"Holding people away from you, and denying yourself love, that doesn't make you strong. If anything it makes you weaker. Because you're doing it out of fear."

~Sarah Dessen

Taylor's POV

"Thank you very much, ma'am." I smile happily at the woman in her sixties as she hands me the key to my hotel room.

What are you doing in a hotel when you have a house? You might ask,

Well, I'll explain much later.

The woman smiles back before she points the way. "Go through the left hall. The sixth room is room sixty-nine. Enjoy your stay young miss."

"I will do just that," I reply, putting on my most classy smile ever. I grab my expensive-looking handbag and swing it over my shoulder before walking on.

Back to the earlier question. I'm here because the three Js strictly told me to come here and after much debate, I am here. Where am I? I am in the Five-Star hotel suite, spending our hard-earned one thousand five hundred dollars for one night. But as the Js says, price is nothing compared to success.

The three Js: Jack, Josh and Jake, also known as The Snowfall's triplet have been the backbone to all the plans and backup I need and I wouldn't have come up with one thousand five hundred dollars if they didn't help me out. Jake (The brain in the family) won three hundred dollars from the mathematics competition he did with his mate and gave me the money, Jack (The loud one in the family) and his teammate won the race between the other schools and he handed me his share of three hundred and fifty dollars, Josh (The quiet and reserved in the family) gave me his two hundred dollars and forty-four cents contributions for the summer as he planned on staying home. And I added six hundred and fifty to the money and we had a total of one thousand five hundred dollars and forty-four cents.

But mom doesn't need to know that. That's me in Jack's voice.

So the Js had been helping me raise the money for the past two months when Jake discovered the Five-Star matchmaking scheme.

The Five-Star hotel has held the reputation of matchmaking for the past eighteen years and well the Js and I did more digging till late midnight last night we discovered more facts about the hotel matchmaking stuff and we took our time to analyse it properly not to make any costly mistake.

The matchmaking first took place on the 1st January 1997 and the second February 1998 and the third March 1999 and so with more digging we came to the discovery that today being the nineteenth April 2015 the matchmaking happens today but that's all we know. So I'll just settle in and wait to see how the day goes.

I with the Js have also made further plans on seducing a rich millionaire just in case the matchmaking doesn't go as great as planned.

Call us desperate, but when things don't go your way, then you might as well play your way through things. That's me in Jake's voice.

I open the door and walk into the magnificent, heavily beautified room and I almost squeal from excitement; I feel so girly, but I'm so gonna take a lot of selfies before checking out tomorrow.

I carefully take a seat on the bed and take off my five inches, bringing me to my pitiful five feet three inches and I need to take a quick bath before moving out and seeing the rest of the massive and elegantly pleasant hotel.

I strip and entered the towel hanging on a hanger close to the door of the bathroom. I wrap the towel around myself singing my favourite Justin Timberlake song My love.

Ain't another woman that can take your spot my-

I hum the music loudly as I step into the bathroom. If there is anything I'm proud of being, it was being a number one fan of Justin Timberlake for fourteen years. He was the first one I fangirled, the first that made me cry, he always had my heart, and I did dream like every humble fan that on the day he'd come to me like prince charming and propose to me and I smile brightly probably from overwhelming love will accept.

Well, that dream was crushed when he got engaged in 2011 and got married in 2012. I remember locking myself up in the room and crying over someone who didn't even know I existed. Jack still teases me for that, but I guess you never get over your first love. Justin will always have my heart.

Yeah, because

I can see us holding hands

Walking on the beach, our toes in the sand,

I can see us in the countryside

Sitting on the grass, laying side by side.

You could be my baby. Let me make you my lady,

Girl, you amaze me.

Ain't got to do nothing crazy,

See, all I want you to do is to be my love.

(So don't give away) My love,

(So don't give away) My love,

(So don't give away)

Ain't another woman that can take your spot, my love.....

My singing is cut short when the door opens and closes again.

"Who is there?" I asked, poking my head out through the door to ask. I get no reply, so I guess there's no one there.

No one can be there. I'm the only one with the keys, remember? I think to my worrying self.

I continue bathing and when I'm done; I wrap the towel around my small body and walk out of the bathroom. I stop when I saw a MAN lying across MY bed with his arm covering his face. His legs are scattered carelessly all over the bed like he owns it.

No one has the key, no one should have the keys. He broke in. What if he wants to rape you? What if he wants to hurt you?

