Hanging by a Moment (From this Moment Book 1) (2 page)

Chapter One

Present Day

Oh crap!
This is so not the way to start a new semester. After Britney and I are awaken by Travis – more like dragged out of our beds - I had just enough time to shower and change into the first few clean items of clothing I could get my hands on this morning. My favourite baby pink sweater paired with my faded blue skinny jeans and Converse. In five minutes flat I coated my lips with a touch of pink lip gloss, applied mascara to my still sleepy eyes and tied my long brown straight hair into a ponytail -thank heavens I washed it last night. I was able to make myself look remotely presentable before rushing off to my next class.

And now I’m starving, my tummy not failing to remind me every few minutes with loud growls. For sure Mr Nichols, my Marketing professor, can hear the sounds from my tummy. He keeps shooting irritated looks in my direction as he goes on and on. Blah, blah, blah!

I must remember to stock up on Snickers, I think to myself as I glance at my watch again. I smile to myself and gently pat my tummy... another five minutes.

Brit and I rush out of class running straight into the empty cafeteria. We need to beat the rush of ever hungry students that are sure to follow within minutes. Having missed breakfast, we are both starving. Monday morning blues.

I mean what are the chances of both of us forgetting to set our alarm clocks, only to be rudely awaken by Travis, as he banged down on our dormitory door, as soon as he realised we were missing at breakfast.

The time it took us to shower, dress and pack our books into our bags, breakfast had long since passed and so did our first class of the day. Not that I mind. But my next class definitely requires a fully satisfied stomach. Starting Business Leadership on an empty tummy is not recommended.

Holding on dearly to our bright blue plastic trays carefully balancing our plates of macaroni and cheese and bottles of water, Brit and I make our way to our usual table, nestled in the corner alongside one of the white cafeteria walls. Brit takes her usual seat with her back to the wall and I occupy my usual seat, to her right.

The boys have their usual soccer meeting so the girls and I will be able to eat in peace, without one of them trying to steal the food from our plates... which happens like every day. I prefer to smack their fingers than share my food with them. Especially today... I could eat a horse!

Sitting back, I relax into the hard plastic coloured chair. I’m looking forward to devour the entire plate of creamy macaroni with an overdose of cheese. Yummy!

Jane soon joins us, her little frame occupying the seat at the head of the table and to the left of Brit. Her stunning heart shaped face is lit up like the Christmas tree at Times Square New York making it obvious to us that she has some interesting piece of news to share.

Jane is one of the most popular girls here at college and the one responsible for bringing Brit and I up to speed with all the local and not so local gossip. She is our very own grown up version of
Gossip Girl
.

Beaming at us, and winking her mischievous green eyes at me, she wastes no time revealing her latest news. Her slim fingers fan her face as if she is feeling hot. “Did you see the new guy? Fucking g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s!” She gushes, continuing to wave her hand in front of her super excited face, her green eyes dancing wild with excitement as she licks her pouty red lips at us.

Oh God!
I groan inwardly. Not now Jane.

Rolling my gray eyes at her, I look down at my plate of creamy yummy deliciousness and I continue to eat, ignoring her as best I can. Food is all I care about now. Happy tummy means happy me.

As I chew my macaroni, I feel like I’m in foodie heaven. Nan never disappoints. She piled my plate with macaroni and cheese - enough to feed at least two people - that is the usual Monday lunch menu. Shoving a forkful of the rich dish into my mouth... hmm... lunch never tasted this good. Bless Nan and her amazing cooking talent.

But Jane ignores my disinterest in her news and continues blabbing away about her latest discovery. Brit, seated next to me on my left, sighs loudly and we both blank Jane out, concentrating on our first meal of the day and satisfying our hunger.

Brit and I have been best friends since kindergarten and remained close ever since. She begged her parents to send her to Midland Falls Boarding School when she heard I was being shipped off.

That was the best news I heard since my parents insisted on sending me there.

Their reason?

So they could continue travelling the world and not have to worry about leaving a child at home in the care of the nanny. Dad is a producer with the
Discovery Channel
which means constant globetrotting to amazing destinations and mom is his assistant which was how they met.

When I was younger I used to think they regretted having a child. Like it was the biggest mistake they made as it meant mom was not able to travel as much as she wanted to.

So instead of giving up her fabulous job, they came up with the brilliant idea of boarding school. Knowing I would be safe with a roof over my head and constant adult supervision. Meaning they could ride off into the sunset at the drop off a hat. How wise of my clever, self absorbing, globetrotting ‘parents’.

I hardly ever see them, which is something I’m used to these days. I am twenty one years old - I had enough time to get used to and enjoy the situation I find myself in.

However, when I was younger, it was much more difficult. Ask any ten- year old what it feels like to be abandoned by their parents because that was how I felt... like they abandoned me. And it was no fucking joke!

But as I grew up, I realised it was the best thing they ever did for me. I found it rather pleasant not having them interfere in my life, especially after hearing the constant complaints from friends whose parents bugged the shit out of them.

I eventually became the envy of my close group of buddies because I never had a curfew or got yelled at for stupid things like not tidying my room.

During weekends when we would go out clubbing, they had to return home by ten or be grounded.  I could stay out as long as I wanted to and I did. Nobody dictated to me.

And every time my so called folks visited me - like twice a year - they would shower me with loads of presents thinking it would just make up for the time they spent away. Now don’t get me wrong I love the presents. What female would not love a closet packed with clothing, shoes and handbags by Louis Vuitton, Manolo Blahnik, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford and every other designer under the sun? Not forgetting the overly generous bank balance to cater for all my needs.

