18 ways to die

Prologue

I run my fingers through my hair and sit down at the bar with a long sigh, making eye contact with the bartender. He smiles briefly, and I nod up chin up at him. 

"Long day?" A guy about my age, maybe a little older, asks.

"Just a day in general," I say dryly, giving him a thin-lipped smile out of politeness that I don't feel much like faking, but try anyway.

"Yeah." He drags out the word knowingly.

Out of habit, not actual interest, I ask him the question back. "And your day?"

"Well." He lets out a sigh. "It... It was long." He rolls his blue eyes.

I nod and turn back to the bartender, hoping the exchange is finally over, then order my drink.

"ID please," The bartender says.

I slide it across the counter and tap my fingers against the varnished wooden countertop.

"Asia, huh?" The boy smiles, leaning forward to peer at my license photo. 

"That's my name." I tilt my head to look at him again, my brown hair falling against the side of my face. 

"It's a cool name."

"Thanks," I reply halfheartedly. I've spent an entire lifetime, eighteen years, hearing that same compliment. "What's yours?"

"Jace."

"Nice to meet you." I take my ID back from the bartender while he pours my drink for me.

"I'll pay." He offers as I'm handed my drink.

"Oh you don't have—" I begin

"It's fine. I got a lot of money as of today, why not use it? I do of course want one thing in return." He gives me a genuine smile this time.

Oh no, nuh uh, not today Satan.

"Tell me your life story, Asia."

"My life story?" I scoff. "Nothing interesting."

Jace hands the money over for my drink and raises an eyebrow. "Oh, there must be something. What about, what's your opinion on the meaning of life?"

If this guy really wants to know about me, I might as well lay it on him. See how much he wants to stay and chat after that.

"Life? Life is crap," I say, taking a drink. "Absolute crap."

"Come on now, there's gotta be something in your life you live for!"

"Honestly? No. I don't care if I live or die. I just wish there was something to make the choice for me." I stare at him, waiting for him to backtrack or say he 'has somewhere he needs to be'.

"Well why not do exactly that?" He shrugs.

Exactly what?

"What? Let someone else decide if I should live or die?" I laugh at him. "No one signs up for that decision."

Suddenly I'm interested in who this guy is. I take a better look at him, finally paying attention to the fact that he's in a black suit and tie. A bit too formal to the place we're currently in. He looks like the best man in a wedding or a mourner at a funeral. 

"My parents are both dead," Jace says. "My mother died when I was young, my father died four days ago. His funeral was today, and he left everything to me."

There we go.

"I'm sorry," I say, trying to sound as empathetic as possible. 

"Yeah well." He shakes his head at me. "Anyway, I have a lot of money and nothing but beautiful, messed up girls in bars to spend it on. Let's go let probability choose."

"Are you insane? You don't even know me!" I stare at him, slack jawed. Is this a line that actually works for him?

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen." I shake my head in amazement. Who even is this guy?

"Me and you, around the world. We do eighteen things that could kill us, and if they do, so be it."

"And if they don't?" I raise both my eyebrows.

"Then the choice has been made, hasn't it?"

* * *

I am SO excited about this book idea guys, like you have no idea haha. Because Infinite is almost over *cries because I'll miss writing it* This book and an upcoming one called Why We Sank will be my main focus books!

This is also my first shot at a romance so don't hate me if it sucks! You all know SciFi is my thing XD

Oh! Forgot to mention, the cover was made by the AMAZING MulanJiang!