Chapter 1

I checked my email for the umpteenth time today, still no letter of admission from LSU even though I sent my letter weeks ago. I'm honestly starting to think I won't get in and that freaks me

out. I'm just fresh out of high school but I'm tired of sitting at home.

Anyway, I try not to let the thought of getting rejected cross my mind. I hear the doorbell and think it must be one of 2 people; my best friend Madelyn or the pizza guy. I go to the door and meet Madelyn grinning at me with a bag in her hand, I raise my brow at her and she pushes past me into the house. I turn to her, mildly intrigued by her excitement so excited about and she goes on to tell me about a party that we're apparently attending.

"I'm not going to that" , I answer, going over to my bed, "I have nothing to wear" .

"That's why I brought these", she says holding up the bag. I knew it, I thought to myself.

Madelyn brings out the clothes from the bag and I can't help but admire them, they did look pretty dope.

"They're so beautiful, its getting me pumped for the party."

I grab the pair of clothes that are supposed to be mine and try them on, its a cream off-the-shoulder crop top and dark blue ripped denim jeans. It looks so gorgeous.

Madelyns' is a black top with cris-cross neckline and faded denims. We take in our appearance in the mirror and Maddy dramatically fans her face. I know she got herself new clothes because she's had a crush on Trevor since forever, still don't know why she bought any for me, she probably assumed I'll make an excuse with not having what to wear, and she was right.

We got to the party a little early because Maddy wanted to hang out with Trevor before the party starts. That gave me enough time to do nothing but stare and walk round the house. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a beautiful human, his back was turned to me but the outline of his body was breath taking and more of that breath was taken when he turned around. He had dirty blonde hair, chiseled nose and beautiful pink lips and I think I was staring too long because when I snapped out of my daze his blue eyes were directly looking into mine with a confused look I found absolutely adorable.

"Can I help you, are you lost?" He asked, oh God his voice was beautiful too.

"Hello! He said again, trying to get my attention.

"Uh, yes uh, no", I answered clearly flustered. He chuckled lightly and walked past me to a couch and asked me to sit.

"I'm actually not lost, I was invited to the party", I said, finally finding my voice.

"Oh, okay, well you're a bit early we were just setting up speakers. Are you alone?" He asked.

"Nah, my friend is upstairs probably sucking Trevors face off", I answer rolling my eyes. He chuckled; I think I'm beginning to like the sound of that.

"I guess you're stuck with me then, he says, I'm Noah by the way, Trevors cousin"

"I'm Stephanie, but you can call me Steph though,..or Stephanie too or uhm what..whatever, I rambled, flushing again. Since when did I become a rambling mess?. His laugh jolted me out of my inner berating.

"It's okay, I'll call you Steph or whatever," He said chuckling and I blushed, rolling my eyes.

"I better get back to setting up, see you later Steph", and with that he left me to my thoughts and oh were they dirty.

The house was soon packed and Noah was no where to be found, Maddy has come back downstairs and as expected her lip-gloss was cleaned off her lips. She'd been babbling her experience upstairs to me for the past 30 minutes but my mind was somewhere else, I' ve been

eye-searching Noah for over 20 minutes and couldn' t find him, I hope he hasn' t left though.

" Earth to Steph, hellooo!!" Maddy said waving her hands in my face.

" Ohh, I' m sorry, was lost in thought, what were you saying again" , I mumbled out, still searching for Noah.

" I was talking about what happened upstairs, who are you looking for? Your eyes have been roaming for the past 20 minutes" , she said as she eyed me suspiciously.

"Uhmmm, no one, I mean nothing…I' m searching for nothing."

" Okayyy, anyways, I heard that Trevor' s cousin is in town, he' s probably here too...I also heard he' s one of the finest boys in town, finer than Trevor even" , she said wriggling her brows as she looked round the house. I blushed immediately and earned a suspicious look from

Maddy.

" What is it? She gasped from realization as I blushed further " OMG have you met him already, is he the one you' ve been searching for?"

" No...Yes…I don' t know, we only just met a few minutes ago" , I said looking at the carpeted floor.

" Well, not trying to be ball buster or anything but he' s not really your ideal guy, he' s just like one of these guys you crush on till the feelings die and he' s a real trouble maker, you know?"

" Well good thing I don' t have a crush on him" , I said, disappointment lacing my voice.

^^^^^^^^^

I can' t believe I couldn' t find Noah throughout the party. I feel bad that I didn't see him but after what Maddy told me, I sort of felt okay we didn' t go beyond pleasantries. I check my laptop, still no email from LSU; I shut the laptop with a grunt and go to bed.

I wake up and check my phone, as if miraculously Noah would have gotten my number…now

I' m wishing we did go past pleasantries. I walk downstairs to the smell of bacon and

coffee…yummy.

" Good morning mum" , I say as I sit on the stool and grab a plate of bacon and eggs.

" Good morning Stephie, how did you sleep?"

" Fine"

" Any news from LSU? Your dad said he talked to the dean and their new semester begins 3 months from today" , she asks, pouring herself coffee.

"Nah, I wish I applied more than one school, I' m beginning to think LSU doesn' t want me. C' mon it' s been 2 weeks" , I say and sigh, suddenly smiling as Noah' s face flashes by.