Chapter One: Chance Meeting

I checked the clock for the tenth time, hoping the clock would read 10:30. '10:20, damn it.' I thought to myself.

"Would you relax? You've got ten more minutes, it'll go by a hell of a lot faster if you chill the fuck out and watch t.v. or something." My sister and college roommate told me.

I'm dying my hair blond. It's my first time ever dying my hair and I'm just too excited to see how it comes out. I've always wanted blond hair, but my mom had the whole 'my house, my rules' thing growing up. Now I'm in college though, I live in a dorm, so bye bye stupid brown hair, hello beautiful blond!

'Well if time would move FASTER that is...'

"Hey Anne, maybe I could dye your hair. That would make time go faster." I suggested to my older sister.

She laughed. "Thanks but no thanks, Rosie. First of all, I don't trust you with my hair, I hardly trust you with my hairbrush. You take clumsy to a whole new level. Second of all, I actually like my hair color."

My sister, Anne Lynn Summers, is the most confident person I've ever met. She's 5'8, super skinny with small curves, and her brown hair is pin straight and down to her elbows. She loves to put different things in her hair and try out new hair styles, which just makes her so much cooler. Her green eyes are very bright, even brighter than mine, and she can give you a look like she's looking into your soul. She doesn't go out of her way to be popular, if anything she actually is kinda anti-social and tries to avoid people, but people when they meet her just love her. Who can blame them? She's...well...perfect.

And I'm far from it. My hair isn't straight, it's wavy, and it takes forever to straighten to look even remotely like hers. She's way more skinny than I am, I was cursed with curves (which makes sports, which I actually use to enjoy as a child, more difficult to do) and my stare just make people think I'm retarded. So really, the only thing I got going for me is my new hair and my name. I pouted. "Hey you said once I started college you'd stop calling me Rosie. It's just Rose."

Anne smiled brilliantly at me. "I said I'd stop calling you Rosie in front of other people." She pinched my cheek. "'Cause you know you will always be my wittle wosie wosie" She cooed in a baby voice.

I hit her hand away. "God you're annoying. How old are you? Twelve?"

"Twenty-one actually, and if you want to have a 'beer and movie' night tonight, you ought to be nice to me. Me being of legal age to drink is your only access to alcohol." She smirked. What a bitch!

"Oh, that's right, I meant to say you're the best sister in the world and I am so grateful just to bask in your presence." I said, voice full of sarcasm.

Anne laughed. "You should be, I just distracted you for ten minutes. It's time to rinse your hair, princess."

I jumped up, full of excitement. 'YES! FINALLY!' I ran down the hall to the bathroom and rinsed out my hair in one of the showers. I took the shower as quickly as possible. I then promptly got out, got dressed in my work clothes, and brushed my hair, blow dried it and brushed it while I blow dried it. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but it keeps it from being as wavy and makes straightening it a lot easier.

I looked in the mirror and the person I saw in it stared back at me in awe. 'Is that me? I look like a completely different person...'

I went over to my sister, who was reading an astrology book and hit it out of her hand. "Hey! What the he-" She started, then stopped as she looked at me. "Oh my god."

I smiled, ecstatic. "That good, eh?"

My sister was silent for a moment. "I think you looked better before." She said quietly, getting up and heading to the nightstand, where she plucked hair out of her hairbrush. "And what did I say about leaving your hair in my hairbrush? It's a pet peeve and it's annoying."

"Don't change the subject. You think I looked better before?" I asked, incredulously. "Before when what? I was uglier than you? God forbid I look good, is that it?"

"That's not true and you know it."

"Oh yeah? Then why were you looking at me in awe when you first saw me?"

Anne sighed, frustrated. "Because you looked like a whole new person! One that isn't you! One that people won't see and go, 'Hey, that's Rose, the sweet girl from Montana'. Instead they'll go, 'Hey, that's a totally hot blond with a nice rack and sweet ass, Imma tap that'."

My jaw dropped. Did my sister just call me a slut? "Whatever, Anne. I'm going to work." I said, grabbing my jacket and keys.

"Rose, wait-" She started, but I slammed the door on her and ran to my car. On the way to work, I tried not to cry. My sister has always been supportive of me, so why not now? Do I look so different she thinks I'll start acting different? Like I'll become some slut? Or just mean?

I had no answers, no matter how much I thought about it. I gave up and just focused on work. I work at a local bookstore, which is usually pretty busy during the day, but at night, pretty dead. I mostly do cleaning. I was just about to close up when a boy walked in. A cute one, may I add.

He had spikey, dark brown hair and eyes to match it. He carried himself like he would tear anyone to shreds who messed with him. And boy, was he ripped. I wanted to say something, even welcome him to the store like I do with every single customer who enters the store, but I simply couldn't speak. He was too hot.

