[Music Recommendation: Lovely - Billie Eilish & Khalid]

You wake up one morning and find yourself all alone lying in the bed. Your house is empty. Nobody is yelling at you to wake you up. The people you loved, the people you felt safe with and cared by don't even know if you exist. To them your existence was never there. You were never born, never found, never taken care of, never loved. You are no one and nothing. You wake up one morning and you're somebody else. You're you but at the same time you're not.

Pretty depressing and confusing way of starting my story isn't it? Let's go to the beginning of how my cheery existence was removed and how I became the person I am and I am not.

The summer was ending. I had just turned eighteen and ready to become a senior at Huntsville High. And as our custom was Matthew Bolan had arranged a party before the school could start. It was a mandatory party for everyone in our year to attend. It was a celebration that we had survived another year together and were promoted. It was basically just an excuse for party that everyone was up for except for me.

"Come on, Dani." Jenna said as we I looked up at her from my phone. "Joey's going, I'm going. We three will stay together and have fun." She said as I put my phone aside and took a sip from my milkshake.

"Umm hmm..." I said as I put my arms on the table. "I know you both would disappear the moment we go to that party."

"We'd never do that." She said as I raised my eye brow.

"Yeah? Let's check the timeline. Freshmen year; first high school party, you slipped away with Ryan Jacobs, our then senior and Joey slipped away with Serene, the ugly witch. Second party; you slipped away with Faruk Ghani and Joey again with the ugly witch. Thrid party; you with Derek Grillo and Joey yet again with the witch."

"Okay, stop!" She said putting her hands up. "I feel like a slut now." She said in a low voice. "Dani, those are just a few parties that that had happened."

I scoffed. "Dude, those were just three parties of Freshmen year I haven't even reached to Sophomore and Junior year parties that we went to."

Jenna leaned forward. "Does in all of those I slip away with a different guy?" She asked in a low voice.

"Yeap." I replied and she frowned a little.

"Okay, fine. We're jerk friends. But Matthew really wants you to come. He has been texting me to insist you to come."

"I don't care if Matthew wants me to come. I just don't wanna go. And anyways why is he texting you? I think you were my friend." I said and she sighed.

"Look, he seems interested in you a lot, Dani and I think you should give him a chance."

"We're not having that talk again. I told you I'm not interested in him and stop  texting him for God sake." I said as I looked out the window of the small dinner as my eyes fell on the familiar white mustang parked outside.

Nathan's here? I looked around but I didn't see him. Well, I didn't look at the area behind me because that would seem weird.

"It's not like Matthew has done anything wrong. He's a nice guy-"

"Who's surrounded by girls all the time... flirts with every girl he sees... and embarrased me in the cafeteria."

"He doesn't flirt with other girls. He's just nice. And it's not just girls he's surrounded but guys too because he's a son of a well known basketball player so everyone wants to meet his dad. As for cafeteria, he never embarrassed you instead it was the other way around. He asked you out on Valentine's day with a song and you just yelled no at him leaving him alone."

Yeah, all those points are true. Matt is a nice guy, too nice if you'd ask me. I just feel like he's that villain who seems nice but has some ulterior motives. You no that saying "too good to be true", it was basically said for Matthew Bolan.

"Whatever, I'm just not interested." I said as I sighed. " I wish I had a guy I could slip away with from Matt." I took another sip from the straw.

"How about me?" I heard a familiar beautiful voice that sometimes dies give me goose bumps. I looked to my side watching Nathan standing drinking his some red juice and smiling at me.

"What?" Jenna said with scowl on her face. Nathan smiled at her and sat down beside me as he rested his arm on the seat head behind me. He put his glass on the table and looked me right into eyes.

"Slip away with me?" He said as I looked right into his blue eyes slightly flawed with green.

I felt like my heart skipped a beat and my body froze right underneath his stare.

God! I hate it when he's this close to me. Nathan Wood was only guy in my school who would leave me speechless, dazed and... I don't know what other words.  To be very honest he knew how to use himself against me to get me all flushed or embarasses. This guy here has been my crush for three years now and he knew exactly how I felt because of that he wouldn't let even one chance of teasing me go by. That's how he was and for some reason I still liked him.

He laughed out a little. "You're a cute red tomato now." He said as he moved away a little from me and he picked his glass up. I instinctively touched my face for some reason and he laughed even more. "Jokes aside. I'd really like to go to the party with you if you ever change your mind about going." He said as he took another sip and Jenna looked at him in disgust. "See you around, Jackson." He winked at me as he turned to Jenna. "You too, Lady Jenna." He said jokingly as he walked away from us.

"Seriously, Dani. I can't believe you actually like that guy." Jenna said and I looked at her as I gave her a smile. A smile that I knew she'd recognize. Her eyes dialated as she was about to say something but I quickly turned my head back.

"Hey, Nathan!" I said as he looked back at me. "Let's go together." I said and he smiled almost making me feel uncomfortable under his gaze.

"See you at eight, Jackson." He said as he winked at me and turned as he left the dinner.

Nathan was the sharp type. He was clever, fast and smart. He was the type people would tell you to stay away from. There were always rumours going around about him but I never believed any of those. Everytime I looked at him I knew he wasn't the person people said he was. I don't know how but I knew I could trust me. So even if he did asked me out to tease me I wasn't going to let this chance go by.

I turned to Jenna as she glared at me with her caramel eyes and her long beautiful eyelashes.

"Why'd you do that?" She asked as I finished my shake.

"It's my turn to slip away." I said and she looked at me in disbelief.

"Dani, that's the most stupid way to get back at us." Jenna said and I looked up at her.

"I'm not trying to get back at you guys. I'm just... you know when life gives you lemon make lemonade right? I like the guy and he asked me out that's basically the lemon. I'm just making lemonade. And to add sugar in it Matthew will get the message if I go with a date." I shrug.

She sighed. "Joey and I don't like Nathan."

"You and I don't like Serene. Does that work on Joey?" I asked.

"Dani, that's different. Joey is not dumb he knows what he's doing."

"And you're saying I don't?" I crossed my arms as I leaned back.

"No. I'm just saying that you deserve better than Nathan."

"And by better you mean Matthew Bolan? Nathan is way better than him and it's not like I'll end up marrying Nathan tonight. Chill out, Jen. It'll be fine." I said assuring her as she simply sighed and looked at me slightly nodding.

That one party was a turning point in my life. If I had known what would happen there I would have never went there. I might have still be living the life I was living as Danielle Jackson back in the day.

***************

A/N:
So hello fellas. It's me Azure and I'm really happy that this book is back up again. I'm confident things will go with a flow this time and this book will turn out as I want it to. There maybe delays in updates but please be patient with me that's all I ask.

Give me your opinions on individual chapters and on the overall story too. I'd be glad to hear your thoughts on it. Ask me anything here in the comments or in the private messages. I'd gladly end your confusions about the story.

Also I'll be putting in music recommendations for you guys to let you know what I was listening to while I was writing the chapters.

Bear with me a little more. Love from me to y'all.

Don't forget to give your love by
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