Page 96 of All My Firsts

I stared deep into his eyes, deep into his soul. “Of course, Xander. There’s no one else for me.” I leaned in and kissed him gently. The kiss was short, though. He pulled away, and I whined when he did. He sat up and reached over to the side of his bed, revealing a small, black velvet box. My eyes got wide.

“It’s not what you think. Well, not exactly. I hope you don’t think this is corny.” He proceeded to open the box and present it to me. “This is a ring of promise – and it’s yours, if you’ll wear it.”

My breathing hitched as I looked in the box. Inside I saw a ring, a silver heart with a diamond in one curve. I peered up at him with tears in my eyes as he continued.

“I am incomplete without you, birdie. You need to understand this is a lifetime commitment for me, if you’ll have me.” Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke. “I know we’re young, and this is quick. Kinda why it’s not a bigger diamond.” His shy chuckle conveyed just how nervous he was. And I was waiting too longto respond.

I wasn’t sure he was ready to catch me when I leapt into his arms, straddling himon the bed.

But he caught me.

Like he always said he would.

Get ready for the story of Becca and Ty coming in November 2023

Chapter 1

Becca

I was done taking his shit, so we broke up. Let me rephrase that:Ibroke up withhim. Saying “we” broke up makes it sound consensual, like we both wanted it or that we decided it was the right thing to do. It was neither of those things. I was just sick of his shit, so ithad to end.

But with school starting up, I faced having to see him again.

For thefirst time.

And I decided I was going to make animpression.

“Oh darlin’, this is going to look gorgeous. All your friends are going to be so jealous! Now you send them all my way when they are, sweetie, ya hear?”

What I really needed her to do was shut up and finish the dye job so I could get the hell out of here. I was second-guessing doing this more the longer I sat in this godforsaken chair. I loved my long, dark hair, and so did Ty. But wasn’t that why I was doing it?

“These caramel highlights really make your green eyes pop, and with that tan you have, my God, you are one hot potato! Lula, come look at her!”

Oh, Jesus Christ, I was never getting out of there!

“Thanks so much, Ellen Jean, but I really need to get going. Big party to get to, and so many people will have time to see the new me! Thanks so much!” Turning around, I looked in the mirror, and immediately tears sprung into my eyes. Ellen Jean came right to my side, her bony arms going around my shoulders.

“Oh, honey, what’s wrong? Dontcha like it?”

That wasn’t the problem. I actually loved it. What I didn’t like was the feeling that I needed to change myself to get Ty’s attention. And why did I want his attention, anyway? I brokeup with him.

“I actually love it, Ellen Jean. Thank you so much!” I turned and hugged her. She hugged me back with a fierceness I didn’t expect from those stick arms. “I’m sure all my friends will line up bynext week.”

“Now, remember,” she said as she held me by my arms, “you’ll need some maintenance on those roots in about five weeks or so, so I’ll see you soon, sweetie.” The bills barely made it in her hands before I ran out the door.

I raced to my car so I could make it back to our townhouse before Lanie, my roommate, got there. We were living together again this year, and I was hopeful our second year here at college would go better than our first. Xander and her were driving down from NOVA together. She stayed with him all summer, since her parents moved overseas last spring. Lanie and Xander went through so much last semester because of her sick ex-boyfriend back in Texas, who was now thankfully in jail. His family was mob related, and he was such a douchebag. He abused Lanie, like, really badly, sexually, mentally, in ways I didn’t even like to think about. It took most of last year for her to open up to us about it. And thank God she found Xander. He was her saving grace. He saved her, literally and figuratively, I guess. But I played a big role, too. I stuck by her all year. I’m good like that. A good friend.That’s me.

So I was racing to our new home together to be agood friend.

But I felt like a terrible friend.

The worst.

It would be the first time I was seeing her since last semester.

And that made me a terrible friend.

I raced into the apartment but came to a screeching halt when there were two other bodies inside I didn’trecognize.

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