Prologue

How did it come to this? She looked in the mirror, seeing the grimace on her reflection. Her heart torn in pieces because of what happened. Victoria, her long-time friend came to pat her own the shoulders. There were no words that needed to be exchanged. The two of them had been friends since their elementary school days. They knew what the other was thinking without having to say it. Demi leaned her head against her shoulder staring at their reflection. A decision needed to be made. It had to be made but why was it so hard when all she really wanted to do was love and be loved in return.

She thought about the two men in question, Zaine her first love. A guy that she was inherently horrible to. Even as a young teen she couldn’t recognize the signs at the time but now that she was older. She knew her way to self-love was harmful to those around her. Yet he continued to love her for all that she was. At the time she thought that made him weak. Told him as much to hurt him. She hated thinking back to all the horrible things she had done to him. Wishing and hoping to turn back time. Hurt people, hurt people. She was hurting and wanted to hurt others the way she was hurting. Except when he came back in her life, he told her just how much he loved her and wished for them to start over.

Then there was Porter. A genuinely nice guy. The kind of guy she was ready for now that she was an adult and learned to love herself the correct way. He was the safe choice. The choice that any woman would want to make if they didn’t want to be hurt and alone in the long run. Porter accepted her and all her faults but there was always the inkling that he truly couldn’t accept who she was and will continue to grow and be. Their romance seemed like a whirlwind. He was the calm to her raging storm. That’s the way the tabloids always stated it. Yet there was barely in fire raging between them.

Demi had spent the past several years of her life in the public eye. They witnessed all of her antics and hardships. When porter came on to the scene, they called them the golden couple. He was the guy that would tame the lioness. Demi went from acting out in public to being demure and reserved. She wasn’t the same person that they grew to love to hate but write about. Porter kept her from being who she was; wild, free, open, and loving. It wasn’t a bad thing per say. Just not what she thought she wanted.

It was two years into their relationship when he proposed to her. So many people were there at her birthday party. He asked her while she was surrounded by all her friends and family. The paparazzi was there to cover the extravaganza. Instead of voicing her concerns right then and there she said yes. That very next moment she felt something familiar strike. Porter had brought out her present. It was a piece of artwork. It was of her as a teen. The detailing was perfect. He stood there proudly as the person holding the piece lowered it. That was then when she realized why she felt something familiar. It was Zaine. She looked to Victoria who knew everything, only she just gave her a huge smile.

Zaine knew immediately who the gift was for. He put in all of his hard work to make something she would be proud to hang anywhere in her room. What he didn’t know was that just minutes before she had been proposed to, until he seen the sparkle from her left hand. Something in him roared to life. Something he thought had died within him long ago. The two of them looked at each other and could feel it. The same thing that happened when they were kids. A metaphorical lightening struck the two of them in their heart. Years of not seeing each other. Not knowing how the other was truly doing. Having no contact except through the others family. It all melted away.

Demi could feel her heart racing. It had been the first time in a long time that she felt that way. Zaine was her first love but just because they he was first didn’t mean he would always hold her heart. She turned away to look at Porter. Giving him a smile. She walked over to him and hugged him. Thanking him for what he had given her. She tried to excuse herself, walk to the bathroom to get a grip on her rapidly beating heart. Normally, Victoria would be the one to follow her. Demi felt the presence behind her. When she reached the bathroom, her arm was grabbed and she was forcibly turned around. It wasn’t Victoria or Porter that grabbed her. It was Zaine. He loomed over her petite frame. Only saying two words to her that called everything in her world into question. “Marry Me.”

Porter had come to find her seeing she was with the artist he didn’t think anything of it, until he himself heard those words uttered by the man. Anger flashed in his eyes. He wanted to know more but could only ask when the two of them were alone. Demi pulled away from Zaine and slipped into the bathroom. She stayed there for so long that Victoria had came to find her. There she spotted her friend looking in the mirror with a grimace on her face. There were no words that need to be said. Victoria always knew what was going on inside her head. She may have appeared happy with Porter But even she could feel the electricity crackling between Zaine and her. He may be her first and only love but she would throw it all away to be the girl others wanted her to be. If only they could go back in time to change the past.