(Please note that this is the sample only. You can get the full YOURS TRILOGY on the Dreame app.)

Chapter 1

RIYA

I'm in the spacious living area dealing with an assignment when my phone rings. I smile to myself as I reach for it. My circle is very small so I can already guess who is calling.

I lift both eyebrows when I see the caller ID. It's neither Mia nor Hazel. It's my Mom.

That's strange.

She only calls me when...she actually never calls me. Ever.

I answer the call with a yawn and I press the phone to my ear.

"What." I drawl in a bored tone, my eyes scanning the notes on my laptop. I'm doing my assignment the very last minute as always so I'm a little bit panicky.

"How have you been? It's been a minute." The impatience in her voice is hard to miss.

"Mom, just tell me why you're calling. We don't have to do the greeting thing."

"Thank God. I need a favour."

This is going to be good.

"I'm all ears."

"Do you remember your cousin savannah?"

Savannah?

"No, I don't."

"Are you serious? She stayed at our home for a week over Christmas with her Mom!"

Oh..

"Is her Mom the woman who used to eat all the marshmallows right after we left the store?"

"The very one. Listen, Savannah has been admitted to your college."

"And?"

"She needs a place to stay."

"Then get her a place to stay?"

"That's the problem. She couldn't secure a place in the hostels and we're having a hard time getting an apartment."

I shake my head in confusion.
"So how does that concern me?"

"She's moving in with you until I sort out everything."

"You're joking, right?"

"You're picking her at the airport first thing in the morning."

"No, I'm not."

"You are, and that's final."

"Mom, I've never had to shared my space. I'm not about to share my apartment with some-"

She rudely cuts me off.
"Can you stop being a brat for about five seconds? Everything is not about you, Riya. Just pull your head out of your ass already!"

"Mom, if you think I'm going to live with that girl..."

"You're going to live with that girl, or I'm slashing your monthly allowance by half. If you want to be stubborn about the apartment, then get a job and pay for it by your damn self."

I start to gasp but the line is already dead. She already hung up.

I stare at my phone for a whole thirty seconds before I place it on the study table.

Did I mention that I hate my mother?

Okay, I just did. On her side, the feeling is entirely mutual.

You wonder why?

You'll find out in a minute.

I dial Mia's number without hesitation. She's my go-to person whenever I want to vent. She doesn't always say the right thing, but she always knows what I need to solve my problems.

Her voice is high pitched when she answers and I just shake my head.

"You're drunk."

She bursts out laughing.
"I'm tipsy. There's a difference."

"Where are you?"

"In a club. You?"

"At home. Mia, it's Thursday night. We have school tomorrow."

"And?"

"And you shouldn't be drinking."

"Says the one who takes a shot every time she misses class."

That's actually true. And it happens a lot.

"Look, I'm pissed."

"What else is new?"

I roll my eyes.
"I'll have a roommate starting tomorrow."

"You'll have a roommate starting tomorrow?"

"My Mom just called..."

"Your Mom just called?"

"My cousin is..."

"You have a cousin? What the hell is going on, Riya?"

"Long story. My Mom wants my cousin to move in with me. I'm freaking out, okay?"

"You could just say no."

"If I do, my allowance is slashed by half. Money is important to me."

"Okay, I think I'm too drunk for this. How about you get your fancy ass here and talk about that over beer?"

"I'm not into beer. You know that. And, I'm trying to get through a stupid assignment."

"That assignment is going nowhere. There's a hot guy buffet here at the club. All you have to do is show up and have at it."

"I don't feel like partying. My mom just ruined my entire decade."

"You just wait till you see the boys. Don't take forever, okay?"

I sigh with resignation.
"Okay."

"Wear something short. I'm calling Hazel."

"You do that. I'll see you in a few."

I hang up with a sigh. I feel like I do this all the time. Wake up, drink, make bad decisions, sleep, repeat.

With that in mind, I shut down my laptop and close my books. That assignment ain't going anywhere.

***

I'm at the club in a record time of thirty minutes. I just wore eyeliner and mascara, applied a thin layer of lip gloss then changed into a short, white dress.

I'm wearing a pair of red high heeled sandals and my hair is falling down my back in massive waves.

I'm definitely feeling myself.

I pay the cab driver then I walk into the club. I always take a cab whenever I'm about to make bad decisions because I'll need a sober ride home. The last time I drove while drunk, I ended up spending the night in a police cell.

