1

As we walk out of building D, I glance over to see Rosy bouncing beside me, a huge smile plastered over her face.

"I can't believe we are finished with our freshman year!" She squeals as she throws her head back dramatically.

"I know, I can't wait to celebrate tonight!" I say happily. I haven't seen my boyfriend, Neo, in a week and I miss him so much. He's been so busy between basketball and finals that he just hasn't had the time, but tonight I'm surprising him. Though my ex-boyfriend Zane might show up, I'll try to keep my cool around him.

Like Rosy's reading my thoughts, she nudges my arm."We know you're more excited to see Neo than anything."She fans herself and I blush. It's true though. My excitement right now isn't about the freedom I'll be having for three months, well it is. But only because I get to spend all my time with Neo.

We have been together for about 8 months now, I know it's so long but he's so sweet and handsome and different from all the other boys I've come across.

"Anyways..." Rosy says to redirect me from my longing thoughts."You know my brother is on his way here...right?" She says with a half-smile.

"Yeah! I'm excited to meet more of your family, your mom is the best!"

Rosy waves her hand in the air "Just don't get too excited, he's not the nicest person to be around". she says shyly.

"I can handle a mean brother, we are practically sisters so he has to be nice to me

"I am his sister and he's not even nice to me." She says "Well, he's okay I guess." She fixes her previous statement.

"It will be fun," I say as I trail my thoughts on what to wear tonight. I know they'll be throwing a party at the frat house to celebrate the beginning of summer and I want to look my best, especially since I'll be surprising Neo and I know how much he hates surprises, so I need to make up for it by looking cute.

He thinks I'm going to my Moms to visit for the weekend but I wanted to make tonight special so I'm going to catch him off guard and show up.

We hop into my Altima and roll the windows down, enjoying the breeze that overtakes the car. I am excited about the freedom we will have away from classes and tests.

Normally freshmen live in the dorms but when I met Rosalie on my first day here, we instantly became best friends and after a few months of sharing bathrooms with our other classmates and us both having awful roommates in the dorms. We decided to find a house to rent off-campus.

Luckily between the money I had saved from my years working at my mom's boutique through high school and Rosalie's current job at the nicest restaurant in Corvallis, we were set to rent our cute three-bedroom home right down the street from fraternity row.

That's where I met Neo. Neo's different from the few guys I've dated. Super preppy and all about sports, but he has a kindness towards me that drew me to him. Plus, the fact that he hasn't complained too much about us not having sex yet is nice.

I am eighteen and I know it's a normal thing to do but I have always wanted to wait until I found the right guy, I think tonight is the night though. I mean, why wait any longer?

I was lost in my thoughts as Rosalie rambled on about a new guy she met the other night and I glanced up and realized we were pulling into our driveway. That always freaks me out, when you drive without even thinking and you don't even realize how you got to your destination.

As I put my car in park, I had to take a double look at the glossy black car next to mine on the left side of our narrow driveway; it must be vintage. It looks pretty cool.

"Guess he got here early." She shrugs but I see a smile taking over her face.

"Are you two close? Why is he coming here?" I ask curiously.

"Hunter is his own thing, we are as close as he will let me be. You'll see what I'm talking about. He's coming here because he doesn't want to go home."

"Why? I love your mom! She was so funny that time she came to visit and brought us both fuzzy pajamas and made us have a full-on girls night, like a middle school throwback. Braided hair and all!" I laugh at the memory.

She looks at me uneasily. "Look, don't say anything because it's a sore subject but that's not his mom. He lived with our dad, sort of. If you can even call him a dad." She says sadly. "One day he just left and never came back. Hunter's been at university for four years. He hasn't been back home since; he's looking for his own place so he's staying here until then. Shouldn't be more than a couple of weeks." She shrugs.

"Your dad!? The asshole that left you?" I say astonished.

"Yeah, Hunter and I are half-siblings. I don't really want to get into all of that. Just please don't bring it up." She smiles at me as we step out of the car. "Yeah, of course, I wouldn't." I smile at her reassuringly.

My thoughts go toward the little things I know about her dad. He left her at a young age and isn't involved in her life at all. I just assumed she and Hunter were full siblings. She doesn't talk too much about her childhood.