I can see from where I am that he didn't notice me, so I grab a pepper spray that was in my bag where I had kept it earlier.

Never go out of the house unarmed. That's me, in Josh's voice.

I launch forward quietly, ready to destroy the intruder when my leg hit the table in the centre of the room and I fall face down, which causes a loud noise. When I pull myself up, I notice my towel loosening and I looked up to see the man clenching his teeth and coldly glaring down at me.

Glaring? Why is he glaring? I should be the one glaring.

"I know this is a five-star hotel, but I specifically asked for a room, not a room and a whore, you know?" The glare and the clenched teeth don't disappear, but a frown is added to his face.

Wait, he didn't just... Did he.......? He did!

My mouth is hanging open from shock and I feel like I'm dumbstruck. I try to speak, but nothing comes out of my mouth. What the hell is happening to me? The three Js will be so disappointed in me if they find out.

Don't let a guy disrespect or walk on you, break his legs, crush his balls and knock his teeth out before you leave.

Those were the exact words Jack told me before I left this evening, but all that seemed to be buried inside me as I stare at the most arrogant man I'd ever met.

This gesture seems to annoy him even more as he speaks again. "I know it's your job to please and satisfy your customers, and I would take up the offer any day, but today is not that day. So pack. Your. Self. Up. And. Get. Out. Of. My. Room."

My body jolt as yet another bitter word from his mouth slaps me across my face. This would be the perfect time to initiate my kung fu skills, but the towel is the only thing I have on. Damn!!

I study the man that has made me feel lower than anything on the surface of the earth. He is wearing an old jacket on an already faded blue T-shirt. His grey Jean is already fading and turning into white from excess use, I guess. His hair is messy brown hair mixed with gold and it looks like he doesn't have the time to take care of it.

Maybe he doesn't have the money to.

For someone who comes from a class much lower than the low-class people, he has a filthy mouth; I used to think Jack had the worse mouth on earth, but I take it all back now because this man's mouth put Jack's mouth to shame.

Still, something about him feels familiar, and it draws me in to understand the mystery behind those deep green eyes of his. Any day green eyes would be my weakness, but not today, and certainly not his.

"Are you going to lie there all day? May I remind you I'd like my room to myself?" He says, his tone brittle with annoyance.

I shake my head, finally recovering myself. "Shut the fuck up, you worthless twat!" I hiss out at him, clearly reaching my breaking point. I pull myself to my feet to meet his cold, angry, and yet surprised gaze.

"Did I hear you well?"

I roll my eyes in disgust, "I. Said. Shut. The. Fuck. Up. You. Good. For. Nothing. Twat." I spit out at him through gritted teeth.

Anger flares in his eyes and I can practically see him going red and ready to burst any minute, and I might as well get ready.

"Listen to me." He starts to say, but I cut him off.

"No, you listen to me you two-face son of a nobody, I've been quietly patient for the last ten minutes, and I do not know or want to know how you got into my room, but I want you gone by the time I get back." I grab my dress and my handbag from the chair where I laid them earlier, and walk back to where I know I can dress up without being seen by any pervert.

I take the next twenty minutes to dress up. Let's just say my handbag has it all. I do my make-up light, foundation, and powder, not adding more than that to my face. My lip, I grease with a nude lip gloss and my hair; I release from the ponytail I kept to shower earlier and I'm ready to go.

I am determined not to let nobody ruin today, because tonight, I'll be meeting someone special, someone, who will definitely be rich, handsome and tall. I don't care if it'll take a lot of work to win his heart, I'm up for it.

Jack's words ring in my ears. When you find that rich guy, you don't have to fall for him, but make him fall for you, get married, and then file for a divorce 30 days after. They will compensate you with millions and we would become rich.

I know it will not be easy, but I have to save my family from poverty.

I step into my high heels and grab my handbag from the bathtub. I'll probably just take a walk around the hotel and get more exposure if you know what I mean.

I come back to the room and he is still there, lying on the bed with his eyes closed. I can feel myself going red from anger at the man that is so ruining my evening.

"You have a hard time hearing or understanding, don't you!?" I snap hardly, placing a tight hand on my hip.

"Coming from someone who was dumbfounded on the floor about twenty minutes ago, I'll take that as a compliment." He mumbles in spite before opening his eyes to look at me.

His eye widens when he saw me fully dressed and his gaze hungrily rakes the whole of my body from head to toe. For an odd reason, his eyes make me feel nervous and a shiver runs down my spine. The dress is black and glittering, cut four inches from the hip, making it hang dangerously over my thigh. The fitting is pretty as well as provoking as it displays my curves perfectly for everyone to see, even this pervert.

