soundtrack: Ariana Grande- Side to side feat. Nicki Minaj

ABBY

three years later

I have to flex my neck a couple times after reviewing for hours for my finals tomorrow, I feel exhausted. I study hard to get good grades and making my parents proud.

I don't have to go to college to get a job to pay my bills, in fact, I don't have to work at all. My parents are loaded, I can have everything I ask for, buy whatever I want, travel around the world, dine in the most expensive restaurant, spend summer in a yacht, drink the most expensive wine, have the most luxurious penthouse in Manhattan or have the fastest car in the world, date the world sexiest man.

My parents own the biggest hotel chains in the world, King Hotel chains, and Restaurants and I'm the only heiress. My dad is Michael Aaron King, the best dad in the world and Catherine Elizabeth King is the most beautiful woman and the best mother everyone's wished for.

I don't need an annoying private tutor, I excel academically. Yeah, I'm on my third year in college at Boston State University, two hundred and sixty-six miles away from home, away from my parents, and away from friends.

My life sucks! No, it's not, just kidding guys.

Here I am with my roommate/best friend in an apartment that's not world class but not bad either. I don't have a friend. I know it sounds pathetic. Whatever!

I met Andrew three years ago during my therapy. He's also seeing a doctor who was just another floor down my Psychologist's office. We met at the reception, we clicked right away and walked to the coffee shop then talked for hours. I guess we have something in common.

"Hi, um, you're visiting a Doctor here?" he asks me shyly.

"Yeah, a couple of weeks, you?" I answer and ask back with a little smile

"Dr. Peters" He answers, smiling

"you?"

"Dr. Wallerman," I tell in a low voice.

"Hmm, rich people." he inspects me from head to toe. Dr. Wallerman is a famous for her practice and I don't look like I can afford to pay a doctor like Dr. Wallerman.

"Excuse me?" I ask him when I notice him inspecting me then he raises a eyebrow.

"Sorry, She's like a celebrity doctor. I'm Andrew by the way." He offers his hand for a handshake. I hesitate but he keeps his hand and waits for me to shake it.

"I'm Ma, I'm Abbygail, please call me Abby." I introduce myself, shaking his hand. He walks me out of the building.

"Sure, Abby suits you, beautiful." He winks that makes me blushed. I don't talk to strangers and I don't mingle too when someone gets close to me, the bodyguard dad's assigned will automatically shoo them away.

"Thanks," I say that comes out like a whisper

"I'll walk you to your car." Andrew offers.

I pause and face him "Actually, I'm walking to a coffee shop." He nods.

His eyes widen "Would you mind if I tag along?

"I don't mind at all." I smile

"Good, I'm new here you know. I'm an ex- military, you know this PTSD kind of shit, oh sorry, I swear a lot, used to swear in the military. How about you?" He says easily without a single flinch.

"If I swear a lot? not much." I answer.

He laughs

"Just came here a month ago, I'm still in college." I cut it short. I'm still not comfortable sharing that horrific night even to my Doctor, it takes a while.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you're not ready, I can understand that. It took a while for me too." He sounds apologetic.

I shrug "Soon hopefully. Thanks."

We talk while walking to the nearest coffee shop where I always drop by after my session. He mentioned he crashes couch of one of his friend and he's still looking for a decent apartment with a decent price and that he needs a roommate.

I offered without even bothering telling dad who was so pissed at me.

"Are you insane, Mackenzie? I thought we already talk about not talking to strangers, and you're not just breaking my rules, you let a stranger live with you, a man. I'll talk to Howard later, how he didn't report this to me?" He sounds so furious over the phone.

I bite my lip. Howard will gonna lost his job.

"Jesus! dad calm down. And it's Abby dad. You can meet him if you want to, do a background check. He's a good person, trust me." I roll my eyes, he's overreacting. He thinks all the people around are dangerous.

"You want me to calm down?! you are hundreds of miles away from me and your mom, and you want me to calm down?! You're living with a stranger who could be a psychopath. You're not an adult yet Mackenzie, does he even know?!" He starts yelling. Ugh!