I put my key through the lock and step inside. I walk towards the kitchen to grab a drink. My feet are moving towards the fridge and that's when I see him leaned against the counter with his elbows on the bar top. I can't help but stare for a moment as I take in the thin material of his t-shirt that shows the dark tattooed skin underneath.

He looks up at me and his green eyes pierce into mine, I begin to blush, but I can't pull my eyes away. A cough interrupts my thoughts and I look over to see rosy looking in between us.

I would assume they would hug because he's been gone for so long, but she just waves at him.

"Hey, Hunter," She says with a smile.

"Hey, Ro." His voice is deep and takes up all the space in our tiny kitchen. He makes his way over to her in a few long strides. He is tall, so tall. I have to look away to keep from gawking. I don't know what is wrong with me. I shake my head to clear my mind.

I see Rosalie's eyes pan across the counter-top, my eyes follow to where they land and I see a tool-bag laid out. "What's this?" She asks Hunter and a small smile creeps up his face. Dimples.

He shrugs as he closes it up. " When I got here I used the key you left me to get inside. I went to wash my hands but the hot water didn't work so I fixed it."

Rosalie's smile is evident and so is mine. The tap on our hot water has been broken since we moved in but we've been too broke to fix it. We both thank him and his eyes pan over to me, his gaze travels up and down my body before Rosalie speaks up.

"Anyway, This is Esme." She says gesturing my way.

"Hello." He says in a velvet voice and a chill shoots through me. Maybe I'm just worked up because I know what I'm doing tonight with Neo, that has to be it. Hormones and all.

I awkwardly nod back at him. "Hey," I say with a short smile.

"I'll let you two catch up," I say before I awkwardly turn on my heels and head upstairs. It's four o clock and I am exhausted from all of the finals today. The party starts at ten and I know I can get some sleep before I need to get ready.

I open the door to my bedroom and plop down on the bed. It takes minutes of my head resting on the pillow before I slide into a dreamless sleep.

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"Esme, wake up!" I hear Rosalie say as she shakes my shoulders.

"I'm up, I'm up!" I reassure her as I stretch my arms wide. I see Hunter behind her through my sleepy eyes leaned against my door-frame with a grin.

He glances down across my body and I quickly cover up with the blanket, hiding that I'm in a tank top and boy shorts.

"Umm, let me get dressed," I say looking past Rosalie and she turns around towards her brother.

"Hunter! Get out!" She playfully yells as she stomps towards the door and closes it in his face. He laughs deeply as I hear his boots walking back down the hall.

"I'm going to jump in the shower then we can get ready!" I say full of excitement as I throw on some shorts and make my way down the hall towards the bathroom. I turn on the shower and watch as water flows out of the shower-head and I wait for it to heat up.

As I wait, I hear Rosalie and Hunter talking in the living room, it's muffled but I catch a few things.

"I'm not going to a frat party." He says seriously and I can imagine Rosalie is pouting right now.

"Fine! I just wanted to spend time with you." She huffs and I hear her walking back down the hallway with loud steps.

Steam begins to fill the room and I climb in and let the warm water cascade over my body. Relaxing a little from my nerves about tonight. I can't believe I'm going to do this, but I know Neo wants to, and I don't see why I should wait any longer.

I make sure to perfectly shave everywhere before I turn the water off. I reach towards the hook and feel nothing as I swipe across the empty wall. I climb out dripping wet and look under the sink. Great, no towels are in here.

I slightly open the door, peeking my head out but concealing the rest of my body behind it. "Rosy!" I silently scream as I look down the hall for her.

"She's in her bathroom,"Hunter says as he walks directly in front of the door. I feel my cheeks heat. I know he can't see me, but I am completely naked and dripping wet and his eyes are burning into mine as I shyly look away.

"I need a towel," I say in an almost whisper. "Why?" He says as he crosses his tattooed arms across his broad chest.

"Umm, I'm naked!" I say, stating the obvious. "I see that, well I don't see much because of the door..." He says as he takes in my embarrassed face and he rubs his large hand through his thick black hair pushing it up and out of his face.

Of course, it sits perfectly where he wants it too. I realize I'm staring again. "Hunter! What are you doing?!" I hear Rosalie walking down the hallways at a fast pace and I sigh in relief as she comes to the door.

"What's wrong?" She asks as she takes in my red cheeks. "Towel." Is all I say, and she nods turning away from me. "You, go." She demands and he laughs before throwing his hands up innocently and walks away from us.

