I changed the chapter name
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Game
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Chapter 4: Game (Michael's POV)
I woke up the next morning with a slight headache and went downstairs. I probably should take a painkiller but I refrain from taking them as much as possible. They're not good for the body in general and unless I'm in unbearable pain, I don't take one. I made green tea instead of coffee because I don't drink coffee and then got started on making breakfast.
I know how to turn the damn stove on, I'm not a fucking idiot. But I also know that these little breakfast dates she goes on once in a while are usually with her sister, her brother-in-law, and his brother. I know Cameron, I've met Cameron. I've seen Jacob. But I have no idea who his younger brother is and I have no intention of finding out. But it bothers me, of course, it bothers me. I'm here, still struggling to move on from our relationship and she's going on breakfast dates with another guy? No. Just... no.
After breakfast, I waited a little while, just killing time, and then headed to the gym that's nearby. I do go to my building gym, despite people telling me not to. It's safe enough and the people living here already know I live here. Plus, it's much cheaper than a private gym membership and just because I have money to throw doesn't mean I should.
I've worked my ass off to get where I am today. Uncle Mason may have been rich from the beginning and raised me, but my parents weren't like him. Given that I only had them for five years of my life, I've lived a fairly luxurious and comfortable life. Uncle Mason has enough money and as a kid, I had everything I ever wanted. But as I got older, I realized that's not how it should be and things shouldn't just be handed to me. So, when I headed to college, I flipped it over.
I paid for all my expenses on my own and once I moved to Boston, I lived in a small, studio apartment for some time to save up. Once I saved enough, I bought this penthouse. My life completely changed when I moved to Boston after college. I was excited for what my future held and I was working towards becoming who I am today but at the end of the day, I hated being alone. Because that's exactly what I was.
Uncle Mason is here but I'm not a child anymore, a parental figure isn't the kind of company I want or need. And before college ended... I had Amelia. But then I left her behind because she was staying in New York and I wasn't.
I am from New York, I lived there my whole life, both with my parents and uncle Mason but when it came to college time, uncle Mason said he'd be moving to Boston since I was going off to college. So, I stayed in New York, went to St. John's university, graduated, and then moved to Boston. And in the process, met Amelia and lost her.
Sometimes, even I can't understand where things went south for us. If we were both too desperate and greedy for wanting everything at once or if we were doomed from the start.
I met Amelia when I was in my second year of college and she had just joined. She is one year younger than me, after all. I don't think I can ever forget how and which circumstances I met her in. They were odd but good. It was fun and wild and I never thought I'd meet someone like her but she caught my eye immediately. And then I was a lost cause.
I met her during our spring break. That year, a lot of the students weren't going back home to see their families and planned their own little festivities and trips instead. I was friendly with everybody but not really friends with anybody until Amelia. A bunch of students had all paid for their own tickets and booked a trip to Miami. I was included. When we were in college, nobody cared- and generally, people don't- who was a freshman or a senior. Everybody knew everybody and we were all friends.
That's how I met Amelia. On this trip. I hadn't even seen her before that but after that trip, I made sure I did. I made sure I saw her every chance I got.
"Oh, I'm sick of playing volleyball, can't we do something else?!" Kaden, one of the guys on the team with me, groaned.
"Well, what do you suggest we do? It's not like we can play ice hockey out here now, can we?"
"Why can't we do something fun? Soccer?"
"No," a bunch of guys mumbled. Kaden proceeded to suggest a bunch of sports games but nobody agreed.
"For fuck's sake! Playing tag would be better than this!"
Silence.
"Sure," someone shrugged. "Yeah, it'll be fun. We're at the beach, we're a lot of people though. We should split it into teams."
The rules were decided then. Boys vs girls. Since most of the guys were shirtless, each girl picked a shirt that belonged to a guy at random and tucked it into their pockets or waistband. The guys had to find the girl with their shirt, steal back their shirt, and catch the girl. If they did, they won, and dinner was on whoever they were chasing. If they caught the wrong girl, then they'd be paying for dinner.
