Chapter 1

Candace 

“Candy, I swear if you're not ready this time, I'm going to ske-” My roommate and friend, Bridgette lost her train of thought when she saw me walk through the curtain in her old sequin dress that hugged every inch of my body.

Her mouth fell open, her eyes going wide as saucers as they scanned up and down my body.

An agonising thirty seconds crawled by where she just gaped at me and of course, it started to get to me.

I shifted uncomfortably on the balls of my feet, tugging down the gem of my dress as all my insecurity came to play. 

“It's ugly, isn't it?” I blurted out, biting down on my lower lip. “Damn, I knew I should have gone with the sundress. Hold on, let me just quickly change-”

I turned around, intent on doing that but Bridge didn't let me move an inch, instantly jumping to block my path.

“Oh, hell no!” She bursts out, smiling widely. “You're not changing anything! Girl, have you seen yourself in the mirror? You look so damn hot!!”

Years of insecurity and low self-esteem came bubbling up to the surface. “Really?” I whispered, peeking up at Bridge with a sliver of hope.

“Hell, yes! Sweetheart, if I had that kind of body, I'd probably be walking around naked!” She teased, making me laugh as she dragged me to the floor length.

There, for the first time, I saw a different view of myself and I had to admit… I looked good.

Not hot, compared to Bridge who had a good sense of fashion, a killer shape, coupled with a healthy load of confidence.

My self confidence was pummeled when I was growing most due to my weight issues which never really went away while I was growing up. I wasn't as skinny as most girls in my class plus the constant degrading words from my Mom… well, it's a wonder I turned out so nice.

“Come on!” The bridge snapped, pulling me out of my trance. “As much as I love looking at my reflection in the mirror, we have to get going or Mark will flay me alive!”

She dramatically stomped around our studio apartment, throwing things into her purse while I stood there, trying my best not to freak out.

Sure, I could muster a bit of confidence in my room, under Bridgette's eyes but out there… It's a whole different ballgame.

Bridge, always the observant friend, noticed my trepidation and jumped in, holding a white bottle.

  

She poured it out into a shot glass and handed it to me. “Don't look at it or smell it…” she warned me just as I was about to do so. “Just drink, it'll help with the nerves.”

Her voice was commanding and authoritative, which I latched on to and did as she ordered, downing the entire glass in one gulp. The bitter tangy aftertaste made me shudder from shock yet the sweet buzz that followed soon after made me giggle.

“Hmm! Gimme another!” I grinned, shoving the glass towards Bridge who poured another.

That was how I kept going until our ride dropped us off at the frat house where this party was being hosted.

“There's my baby!!” Mark, Bridge’s boyfriend who happens to be the head of the frat house and a hot jocks swung her up into his arms and kissed her.

Normally, I would have looked away but I had five shots of whiskey in my belly, making me smile sheepishly.

He pulled away and invited us inside. As soon as we stepped through the threshold, Bridge slipped her fingers into my mind and pulled me along, aware of my tendency to disappear in the midst of a crowd. 

We got to the ‘popular kids table’ as I like to call them and Bridge instantly noticed that the drinks had been exhausted.

Her head snapped up and I could tell that she was about to go refill it so I stepped in, liquid courage burning across my veins.

“I'll get it!” I beamed, snatching up the tray before she could react, spinning around to head to the makeshift bar.

As I did so, I held my head up high which was unusual as I tried to avoid being seen.

“I'll need 5 margaritas, 3 pina coladas, 2 bloody Marys, and four tequila shots.” I rattled off to the bartender, resting my arm on the counter. The act unconsciously made my cleavage pop, drawing the bartender's eyes towards that direction.

Surprisingly enough, his face was quite familiar and then I remembered that he was a senior that finished a few years ago, whom I had a massive crush on. Even more shocking was that he remembered me.

“Candace?” Brett, the hot senior with the tatted arms called out, squinting at me. 

I gasped in fake shock. “You're Br…Brett, right? What year?”

“2021.” He grinned, showcasing dimple cheeks. “ I'm actually surprised you remember. You've grown a lot in two years…” He dragged his eyes up and down my body, suggestively raising his eyebrows.

If it was the alcohol buzzing through my body but I felt confident enough to flirt right back. “You'll be surprised at how much someone can change in such a short while.”

“Hmm…” he winked at me, his muscles bulging as he made the drinks. “Here you go…”

He pushed the drinks towards me, all lined up in a tray.

I made to reach for the drinks but he stopped me with a light touch on my arm. “Hey… do you uh, maybe wanna hang out later?”

I zoned out for a second, my brain trying to process the fact that he was asking me out. “Sure!”

Feeling excited and giddy from the fact that my former crush just asked me out, I grabbed the tray and spun around in a circle but my movements were way too fast because I crashed into an approaching man, some of the drinks spilling over the top and staining his pristine white shirt.

“Hey, watch it!” He cursed under his breath, brushing past me.

I opened my mouth to apologize but before I could do so, he had walked away, stalking angrily towards the doors.

Feeling bad, I took one last glance over my shoulder and headed back to the table but Bridge and some other familiar faces had disappeared.

I wasn't so familiar with the people at the table and I got uncomfortable with the way they were leering at my chest so I muttered an excuse and dashed out the door.

The fresh burst of evening air tickled my bare arms once I stepped out of the building, goosebumps popping up on my arms.

Moonlight illuminated the trees, the little dog house in the corner, and…

A shirtless man with his back to me, his head thrown back as he inhaled deeply, smoke bubbling up in the air.

His stance looked angry and defiant and I should probably have taken that as my cue to leave but I couldn't help but move closer… as though drawn to him by a magnet.

“Um, hello?” I called out, my tiny voice floating through the air.

His head snapped around and his lashes lifted so he could look at me.

My breath caught in my throat, both from his handsome appearance and from recognition.

He was the guy I spilled my drinks on earlier!