"Dad, please try to meet him. Please, just give him a chance." I hear him sigh.

"Fine, I would like to meet him and if I don't like him, he'll leave your apartment and end of discussions." my smile widen.

"Great, I'll let him know. Thanks, dad. I love you!" I grin, jump up and down, sing and dance.

"Don't celebrate yet and don't thank me yet, young woman, and don't tell him I'm coming."

I stop, My eyebrows furrow "And why not?"

"That's for you to find out."  He snaps

I jolt in my seat when someone pats my shoulder. Speaking of the devil

"You've been glancing at the clock for a few minutes already, you didn't even notice me coming. What's with zoning out?" His brows creased but he looks happy.

"Oh, I was just thinking about my exams tomorrow." I lie

"Hmm, you don't have to worry about it, I'm sure you'll Ace them. Who's in the third year in college at 18 by the way?" He asks with an enigmatic smile on his face.

I stand up from my chair and ask him "What do we have for dinner or will you cook tonight?" I follow him passing by our small living room to the kitchen.

"I got you your favorite pizza. I'll cook next time but not tonight," My best friend can cook. I'm a lucky b*tch. yeah!

He could make something from scratch, good thing I have fast metabolisms otherwise he's turning me into a hippo because of his cooking skills.

He's already sitting on the stool and leaning his elbows on our granite counter top. I open our dark brown cabinet that matches the color of our cupboards.

"What do you mean you got me pizza, how about you? What you're gonna eat?" I ask and take plates and cutlery for us.

"The best way to eat pizza is directly from the box, why bother the plates, Abby? you're so rich, you can use them another time."

I open the stainless steel fridge instead and grab him a soda and a water for me.

"You still didn't answer me. Why aren't you eating with me? going out with friends?" I sit beside him and open the box of Greek Pizza, I grab one slice and start eating.

"Actually, ivadet" I stop

"What?" I ask and crease my brows

"I said I have a date tonight." He didn't look at me in the eyes.

As soon as the words came from his mouth my eyes grew big, I mean bigger. My eyes are actually big

"Oh wow! my God my best friend is dating. I mean you start dating, that's good news, I'm happy for you." I put down my pizza and stand up.

I give him a hug and squeeze him. I love my best friend to death.

"You're going on a date tonight with a woman, do I know her? What is she like? I mean I'm sure she's pretty. How did you two meet? When did you replace your condom in your drawer? I'm sure they're expired two years ago. Do I need to leave before you will come home? Or do I just need to pretend I'm sleeping and wear a headset?" I grin like an idiot.

"Silly, you're so funny. Did you really check that I have a condom on my nightstand? I'm not getting laid tonight, Abby, and it's our first date. Jeez, you're far too excited than me." He crinkles his nose and I can see the glimmer in his eyes.

"Why not? Why torture yourself until the third date when you're both attracted, duh!" I roll my eyes. He laughs and explains

"Jesus Abby, not everyone went out on a date just to have sex. Of course, when you're serious about dating you can wait until both of you are ready, so start on getting to know each other first."

I'm already on my second slice of pizza and it's actually nice to eat directly from the box. No hassle.

Rich people making their life so difficult. I sigh

"Isn't it most men think sex like every seven seconds?" I inquire and laugh at my own question.

I add "So, you're really serious with this one and not just a fling or maybe a one night stand or a one week in heaven?"

Andrew dated girls but not too serious, I didn't even get a chance to meet anyone he dated and that was a year ago, then he stopped dating all of a sudden. The reason? I don't know.

He snorts "She's different Abby, I like her. I met her last week. She's our new client. I happened to be the one who installed the security system in her apartment. She's beautiful. I even follow her to the grocery store like a crazy stalker."

Andrew works at security agency for three years now but I didn't meet his co-workers either. He said they'll just hit on me. Grrr!

"How different? Like so tall, blue skin yellow eyes, with tail and say " I see you"?" I mimic Neytiri, but fails miserably.

