Madison Sloan knows how to throw a party.
Her house is located in Bel Air, and according to the stories she tells everyone, the property was given as a wedding gift to her parents almost twenty years ago. Veronica Sloan, a well-known actress, married her father, who happens to be one of LA’s top realtors. Veronica’s grandfather, a prominent director in Hollywood, was said to have cast his daughter in several blockbusters until his death a few years ago.
Madison is never shy in sharing her family’s secrets, including her dad’s affair with their maid, which apparently her mother turns a blind eye to.
Nevertheless, their house is a mansion with sweeping views of the canyons. Its style, a mixture of modern and contemporary, makes for an interesting design choice. Wherever you look, there’s glass everything—large glass windows, glass walls, display cabinets, side tables—I’d never seen so much glass in a house. Everyone from our senior class is here, including others from neighboring schools. This doesn’t look like it will end well, especially given the jocks are knocking each other around as usual, oblivious to their fragile surroundings.
“What a place.” My cousin, Andy, drops his head to whisper beside me. “It’s like a museum… of glass.”
I nod along, hiding my laughter. I’m doing my best to be careful and not slip in the heels I ended up borrowing from Mom, clutching to Andy’s arm for much-needed support.
Andy and I have been inseparable since the day we were born. My father and his mother are siblings. Although I’m a few months older than him, his entrance into this world was met with mixed emotions, according to my mom. Of course, Andrew Elijah Evans, named after our grandfather and his father, had been a long-awaited blessing for my Aunt Adriana. It was just unfortunate that Andy’s father passed away from terminal cancer a week later. Having been a baby, I have no recollection of any of this or how it almost tore our family apart. I’m just glad that Aunt Adriana remarried because Andy has an amazing stepfather, one who, according to Ava, used to be engaged to Mom.
When Ava first mentioned it, it seemed absolutely ludicrous. It sounded like a plot from a poorly written soap opera. Yet, Ava was adamant it had been the truth, throwing in some additional information that began to add up. I thought about raising the topic with Mom since Ava is dead certain she’s right, but the more I tried, the more I chickened out. Sometimes, it’s best that secrets remain exactly that, no need to taint the perfect love story my parents appear to have.
“Amelia, Andy! You came!” Madison throws herself onto us, squeezing us both simultaneously while we glance at each other uncomfortably. Her platinum blonde hair is tied back into a ponytail, enhancing her perfect bone structure and flawless skin. The short dress she wears, designer most likely, is white and barely covers her chest. “How amazing is this party?”
“Amazing,” we both say in unison.
Madison links her arm into mine, leaving Andy to walk behind us. “You know, Austin is here.”
“I figured, since he said he’d come.”
Madison leans in, her perfume stronger than usual. “No one is allowed upstairs but say the word, and it’s all yours.”
I’m about to switch the topic with a nervous smile when thankfully, Madison gets pulled outside. Bouncing in her pink heels, she joins a group of boys and begins to dance in the middle of a circle, basking in all the attention.
“Let’s go get something to eat,” I suggest to Andy.
We head outside, hovering near a table spread out with catered food. I have to hand it to Madison, she went all out, not that anyone else cares. Most of the teenagers here are self-absorbed, eager to get laid by some jock or cheerleader.
The music blares from a DJ booth stationed near the large swimming pool. A few people jump in the pool on a dare—the goofy boys—who I often enjoy spending time with when I need a good laugh.
Andy nods his head, spotting a few of his friends by the drinks.
“Will you be okay?” he asks, though his eyes are fixated on Skylar Fischer, a girl he’s crushed on since middle school.
“I do know how to socialize,” I remind him with a pat on his shoulder. “Will you just go and have fun? And when are you going to ask Skylar out? It’s senior year. You’ve got nothing left to lose.”
“Um… my ego? Besides, she out of my league.”
“Just because she’s a cheerleader doesn’t mean she’s out of your league. You’re a good-looking guy, your mom is a top fashion designer, and your dad is one of America’s well-known journalists. You come from a good family. Why wouldn’t she like you?”
“You’re just saying all this because you’re my cousin. But I’ll agree with you, it’s my senior year and time to get my shit together.”
He takes a deep breath, his blue eyes widening with slight fear until the usually confident boy I love so dearly walks away toward his crush. When it comes to girls, they often throw themselves at Andy. It’s hard for me to look at him in any other way, but I guess, if I’m honest, his dark blond hair and bright blue eyes along with his tall and toned physique, make him extremely handsome. Yet unlike all the arrogant jocks in our year, Andy isn’t the type of guy to sleep around and use girls for the sake of being macho. I’m just glad he broke up with Giselle Monaghan after she acted like a maniac. If luck is on his side, she won’t be here tonight to ruin his life again.
I watch from across the pool until arms wrap around my waist as the familiar masculine scent invades the air around me, radiating warmth throughout my chest.
“My girl,” his voice whispers in my ear.
Unable to hide my smile, I turn around and wrap my arms around Austin’s neck. In his eyes, the warm honey hues mixed with caramel reflect a hazel color I’ve only ever seen when he gazes upon me. Austin is dressed in a hoodie, blue jeans, and sneakers—looking deliciously handsome as always.
“You’re here.”
“I said I would be.” His smile is so wide, baring his perfectly straight white teeth. “Besides, I’m kind of fond of you.”
I smack his chest softly, his face pained, though only momentarily.