I close the door. She returns moments later with a knock and I once again open the door slightly as I grab the fluffy white towel in my hands. I wrap it around my body and make my way to the bedroom. I hear a faint whistle and wrap the towel tighter around me as I walk into my room.

Rosalie is sitting on the floor straightening her long dirty blonde hair. "That was weird earlier, right?"

She says as she rakes a brush through her hair. "What was weird?" I look at her innocently not wanting to talk about the bathroom incident. "You two gawking at each other in the kitchen. Then the bathroom thing." She says nonchalantly and I'm mortified that it was obvious I was staring earlier.

"Umm, yeah I just.. I." She cuts me off. "Don't even worry about it, I'm used to all of my friends having a crush on him." She says as she waves her hand around with a smile on her face.

"I don't have a crush on him!" I say with red cheeks as I walk towards my closet. I take the towel off and begin rustling the water out of my hair. "Okay, whatever you say." She says with a snicker and I ignore her as I pick out what I'm wearing for tonight.

My eyes fixate on the yellow dress that Ian has mentioned looks okay on me before. I slip on the bright lacy dress, humming along as I listen to music Ashley has on in the background.

The yellow looks good against my sun-kissed skin and makes me feel a little more confident. The neckline accentuates my cleavage in a good way, not too much but just enough.

I make sure underneath my dress the matching new white lace bra and panties are neatly in order. I am confident, well to a point, about tonight. I hope it's perfect and I hope there aren't too many people at the frat house.

"Why didn't you just tell him you're coming?" Rosalie asks as she fans mascara over her already long lashes.

"I want tonight to be special." I say "Is that why you put on that matching bra and panties set?" She says with a sly smile.

"Don't make me more nervous." I blush. "Wait! You don't mean. Oh my God, Esme!" you're going to sleep with him, aren't you?" She dramatically lays down on the floor as I nod. "I think it's time." I shrug but I can't help the smile that creeps up my face. "Come here! Sit down and let me do your make up!" She demands and I sit in front of her with an awkward smile.

I pull out my phone to see what he's up to as she rummages through her bag pulling out everything. I scroll to Neo's name and start to get nervous. He hates surprises, I hope he isn't mad about me coming over unannounced

'Hey, babe! What are you up to?' I send.

I double-check my make up in the mirror when I hear my text alarm sound and I practically lunge for it.

'Hey. Not much, just enjoying having a break from school now.'

I go to reply but I don't know what to say as I begin to question if I should go, I mean I've missed him, but I don't want to bug him if he's relaxing... Honestly, there's a party. We both deserve to have fun together and I'm sure he will be happy about tonight. I tell myself over and over in my head, It's just sex.

After a while Rosalie announces she is done, she took out all the stops and curled my hair with a large wand.

I stand to take a look in the full-length mirror. I smooth my dress down and look at my face. She is so talented with make-up; I look much better than I did earlier. My dark wavy hair is cascading down my shoulders and my face looks sun-kissed and bronze.

I look at my usual boring hazel eyes and see that the smokey black that's around them makes them look better, deeper, and more full of life. I blush at the sight of myself, but I can't see it under the rosy color Rosalie put on my cheeks.

"Thank you," I say to her as I grip the bottom of my yellow dress and sway back and forth like a giddy schoolgirl. "Em, you look Hot!" She says and I blush, again for what feels like the hundredth time today.

"Okay, can we go? I'm nervous I just want to get there," I say as I throw on a pair of white wedges. She nods and we both make our way down the narrow hall giggling.

I almost forgot we had a guest but it's hard to forget Hunter. I've learned in a short period of time that he takes all the attention in a room.

I watch as he sits on the couch, a well worn out book in his hands. I watch as he creases a corner and slowly closes it as he looks over at us. His gaze travels to my eyes and down my body. I turn to look towards Rosalie who is messing with her skirt.

As I look back towards Hunter I see his lips are slightly parted. "Hey, Ro. Can I go to that party?"

He says with a nice tone. She glares at him for a moment but turns down towards the kitchen to grab her purse.

"I thought you didn't want to go to a college party since you graduated all of five minutes ago and are too cool now." She says sarcastically, her voice fades from the distance.

His eyes rake up and down my body once more before his gaze meets mine. "I changed my mind."

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