A Year Without You

Chapter 1 Phoenix, Arizona 2003

Today was my 17th birthday and it already wasn't how I expected it to be. My father, the 2nd richest man in the world, had to be at work first thing this morning which meant I would have to walk to school.
I went to Phoenix High with my two best friends, Stephanie and Kaitlin. We were the most popular girls in school and the richest.
Skyla's  father was the CEO of the Jackson oil company. Her mother had died 2 years before from the Spanish influenza. As did my mother and Kaitlin's father. Stephanie's mother was the owner of the local hotel here in Phoenix. And my father was an inventor and owner of the local bar. He had discovered multiple new tastes to beer.
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When I got to school, Stephanie and Kaitlin was waiting for me with 3 dresses. "What's the dresses for?"I asked.
"They're for the dance this afternoon Railyn. Please don't tell me you forgot about the dance."said Kaitlin.
I had totally forgotten about the dance and I didn't have a date. What was I going to do now? "Of course I didn't Kaitlin," I lied "Stephanie who are you going with to the dance?"
" Chase asked me last night finally. I thought he was never going to ask."
"I'm going with Ash," said Kaitlin "his tux matches my dress. It's a surprise of course though."
I thought 'oh no I don't have anyone to go with and they already have dates. What am I going to tell them?'
"It's a surprise who I'm going with," I quickly lied "I want to make an entrance you know."
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For the rest of the day I couldn't stop thinking about the dance. What was I going to do? I had told Stephanie and Kailin I had a date when I hadn't. If I showed up without a date they would know I had lied to them. We never kept secrets from each other and we never lied to each other. This was a first.
On the way home from school, we stopped at my father's bar, the Sam Addams. Inside they're wasn't a lot of people like they're usually was on a Friday. We went to talk to my father when I first noticed him. He must've been new in town. I hadn't seen him around anywhere and if I had I'm sure I would remember him. He was gorgeous. He had a perfect jawline, golden eyes, blonde hair that looked like silk, and he was tall. I'd say he was about 5'10. I had never seen anyone as handsome as him in my entire life.