Off Limits 18+

Chapter 1

Scarlet

I walk inside and slam the front door shut behind me. Before I even ask, I silently hope that nobody's home. "Hey mom, you home?"

After the day from hell, all I wanted was to lock myself in my bedroom with a truck load of junk food, and endless tracks of sad love songs. Why was being a teenager so damn difficult?

Throwing my bag on the floor and toeing off my shoes, I headed for part two of my plan— junk food. Mom wasn't home, thank God. I wouldn't have to explain my puffy red eyes. She'd never leave me alone. My mom was such a fixer. She had all the answers.

"Shut the hell up," I said to myself, throwing my phone on the table as I continued looking for the perfect salty snack to drown my sorrows in. My phone was blowing up with messages from curious "friends".

"Whoa, Scar. Do I need to kick somebody's ass?" Chase smiled the sexiest of all smiles while he took a seat at the table.

"Not in the mood, Chase." I glared back at him.

Chase was always here, he might as well of had his own bedroom. He actually did. The guest room was unofficially his. He was best friends with my brother, Ethan and they were attached at the hip. Chase had a shitty upbringing and asshole parents so my family basically adopted him.

"I'm being serious, dipshit. What's wrong?"

Choking back tears, I grabbed my phone and slid it over to him. "My boyfriend broke up with me and decided that going out with my best friend was a good idea," I said. "It's all over social media now. I'm so embarrassed, Chase."

"You're sixteen, Scar. There will be other guys. Guys begging for your attention. He's a douche. And that girl wasn't your friend. Fuck her."

"That's easy for you to say, you're hot. I'm just Scarlet, the girl that everybody walks all over."

He smirked at me and I rolled my eyes. I guess I could never give him a compliment. "Oh stop, like you don't know you look good."

As he continued to smile, he shrugged. "So I've been told."

I smack his arm and laugh. He's unbelievable. So sure of himself. Confident. All of the things I wish I were. I've had a crush on him since middle school. He's tall and has killer eyes.

We both stopped laughing and there was a moment where we made eye contact. My heart picked up speed and my stomach felt like butterflies were racing each other. Is that a thing? Of course it's not.

As if sensing what I was feeling, he cleared his throat and looked away before talking again. "So, why did he break up with you anyway?"

"It doesn't matter now, but I wouldn't sleep with him and I'm assuming —"

"What the fuck, Scarlet. Are you serious? He tried to get you to have sex with him?" He stood up, so angry and headed for the door. "I'm going to beat his ass."

I jumped up. "No, stop. Chase, wait. It's fine... it doesn't matter." I grabbed his arm and pulled him back toward me. I had to calm him down. He was nineteen and could get in serious trouble. He's always had an awful temper and I could kick myself for telling him.

He cupped my face. "Scarlet, it's sure as fuck not okay. Listen to me. Don't you ever settle for some dickhead who only wants in your pants. He's not worth your time. You are beautiful, Scar. Okay?"

I was like a statue, just standing there while his hands were still on my face, straining my neck to look up to meet his eyes. His hands were so soft and it was like he was seeing me. Really seeing me. I could feel myself holding my breath as he moved closer to me.