"Threw away your love letters I thought it'd make me feel better..."

• • •

Mom and I have had the past few days off, it's been raining. Mr. Ricci was out of town anyways. He's back now and has ordered some flower arrangements that he's sending out to people so we're at his house putting them together, it's still raining outside.

I decided to actually help today, seeing as I don't usually do as much as I could around here. We haven't even been here an hour and Jacob comes skipping down the steps and grabs me by my arm pulling me away from my job and up the stairs. "Just the person I wanted to see."

"I am?" I say confused. He pulls me into his room and opens a small box.

"You left this last time you were here." He says handing me my small golden bracelet. My chest tightens, how did I not realize I left this?

"I- thank you. My dad gave me this, I can't believe I lost it." I gently grab the bracelet out of his hand and put it back on my wrist where it belongs.

"Then I guess you should try not to lose it again." He says in joking manner. He takes the box and puts it back on top of the shelf in his closet. My excitement is cut short when I notice bruises on his abdomen while he put the box away.

"What the hell happened to you?" I say and walk over to him after he closes the closet door.

"What?" He says not realizing his shirt lifted when he reached up. I walk over to him and pull his shirt up examining the black and purple blotches all over his stomach and rib cage. "Next time you pull my shirt up like that you better be pulling it off." He says and pulls it back down.

"What happened to you?" I say ignoring his comment.

"Nothing."

"That doesn't look like nothing."

"Listen it's fine, you can go now you got your bracelet back." He says and walks out of his room and across the hall back into the office he brought me in before.

"No I'm not gonna go, what the fuck happened to you." I say with genuine concern in my voice following him into the office and shutting the door.

"What are you worried about me?" He says sarcastically.

"Yes!" I say and he turns to me, his eyes soften when he notices my genuine expression. He steps closer to me, looking down at me directly in my eyes. It makes me feel small.

"I'm fine, ok?" He says and goes to walk away again but I grab his arm.

He turns back to me, seeming unfazed, stepping closer than before. I look up at him directly in his eyes, making me forget what I was saying. When I finally go to say something he grabs my waist pulling my body against his. His other hand lightly grabs my jaw and pulls my face into his kissing me. He kisses me like he's been holding it in for too long. I kiss him back, mimicking his movements, this feeling is foreign to me but it lights a fire inside of me. My skin is hot and butterflies overtake my stomach, when he pulls away I immediately miss the contact of his lips against mine.

He slowly lets me go, never breaking eye contact and trying not to laugh at the fact that I'm still standing in the same position. I can't move though, I feel frozen.

"I-I think I have to go." I say shortly, mentally slapping myself for being so awkward and leave shutting the door on my way out.

• • •

"Are you all ready for the beginning of the rest of your lives?!" The speaker says at orientation ,way too excited, as I scribble Daisy onto a name tag. I quickly find a seat in the back and count the minutes until this is over.

School starts in about a month, which doesn't feel long enough. I've been excited to go to college since I was in middle school but now that it's actually happening, it's not as exciting. When we were about to move I was finishing up high school and my mom helped me look for schools close to where we were going to live. The school is only a 30-40 minute drive which is good, I've been saving for a car the past few months so I'm hoping it all works out. Honestly the only things I'm most excited about right now is getting to make my own schedule.

I didn't think orientation was necessary, but my mom convinced me that I can't do everything on my own. I might have to considering all I have been able to think about for the past few days is the fact that Jacob kissed me. Like kissed me, me. Why would he do that?

As I'm lost in my thoughts I notice everyone's looking at me. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" I say embarrassingly.

"Introduce yourself!" A tall preppy guy wearing the blue and white school colors says from the small stage. This is gonna be a long fucking day. I think to myself.

• • •

After orientation I catch an Uber to Mr. Ricci's house, of course. Sometimes it feels like I'm there more than my own house. The only reason I'm going there is because my mom is working today. I'd honestly avoid it all together if I could, but I know that's not really a choice and since I would go back eventually why not now. As the Uber nears closer to the house I see a moving truck and boxes in front of the house.

"Who's moving out?.....Or in?" I ask my mom as I walk inside, around all the movers and boxes in my way.

"Oh uh Antonio said something about an investigation being done so Jacob can move back into his apartment." My mom says really uninterested in what's going on. "So how was orientation? Do you think you'll like the school? It's not too big for you is it? I know being at a smaller college was really important to you, well at least for your first year." She's clearly more interested in this topic.

" l like it so far, it's not so large it's overwhelming so that's a plus. The classes don't seem too big and everyone's nice so stop worrying!" I skip over what she says about Jacob, I'm sure I can find out what she's talking about from someone around here.

"Well good, I'm so proud of you baby. I can't believe my child is going to college!" She pulls me in for a tight hug and kisses me on my forehead. This makes me stop thinking about Jacob and hug my mom back, I can't believe it either.

"I know, I know."

"Now don't be getting distracted by no boys, you didn't come this far to have some boy whose name you won't even remember in 10 years mess you up!" She says, ending our embrace and cupping her hands around my face.

"Mom! Please don't start." I say start to walk away into the living room.

"Oh and by the way, I told Antonio you would help Jacob take some things to his apartment! It's small things that don't need to go on the truck!" My mom yells to me before walking back outside before I can object.

• • •

:) //unedited//