He laughs at my failure to mimic Neytiri, he sips his soda. I love that movie actually.

See, he even laughs at my lame joke. We always choose the same movie to watch, no arguments, even a crappy rom-com.

"I better go get a shower, enjoy your dinner, Abby." He kisses my head and tickles my side with his huge fingers then runs away.

I narrow my eyes and yell even my mouth is full "I will kill you! you know I'm ticklish you dick!"

"Where is your manners young lady? Did you just say "dick"?! Filthy mouth, I'll tell your mom not to send you copies of the book she'll purchase!" He warns me.

I banter back "Don't you dare asshole! you know mom will listen to you and I'll spray pepper to all of your boxers if she'll not send me copies."

He doesn't look amused, pressing his lips together then he says "I'll really spray pepper in your mouth right now if you'll keep calling me names, Abbygail!" He comes back and tickles me "that. Is. Not. So. Nice. Coming. From. You're. Mouth. Young. Woman."

I fall from my seat and try kicking him but he is too big for me with his six feet and two inches tall wide shoulders and all muscles. He goes to the gym everyday as his therapist suggested. He was already in good shape before he even started.

"Leave me alone Andrew Clayton Tennings!" I laugh so much that I almost pee in my shorts.

"Say it again and you'll see if I'm joking or not!" He warns me again and I know he's true to his words.

He treated me like his little sister he'd never had. He threatened everyone who tried hitting on me.

He even said, "they just want to get into your panties and I know that looks Abby, stay away from those type of men, they're all assholes."

"You're the one who taught me every name, it's all in my head, now you're blaming me?" I can't just stop laughing, He backs off of me

"I really have to take shower before my date think I'll ditch her."

I'm still sitting on the floor, wiping my tears. He walks to his room.

"Fine, you'll probably be late!" I yell

After almost an hour he comes out from his room and walks to me where I'm now sitting on our couch.

"Well, look at you all well cleaned up, you look good, you'll definitely getting laid tonight." I raise my hands up to surrender. "Oops... sorry I mean you'll definitely get a second date."

He rolls his eyes. His curly brown hair slightly disheveled in a stylish way. Blue eyes that glimmer. A little-crooked nose that had been broken when he got into a fight but it gave him a better look.

He looks handsome with his button-down blue shirt fits perfectly, two buttons open that show a little hint of his well-defined chest. Both sleeves rolled up to his elbows with matching dark fitted jeans.

"Hmm, behave at home, okay? lock the door behind me, Abby. If you need anything, I mean anything calls me immediately." He never forgot to remind me every day when he found out what happened to me three years ago.

"Ugh, just go and I'll be fine. I will not wait for you, I'll sleep early. I have exams tomorrow remember?" I say waving my hand to shoo him away.

"Okay, I have to go. I love you, sweetie."

"Enjoy your date and good luck, I love you too, Drew." After kissing my head, he left and lock the door after him.

I go to my bed and tuck myself in my blanket. I call dad but he didn't answer, I call my mom and it went to her voicemail. I guess they're still in honeymoon. I close my eyes hoping to get good sleep without interruption.

I wake up in the morning just a minute before my alarm. I check my phone only a message from my best friend. I really want to gossip a bit but I don't have time. Still no call from my parents. I reply drew

_miss you already, thanks for not waking me up, got a good sleep.

A few seconds later he answers.

_glad to know you sleep well. Miss you too sweetie. Eat your breakfast before you go to school. Tc

_don't forget the details of your date. I'll eat, no messages from dad and mom. Did they call you?

_no sweetie, they didn't. they're probably busy enjoying their trip. Or no cell service. Be patient. Gtg. Luv u

_maybe. Luv u 2. Tc :*

_ :*

I get up in bed and do my routine in the bathroom. I walk to the kitchen and start with my caffeine booster then eat my breakfast. After taking a shower and dress I get out of my apartment and head down to the parking lot. I drive as soon as I get in my car to school, that will only take a ten-minutes drive.

I'm ready for final exams.