I raised an eyebrow, more than a little impressed by that.

"It slipped my mind," David smirked as a crowd of men called his name from across the floor. "Well it looks like I'm needed elsewhere. You two have a good night, and just tell the bartender that I said your next few drinks are on me."

"Thanks man," Ryan said before David turned and walked away.

I grabbed my drink from the bar, taking a sip of the sweet and tangy liquid. "He seems nice."

"Mhm," Ryan agreed, "It feels like I've known him forever." And from there our conversation took a turn, varying from stories of our adolescence to random tidbits about our lives that we had yet to share.

When both our drinks sat empty on the bar top, Ryan turned to me. "Do you want to dance?" Ryan asked. He nodded down to the bottom level, where a fair few more people had migrated to the dance floor since we'd arrived.

Biting my lip, I nodded, accepting his hand as we headed down the stairs and onto the dance floor. Pushing our way through the growing crowd, we came to a rather secluded spot and stopped.

"If you feel uncomfortable at any point or want to leave, just let me know and we'll head out," he said over the music, leaning his head closer to me as to be heard.

Nodding in understanding, I smiled up at him as the song changed and we started to dance. Unlike some of the other couples that were surrounding us, the two of us danced a little more modestly than those looking as if they were about to strip each other naked on the dance floor, if not a little awkwardly at first. I'd danced with him before, sure, but never like this.

As the songs began to blend together and the bass became more prominent, I felt myself gaining a bit more confidence. The people around us were strangers that I'd probably never see again, and with the lights dimmed low, I decided to let go.

Moving closer to Ryan, I trailed my arms up his chest until they rested loosely around his neck and began to sway my hips more prominently to the beat of the music. As my eyes caught Ryan's, his lips turned upwards and his hands grasped my hips tighter, sending shivers of heat up my spine as he pulled me impossibly close.

It surprised me somehow, how good of a dancer he was, and yet, as the music surrounded us and the time passed, I'd managed to get swept away, engrossed in the electricity that was crackling between us.

But everybody needed a break sometime.

"I'm going to go and get another drink," I said, stepping back from him, "Did you want anything?"

He shook his head. "No, I just have to head to the bathroom," he replied, "I'll meet you up there in a few minutes.

Nodding, the two of us parted ways. It took me longer than expected to make my way across the, now packed, dance floor as I weaved my way through the gyrating bodies. Making it up the stairs, I found an empty space at the bar, managing to get the bartenders attention rather quickly as I placed my order.

Pulling my cell phone out of my clutch while I waited for my drink, I shook my head as I saw a single, suggestive text come through from Emily. Typing out a quick and witty reply, I tucked my phone away just as an unfamiliar man sided up to me at the bar. "Hey gorgeous," he started, speaking low and sultry as though he thought I'd find it more attractive, "I've never seen you here before."

Turning my head towards him, I saw that the guy was probably around Ryan's age. His dirty blonde hair was spiked upwards and the look in his eyes told me his intentions were not so friendly. "Yeah," I said slowly, wishing Ryan would hurry up, "It's my first time here."

"Well, did you need anyone to show you around?" he asked smoothly.

"Uh, no sorry," I said, pulling the front of my dress up slightly as I noticed his eyes flicker down towards my chest more than once, "I'm actually here with someone."

"They won't need to know," he said, his voice lowering as he leaned closer to me. "Now why don't you just come downstairs with me? I'm sure we can find a dark, secluded corner..."

"How about no?" I replied forcefully, pushing myself away from him as the shot of vodka I'd ordered, along with the orange juice, was passed towards me.

"Oh come on..."

Ryan cut off whatever pleads the sleaze was about to make as he appeared next to me, pulling me safely into his chest. "She said no," he said menacingly, "Now leave." He looked as though he wanted nothing more than to land one solid punch to the guy's face.

"Whoa, sorry man," the douche replied, his hands up in mock surrender as he began to back away from me, "I didn't know she was taken."

"Yes you did," I pointed out smartly, feeling smug as he shot me an irritated scowl before turning on his heel and walking away.

