A/N: Hey guys! I'm back and ready to begin a new story so here's the first chapter of Everlasting. I hope you enjoy it!

Since I know you guys read the summary of this story, I just wanted to say that this story is going to be mature as in Rated M. Now, if you're not comfortable with this, then I suggest you don't continue since this story is in fact going to contain some cursing words and sexual content. I am indeed taking a whole new level with this story and I don't want you to continue if you're not comfortable with that. But if you are comfortable with the whole Rated M, then please continue on and read my story. Once again, enjoy!

I collapsed back onto my new, comfy queen sized bed and sighed loudly. The empty space next to me was suddenly replaced by my best friend, Penelope. I turned my head towards her, to see that she was staring back at me through her brown eyes.

"Dude, I am so tired!" I exclaimed and threw my hands above my head. Penelope Love lazily smiled at me and gently patted my shoulder.

"I'm tired too, we've been moving and unpacking your stuff for the past three hours," Penelope said. For the past three hours, Penelope and I have been moving and unpacking my stuff to her spacious condo because I'm moving in with her to become roommates. I had just recently graduated college and now I had a new life ahead of me, except I'm not so sure as to what I want my career to be at the moment. It was frustrating and stressful for me since I don't even know what my future is. But, as of now, I'm moving in with Penelope who gladly took me in her condo since my parents moved to Washington. I mean they didn't abandon me or anything, but my dad landed a big promotion at his job and since they finished paying for my college tuition, they decided to take the big promotion and move. Though my parents did offer me to move with them, but I kindly declined. I just couldn't leave California for crying out loud. California will always be my only home and I feel like I need to do something important here. Like, there's something great that's going to happen to me. I really don't know what it is, but I guess you could say it's a mission in life for me to find out.

I leaned up from the bed and surveyed the room. Penelope had 2 rooms, 2 bathrooms, a spacious living room, and of course, a kitchen. As for my room, it wasn't small, nor was it big but it felt like home to me. The walls were painted light purple with about three, big golden stars on each wall. A golden moon was painted on one of the walls and it made the room look like a starry night sky. The only stuff in my room were a bed that was against the wall, a dresser, a side table next to my bed, and my desk. I need more stuff, I thought, but overall my room was pretty good for now. I pulled a brown box near me that was full of my clothes and opened it up. I got up from the bed and walked to my closet that was already part of the room and opened it. I grabbed a random shirt out of the box and began folding it neatly. I then placed it in one of the shelves and reached for another shirt from the box. The whole time I was doing this Penelope was just watching me. What a lazy girl, I thought. I grabbed a pile of my clothes from the box and threw them at her. It hit her right in the face and I bursted out in laughter.

She frowned at me and asked, "What was that for?"

I shrugged and smiled, "Nothing. I just wanted to see your face. Now, help me unpack."

She stuck her tongue out at me and went next to me to put my clothes in the closet. I grabbed a purple v-neck shirt and started to properly fold it neatly. Penelope was doing the same as well to a different shirt.

"So, why didn't you move with your parents to Washington?" Penny suddenly ask, while she placed the folded shirt on one of the shelves.

I placed a hand over my heart and gasped, "You don't want me here?"

Penelope rolled her eyes, but smiled. "You know what I mean Shai."

I shrugged and said, "I don't know. I just didn't feel like leaving California. It's been my home ever since I was born and I can't imagine living somewhere else and leaving this state."

"Aw, I know what you mean. I'd feel the same way if I were in your position," Penelope agreed.

"Yep, I know you would," was all I said. All left was silence, both of us folding clothes, and wondering thoughts to ourselves.

Suddenly, Penelope screamed and starting jumping up and down in joy. I slightly jumped at her outburst and looked at her weirdly.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" I asked, trying to contain a smile from forming on my face and I was trying to hold her down from jumping. She finally stopped jumping and turned towards me with excitement in her eyes and a huge grin on her face.

"I just had the greatest idea pop into my head!" She exclaimed.

"Which is what?" I skeptically asked.

"You and I should go to a club tonight!" She answered as if it was the greatest idea she came up with.

"Why?" I asked, raising an eyebrow up at her.

"Because we're 22 years old and we should celebrate us being roommates now. Didn't you and I both promise to each other when we were fourteen, that when we're a bit older, we'd be roommates? Well, now that we're roommates, let's go out tonight and celebrate. Yeah?" Penelope explained.

I tapped my chin and thought about it. It was true, when Penelope and I were just fourteen years old, we both promised and talked about us being roommates when we got older. Should we go or should we not? I guess it won't do any harm so I guess I'll have to agree with Penelope's idea.

"Sure, let's go," I said.

"Sure as in sure we're going to a club tonight?"

