It was New Year’s Eve, but maybe if Amelia knew it’d be her last, she’d have gone on a vacation with her family in Dubia instead, she wouldn’t need to throw a New Year’s Eve party which was actually just a sham to have her first kiss with Ethan, what better day than the first day of the year, it meant good luck, it meant the start of something beautiful with her crush, and with the help of her best friend Anita Brown, she was going to throw the best New Year’s eve’s party in the whole of New York City.The frost covered windows of Amelia’s living room fogged up with every exhalation of laughter as she and Anita pored over party plans across the coffee table, a joint in her hand as the smoke trickled up to the ceiling, while Anita took sips of hot cocoa topped with excessive whipped cream.“I think I’ve nailed down the playlist for the dj” Anita said, clicking the pen closed and side – eyeing Amelia.“Why don’t we just let him do his thing, I’m flying him over from LA. I heard he is v
He was wearing a mask, dressed in a suit that for some reason glowed in the darkness Emily found herself. She found herself standing in a vast empty room with sleek tiles, there were no walls or ending to the emptiness in the room, just her and the strange man standing before her. He held out his hands to her, beckoning her towards him and she obeyed, taking one step after the other, in her long flowing gown, she took his hands. His palms were soft against her sweaty ones and he whispered into thin air “Dance with me”She didn’t need to respond because he was already leading her in a dance, his hands fitting in the curve of her waist as he pulled her closer to him, her body touching his. Suddenly, the lights came on, but dim lights that set a certain tone in the room, matching the ethereal music that she had no idea where they came from.“Who are you?” she whispered back, not wanting to disturb the tranquility that transcended around them.“Do you always have to be this curious?” he s
The Hatton family mansion was abuzz with the, aglow with the warm illumination from crystal sconces, their light caressing the rich mahogany panels. The table was set in the grand dining hall, where each piece of porcelain, each silver polished to reflective perfection, promised a gathering steeped in tradition.Mr. Hatton had decided to gather everyone for a long due family dinner tradition, which was merely an excuse to access their personal progress on his companies and in their personal life. Arriving first was Ethan, accompanied by Emily dressed in a light blue flowing gown that swept the floor, perfectly complimenting her bright skin, while he was dressed magnificently in a black glittering suit, together looking like the power couple they pretended to be but weren’t even close. Emily harbored a distant gaze, her mind still adrift on memories she had yet to fully grasp – of laughter, tender whispers, and a pair of warm, searching eyes belonging not to Ethan – she felt conflicted
The night held its breath when Jackson’s lips met Emily’s. Her heart quickened, a jolt igniting a spark somewhere within. The stirring of something forgotten, the edges of it just dancing out of reach. She felt the pull towards him, it was magnetic and undeniable. She hadn’t even realized when she kissed him back, allowing his tongue to roam her mouth, licking her lips and igniting her desire. His mouth moved against hers in a silent plea, a wordless incantation, beckoning her lost memories from the depths through which they were banished.Only then did it happen.A floodgate burst open inside of her, the memories began rushing in. Images flashed before her eyes, the mysterious kiss at the masked ball, and the stolen kiss here at this very garden that started it all, Jackson’s confessions exchanged beneath the canopy of stars, his drilling into hers with so much intensity, the night of the banquet dinner, his plea, the fight – the accident. She remembered it all, the clarity of everyt
*Three years ago or more*Amelia Sinclair got off her plane in Cancun, then she met the rest of the gang, Ethan and Anita at the reception of their private resort, but Jackson was missing. She looked at Ethan, “Where’s your brother” he asked and he shrugged in response typing away on his phone. It’d been about seven months since they kissed on New Years, and they had kissed many more times after that, even though he hadn’t officially asked her to be his girlfriend but she was hopeful. She was in love with him, the way he looked at her before he kissed her, his random gifts to her but yet it still felt like something was missing, and she knew exactly what. That was why she planned this trip, she was finally going to have sex with Ethan and then he’ll be her boyfriend, and everything would be right with the world or so she thoughtQuickly, she dialed Jackson’s phone “Where are you?” she yelled into the receiver “Everyone’s here, except you”“I was going to call you in a bit” she heard h
The four of them stood, staring at each other with so much intensity, the question ‘What happened to Amelia’ still hanging the air’“Amelia killed herself, that’s what happened. There’s not much to it” Anita said, something flashing in her eyes at the mention of Amelia. It was guilt, settling at the base and rocking her entire body.“We all know that, but we don’t know why and you two were the ones there with her?” Jackson said“How do you expect us to know?” Amelia retorted “She was a junkie, she thrived off drugs, her parents were going through a divorce and there were many things going through her sick head, it could – ” she wanted to go further but Ethan stopped her halfway, stepping forward to face Jackson “If you’re so curious, you could ask the police that handled her case”“I could but not when you’re spreading lies about me, so I need to hear it from you. What exactly your problem is with me?”“I don’t have a problem with you” Ethan said “I only have a problem with you messi
As much as Jackson was worried, he was equally furious, his eyes flared "Why did you drink so much?" he looked at her, trying to place her comfortably in the back seat of the car, and then he quickly drove her to his house. He helped steady her, while he helped her into the house and placed her on the couch."Why did you drink so much?" he asked her again, she stirred in her drunkenness, her voice low and her speech slurred"Everything is so confusing" she said "And I'm so tired"He saw tears form at the corner of her eyes, threatening to fall and when they did he knew she had no strength left in her that moment to fight her sadness, so he let her, his hands finding hers to show her that she wasn't alone."Why's evervthing spinning?" she asked, her eyes closed."Because vou're drunk, you should get some sleep" he stood up to sleep, but she held him in place."Don't go" she pleaded, holding his hands tightly as the world spun around her, an unfamiliar feeling of drunkenness settling i
Emily woke up the next morning, her head heavy and her mouth sour. She winced as the bright lights streaming in from the window hit her eyes, she quickly covered her head with a blanket, unwilling to get up. She needed to sleep some more, the bed was so comfortable, yet so different, then she heard a familiar voice calling her name softly"Emily, wake up" she jolted upright and immediately regretted it as a sharp pain sliced through her head and she fell back on the bed immediately, she peeked through the blanket to find Jackson standing before her, with a tray in his hands. He sat next to her on the bed, filling nose with sweet smelling coffee that her mouth watered immediately. "It's way past noon" he said, sitting on the bed next to her"What!" she sat up again but more gently this time "I slept that long?" she asked and he nodded. Then he handed her a cup of coffee "This should wake you up properly" he said and she took it from him, her eyes casted down as she was unable to look