"I knew I shouldn't have left you alone," Ryan grumbled under his breath, a frown creasing his forehead as he turned to me with an apologetic look on his face.

Bringing my hand up to cup his face, I shook my head. "Don't worry about it," I said dismissively, "I can take care of myself."

"But you shouldn't have to."

"Like I said, I was fine," I continued, planting a soft kiss against his cheek, "But thanks for stepping in."

I knew I'd gotten through to him when a soft smile appeared on his face that mirrored my own. Turning to grab the shot I'd ordered, I brought the small glass up to my lips, downing the sharp liquid in one smooth gulp before grabbing my juice to sip as a chaser.

"Feeling better?" Ryan asked teasingly, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he pulled me closer to him.

"A little bit," I admitted sheepishly, and although my glass was only half empty, I left it abandoned on the bar as I grabbed his hand, "But I want to dance some more."

He didn't seem to protest as he laced his fingers through mine, leading me down to the dance floor once more. The space was almost packed now as the time ticked closer to midnight, but we were still able to cozy up with enough space that we weren't hitting against the people around us.

Ryan brought our intertwined hands above my head, twirling me quickly and unexpectedly before pulling my body close to his. A warm smile grew on my face before I turned away from him, pushing my back against his chest as I moved my body. His hands, which had previously hovered around my hips, trailed up and down the top of my thighs as we danced, one occasionally moving up to graze my stomach lightly over the fabric of my dress.

Our bodies felt as though they were molding into one as we swayed to the music, the hum of the music keeping us alive as the bass ricocheted off the walls. My eyes eventually slipped shut as I took in every movement the two of us made together, only cementing the fact that the heat between us was slowly driving me crazy.

It was intoxicating, it was passionate, and it was exhilarating.

"TEN!"

We must have been dancing for longer than I thought, as I opened my eyes to see everyone around us counting down along with the DJ.

"Nine, eight, seven, six."

Turning around, my eyes met Ryan's to see that they were shining with happiness, fire, and hunger. He wanted me, I thought, and for a moment, I wondered if my eyes looked similar to his.

"Five, four, three, two."

Everyone around us seemed to fade away as his hands trailed further up my body, leaving a trail of heat as they went, before stopping just below my jaw.

"One!"

His lips clamped down on mine before the cheers even began. His tongue quickly made his way inside my mouth, coaxing an embarrassing moan from deep within me, but in the heat of the moment, I couldn't care less. I kissed him back with just as much hunger and passion, but as the kiss continued, both of us let go slightly. Our hurried movements moved down a notch as the kiss turned sensual and slow, giving light and fire to every nerve ending in my body.

Pulling back slightly, my eyes were still partially closed as I felt his breath fanning my face. One of his hands had managed to dip down to my waist, his thumb rubbing dangerously slow circles just above my backside. I opened my eyes then to see him scanning my face ever so carefully.

"I think we should get out of here."

The words were out of my mouth before I could give them any thought, though I didn't take them back as Ryan's eyes snapped quickly to meet mine. Standing my ground, he seemed to understand what I was suggesting, what was written in between the lines.

He nodded wordlessly, joining our hands together as he pushed his way through a gap in the crowd. I noticed him briefly pull his phone out, tapping something out quickly before shoving it back into his pocket. "Come on," he murmured lowly, his voice thick with lust as we exited the building, nodding towards the limo that seemed to be parked in the same place we'd left it.

Following closely behind him, my head was spinning with nerves as we got in the back of the car. Not because I was unsure, but because I was, and I didn't have a lot of experience. Besides the one time that had brought Abbie into this world, I hadn't had the urge to be with anyone so intimately again. I'd learned my lesson on one-night stands, but that wasn't what this was.

This was Ryan, and I knew he wouldn't hurt me.

The ride back to his house was silent and as each minute passed, there seemed to be a greater chance of my beating heart exploding out my chest. My nerves were heightened but my senses were also alight, as Ryan's hand never left mine, his fingers locked tightly with my own as his thumb drew mindless patterns atop my skin.

When the limo came to a stop, the two of us stumbled out of the car, sending a quick thanks to the driver before heading straight for the door.