I frowned at her and said, "Obviously." Penelope grinned and quickly checked her watch on her wrist.

"Okay, it's only four so we have an hour to take a shower, another house to get ready, and another hour or so to get to the club," she said, trying to calculate every hour in head.

"Are you really excited for this?" I asked.

Her eyes grew wide and exclaimed, "Yes! Now come on, let's get ready for our adventure tonight!"

I groaned as she pulled me out of my room and into one of the bathrooms that was conveniently next to my room. The bathroom walls were painted yellow, it had white tiled floors, a daisy flower carpet on the floor, a marbled sink that had a mirror cabinet filled with medicine and bathroom essentials, there was a toilet next to the sink, and of course, a shower.

"Why do you seem like you don't want to go tonight?" she asked, putting both of her hands on her hips.

I rubbed my right eye tiredly and said, "I do want to go, but I'm just tired. I think I just want to stay here and rest."

"I'm tired too, but let's just go tonight. Please? Trust me, you won't regret this one bit," Penelope pleaded with her puppy dog face. I knew I couldn't resist that face of hers no matter how many times she did that face to me.

"Okay! You win," I groaned and crossed my arms against my chest.

"Yay!" She pulled me into a tight hug and kissed me on the cheek.

I laughed and pulled away from her tight huh. "Okay, now get out of the bathroom so I can shower and get ready."

"Okay okay. You won't regret this!" She sang in a sing-songy voice and walked out of the bathroom. I chuckled at her silliness and slid out of my sweatpants and blank tank top. I unclasped my bra and slid out of my panty. I turned on the shower to lukewarm water and stepped into the sprinkling water from the shower above my head. I really hope I don't regret this.

"We look so hot!" Penelope exclaimed as we both stood in front of her wall mirror in her room. Penelope's room was a bit bigger than my room. Her room was a perfect shade of red, her bed was filled with tons of pillows and dress we have been trying on for the past hour. On one side of her wall, it was filled with pictures and posters she loved, she had a dresser across from her bed, and a desk that had her laptop and notebooks scattered on there.

I laughed and said, "Well Miss Penelope Love, you sure do look hot!"

She laughed and strutted a pose next to me. "So do you Miss Shailene Vain!" Penelope and I weren't wearing slutty dress, but good enough to get into a club. Penelope was wearing a blue satin dress that was mid-thigh and it showed off her perfect curves. She had on black high heels, her black hair was curled, and she had on a bunch of silver necklaces around her neck. As for her make-up, she had on blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and lip gloss. For me, I was wearing a black dress that was mid-thigh as well and it showed off my curves as well since Penelope and I go to the gym a lot. I wore my favorite black heels and my black hair was just down and straight. I had on black eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and of course, lip gloss. We were ready for the night to begin.

"Okay, come on, we should get going," Penelope said as we took one last look in the mirror. We grabbed our clutches and made our way to the living room and through the door, and into the night.

The club was packed! We were at Club Majestic, a club downtown in Los Angeles. It was always packed and if you were really lucky, you might even get to see a few celebrities here. I mean, the club is really big, but I didn't expect the club to be fully packed or something. It was unbelievable. Penelope and I could already see the dance floor was occupied with girls and guys dancing with each other. The loud music was blaring through our ears from speakers and the DJ on the second floor who was managing the music. The bar as well, was packed with bartenders handing people their drinks.

Penelope suddenly grabbed onto my left arm and we both descended the steps, past the bar, and led me to a black, velvet couch that had a black, wood table in front of it. Luckily, there wasn't anybody occupying the couch, so we just sat down.

"Gosh, the place is pack!" Penelope shouted over the loud music that as being played.

"I know, right? It seems like there's a celebrity here or something," I shouted back. Penelope's eyes grew wide and smiled. Damn, didn't she get tired of her eyes growing wide?

"Oh my gosh, what if there is?"

I shaked my head and smiled at her, "I doubt it!"

Penelope just shrugged and said, "You may never know. Anyway, why don't I get us some drinks and you look out for some celebrity that might be here."

"Fine! Get me an apple martini by the way!' I shouted to her. She nodded and got up from the couch. I watched as she tried to make her way into the big crowd until I couldn't see her blue dress anymore in my view.

After a few minutes of watching the people on the dance floor dance, not bothering to look for any celebrity since I doubt I will see one tonight, Penelope made her way back to our table. Her hands were full of apple martinis, well only three but it made me wonder who's other martini she was holding since there was only two of us.

"Why are you carrying three?" I pointed to the martinis as she sat down on the couch next to me. She handed me one, while she took a sip of her own and placed the other martini on the table in front of us.

After she finished taking a sip of her drink, she said, "I got two for me." Of course she'd get two for her, she really liked apple martinis.