Now that I think about it, the game had its own matchmaking tactics going on. If I remember correctly, the person coming up with the rules was a girl named... I can't remember. But I do remember hearing the next morning that she slept with the guy who was chasing her, so I'm guessing it was all a ruse to get together. But that day, a lot of couples were made. Us included.
"All right!" Kaden announced. "Have all the ladies picked a shirt?"
"Yeah!" all the girls chimed in.
"Boys, you can take a look!" Kaden is somehow the judge now.
We all turned around and scanned the line of girls. This is going to be much harder than we thought. A lot of our shirts were the same.
Which is why I tied a knot in mine by ripping the hem. I quickly glanced at every shirt, recognizing mine and the end of the line. My eyes followed up the denim shorts, to the white crochet tank top with the red bikini straps peeking out from underneath, and finally landed on her face.
She was putting her hair up while talking to the girl beside her. She laughed and nodded while saying something. Her friend leaned in to whisper in her ear and she scanned the line of boys, her eyes stopping at me. She went on like she didn't just meet my gaze and then whispered back to her friend before looping my shirt through two of her belt loops instead of one. She looked at me again, lifting her brows challengingly.
My eyes went from head to toe and then toe to head before I nodded slowly, mostly to myself.
She was fucking drop-dead gorgeous. And then she mouthed, "Catch me if you can." And I damn near lost my mind.
Lia was the first girl in my entire life to catch my attention like that. The first I ever experienced a moment where at first glance, my heart stopped for a second, every time I looked at her I only thought about how pretty she was, and that desperation to know her name. Amelia was the first and only girl I've ever loved. Till this date.
I'd been chasing her for a solid fifteen minutes. She kept hiding in the crowd, sometimes in plain sight, and sometimes I missed her by an inch. I paused for a second, catching my breath, and took a look around. Nowhere. Then I finally spotted her sitting by the water. I walked over, standing behind her.
She turned around, realizing I was there, and stood up, dusting herself off. She pulled out the shirt, holding it out for me. "I'm not really a runner," she smiled. "Here. You win, I lose. Dinner's on me."
I took the shirt.
"I'm Amelia, you can call me Lia."
"Michael," I nodded, untying the knot in my shirt. "You're a freshman, aren't you?" I asked.
"What makes you say that?"
I shrugged, "You look a little younger and I haven't seen you around. If you're here and you're in your second year, we'd have a class or two together."
"Maybe you just missed me in the crowd," she chuckled.
I shook my head. "I wouldn't miss you in any crowd."
She stared at me for a minute in amusement before nodding slowly. "Okay. I'll bite. You wouldn't miss me in any crowd but couldn't find me sitting here for the last ten minutes?"
"I was looking for the shirt, but I'll keep that in mind. Next time, I'll look for the girl." I took a step forward and she tilted her chin up to meet my gaze while folding her arms across her chest. "So, what are you buying me for dinner?" I asked.
"That depends. What do you want?"
I took in a breath, looking past her and at the setting sun and water before looking back at her. "An hour."
She blinked in confusion. "An hour?"
"With you around Miami."
Realization flickered across her face and she shook her head softly. "Sorry. No can do."
"Why? Do you simply not want to? Or do you have a boyfriend?"
She snorted softly, "No. But I'm sure you have a girlfriend."
"No. What makes you say that?"
She went on her toes. "The fact that there are three different girls glaring at me right now," she whispered. "Which one's the girlfriend? The one in the white shorts, pink top, or black shorts?"
I turned and moved to stand beside her, spotting who she was talking about. I hummed, pretending to think. "The one in the... denim shorts, white top, and red bikini?"
"Who's wearing a—" she cut herself short and turned to look at me. "Ha-ha. Funny," she said sarcastically.
"Well, we'll see if I was kidding or not in some time," I shrugged. "So, Ms. Lia?"
"What, Mr. Michael?"
"An hour with me in Miami, pay me with your time. Are you game?"
She stared at me for a long minute. "You're trouble," she concluded. I lifted a brow. "I like it," she nodded. "Sure. An hour with you in Miami it is. I'm game."
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Chapter 4
IMAGINE meeting someone like that omg i would freak out and have so many butterflies
keyword: imagine
next chapter: questions