Chapter 1 – Fresh start

It had been a year since I was met with an accident. I was traveling to Maine, to visit my grandma, Brown. After that terrible accident in New York, I almost died. My parents became extra protective of me because I was their only child.

They were well aware of my rebellious side, which keeps them worried. My Mom thought it's enough of my irresponsibility and decided to send me to my granny.

The population of Maine was pretty less compared to New York. This place was so green and the majority of this place was covered by trees, mosses, and ferns. It was green everywhere. The air was also fresh and calming. It's a peaceful place.

My granny's home was located in an isolated place, away from the town. Her place was surrounded by forest. Every time we visit the stores it takes half an hour to reach it from my granny's home. I know it didn't sound convenient but her place was worth the trouble.

"You don't look like you belong here, are you visiting someone?" I was snapped out of my bubble by the voice of my cabbie.

"Yeah… I am visiting my grandma and I am from New York." I noticed that he was in his late twenties, with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He also had a slight French accent.

"What's your name? If you don't mind me asking,"

"No, I don't mind, my name is Catherine Brown but please call me Cathie." I politely replied to him.

"Well, Cathie, I am Ronan. We have had arrived the place. This is my card, call me if you want to visit any place here." he handed me his business card with a Polite smile.

"Yeah sure, Ronan" The cab stopped in front of an old house built with teak woods. I opened the cab door to witness the smiling face of my grandma. She rushed by my side and gave me a bone-crushing hug. For an old lady, she was stronger than me.

I gave my granny a toothy grin and kissed both her cheeks. After dropping my baggage the cab left.

"So, how have you been sweetheart? Look at you, all grown up and looking so pretty. Any boyfriends?" she winked at me with a cheeky grin.

My grandma, Brown was in her early eighties. She was full of fun and adventure. After my grandpa passed away five years ago, she became so heartbroken. She had no heart to leave this place which contains so much memories of Grandpa, Brown.

They both decided to settle here in their late fifties, after their retirement from responsibilities. It was a two-story house that was pretty average in size. My granny decorated the home with some antique collections. My grandparents met at NYU as freshmen, since then, they were inseparable.

"I'm fine granny and I don't have a boyfriend. Not anytime soon," I winked at her playfully.

I would like to enjoy my life but it didn't mean that you need a boyfriend to enjoy yourself. At the same time, it didn't mean that I'm innocent. I had a fair amount of kisses but nothing serious.

It was just I didn't lose my virginity yet and it's not like I'm saving it for someone special.

Everything happens when it was supposed to happen.

I'm just, going with the flow sort of person. I never had plans and not planning to have plans. Because when I plan something it never happens, since then I was going with the flow kind of girl.

"Oh come on! Don't give me that bullshit; I had a fair amount of men in my life before meeting your grandpa. Live a little, Cathie, what are you? Twenty-two?" my grandma had no filter. She was wild in her teens until she met my grandpa and the rest is history.

"No, I'm twenty, and stop cussing granny. It's not good for your age besides you know that dad will be mad if he knows about your cussing habit." I warned her for which she raised her silver eyebrow at me.

Though my dad was not her biological son, my granny always loved him to the moon. He was the only person she listens to other than my grandpa.

She also had a daughter named Emily, whom I never met for the past seven years. I heard that she lives in Rhode Island with Uncle William, Natalia, and Blake. Natalia and Blake were the daughter and son of Aunt Emily and Uncle William, who were three and five years elder than me.

My grandpa and grandma never had a child together. My dad and Aunt, Emily were not biological siblings.

"Your dad is of no fun. Come on, honey, it's getting cold out here. Let's get you in." I carried my baggage inside the home with my granny beside me.

The home gave a cozy and welcoming feel. We both entered my bedroom upstairs with blue walls and white furniture, the room was well decorated with a queen-sized bed in the middle.

"Do you like your room, sweetie? You are going to stay here for the rest of this year and I know you'll miss New York but according to the doctors you need some fresh air and change of environment." My granny told me. My lungs were heavily damaged due to my accident. It took me nearly eight months to discharge from the hospital.

It was the most dreadful day of my life. I hate the food and the smell there. I couldn't lift heavy weight or involve in physical work and I was not completely recovered from that accident. So my parents thought it would be great for me to spend a year with my granny.

Due to my stay here, I shifted my studies from NYU to the University of Maine, a forty-five minutes drive from my granny's home. I'm an English major, who spends most of my time reading and falling in love with fictional characters.

"Yeah, I know granny. It takes some time for me to adapt to this place and the room is beautiful, thank you." We both were interrupted by the sound of her doorbell.

We walked downstairs to get to the door.

I opened the door to witness a tall guy of about six foot two with jet black hair and green eyes. He had a well-built muscular body. After seeing me, his face lit up and in an instance, I was embraced in a bone-crushing hug.

"Yeah, yeah, I missed you too, Paul Harington. Stop choking me." He chuckled at me and ruffled my brown hair without faltering his big, goofy smile.

"Save me some hug, will you?" I turned to the voice, to witness a green-eyed blond with a slim body.

"Rachel, what are you doing here?" Paul and Rachel were my childhood best friends. We used to play together whenever I visit Maine. Their parents were close to my family.

"Nice to meet you too, Cathie." she rolled her eyes for my blunt response, still not faltering her grin.

"We heard from your granny that you are staying here for a year, so we thought of surprising you."

"SURPRISE!" They both yelled in unison with full of enthusiasm and hugged me.

"Please come in, it's getting cold out here." I closed the front door after ushering them in. We all moved to the living room filled with the aroma of granny's cookies.

She was comfortably seated on her armchair with a lazy grin on her face. I could tell that they all planned this together.

"I'm famished, let me have some cookies and make some way shorties." Paul shooed us away to make his way to the coffee table.

"We are not short, you dumbass!" we both smacked his head and made our way near granny.

"Owe! Don't need to be violent." He nursed his head as if, we really hit his head with force. It was just a light smack.

"And sure you are not!" Paul raised both his hands in mock surrender.

"Granny you are a life savior, these cookies are the best." Paul kissed granny's cheek and kept on munching his cookies.

"So what are you up to young man," Granny raised her silver eyebrows at Paul, who was ravishing his plate. I was wondering how he maintains this muscular physic, despite taking this much sugar.

But, to whom I to complain, her cookies were the best in this entire world.

"Granny, we are going to a nightclub, so we both thought of taking Cathie with us." oh my god, this was the best news I had ever heard in these past few months.

"Oh my god, really Paul, you are such an angel. Please, granny, it's just one night, I'll return before it's twelve." My granny pursed her lips in a thin line and narrowed her eyes on me.

She scrutinized her gaze on me searching for any rebellious ideas. When she couldn't find any, she nodded her head. My smile grew so big like it's even possible.