"Look who is here!" Hazel laughs the moment she spots me. She looks as hot as always in a black bandage dress and white high heels. Her hair looks shiny even in the dim lighting, and the brown waves are cascading down one shoulder. She's wearing bright red lipstick and her eyes are lined with very black eyeliner.

She's smoking hot.

She pulls me into a hug then she steps back, regarding me with a knowing smile.

"Underdressed much?"

I shrug.
"Mia's idea. She specifically told me to wear something short."

"You can't say no to Mia. She's like a puppy."

"Where is she?"

"In the bathroom, reapplying her lipstick. She's been kissing that guy over there."

I follow the movement of her eyes and my breath holds in my chest. The guy she's referring to is seated at the table right next to us. What really catches my attention is his company.

There's a total of four guys, him included, and they are all minding their own business.

And they are all stupid hot.

"They go to our school, apparently." Hazel explains as she stirs her cocktail and takes a small sip.

"They do? Why have I never seen them before?"

"Because it's a big college and we can't possibly know everyone?"

"Hazel, have you seen those faces? Those are not faces you just see then forget."

"That means we've never seen them before."

"I'm getting really close to one of them tonight." I smile innocently.

"I'm betting on it. Condomize. Don't compromise."

I roll my eyes.
"Okay Mom."

"I'm not even kidding."

"I'm the drunkest in the room." Mia laughs as she lowers herself into the seat beside me.

"Why are you that drunk?" Hazel asks her with a creased brow.

"Jake doesn't want to hang out with me anymore. That's why."

"So what? Screw him." I reply without thinking. Jake is a guy from school that she's been doing the nasty with. I don't see what the big deal is. He's not even that good looking.

"You don't understand, Riya. I think I kind of like him."

"No, you don't." Hazel counters with a pointed look directed at Mia. "You don't want that. Believe me."

I nod.
"Exactly. Feelings will mess you up."

"I know, that's why I'm using Kol as a rebound. I'm moving on, okay?"

I glance at the next table before I turn back to Mia.
"Kol's kind of hot. Do you know the rest of them?"

She shakes her head.
"Nope. They don't look very chatty."

We all look up in surprise when the waitress from earlier places a champagne bottle and three flutes on the table.

"From that gentleman over there." She says pleasantly, gesturing towards a guy seated all alone. He seems to be in his late forties; maybe early fifties.

"You can take it back. He's not really our type." Hazel smiles politely.

"I think he's just being nice."

I offer her a tight smile.
"We're good, really."

She shrugs as she picks the champagne bottle and leaves our table.

"Holy shit! They're looking!" Mia exclaims in a whisper, and I spare the next table a quick glance.

Three of the guys are looking at us but the fourth is busy on his phone, his back turned to us. I frown when I realize that he doesn't have a beer like the rest. Instead , he's taking still water straight from the bottle.

"One of them is coming here." Hazel says in a quiet singsong voice.

I look up in time just as our eyes meet. He's good looking, maybe even hot. He smiles lopsidedly before he leans over our table.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

His eyes are on me.

I shrug.
"What do I have to lose?

He spares me that lopsided smile before he turns to Hazel and Mia.
"Kol and Nathan would really love some company right now."

Mia gets up without a fuss and walks over to Kol. He pulls her to him, his fingers locking around her jaw, and within minutes, they're all over each other.

Hazel, on the other hand, winks at me before she heads to the table. One of the two guys left pats his lap and she hesitantly lowers herself onto it. The fourth guy doesn't even look up. Maybe he is texting his girlfriend.

Or whatever.

I think he's boring and socially awkward. I mean, he is in the company of those boys and he's not drinking? Maybe he is their sober driver home.

Either way, I really don't care. Guys who don't drink are not my glass of wine.

I'm a bit curious to see his face but I quickly forget about that when my new companion sits on the spot that Mia vacated minutes ago.

"I'm Asher." He tells me, his intense eyes boring into me. "I'd ask you to call me Ash but I hate it."

I down my second shot of vodka before I talk.
"I know your type."

He lifts a curious eyebrow.
"Really?"

"Yeah, so let's skip the whole 'what's your favorite color' thing." I shrug, watching him as his lips upturn in the tiniest hint of a smile. "We can just go for it."

He nods slowly.
"You're my type of girl."

Before I get another word out, his lips are crushing against mine, his arm going around me.

I grab the front of his shirt to pull him close; then my hands are in his hair and around his neck, and kissing has never felt any better.

I have no idea how we make it to his car.