Hi ,
How is your week going? I started my physiotherapy this week. I don't like it. But I know it's good for me. Don't I sound all grown up 😊
I've been working a bit more on Sarah and Tom's story. I have their cover up in my office, to motivate me. And their playlist on repeat. It's a heartbreaking story, but I'm counting on them to help me get them to a HEA.
While I work on their story some more, I'm sure Jane and Jackson will keep you company 😊 And today you get to meet Ainsley. I loved writing this chapter SO much. If you missed a previous chapter, go back to your inbox and search in the promotions tab or junk folder...
If you're new to my newsletter, here's a little recap. Every week, I've been sending out one chapter of my book The Songs of You and Me. If you would like to read it from the beginning, it's available on Amazon and free in kindle unlimited.
Happy Reading!
Thirteen Years Earlier
JACKSON
Eighteen months in Boston passed at lightning speed. Boston was a far cry from Bellebrook, but I loved the fast pace and the busy college life. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard, harder than I ever imagined, but the challenge was good. It kept me occupied, and I found the focus was just what I needed to stay on track with my studies.
The Boston Architectural College was everything I hoped it would be and then some. I was lucky to get a scholarship into the program, and with the many firms they assigned us to work with, the chances of me finding a permanent job after I graduated were high. I knew that was still a long way down the line, but I thought about it, and I could see myself living here in Boston. It wasn’t too far from Bellebrook but busy enough to keep me challenged in my field of work.
Moving here would mean I’d never get a chance with Jane. Not that there’d ever been one. I honestly thought moving here, and the busyness of school would push her to the back of my mind. But then I’d see something that reminded me of her, or something would happen, and I wanted to pick up the phone and talk to her.
I kept going back to that moment when I left. Heck, if I was honest, I kept going back to the many moments when I could have made a move, but I backed out. I reminded myself I made the right decision. Jane was too young; it wouldn’t have worked. But the distance between us didn’t make me like her any less. If anything, I missed her more than I thought I would. She really became one of my best friends, someone I turned to when I needed someone. I missed that. I missed it more than I felt comfortable admitting.
I’d been living in a dingy apartment just off of campus and rooming with Alex. He was a great roommate. He kept the place fairly clean, no loud music, no fights over food or sharing the TV. He wasn’t home much, a very social student. And when he was home, he studied. I’d really lucked out.
Alex had been seeing a girl for a couple of months now, and he was trying to set me up with one of her friends. I wasn’t excited about that, and so far I was able to keep him off of my back about it. At the moment, my feelings were a complicated mess without adding another girl to the mix.
Tonight he was going to a party on campus with Rachel, his girlfriend, and he’d been pushing me to go all week. So far, I hadn’t committed. I had a whole load of assignments that needed handing in; I couldn’t even fathom the idea of a party on a Friday night. But now all of the assignments were handed in, and I felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders. A party might be exactly what I needed.
I picked up my cell and dialed Alex’s number.
“Wassup, man!” Alex greeted me in his typical jovial way.
“Hey, what time’s this party tonight?”
“Kicks off at seven. We’re planning to make an appearance at eight. You coming or what?”
“Sure. I’m done studying.”
Alex acknowledged my news with a few expletives and agreed to pick me up at 7:45.
***
The party was in full swing as we arrived a little after eight. Everyone we passed stopped to greet Alex. The guy knew everyone. It was a conundrum. Alex partied a lot. Yet he studied hard, had good grades. He even helped me out on occasion.
After making the rounds and grabbing a drink, Alex and Rachel headed off to catch up with another one of his friends.
Taking another look around the room packed with people either swinging to the beat or huddled together trying to have a conversation over the sound of the music, I realized I didn’t really know anyone here besides Alex or Rachel. I guess that was what happened when you locked yourself in your apartment, studying to keep your scholarship. You needed to work your butt off to keep it, and your social life basically sucked.
I finished off my soda and headed to the kitchen to get a snack. On my way there, I bumped into someone, and I felt the front of my shirt get drenched.
I glanced down to inspect the damage to my white T-shirt. A huge grape-colored stain was spreading. Then my eyes landed on a cute blonde girl with bright blue eyes staring up at me.
“I’m so sorry.” She grabbed a load of napkins off the counter and patted down my shirt, trying to clean up the stain.
“Uh… I think it’s a goner.” I stood there with this girl’s hands patting me down and getting up real close in my personal space.
“I’m sure I can fix this. Take your shirt off.”
“Excuse me?” I scoffed. Did she seriously just tell me to strip my shirt off?
“I think if you put club soda or something like that on it like right away, it might save your shirt.”
“Seriously, don’t worry about it. It’s not that big of a deal. I really don’t mind.”
The poor girl looked adamant about getting her hands on my shirt, so I changed tactics.
“I’m Jackson, by the way.” I stuck my hand out, waiting for her to shake it and put this awkward moment behind us.
“I’m Ainsley,” she replied, still focused on my shirt as she shook my outstretched hand.
“Nice to meet you, Ainsley.”
“I feel really bad about your shirt. Please let me at least pay you for a new one if you won’t let me fix it now?”
“Honestly, forget about it. It’s an old shirt. You did me a favor. Now I have to get rid of it. My mom might call and thank you in the morning.”
She offered me a small smile, and her tense face softened into a pretty one.
“Are you a student here at BAC?”
“I’m actually a psychology major at Pine Manor College.”
“Wow… I wouldn’t have pegged you as a psych major,” I replied without thinking.
“And why not?” Her voice took on a defensive tone.
“I don’t know. The spatters of paint on your fingernails and the smudges on your fingers made me think you might be more of a creative type.”
“You shouldn’t assume.” She pointed her finger at me. “That’s a hobby to relax my mind when I need to stop thinking about all the stuff being crammed into it.”
She smirked, and I felt almost exposed, like she was reading me.
“What? It was a fair assumption,” I defended.
“It sure was. And here is one for you. You, Jackson, are here, but you don’t really want to be here. I’m assuming it has to do with a girl.”
She noticed my shocked expression but continued.
“You like this girl.” Seeing my body respond to her startling hunch, she powered on. “You like her a lot, but somehow it hasn’t worked out for you two. Tell you what, Jackson, when you get over her, I might still be around. And then maybe we can do this”—She circled her finger between us—“again.”
“Again?” I questioned, still stunned by her words. And her forwardness.
“Again.” She grinned. “Without the messy shirt. And hopefully with a much better ending.” She stood on her toes and dropped a kiss on my cheek. “Grape looks really hot on you,” she whispered in my ear.
Before I could respond, she disappeared in the mass of swaying bodies, and I was left standing there trying to figure out what the heck happened.
Stay tuned for the next Chapter next week...
I hope you have a wonderful day, and stay tuned for more next week. 😊
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Lots of love,
M
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Mylissa's Books
Rules are made to be Broken (Book 1)
Rules are made to be Ignored (Book 2)
Rules Don't Apply (Book 1)
Playing by the Rules (Book 2)
The Songs of You and Me (Book 1)
The Songs That Brought Me Back (Book 2)
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