"Don't get drunk now!" I shouted, as I took a sip of my own apple martini. The apple martini was sweet and sour and it slightly tasted like sweet granny smiths apple. It was just the way I like my martinis, I thought.

"Hey, let's go dance!" Penelope suddenly exclaimed next to my ear. Ow, not to close I thought. I looked over at her and noticed that she already finished her martini and she was now already holding and sipping on her next martini.

"You can go dance, I'll catch up with you later. I just want to finish my martini," I said back, which was half true. I really did want to finish up my martini, but honestly, I didn't really like dancing. It wasn't just my thing, plus who was I going to dance with? Some stranger? No thanks.

Penelope pointed at me and said, "You better." And with that, she got up from the couch and walked towards the dance floor, already dancing on the way there. I chuckled at her and took another sip of my martini.

I was tapping my foot in sync with the music and watched the other people on the dance floor dancing since I already finished my martini 10 minutes ago and I had nothing better do except me constantly checking my phone checking to see if I got any new text messages. So far, none. And so far, Penelope has been on the dance floor for the past 30 minutes already.

I then suddenly felt the couch move, so I turned to look who was sitting next to me and I came to see a man in his early twenties with blond tousled hair, green eyes, and a great smile. He was wearing a while polo shirt with black denim pants. He did look sort of handsome, but I could tell this was man was beginning to look a bit drunk. Well, not a bit. But he was definitely drunk. I slowly moved away from him, but he quickly noticed and moved even closer to me. He only left an inch of a space between us.

"Hey baby, you alone tonight?" He asked, eyeing me from my dress and down to my legs. I mentally squirmed inside when he called me baby and I really didn't like the way he's looking at me. It sent shivers up my spine and the hairs on my neck go up. Danger! Danger was mentally flashing in my mind in big, bold, red letters.

"Uh, no. I'm with a friend actually," I hesitantly answered, with my heart beating fast and fast each second, making my head throb.

"Oh really? Where's your friend then?" He asked, putting a hand on my knee. I quickly moved his hand away from knee and scooted away from him more.

He laughed and moved even closer to me that now, our legs were touching. This man seriously needs to back off.

"My friend's on the dance floor," I answered, trying to not look into his eyes.

"Oh I see. So, why aren't you dancing then? You know me and you can do a lot of things on the dance floor and in...bed," he slowly said into my ear.

My eyes widen in fear and I qucikly got up from the couch. I was about to go onto the dance floor in search of Penelope when a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me back hard into a chest. I looked up to see that it was man who was trying to hit on me just a few seconds ago. Damn, I really need to get away from him. I pulled back away from him and tried to make him let go of my wrist, but he just squeezed it tighter.

I winced in pain and exclaimed, "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

The man pulled me closer to his chest and chuckled. He reeked of alcohol and cigarette.

"Nobody gets away from me. Not even you," he said into my ear. I rolled my eyes at his words. I'm really starting to get pissed off at him. I pulled back away from him again and this time, I kneed him in the balls. He instantly let go of my wrist and grimaced in pain, holding onto his balls. Now was my chance to escape, I thought. Just as I was about to run off onto the dance floor, I was instantly pulled by the wrist again. I was turned around to see him again and he wasn't in pain anymore. But didn't I just knee him in the balls and he-wait. What? How could he not be in pain that quickly? I thought I kneed him pretty hard.

"Like I said, no one gets away from me," he said in a angry tone. I looked into his green eyes to see that he was really mad. See, this is why I didn't want to go to a club tonight. I'll have to thank Penelope later, if I do get to see her again.

"You're a jerk you know that?" I screamed into his face and I know I shouldn't have done this, but I spitted straight onto his face

I watched as he wiped a hand over his face and he was breathing hard through his nostrils. I could already see his face turning red like a tomato and he clenched his jaw tight. Crap, big mistake. I suddenly felt a shooting pain rise up in my arm and I screamed in pain. That was going to leave a pretty bad bruise.

How could people not notice this happening to me? Oh yeah, they're all having fun and they might as well be drunk. Where was Penelope when I needed her?

I was again pulled up against him when he shouted in my face, "Don't you dare spit on my face, you hear me?"

I weakly nodded from the pain on my left wrist and I was just about to close my eyes when I saw that he was about to slap me on the face, but he suddenly stopped mid-air when a hand landed on his shoulder and said in a mysterious but familiar voice, "Don't you dare touch or slap her."

I watched as the man who's been trying to hit on me turn around to come face to face with...

A/N: So, how do you guys like the first chapter? Love it? Hate it? I would really like to know and read your thoughts about it. I would really appreciate it a lot and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

PS: Who do you think is going to save Shailene? Psh, I bet most of you know who...

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