The three Js say it is a perfect attention catcher. Now I know what they meant.

"Look away, pervert, this body isn't made for your stupid needs."

He recovers himself a minute after and awkwardly clears his throat. "What did you say again?"

This time I'm the one that glared at him. "I said get out!" I yell with a clenched fist.

"I can't, this is my room." He says with a careless shrug of his shoulder. He pulls out the key from his pocket and tosses it to me.

I look at the key in my hand and look at the number imprinted on its holder; it was written room 69 quickly I search in my bag which is on the table and pull out my key and turn the holder to see the number imprinted on it. Fuck, what the hell? It is also sixty-nine.

"This must be some stupid joke," I say lowly, with much anger. "There must be some kind of mistake."

"That's exactly what I'm thinking." He prompts in, earning a glare from me. He ignores my glare and continues. "'Cause I remember the receptionist said room sixty-nine, sir, with a cheerful smile."

I cringe at the thought of the receptionist calling him sir, shouldn't that be illegal?

By the way, why is there a sudden change in him? Twenty minutes ago, he was so mad that he could have killed me with his bare hands if he wanted to and now he's all calm. There is something fishy.

"The receptionist said the same thing to me except she said, young Miss," I muttered quietly. "There must be a mistake. We need to see the receptionist and sort this thing out." That's all I say before he gets up and walks toward me.

He stops when his face is inches away from mine, and I stare at the mischievous man who is towering over me with his height and built and making me feel incredibly small.

I can feel the heat coming from his body in the little space between us. I can't believe a guy I just met can have such an effect on me. Maybe because I haven't been close with a guy in a long time is the only excuse I can tell myself as I shiver internally.

He lowers his face, bringing his lips dangerously close to mine.

He isn't planning on kissing me, is he? What if he is? Oh, holy nothing keeps me still in this trying time.

My breath cut when I feel his soft lips brush over my cheek, down my jaw to whisper in my ears. "Okay, let's go." And with that, he draws away and walks towards the door quickly, like nothing happened.

Wait, did something happen?

I take a moment to get myself together. This shouldn't be happening, not tonight, not with him!!

I follow behind him and we come to a young lady receptionist who is busy typing something on the computer before her. The older one is gone, and I cuss under my breath so I wouldn't have to loudly cuss her.

The lady raises her head and looks at us; her gaze lingering longer on the man to hungrily study him and I almost roll my eyes. Almost.

"What can we do for the two of you?" She asks, too polite to the man if you'll ask me.

Before the man can reply, I cut in. "We both have the same key and it gave us the same room. We want it corrected."

The lady gives us a concerned look before asking, "What number is it if I might ask?"

"Room number sixty-nine," I reply quickly, passing the key to her.

She collects the key and studies it for a while, then reads something on the computer again before looking at us with an apologetic look. "We are sorry Miss, Sir but there's nothing we can do."

I mentally grab her hair. "You know what screw you! Where's your manager?" I demand hotly.

"He's in a meeting." She replies with a cool tone.

This time the man speaks up before I can fire any more cuss at the lady. "Look here, miss..." He looks carefully over her chest like he kept something there. "Clara, there must be a mistake somewhere. We are not together if you know what I mean, and we would appreciate our privacy."

"I'm sorry, but room sixty-nine has been chosen for this year's matchmaking and you two are the Five-Star hotel couple of the year. Congratulation!!!" She squeals happily like she's the one getting married.

Congratulation??!

She presses a loud button, and in a minute the whole place is getting filled up with people and workers, some bringing out cameras and others on their phones to take pictures.

This is so not happening right now!!!!

I turn to the man to see that he is just as shocked as I am.

This would have been perfect if they did not match me to a poor, loud, arrogant loser!!!

I'm going to have to switch to Plan B. I will have to find myself a rich millionaire tonight.

Someone grabs me by the arm. I try to wiggle away, but as much as the hands are soft, there are incredibly strong too. I turn to see the man pulling me along.

"What the hell dude, let me go you perv. I'm not going back in there with you," I say with a snort as I drag my hand away.

"Would you rather be out there? They were going to take our pictures and as much as I don't like you, I'd rather be with you than have them do that." He says with a haughty tone and snaps my head up to glare daggers at him. "I can't let them take my picture."