'See? Anne had nothing to worry about. Being blond didn't turn me into a super slut, I can't even talk to the guy.'

The boy searched the store and I finished the rest of the closing duties and he came up to the desk about ten minutes later, two astrology books in hand. I wanted to comment, I really did, but I didn't know what to say. So I just silently rang up his books.

"How late are you open until? I mean, it's pretty dead in here...but out there, there's a bunch of people. I'd hate for a beautiful woman like you to have to walk to your car alone and possibly be mugged." He said, flirtatiously.

I blushed. "We're already closed." I said, putting his books in a bag. "Your total is 32.41"

He handed me two twenties. "Why didn't you tell me so? I would have hurried up. I'd hate to keep you..." The strange, beautiful man trailed. "Well unless you wanted to be kept."

"I can't ask people to leave." I blurted. 'Wow, couldn't have flirted at all there, just had to state the rules my manager said? Rules I don't even FOLLOW?'

He smiled beautifully at me. "Well, how about I make it up to you and take you out to dinner tonight?"

I was just asked out. By a hot stranger. 'Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!'

But...Anne is waiting for me...with beer and movies... 'She also basically called me a slut though...but still, if I just ditch her, for a guy I just met and don't even know his name, aren't I being exactly what she called me?'

"I can't." I said, dismissively. "My sister is waiting for me."

"Right. Well, it was a pleasure to meet you Rose. I'm sure I'll see you again." He winked, before walking out. 'Oh! Sexy work stalker! How exciting! How did he know my name?...oh nametag, duh.'

I closed up the shop, excited about this interesting man, wondering when exactly I'll see him again. When I got home, the dorm room was empty. 'She must be getting the beer...God, it's super hot in here.' I checked the heat and it was set for eighty four degrees. 'Stupid sister, she always cranks up the damn heat! Is she trying to kill us?'

I turned it down to seventy-two and cranked open our window. Being pissed off about how hot it was reminded me how pissed off I am at Anne. I sat down on the bed. Yeah, we only have one bed. We could've had two but Anne insisted we get a t.v. and stand, a bookshelf and vanity instead. Something about wanting a pimped out dorm room and liking sleeping on the floor to convince me this was acceptable. Which it's not, but she wouldn't give up, and I gave up trying. I was thinking about throwing a cd in the dvd player, when I saw Anne's hairbrush. It wasn't overly full of blond hair, but there was enough to notice.

This sounds strange, but no matter how mad I am at my sister, or how sorry she'll probably be when she gets back, if that hairbrush stays like that, there will be fighting words. She is anal about her hairbrush and having my newly died, blond hair just chilling there is asking for another fight. I got up to empty it when there was a knock on the door.

I stopped and went over to the door, opening it right up. "Hello?"

There was a little tween girl standing there, in a girl scout uniform, cookies in hand. What the fuck? "Can I interest you in some cookies?" She asked cheerfully.

"Uh...do you know how late it is little girl? You shouldn't be out selling cookies this late at night, you could get seriously hurt."

"Do you know how late it is? You shouldn't just be answering your door so quickly at this time of night, I could have been here to rob you."

My jaw dropped. Did a girl scout just threaten me? Seriously? "Hey aren't you suppose to be all sugar and spice and everything nice?"

"That's a powerpuff girl, you tard. You gonna buy any cookies or what?"

"No!" I exclaimed. "You aren't even remotely convincing me to buy your damn cookies!"

She smirked. "Whatever! My job's done!" Then took her little wagon of cookies and started running down the hallway. I almost chased after her and probably would have, but my sister was headed this way. I crossed my arms and stared at her. "Is that apology beer?" I asked, hoping for a yes. I hate holding grudges, I'm all about the forgive and forget. What better way to forget you're angry than with alcohol?

"It is." She said, walking by me. "What was with that girl scout?"

I shrugged. "Who cares? Let's drink!" I exclaimed, grabbing an orange shocktop from her bag of goodies.

Anne put the movie, which was the classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre and looked up at me from her spot on the floor. "Are you still angry with me?"

I held up the apology beer. "Nope! But if you wanna explain why you were mean before we press that little play button, I'd like to hear you out." It's true. I wasn't angry with her but I was confused as to why she got uppity.

My perfect sister sighed. "You just worked so hard to become the amazing, smart girl you are today. And I guess I'm just afraid people will look at you and only see the blond hair this...different person, so much that they won't want to get to know the real you."

'Aw, she's just looking out for me. In her own, twisted little way.' "Sis, thanks." I gave her a big hug. "But you have no need to worry."

