Chapter One

I woke up to the loud shrill of my alarm clock. I didn't want to wake up, but I had no choice. With a groan, I sat up on my bed and stretched while wondering if I made the right choice in moving to New York.

Today was my first day of college and I was freaking out because I was the definition of the word 'introvert'. I always try to be invisible, quiet, and blend in with the shadows. Without Emma, my best friend, and only friend, I wouldn't have survived high school. College was going to be tough without her.

Pushing back all the negative thoughts I made my way to the bathroom and took a hot shower to calm my nerves. I got dressed quickly in a pair of skinny blue jeans and a blacktop. I comb my long, chestnut, brown hair and pull it into a high ponytail. With a little bit of mascara and lip balm, I'm ready to go. I walk downstairs to find Emma making breakfast. I was blessed to have a best friend who could cook like a pro. It smelled delicious. As I entered the kitchen my stomach growled at the aroma of fresh coffee and warm pancakes.

"Good morning Ash!" She squealed in excitement when she noticed me while placing the last pancake on a large plate along with the others.

"I wish I had your energy," I whined as I took a seat at the kitchen table and looked at her as she put a plate in front of me. She could pass for a model with the figure she had. Emma was roughly 5'7, small waist that flared out to killer thighs and a nice butt. She had a heart-shaped face with porcelain skin, big brown eyes, and long blonde straight hair. But Emma wanted to become a lawyer and was waiting to hear back from the University of Columbia on her acceptance.

We were currently staying in her grandmother's apartment which was unoccupied since she had passed away recently. Though she said I didn't have to pay rent, it didn't feel right. I insisted on paying every month and she knew better than to argue with me.

"Eat up or else we are gonna be late for your first day. God! I feel like a proud momma dropping off her kid at school." She teased.

"Stop it, Emma!" I glared at her. She paid no mind and laughed while we quickly ate and then placed our dirty dishes in the sink and headed out the door.

"Now that you're in college, you need to loosen up a bit and have a little fun, Ash." I could see the concern all over her face. I didn't want to have this talk with her again.

"I don't know Em, I'm not ready yet," I spoke quietly but I noticed her pouting from the corner of my eye.

Before we knew it, we had reached the college campus. After a mini internal pep talk that I had with myself, I was ready to get this first day over with.

"Go make momma proud, girl!" Emma shouted with her head out the window of the driver's side. I facepalmed myself as I felt my cheeks burning up and waved her goodbye.

The campus was huge, and everyone was busy chatting or running around trying to get to classes on time. I had fifteen minutes before orientation and decided to walk around and explore my surroundings. Maybe college wasn't such a bad idea. The campus had a beautiful infrastructure and I was in awe. I was so busy checking out the buildings that I didn't look where I was going, and I smacked right into a human wall.