The energy around us had sparked once again and it seemed, as Ryan struggled with his keys, that he couldn't open the door fast enough. Once inside, there was a split second of space between us as he closed and locked the door, but before either of us could say a word, he was backing me up against the wall, pushing his entire body into mine as his lips caught mine in a searing kiss. It only took a few accelerated heartbeats for his lips to trail slowly down my jaw, moving swiftly and purposely against my skin.

My arms wrapped around his neck, grasping at a few strands of hair at the back of his head as he continued his treacherous assault on my neck. The scent of his cologne hit my nose, and as I breathed him in, I couldn't stop the light moan that escaped through my lips.

"Bedroom, now."

Ryan didn't need any more instruction as his hands slid down and under my butt, lifting me in one swift movement, his lips never leaving my neck. My legs wrapped around his waist tightly on their own accord as we moved up the stairs, my heels slipping off in the process, landing on the floor with a small thud.

Before I knew it I was pressed up against a wall once again, except this time it was a door, and the contact didn't last long as Ryan pushed it open to reveal his room. He used his foot to close the door behind us, leading me towards his bed as he laid me down first before crawling on top of me.

Our lips met once again in a fiery haze, my hand reaching out to grab the front of his shirt, pulling him down so that his solid body was pressed firmly against mine. His hands were travelling up and down my body, but when they began skimming just underneath the hem of my dress, he pulled back.

"Zoe," he breathed, leaving just a sliver of space between our mouths.

"Ryan," I returned, my voice airy and soft as my hands travelled up to his hair on their own accord.

His eyes met mine, flicking down to my lips briefly. "Are you sure?"

Figuring it was enough of a reply, I pulled his head back down so that our lips mashed together. Taking this as the go-ahead, his hands slowly started to push the fabric of my dress up, massaging the skin of my thighs as he went. When his hands reached just below my hips, I wiggled slightly, not breaking the kiss as he slipped my dress further up my body. When his rough hands gently graced my breasts over the thin lacy fabric of my bra, I sat up slightly, bringing Ryan with me. In one swift movement I placed my hands on top of his and pulled the dress clean off, throwing it down onto the floor.

Left sitting there in nothing more than my bra and underwear, I watched as Ryan's hands graced my skin, moving wherever they could reach as his eyes drank me in.

"Beautiful," he all but growled as his lips dipped down towards my collarbones.

My hands shakily started to work on the buttons of his shirt, and when they were all undone, I pushed the fabric down over his shoulders, marveling at the sight that greeted me. I knew my boyfriend wasn't extremely athletic, but saying he wasn't fit was a blatant lie. His chest and arms were sculpted from numerous hours spent at the gym, and in that moment, as the tips of my fingers traced along his abs, I couldn't be more thankful.

A groan escaped his lips before he pushed me down onto my back, falling on top of me so that we were skin to skin. Our kisses were a mix of moans and sensual coaxing as our tongues danced to a whole new beat.

Soon enough his pants had joined the ever-growing pile on the floor and his lips had trailed down to the swell of my breasts as the clip of my bra popped opened. I was all but panting when the last layers of clothes that kept us separated were stripped minutes later. My breathing had sped up and the muscles in my stomach were clenched together tighter than they'd ever been before.

He leaned back for a second, grabbing protection from his bedside table before gently hovering me, his eyes trained on my own. Ryan's hands came up to cup my chin softly, kissing me so delicately that I was afraid that I might burst from what was building deep inside me.

And in that moment, without any regrets, I gave myself over to the man I was fast falling for, wholly and completely.

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And the build up to the conflict of the story has officially begun! Any guesses on what's to come?

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, because I definitely gave myself major feels writing it! Also, an important note that I'd like to share with you guys: I have decided, once this story is finished in approximately ten chapters or so, to go over the whole of it and edit. I will then be taking a leap and submitting it to Swoonreads. This is going to be a big step for me, and I could really use all the help I can get. Any feedback on this story is greatly appreciated, as well as pointing out any grammar or spelling mistakes that I may have missed. Anything helps really.

Oh, and what do you guys think of the new cover? Good to keep or go back to the original?