Chapter One

I was at the coffee shop waiting for Josh. Yes, I mean the coffee shop a mile away from the hood. I know it's dangerous but its the best place in Downtown ATL. While I was waiting I decided to get a latte. I went up to the counter and ordered my usual and just before I pulled out my wallet a hand touched mine, stopping me.

"I got it." A male voice said. "And make that two vanilla lattes. Keep the change."

The cashier took the guy's 20 dollar bill and we moved aside to wait. I looked at the guy and noticed he was young, definitely my age. Hot, too. He had curly light brown hair and striking green eyes that held you hostage. His broad shoulders and strong frame just drew you in. Plus, by the way his baggy jeans fit and his kicks were covered with dirt you could tell he wasn't your average college guy. In other words he was nothing like Josh. No. This guy... This guy was clearly from the hood.

I surveyed him just as my father would've told me to. And he must have taken it the wrong way because he looked at me, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"You like what you see?" He asked, smirking.

"Not really, just trying to figure you out." I fake smiled at him and dropped it as quickly as it came. "You didn't have to do that by the way."

He just shrugged and I looked at my watch before my gaze shifted to the door and back.

"Looking for someone?" He questioned.

"Yeah, my boyfriend actually." I said. "And here he is now, thanks for the coffee." I picked up my latte and walked over to Josh who'd just walked in. I kissed him and we left, but not before glancing once more at the boy with green eyes who was smirking at me through the window...

Two Weeks and Some Days Later

"You asshole!" I shouted at Josh.

"Wow, so I'm the asshole." He said to me.

"Hell yeah! I find my mother and decide I want to stay with her for a while and you give me an ultimatum." I glared at him. "If you're not an asshole I don't know who is."

"And how the fucking hell was that an ultimatum?"

"Oh, I don't know? Maybe because you're making me choose between my family or you!"

"Well you're trying to leave me!"

I laughed but there was no humor. "And you think I won't come back?"

He stayed silent, a look of anger on his face.

I nodded, picked up a glass full of wine and threw it on the ground, causing the glass to shatter and the drink to spill all over the floor. "We're done. So goddamn done." I took off the bracket he'd given me for my birthday a year before that had a silver J on it and threw it in the spilled wine. He just stared at me, his face filled with hurt and anger.

I picked up my purse and walked towards the door. I slammed the door behind me and made sure the whole floor heard me when I yelled, "Fuck you, Josh!"

I didn't take the elevator like I usually would up to the penthouse (Macey's dad basically forced the head of GSU to allow him to build it for her and her friends to stay in during college) and took the stairs, running up them two at a time. I burst through the door to see the girls sitting on the couch in the living room watching Easy A. When they looked over at me I broke. I feel to my knees and just cried, curled up in s ball. For days I didn't move unless I was going to a class and even then all I wore was sweatpants and old hoodies. I emailed my mom and told her what happened, saying I needed to calm down before I came to visit her.

I guess the girls got tired of seeing me depressed because one night they burst into my room.

"Alright, that's it. Get your lazy ass up." Bex said and when Bex uses that tone, you know to listen.

"Go take a shower and use this." Macey handed me a bottle of conditioner that was only legal in Australia. I raised an eyebrow. she shrugged. "Im the senator's daughter, I have my resources. Now go. Seriously."

I took a quick shower, using the conditioner when I washed my hair. I towl dried my hair and slipped on my silk robe (birthday present from Macey). When I walked back into my room and saw my friends all dressed to go out.

Liz smiled at me. "Get dressed."

I slipped into the outfit they'd lay out for me. It consisted of a red and white plaid pleated skirt, a black strapless crop top and a cropped red leather jacket. What tied it together was the black high heeled boots. Macey sat me in a chair and did my make-up. It consisted of red smokey eye, winged eyeliner, blush and red lipstick. Liz and Bex curled my golden blonde hair so that it fell in waves halfway down my back. When they let me look in the mirror, I smiled for the first time in days. I looked good. And I felt even better.

"Okay, come on. Liz, you're driving because you're the only one that won't drink." Bex handed her keys to my little blonde friend.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You'll see." Bex said to me.

We piled into her car and drove for about 30 minutes. Though, after the first 20, I began to see graffetti on brick walls and drug dealers "descretly" making money on the streets. "Liz, where the hell are we going?"

"Um..." She stammered.

Macey sighed. "Relax, Cam. I get that this is where your dad dumped you but trust me, you'll be fine. You were just a kid then and now you're a woman. Besides, if all goes well, you won't have to try to hold your own in a fight tonight."

I took a few deep breaths to try to ease the panic settling in my core. Ten minutes later, we pulled up in front of a dive bar. As we got out of the car, I seemed to relax. A little.

We walked inside and flashed fake IDs (Bex knows a guy) at security before we continued walking. A song the girls liked came on and the looked at me longingly.

I smiled softly. "You guys go 'head, I'm gonna get a drink."

They didn't need to be told twice.

I walked over to the bar and as I did I saw a pair of familiar green eyes...