CHAPTER 1- Bad Luck

Stephanie's POV- Fourteen years ago.

"Steph, if you put on any more mascara, you're not going to be able to open your eyes!" Caroline joked.

I gave an exaggerated eye-roll to demonstrate the agility of the eyes in question.

"Listen, don't hate just because you don't have these make-up skills," I told my roommate. "I can't help they don't teach you those things down in Georgia."

Caroline gave an eye roll of her own and a pretend huff. "Oh please," she replied.

We smiled. Ragging on each other was one of the reasons we got along so well.

I fluffed my curls with my fingers, studying my reflection in the mirror. I saw an eighteen year old woman with a trim figure, crazy hair, and a totally smokin' outfit.

Thank God for my Grandma Mazur. When I was home last weekend, she stuffed some money in my pocket before Sunday dinner, winking and telling me to go splurge. Boy did I. Being a broke college student, I didn't exactly turn down paid-for shopping trips. I hit the jackpot in the clearance section of Macy's, hence the new outfit.

I lifted my eyebrows at Caroline in the mirror. "I think this is as good as it's gonna get. You about ready?"

Caroline gave a ladylike snort. "Give me a break," she said. "Let's go."

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"Turn here," Caroline directed. "Her house is the third one on the left."

I nodded, and moments later pulled into our friend Jenny's driveway. The three of us were having a girls' night out, complete with fake IDs. Our favorite local band was playing in a college bar in downtown Newark, not far from Jenny's house. We'd paid handsomely for our fakes, but they were damn good, and we were ready to try them out. The only downside of the evening was that I lost the coin toss and was the DD. Go figure.

I honked the horn and Jenny came running out of her house. She jumped in the car with a dramatic sigh.

"Thank GOD you guys are here!" she exclaimed. "My roommate's new boyfriend just came over and they were literally about to do it on the couch right in front of me. I couldn't decide whether to gag or get the hose."

I felt my nose crunch up. "Eeewww. TMI, Jen."

"Hah! Now you guys have to suffer, too. I can't wait to drink that image away. That guy wasn't exactly a hunk, if you know what I mean."

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Hours later, the band had played their last encore, Jenny was weaving drunkenly through the crowd towards me, and Caroline had hooked up with her on-again-off-again high school boyfriend that we'd run into at the bar. Needless to say, she wouldn't be needing a ride home.

"Holy hell, I am done," Jenny said when she reached me.

I grinned. "Had fun?"

She gave me a tipsy grin in return. "Hell yeah! I gotta say, though, I think I'm ready to crash. You?"

"Sure, let me just tell Caro that we're leaving." I slid my eyes to Caroline. She was wrapped around her boyfriend like a snake on a tree and he may or may not have been ingesting her tongue. Gross.

Fifteen minutes later, I waved bye to Jenny as she entered her house. She'd offered me a couch at her house since I'd be driving back to New Brunswick alone. I thought about it, but I wasn't that tired and decided I'd rather sleep in my own bed. Since no one was with me to hear my singing, I turned up the radio and had my own private concert as I drove back to our apartment.

The sad reality of my life is that if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.

It wasn't long before I was lost. Without Caroline to act as my navigator, I'd made a wrong turn somewhere. It's not exactly easy to bust out a map, read it in the dark, and drive all at the same time, you know.

I was driving down a street that wouldn't be my first choice, even during the blazing noonday sun. Suddenly, a cat ran across the road in front of my car. Already jumpy, I gasped and jerked my wheel to the right, running my passenger side tires off the road. Before I even had a chance to correct my steering wheel, the car jerked violently and I heard the tell-tale pow of a tire exploding.

Oh. My. God. You have got to be kidding me! A blown tire? Now? Here? It was after four in the morning, and I was most definitely not in a good part of town. I'd forgotten my pepper spray at home, along with my courage. My spare tire was conveniently located in my dad's garage.

That meant I was stuck. Totally freaking stuck in scary land.

Should I flag someone down? Hope they're not a scary serial rapist?

I glanced around. No cars in sight. The closest streetlights were so dim they were just about nonexistent. I'm thinking hell no to the flagging someone down theory.

Okay, here's the good news. It'll be light in a few hours, and surely things will improve once the sun is up. I'll stay here, nap in my car, and wait until light to get help.

Yikes. Easier said than done. I was seriously wigged. I shuddered, slouching down in my seat and trying to get comfortable. Giving myself a pep talk, I closed my eyes and prayed that dawn would come quickly.

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My eyes had only been closed for a few minutes when I suddenly felt a weird tingle at the back of my neck. Without a doubt, I knew that I was no longer alone on the previously deserted street.

I quickly double-checked my door locks. Yep, they were engaged.

I decided to be brave and just take a look to see who was coming my way. I immediately wished that I could erase that vision from my brain. A group of men were headed straight towards me. They were wearing baggy pants, chains, and exuding a general aura that spelled T-R-O-U-B-L-E. In other words, I was completely screwed.

My hands began to shake and my heart was racing like a thoroughbred in the Derby. Ohmigod, what the hell am I going to do?

Well, my mom did always say that nothing good happens after midnight.