"You're keeping the blond, aren't you?"

I smiled. "Uh huh."

"It helped you meet a boy, didn't it?"

"Uh huh."

"Said boy asked you out, didn't he?"

"Oh yes!" I exclaimed. "But, I told him I had plans with my sister. And came here to watch movies and eat popcorn with you. See? Just because people may think I'm some blond bimbo doesn't mean I'm actually going to become one."

Anne chuckled. "I suppose you're right. Just be careful, kay?"

"Yeah, yeah, just press play."

We watched our movie and drank our beer, eating popcorn (store bought, no microwaving required) and finally it was time to hit the hay. We were both getting ready to go to bed when my sister asked, "Hey have you seen my hairbrush?"

"Yeah it's on the vanity." Shit! I forgot to empty it of hair!

I ran over but for some reason it wasn't there. "Huh...I could've sworn it was here..."

My sister rolled her eyes. "You know if you broke it, it's not the end of the world. Just admit it."

"But I didn't-"

She sighed. "Look I'm tired, I'll just throw my hair up tomorrow. No big deal." She said, before narrowing her eyes and pointing at me. "Pick up a new one before class. Actually, pick up two."

I was about to ask why two, when it hit me. One for me, one for her, therefore no more me using her hairbrush. "Got it!" I brushed my teeth and hopped into bed. "Goodnight, Anne."

"Sweet dreams, Rosie."

I was too far into dreamland to correct her on my name.

The next morning we were almost late to our astrology class, since we were both missing books and got chewed out by out teacher who had a lisp. Yeah, we were pretty entertained. We did that whole try not to laugh, definitely don't look at each other when we slip up because that only lets giggles escape and get us more into trouble thing and got an extra assignment.

After class, I had world literature and she had psychology two so we parted ways. She reminded me to get hairbrushes after class, which I did, right before heading into work. It was another slow day and I eventually got bored so I gave her a call while I literally had no customers.

"Is something wrong Rosie?" Anne answered after the first ring.

'Always the worry wart.' "Yes...I am bored out of my fucking mind."

She snorted. "So you call me? Why not that cute boy you met last night?"

"I never got his number...or name..."

I heard her laughter through the phone. "You were going to go with some boy, out to dinner on a whim, without even getting his name?"

I sighed, dreamily, thinking of how hot this mystery man was. "Yup. He was that dreamy."

"Haven't you ever heard of stranger danger?"

"Yes but that applies to creepy men in vans offering candy or looking for puppies. Super sexy guys who like reading don't fall under that."

"Uh huh." She said, unconvinced.

"Don't knock it if you haven't tried it."

"You haven't tried it either. You came home last night, remember?" See, I'm not good with guys. I went on a date once with a friend I had known forever, which was just awkward by the way, and last night was the first time I was ever asked out. And by a stranger. So she's right.

'But I'm not good with guys and she could have any one she wants! So if she wants to play the weirdo game, let's play! I'm down for a bicker'

"I do remember. I also remember that between the two of us, I'm the only one even remotely trying, Miss Shut In."

I could imagine her rolling her eyes. "I just don't see the point in dating, okay?"

"Or socializing?"

"You don't socialize either. You only hang out with me."

She had a point but I had a reason. "That's because all my friends went to different colleges and I just started here. I have acquaintances who I'm working towards being friends with. This is your third year, where are your friends?"

There was silence on the other side. 'I didn't mean to get serious...' "Hey, Anne, you okay? I was just playing with you..."

"I know. You're fine." She said, quietly. "Just hit a nerve, that's all." 'Shit, I feel really bad.'

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe some other time. I have to go into work and I don't want to be late and emotional when I go in. No one likes a crazy waitress."

"I'm really sorry for what I said. We can talk all night, eat chocolate and do each other's hair. I remembered the hairbrushes!"

My sister laughed weakly. "Awesome. If you see your cutie though, don't worry about it, it looks busy so I'll probably be out late." 'Isn't she the best?'

"I'll text you with updates at the least."

"Sounds great. Love you, Rosie."

"It's Rose." I said, stubbornly. "But I love you too. Bye sis!"

I hung up and started thinking as I pretended to look busy for the cameras. I know my sister when through this time of her life where she had lots of friends and a boyfriend and they all got in this car accident. Everyone was okay though, no one was too injured luckily, but ever since then she became such a shut in. 'I wonder if there was some sort of fighting or something that caused the accident...I think I remember her saying the accident had to do with her break-up...'

I was so wrapped up in the mystery of my sister as I closed up shop that I wasn't paying attention at all. Maybe if I had been more focused, I would have made it to my car before a cloth was pressed against my mouth, forcing me to inhale fumes and give into the dark.