We’ve dated all through senior year. In terms of relationships in high school, this is considered long-term. Being the gentlemen he is, Austin offered to meet my father, and much to my surprise, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be. It started off shaky, my father, of course, interrogating poor Austin. But when Austin mentioned med school, it all shifted. There was somewhat of a respectful exchange of conversation. I recall Mom telling me that my father studied to be a doctor, though never really elaborated on why he changed professions.
There is, however, one rule. We’re never to be alone. Andy or Ava chaperoned us on more than one occasion, but both of them would abandon us enough to spend time making out or fool around. We just never had sex, something I know Austin wants.
“I love this song,” I say as the music continues to blast. “Let’s dance.”
We dance beside the pool, his hands never leaving my waist. He spends most of his time buried in my neck until he suggests we go somewhere quieter.
My eyes scan the area surrounding us. “Like where?”
“I thought you were a daredevil,” he muses, still with his hands on my hips. “That’s how your mom described you.”
“Was,” I reiterate. “Past tense. But seriously, we can’t just disappear.”
“Stop overthinking things, it’s time to have some fun.”
Austin leads me toward the kitchen, through a deserted hallway, and up a flight of floating stairs until we’re on the second level. Opening a door, he pulls me into the room, then presses his lips against mine.
“Austin,” I murmur, out of breath with my hands on his chest. “We shouldn’t be up here.”
He pulls away, his gaze exploring my face until he’s drawn to my lips. There’s a king-size bed in the room and a white sofa by the window. Taking my hand, he guides me to the sofa, where the two of us sit.
“So, did you open the envelopes?” he asks, yet much like me, we both try to avoid this topic tonight.
I nod, gently scratching the top of his hand. “I got into all of them.”
“What?” His expression illuminates. “That’s amazing!”
“Yeah, it is…”
“Why the face? You’re not happy?”
“I’m happy I got into three excellent schools, but… well… my father doesn’t exactly approve of me attending Yale. In fact, he said no.”
“C’mon, Millie, you know he’ll come around.”
“I don’t know,” I mumble, still unable to process his reaction. “I guess, if he does change his mind, you’re only two hours away at Harvard.”
Austin pulls back, scratching the back of his neck. His body language changes, or perhaps my chaotic thoughts are reading too much into this.
“I got into John Hopkins.”
My mouth falls open. “John Hopkins? I didn’t realize you’d applied. I thought you wanted to go to Harvard?”
“Last-minute change.” He lowers his head, avoiding my gaze.
I turn away, my heavy stare shifting toward the window. Outside is nothing but darkness. Not even the moon cares to show itself behind the thick clouds.
We talked so much about this, where we applied and what we wanted to do. Never once did he mention John Hopkins. Part of me feels betrayed that he held this secret from me. No matter what, I’d have been supportive. I just didn’t understand why he felt the need to hide this from me.
“Baltimore,” I drag, trying to make sense of this all. “That’s further from Yale? Not that Yale matters if my dad has a say in the matter. Distance makes the heart great fonder, right?”
“You know what?” His lips curve upward with hopeful eyes following. “Why do we have to worry about it right now?”
“You’re right,” I agree, leaning in to kiss his lips.
With a sense of urgency, he takes my mouth and kisses me deeply. His body slowly hovers above mine, pinning me down on the sofa. I let out a soft moan as his lips trail toward my neck, and his hand moves beneath my dress, skirting at the edge of my panties.
“Austin,” I gasp, trying to control my urges. “Not here.”
It falls on deaf ears as he moves his hands over my panties, causing me to draw a breath in sharply.
“Austin,” I repeat, pushing his chest with more force. “I don’t want to have sex here. Not with everyone downstairs.”
Slightly offended, he draws back. “I understand, but I want you, Millie. I want you.” He swallows, his tone nervous. “I want you to be my first.”
We haven’t exactly discussed our past to a great extent. I know he dated other girls in school, and I’d assumed he’d had sex. From the few times we’ve been able to be alone, he knows just what to do. Never does he appear nervous or hesitant.
“I…” I stumble on my words, distracted by the noise downstairs. “I’m not ready, I’m sorry. I know that’s not what you want to hear. And yes, I am aware that I’m already eighteen, and even my sister has lost her virginity, but I just want it to be right, and this place doesn’t feel right.”
“I understand,” he whispers, pulling away while struggling, my eyes diverting to his pants to see the reason why.
I pull him back toward me, kissing him hard and guiding him back on top of me. I may not have been ready to lose my virginity tonight, but I still want him and want to show him how much.
With fire in his eyes, his hands move back between my thighs. “Do you want me to stop?”
I shake my head, holding in my breath.
Slowly, he slides his fingers into my panties while deepening his kiss, brushing himself against me as I moan into his mouth. His fingers plunge deeper, the sensation causing me to buckle down as my body begins to convulse with every thrust.
“Austin,” I cry, pulling him into me as I finish blissfully in his embrace.
With a satisfied smile, he kisses me softly on my nose. “I love you, Millie. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but right now, I love you.”
I stare into his loving eyes and gently run my hands through his bronze hair, admiring how soft it feels between my fingers.
I may have been premature with my opinions on love, but I do know this—being with Austin is something I don’t want to give up. Never has anyone made me feel this way—the constant butterflies, the way we laugh together, these moments of intimacy where he makes my body come alive.
Our future may be undecided, but it doesn’t stop me from gazing into the eyes of the boy who has officially stolen my heart.
“I love you, too,” I whisper, then finish with a kiss to show him just how much.
