CHAPTER ONE

ELLA'S POV

"Ella,"

"Wake up sweetheart." I could hear my mom's voice pierce through my cozy cocoon of sleep like an annoying alarm clock.

I groaned, burying my face deeper into my pillow. Monday mornings are the worst especially when they mark the beginning of senior year. Who needs seniorities when you can have a few extra minutes of sweet, sweet slumber.

My mom's footsteps drew nearer and the floor creaked slightly as she swung my room door open.

"Seriously, Ella! Don't make me pull out the big guns. It's the first day of senior year and you don't want to get scolded for being late."

I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed and gave my mom a halfhearted glare. "Fine, fine. But no big guns, please. I'm not emotionally prepared for that on a Monday morning."

But of course, my mom had that mischievous smile plastered on her face, and I knew instantly that she was up to something.

"Oh Ella, you asked for this"

Ugh, not today mum! She placed her hands on her hips and began swaying then side by side. She bursted out some moves, I'm talking the kind of moves that would make a cat reconsider its life choices.

"What on earth are yopu doing?" I blinked at her, unsure if I should be amused or horrified. Her legs shuffled awkwardly and her legs were on the verge of colliding with each other, she quickly used the table to support herself.

"Mom, you're officially insane."

She struck a final pose, hands on hips, and grinned from ear to ear. "Insane or brilliant? Either way, you're up, Sleepyhead!"

I shook my head in disbelief. "You know, most moms would just use an alarm clock."

"There's absolutely no fun in that. Now get your ass into that bathroom." She winked and blew an air kiss in my direction before leaving the room.

My bond with Mom is something else. She's got this knack for turning everyday stuff into a comedy show. We're not your typical parent-child duo; it's more like having a partner in crime who's also the go-to person for all the secrets I stash away.

I rolled out of my cozy bed, shrugged off my pajamas and welcomed the refreshing touch of the cool air on my skin. Grabbing a plush towel, I made my way to the bathroom ready for the morning routine.

After a satisfying bath, I reached for my toothbrush and toothpaste in the sink, tackling the whole teeth-cleaning ritual. I headed back in my room and dried off with my trusty towel.

I swung open my wardrobe and stared at it like a seasoned detective examining a crime scene. After a moment of contemplation, my eyes landed on a dark blue jeans, I pulled it out and paired it with a crisp white T shirt that screamed "effortlessly cool" or maybe just "I tried, okay?"

Gazing at myself in the mirror, I decided to apply makeup.I'm naturally stunning with these hazel eyes, but hey, a touch of makeup never hurts.

That done, I grabbed my brush from the drawer to untangle my chestnut hair. As I opened the drawer to return it, a picture unexpectedly fell down.

My heart skipped a beat as I picked up the fallen picture. It was a photo of me, my dad and my mom, taken at the park on my seventh birthday. My dad was smiling down at me, his arm wrapped around my shoulders.

I stared at the picture, my fingers tracing the outlines of my dad’s face. His smile seemed so genuine, a total opposite of what happened after.

Dad bailed when I was nine, no clue why. I kept bugging my mom countless times about it , but she never dwelled on it for long. She would just crack this joke about him searching for the world’s best coffee or some equally crazy thing.

It was her quirky way of coping, of dealing with the pain_ turning it into humor. And you know what? It kinda worked for a while, made me laugh and forget the whole deal.

But as I got older, those jokes mom made started to feel hollow. I craved the truth about why dad decided to leave us behind.

Deep down, I kmew I’d probably never get the answer, but hope’s a stubborn thing. I clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, dad would stroll back into our lives one day. He’d spill the beans, lay out his reasons and there would be a chance for him to be a part of my life again.

Slim odds, but hope doesn’t always play by the rules.

Taking a deep breath, I placed the picture back in my drawer and took a final look in the mirror.

I laced up my white sneakers, then opened my backpack and neatly placed my textbooks and notebooks. Getting everything sorted, I made my way downstairs.

Sizzling sounds greeted my ears as I entered the kitchen. Turns out mum had already whipped up a hearty breakfast for me, complete with fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon strips, and a side of golden- brown hash browns. It was a feast for the eyes and the stomach, I couldn’t wait to dig in.She glanced up as I entered.

“Finally, you are ready.” She teased, with a smirk as she plated the pancakes and bacon. “Got your favourites ready.”

“Thanks mom.”

Just as I poised my fork for an attack on the pancakes, a sudden knock on the door interrupted me.

“Bet that’s Damien, your boyfriend,” she shot me a wink. “You know all those late night texts……”

I rolled my eyes, a blush creeping up my cheeks. It was true that Damien and I had been exchanging late night texts, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. Damien and I had been dating for the past three years and our communication has been up and close.

With a twirl, she headed to the door. I could hear her muffled laughter and Damien’s familiar voice, and a smile crept at the corner of my lips. My mom has always been a fan of his and she considered him a part of our family.

Moments later, mom and Damien strolled into the kitchen, a smile graced his lips on seeing me. Damien was tall and had a lean, athletic build. His dark, tousled hair fell effortlessly over his piercing blue eyes. His chiseled jawline and perfectly sculpted cheekbones added to his overall attractiveness, making heads turn wherever he went. He was dressed in a stylish button down shirt and jeans, looking put together.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Damien whispered, leaning in to plant a kiss on my lips.

“Eww, lovebirds,” Mom covered her eyes pretending to be disgusted. “Don’t you two dare start making out in front of me. We’re civilized adults here”

Damien and I chuckled, breaking away from the kiss. We were used to Mom's teasing but it never failed to make us laugh.

Mom gestured to the table. “Why don’t you join us for breakfast, Damien? Plenty to go around.”

He glanced between me and food- laden table but immediately shook his head. “ Thanks Mrs Thompson, but I’m good. Gotta maintain this athletic figure, you know.”

I rolled my eyes at his response. Damien is a star player of our school's basketball team and he takes his role very seriously. He was always in the gym taking shots or working on his figure.

I rushed through my breakfast, threw on my backpack and gave my mom a quick peck on her cheek.

“Thanks for the amazing breakfast mom. Gotta run, or I’ll be late for class.” I said, grabbing Damien’s hand as we made our way to the door.

Outside, Damien’s sleek Lamborghini Urus gleamed in the sunlight. Damien comes from a wealthy family, completely opposite to my family modest background. Despite the gossip circulating at school, I had always shrugged off the rumors that I was with him for his money. We know what we have for each other.

Getting into the car, the engine roared to life as we pulled out of the driveway. Few minute is later, we reached the front of evergreen high.

I glanced at my wristwatch and realized there was only few minutes left before the bell. As we reached my locker, I turned to Damien. “I will see you after class?”

“Count on it, beautiful.”

He said, his voice low and husky, and stepped closer, his eyes fixed on mine. My heart raced as he reached out and gently cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs tracing gentle circles on my cheek. My breath caught in my throat as his lips met mine in a soft and prolonged kiss. He finally pulled away leaving my face flushed with a red shade of pink.

There's something about his ability to make me feel desired and special with just a single kiss that I can't get hold of.

"Pull yourself together, Ella! You have an English class to attend," I reminded myself, shaking off the lingering feeling with a mental slap.

I darted to my locker and dropped my backpack. I secured my English notebook and just as I turned to leave_____ Bam!____ someone bumped into me making me fall flat to the ground.