Pieces Of You & Me

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t like you.” Everyone liked him, girls most especially.

He turned to face me, smiling. "Can I make you mine? My girlfriend?"

My heart sped up—but wait, his girlfriend? "Didn't Marie ask you to be her boyfriend last week?" I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. Besides, it was rude to steal boyfriends. That was the rule.

He shook his head, still smiling at me. "I told her I'd think about it, but I'll drop any girl for you,” he said eagerly.

“You would?” Wow. He must like me a lot then.

He nodded. “Yeah, because you're the prettiest and your laugh makes me smile."

I bit the bottom part of my lip, smiling shyly at him. "Okay, I think you're cute, too. I guess you can be my boyfriend." I really liked him a lot.

He reached for my hand before gazing into my eyes. "Cool. Can I kiss you now?"

I gave a quick nod. “Yes, you may.”

Our kiss was quick and sweet. After we parted, it was as if I looked at him differently. My stomach was flip-flopping crazily and I wanted more of his sweet kisses.

“You’re mine now, Olivia Taylor.”

And he was mine.

Glancing down at my lucky charm bracelet that I’d made last week, I pulled it off my wrist and handed it to him. “Here, keep it safe. I’ll always come back to you.”

"Are we forever, Liv?"

"Forever, Grey," I promised.

Chapter 1

Liv

Hi Sweetie!

Can’t wait to see you in a couple of days! How are things holding up with Liam? I’m sure you two lovebirds will work it out just fine. He can always come and visit you, you know.

Spend as much time as you can with your dad. You won’t see him for another year, sweetie. Try not to be too hard on him. He loves you dearly.

By the way, remember that guy I mentioned I met a week after you left? Well, I want you to be the first to know, I’m engaged!!! What a nice surprise, right? I’ll tell you all about it when you get here.

I love you,

Mom

P.S. No, I haven’t lost my mind, hun. I’m in love :)

When Mom mentioned “surprise”, I never would have thought I’d get the surprise of a lifetime.

As expected, Mom was at the airport waiting on me with a huge grin on her face after I had spent my entire summer in Sydney with my father. He moved out there after he and Mom got divorced two years ago. Bizarre really, ‘cause I left my summer to spend winter with him.

It wasn’t all that bad after I started dating Liam Hollingsworth, who was a freshman at the University of Sydney. We promised to try and work things out, but as much as I liked him, I was also aware that long distance relationships were hard work. So we had decided to see how it’d be for a while; we were basically measuring the difficulty ahead of us or to see if it was even worth trying.

So I was unofficially single, if that made sense at all.

Mom didn’t unfold her secret until we were all alone. This whole bomb landed on me the second we got onto the freeway.