Chapter 1

LIKE A GHOST

March 29, 2009

LUCILLE

I read somewhere that when it comes to love, you will never forget your first four people. Your first crush, first love, first sexual partner and first heartbreaker. 

Nathan  Sander was all of my "first". My four in one. For six solid years he was my world.

The cold air burned my cheeks as I hurried through the empty hospital parking lot. It was already 7 am but the sky was still gray and dull. I couldn't believe it was my first day as a laboratory scientist in the city's number one hospital. 

I was finally in New York City and it seemed anything was possible. I felt great. For the first time in months, I woke up and did not feel like crying my eyes out. Last night, I swore to myself I would stop self-pitying, place all negative thoughts in a box, put a big lock on it and shove it so deep in my brain I could never find it again. Nathan and his Hollywood fame were dead to me. But then like the devil himself, I heard him. 

"Hi, Lulu." Said a voice that I knew too well. A voice which up until three months ago, used to wake me up. 

He was leaning against a lamp post. Damn. He looked great even though his eyes were red and puffy. My heart, to my surprise, didn't ache as much as I thought it would if I ever saw him again. 

"Lu. Let's talk. Please?" he shouted when I continued to walk, pretending not to have seen or heard him. It wasn't hard to do considering everything he had done. My blood boiled and my heart constricted with anger as the bad memory flashed before my mind. I bent my head and walked as fast as I could. 

I stopped on my tracks when he jumped from out of nowhere, his arms extending into a barricade.

"WHAT?!" I said, my whole body shook. Fear of breaking down right then and there engulfed my mind because if I was really honest, a part of me still really loved him. 

"Please, Lu. Don't be mad anymore. I came all the way here to find you. I've been waiting here for an hour just to talk to -" 

"What do you want, Nate?" I shouted, my tears started to fall. He put his hand up to wipe them away but I slapped his face. 

"I hate you! I can't forgive you. Just fuck off, Nate! I'm trying to move on." I looked into his eyes and was surprised to see how much my words caused him sadness. It broke my heart even more. 

"Please, Lu. It was all fake. None of that was real. It was a publicity stunt. You're the one I love, Lulu. Believe me. Please. Please." Nathan’s tears started falling. This was the second time I've ever seen him cry. The first time was when his dad died when we were fourteen. 

"I can't forgive you. It's not gonna work, Nate. Besides, our dreams are so different. Just let---" 

I felt his forceful lips on mine. For a brief moment I wanted to kiss him back. But then I remembered what he did and I pushed him away. 

He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. "Stop it! Please! Let me go, Nate," I tried to get his hands off me but he was strong and determined.  "No. You're mine Lucille. Mine!" He tried to kiss me again. I closed my eyes for an instant, mustering the courage to kick his balls but the next thing I knew my arms were free and Nathan was on the ground. Blood dripped from his lips. 

"The lady said No!" said a firm angry voice. I looked to see the man standing over Nate. 

"Are you okay?" he asked me, but before I could answer, Nate was up and his fist was aiming for the man's jaw. The man swerved at the last moment. Nate lost his balance and fell on the ground again.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Nate got back up. His arms  were in front of him like a boxer waiting for the bell to “ding”. 

The stranger looked Nathan direct in the eyes and spoke calmly, "I don't want to hurt you. Well, I did hurt you, but only because you were harrassing the woman." He looked at me with a troubled smile. 

"Get out of here, Nate!" I felt my blood boil.  "We're through. Don't you dare ever come near me again!" I wiped my falling tears with the back of my hand. Nate looked at me and then to the man witnessing the end of our love story and for a second, it looked like he was going to try and hit him again. 

"Fine! You're gonna regret this, Lucille!" He walked away towards his Jaguar. 

"Are you okay?" the man said as he approached me. In the corner of my eyes, I saw Nate drive away and my chest tightened again. I wiped my eyes and cheeks with the back of my hands. 

"Here." He offered me his handkerchief and I took it, wondering why I never had one when I needed it. "Thank you for helping. But you owe me." I said looking him straight in the eyes. 

"Excuse  me?" His eyes widened. "Why the hell do I owe you? I just saved you!" The man said, his eyebrows meeting in the middle and I tried my best to hide my amusement.

"Well I was about to kick the hell out of his balls but you robbed me of that." I smiled to emphasise to him that I was just joking. Well, sort of joking. 

"Oh, yeah right, Miss karate master. Well next time I'd like to see that," We both laughed. 

"I'm Boo." He said, offering to shake his hand.

"Like a ghost?" I smiled and shook it.

"Yeah, like a ghost." He chuckled, giving me what looked like a business card.

I couldn't help but stare at his handsome face. Perfect jaw line with really kissable lips. And his tantalizing eyes looked at me like I was worth all the time in the world. He was wearing an expensive looking suit and even more expensive looking shoes. Must be a business man.

“That’s for when you decide to return my handkerchief.” he said taking me out of my oogling.

"Oh yeah. Sorry. I’ll wash it first and have it delivered to your address here.” I tapped the card he gave me. The card read: Beuford Randolph Ellison III. CEO Chrysos Incorporated.

He laughed and shook his head. "You know I was just kidding, right?" 

“Right, thanks again, Boo. I owe you one," I smiled. “Well, I have to go to work now. Thanks again.”

"Yeah. No problem, Lucille,” He said smiling at me, while fixing his coat. I walked away feeling confused. My heart was both aching for Nathan and crushing at at Boo's panty droping hotness at the same time. What is wrong with me?

A few steps away later, he shouted. “Oh hey! Lucille!”

“Yes?” I looked back too quickly and mentally slapped myself. Boo was already in the middle of the empty street. 

He used his hands as megaphones. “I was just kidding about that next time. Don’t ever see that psycho again. Okay?”

“I Promise.” I shouted. I shook my right hand's pinky up in the air and waved goodbye to him. I couldn't believe I was smiling and I felt a tinge of happiness after everything that had just happened between Nate and me. 

I put his business card inside a pocket in my bag. Something told me I would definitely see him again and it made me feel somewhat hopeful and safe.