But I would have preferred having parents around like Brit’s. Bless the Coopers. They cared for me and showered me with their love during holidays and special occasions... like I was their own child. Because that was how Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays and school holidays were spent - with my substitute family. The only family I know.

Being an only child like myself, Brit and I both craved for a sibling. I remember during one such holiday, when Brit and I were eight years old, she begged her parents to adopt me so we could be real sisters. And when that failed we snuck off to her bathroom that night and made a pin prick in both our small thumbs before pressing it together, bonding us for life. Blood sisters. Forever.

When Ethan left, Brit was at my side twenty four seven and was my rock every time I cried... which was everyday for about a month. After settling down and getting back to my so called life it was finals and then winter break.

Brit’s parents sent us for a week to the Hamptons where they own a palatial beach house.

It was the first time that it was just the two of us in the Hamptons without being chaperoned by her parents. Their gift to us for our straight A’s we received in our finals. We spent our time surrounded by sun, sea and lots of hot shirtless guys.

We managed to get part time jobs at one of the hotels that a family friend owns. And because Brit is so well connected we were invited to every major party in town. And yes we partied, totally non-stop.

And of course I did meet a few great guys. The Hamptons have them in rather large supply... tall, muscular and extremely good looking!  But I was not looking for a serious relationship back then or now, not just yet anyway. I decided after Ethan left that I was going to concentrate on finishing school first.

I prefer the casual flings not that I indulge in too many of those. Just a single one night stand since Ethan left - happened when I was vacationing in the Hamptons. These days I prefer my BOB as my regular boyfriend. He will not leave me. Guaranteed.

I spent Christmas and New Years in Manhattan with Brit and her loving family. Thereafter the two of us left for our next stop which saw us flying off to Las Vegas. My parents bought us tickets to sin city and paid for a week stay at the Bellagio. This was their gift to us for our excellent results. We drank, ate, gambled and dressed to kill for a complete week and returned to Midland Falls at the beginning of this semester a couple thousand dollars richer and nicely tanned.

And now we are blood sisters in our last year of college at Midland Falls University. Both of us fell in love with this beautiful city - just an hour outside of New York City - the minute we arrived here to attend boarding school. MFU has one of the best business management programs in the country but getting in is not so easy.

Brit and both straight A students, managed to get in after we impressed the socks off the dean while still in high school. We were the only two out of hundreds of applicants that sent in a video recording detailing our motivation for attending the university. With a little help from my dad of course, we managed to provide an Oscar worthy performance describing why MFU was the best college for us and how we hoped to benefit from our education here. And as they say the rest is history.

So here we are, eating our lunch totally content with ourselves. At the same time Jane continues to babble away about some new hottie attending MFU.

Blah, blah, blah! She goes on.

“There he is.” She whispers, jerking her head of long red silky hair to her left, letting us know the new guy’s location in the now very crowded noisy cafeteria.  She turns her silky mane in his direction. “Fuck! He’s looking at us.” Jane’s super excited voice brings me back to the here and now.

I frown as I look at her.

Turning towards us, she gives off her best Southern accent. “Smile sweetly, ladies.” And she winks at me again, earning an eye roll from me.

Whatever!
I stuff another huge forkful of macaroni into my mouth.

“Holy mother fucker! I think I just had an orgasm!” Brit’s ecstatic declaration nearly chokes me and I splatter the last few bits of chewed pasta all over my plate.

“What the fuck, Brit? I nearly choked to death.”  I cough out as Jane tosses me the paper napkins lying on the white table. I quickly wipe the last bits of food from my lips before picking up my water to take a sip.

“Holy shit! I think he just impregnated me with one look!” Brit mumbles, excitement clearly evident in her voice.

Before I can close my mouth, I spray my water all over my plate, flooding my pasta. “Fucking hell! For fucks sake what’s dropped your panties?” I snap at her grabbing more napkins and wiping the water that is dripping down my chin.

“Didn’t you fucking see him?” she blurts out.

I turn to look at her and find my normally composed best friend since kindergarten, with her large blue eyes so wide that I’m sure her eyeballs are going to pop out any second and her mouth hanging open. Her tongue is licking the floor. She is positively drooling.

“Who? What? Where?” I ask her, not bothered to hide the disinterest in my tone.

Brit does not waste a second, jabbing me in my arm. Ignoring my curse she continues. “The new guy? Did you not see him already?” Her soft hand cups my chin lightly, turning my face away from hers, to confront the object of their interest.

I stare head of me, searching for a new face. Finally I find him... actually I find part of him. All I can see is a bit of jet black ruffled hair. He is sitting with the soccer team at the far end of the cafeteria, their table directly opposite us. This is the area the boys occupy when they have their usual team meeting. Otherwise they sit with us. A player I guess.

His face is hidden behind Brad’s big broad back. I can stand up to get a better view but then how stupid I will look if someone catches me trying to check out the new guy. And that just screams D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E. And I’m not desperate and definitely have no interest in checking him out. Turning my attention back to my girls, they seem a bit more composed now as they wait for my response.

Jane’s lips are twitching with amusement. “Is he fucking hot or what?” She asks, raising one perfectly groomed eyebrow at me.

I shake my head at her. “Nope, can’t see past Brad’s back. But you still got your panties on so he’s probably not that hot.”

And before I know it, Jane is screaming across the cafeteria at Brad to get his attention. “Brad, be a honey and bring me some hot sauce please.” To strangers that would have sounded odd - like she is in a roadhouse calling out to a waiter - but Jane and Brad have been together since high school and are still going strong years later.