Oh please, don't tell me you're so poor you don't even know what a camera is.

I cross my arm over my chest. "Why is that, if I might ask?" I raise my brow.

Something quickly flickers in his eyes before he frowns at my word, "I just don't want them to."

I hiss, "Whatever. Your shit is not my business, just stay out of my way tonight." I brush past him and walk to the door, then I realize I'm not with the key. I sigh in frustration, placing my head on the door.

Today's going all the wrong ways!!

Someone taps my shoulder, and I scowl, knowing who it is. This man is going to be the death of me!!

"I can let you stay in my room if you want."

Are my ears deceiving me or did he just call it his room?!

My brow furrowed in confusion. "Since when did the room become yours?"

"Since I have both keys?" He says it like a question, dangling the key so I hear them. "And if you are going to stay in my room, some things are going to change."

I turn to look at him; he looks serious. "Like what idiot?"

"First, my name is Rory, not pervert and certainly not an idiot. You can't cuss or throw mean words my way. We are going to share the room equally, and no picking fight with me."

I so pity whoever marries this loser.

I stew quietly where I stand, glaring hardly and wishing they will pierce him and kill him.

"Do we have a deal?" He stretches his hand for a shake.

Is he bipolar?

"Deal," I say, but I don't shake him.

He awkwardly withdraws it and scratches his head before going and opening the door.

I push him out of my way, making him stumble and enter the room. I take a seat on the bed and lower my head to rest on my hands. I seriously need to think tonight through. It needs to be perfect no matter what happens, no matter who tries to ruin it. I have a mission and it must be accomplished.

"Are you okay?" The man named Rory asks with a bit of concern in his tone.

"What do you care?"

"Do you have to be rude?

I scoff, "Coming from someone who hasn't apologized for calling me a whore a while back, I'll take it as a compliment." I reply, my face still buried in my hand.

He takes a deep breath, "Okay I'm sorry I called you that." He apologized, "What's wrong with you?"

I laugh to myself. I'm not telling a stranger my problem because he apologized and told me his name.

So I just say. "None of your business." I kick my shoes off and let myself fall back on the bed.

He says nothing back after standing and probably glaring at me, he just walks out of the room.

Did he leave? Did I chase him off? A part of me finally feels free and happy while another feels bad for being so mean to him.

...

It's quiet for a while now. He is not yet back and I think he is gone, which is a good thing for me.

The colour flashing through the window draws my attention as I get off the bed and walk to the window. I look around and I see that there is a party going on outside. I notice that all the ladies there are dressed in classy dresses, and the men are dressed in black suits and I can bet there are as expensive as hell.

Finally, something is going right for once this night.

I've got to be there.

I run over to my bag and pull out my black purse. Re-do my make-up and put on my perfume. I put my shoes back on and I'm ready.

I have never done something like this before, but that doesn't mean I haven't taken lessons from Jake and Josh on how to act and behave in a classy social gathering.

I step into the beautiful garden where the party is taking place and approach the crowd. Some men notice me coming and their eyes widen in awe. I feel my cheek go red from the attention and I try to hide it.

"Wine Miss." A server says to me and I smile before taking a glass of wine from his tray.

"Thank you." I kindly say to the fine young man.

He nods before leaving.

I take a sip and further walk into the crowd, mainly because I need to know what the party is about. I hear from some people taking that it is a fundraising party.

Fundraising? All I have in my purse is 44 cents.

I ignore my inward panic and keep walking. My phone vibrates in my purse and I take it out to see it's Jack.

"What?" I demand with a frown.

"Easy, tigress, have you found your millionaire husband yet?" He asks curiously.

"No, I think I'm about to soon."

"Hurry, okay? Our future and my future girlfriends depend on tonight."

"Don't I know that already?" I sigh. Sometimes I wish I wasn't the firstborn. "Hope you found a good excuse to tell mom."

"Jakes got that covered, remember he's the brain." He chuckles.

"Yea and you are the mouths." I chuckle. "I have to go now."

"Okay, good luck." He says before the lines go off.

I open my purse and try to put my phone on when I hit someone and lost my balance, sending my purse and the glass of wine flying.

I'm flying in the air, I'm going to fall and be laughed at this party. Damn!!

"You're okay ma'am?" I hear someone say to me.

I open my eye to see a beautiful pair of blue eyes staring deeply with caution into mine. Then I feel a pair of muscular arms around my waist, holding me, protecting me.

He smells rich.

I'm in heaven.

He sets me down on my feet and helps me pick up my purse and hands it to me. I take my time to study him. His lips are irresistibly beautiful and his nose is nicely shaped. His blond hair glittering with the changing lights, his nicely trimmed beards...... I stop when I see him with a devilish smile. I'm analysing him and he knows!

I swallow quickly and blink my eyes, and he cleared his throat and hands me my purse. "Thanks for saving me from falling," I say, blushing madly.

His smile widens. "Can't let you fall on that pretty bum of yours, can I?"

I can already tell he is a flirt.

"Well, that's kind of you."

"My name is Luke, Luke Power."

Luke Powers? He owns one of the major clothing designs in the states. I hear a lot about him. Rich, young, ambitious.

I'm going to pee myself or worse, I'm going to faint.

"I'm Taylor Snowfall."

His eyes narrow at me as though reading me. "What are you doing here, then?"

"The same thing everyone here is doing, fundraising."

We walk away from the crowd to a much quiet place.

"Really? I've never seen you before."

"That's because. I. Just. Came. Back. Home. Last. Week." I pick my lie carefully, not to pick the wrong ones. "Dad. Says. To. Get. Used. To. This. Types. Of. Parties."

"That's kind of him." His eyes rake over my body just like Rory had earlier and except there's more hunger in his eyes as they reach my thigh. "A goddess-like yourself might need someone around you for the night."

I choke out a chuckle; he isn't asking to sleep with me tonight, is he?

"Well, I just met you, isn't it going to be too early to have sex with you?" I try not to let my nervousness show, although I was getting nervous.

He places a hand on my thigh and my breath cuts in fear. This has to be a dream. This is certainly not how I want tonight to go.

"Come on, it's not such a bad idea, and it won't be once we go into the room."

"No." The word comes out like a cry and I try to move away.

What's it and guys mistaking me for a whore today?

I throw a punch with my other hand, which is not trapped, but he catches it and pins it down. His hand roughly explores my thigh, and he moves it higher into my dress and soon his hands touch my panties. By this time, I'm struggling to get free from him, but failing.

His eyes are filled with lust, and he drags me closer to himself. He tries to kiss my lips, but I turn my face away, and my tear threatens to spill, but I blink it back.

How did it get this far?

"Let me go, let me go!!" I shout, but it falls on deaf ears.

"Shut up and..."

His words are cut short when he is forcefully pulled away and he lets me go. I immediately adjust my dress and move away from the two men who are throwing punches at each other. I look at the ground again, but this time all I see is one getting beaten up.

When the other man feels satisfied, and that he's done enough, he gets up and walks toward me. Unable to run, I move back, frightened, as I can not make out his face, but soon my back hits the wall. Damn!!

I stand there wondering what thing is yet to happen to me; the man got even closer and his hand softly stroked my cheek. I whimper and close my eyes as the tears I've been holding back for a while now roll down my eyes. I hate crying.

"Did he hurt you that much?" He asks carefully. I can also feel the anger in his voice, which is not directed at me.

I open my eyes to see the light illuminating Rory's face as he gazes into mine. My tears fall even more and I sob. I feel terrible; I feel terrible. First, because I was mean to Him earlier, and he still saved me, and because our plans have now been ruined.

"Shh, come here." He pulls me into his muscular arms and I let him hug me.

We stay that way until we pull away and I wipe my tears off and pull myself together, clearly not willing to cry more than I already have.

"Thank you, Rory," I say, not looking up at him, though. "But you didn't have to, I had it under control."

He scoffs in disbelief. "He had you under control from the way I saw it. What were you thinking?"

His concern is annoying.

My eyes flare in anger. "It's none of your business." I spit at him.

"That's what is going to get you into trouble. You're rude and rebellious. That would be okay if you aren't so weak and vulnerable." He says in a cold, harsh tone.

I slap him hard in the face and he clenches his cheek; I guess from the sting of the slap. He grits his teeth and glares at me but says nothing.

"I'm not weak and I'm certainly not vulnerable and because you saved me from the sick bastard just now doesn't mean you know the first thing about me," I say slowly through gritted teeth.

With that, I walk away from him. He stands there in silence, watching me as I walk away into the darkness, but I don't care to look back at him.

I enter the room and throw my purse into my handbag and grab it from the chair and hang it, ready to leave the hotel. I don't want to be here when he gets back. There is no reason to be. I don't even want to see his face ever again and I wish our path never crosses in this lifetime again.