Hello everyone, and happy new year! As previously promised, here is a new Bade story to kick off 2023! I was actually able to get a lot more work done on this story over the holidays than I had originally anticipated, and am so excited to finally share it with you after spending so much time on it! It's a lot different than the stories I've written so far, or at least it feels that way to me, so I hope you all enjoy it! The concept (and the title) came to me after listening to the song 'Heartfirst' by Kelsea Ballerini, and the first few chapters are heavily influenced by the lyrics. The rest of the story kind of stemmed from there, and I really love where it ended up. I hope you all do too! Thank you for clicking on this story and giving it a chance! Happy reading :)

Staring at the computer screen in front of her, Jade West's head feels as if it's about to explode. For four hours now, she's been looking at the same half-written essay and making little to no progress towards it's completion. The assignment, worth ten percent of her final grade, is due on Tuesday morning...and now on Saturday night her chances of turning in anything worth a passing grade seem bleak. Never in her life has she experienced writer's block like this before. She supposes she can attribute it to the class material...theater history has never been that interesting to her. Nonetheless, it's required for her to earn her drama and theater studies degree.

"Hello?" The music playing through Jade's headphones is suddenly interrupted, startling her and making her jump

"What the fuck?" She reacts on an impulse "Cat! You scared the shit out of me!"

"Not surprising..." Her roommate, Cat Valentine, chuckles as she places Jade's earbud into her own ear "Keep listening to your music this loud and you'll be deaf by the time you're twenty-five."

The two girls met during summer orientation at NYU just three short years ago, but became fast friends. After suffering through the awkwardness of living with their freshman roommates, they moved in together for their sophomore, and now junior, year. Cat is studying music and vocal performance, while Jade prefers the more dramatic side of the arts. They live in an apartment-style dorm, with a bedroom for each of them, shared bathroom, kitchen, and living room, equidistant from the two buildings they each frequent the most for their classes.

"I'm trying to work..." Jade groans, snatching the earbud back from Cat "What do you need?"

"We're leaving in half an hour." Cat informs her "Get ready."

"I don't know if I should come out with you guys tonight..." Jade admits, rubbing her temples "I have to get this paper finished by-"

"Jade." Cat cuts her off "I have walked by your room like six times tonight already, and every time your screen has looked exactly the same. You can either sit here and stare at it for another four hours, or you can come out and have a good time. Either way, you're not getting any more work done tonight."

"Fair enough..." Jade sighs

She hits save on the document, then does so for a second time just to be extra safe. Losing what little progress she had already made and having to start over from nothing might just be enough to send her into a downward spiral.

"Wear something slutty." Cat urges her, turning over her shoulder to exit the bedroom "You deserve to get laid tonight."

"I'm not wearing anything slutty." Jade rolls her eyes "I don't really care if I have sex with anyone tonight or not."

"I care if you have sex with someone tonight or not." Cat insists, her voice traveling down the small hallway "It's been what? Four months now? That's too long."

"I've been fine."

"Mhm..." Cat hums

Truth be told, Jade hasn't been fine...at least she wasn't at first. She had been with her ex-boyfriend, Marcus, for just over two years when they broke up. The couple had met during the fall semester of her freshman year, in a general writing course almost all students are required to take at some point during their undergraduate years. Marcus was a year older than her, a finance major who found Jade's interest in the dramatic arts to be intriguing in its own right. He was very smart, quick-witted, and made her laugh...not to mention he was attractive and the sex was decent. He impressed her father and got along with her friends, but as they progressed through school and started to take a more serious look at their futures...dynamics started to change.

Marcus couldn't wrap his head around the idea that Jade might not end up working a standard nine-to-five job, or that she might not have employment lined up before graduation like he was most likely going to. They argued about what their lives would look like if they were both traveling for work, and how complicated it might become if they ever decided to have children. Jade could see that they would have to compromise on quite a bit, just like any couple would, but Marcus seemed more insistent that she be the one to make changes to her own future plans in order to better fit into his. He became mean, almost aggressive, they argued more than anything else...and in the end, Jade had been the one to break up with him.

Being the one to end their relationship hadn't made the choice any easier on her. For almost two years, Marcus had been Jade's everything. She saw him as part of her future, and then had to figure out what it was going to look like without him. It took her about a month of moping around and crying to see that the two of them would have never worked out even if they had continued to try. Subconsciously, Marcus had always expected one thing of her, even if he hadn't been ready to admit it, and she desired another.

After four months now, she's at peace with moving on to the next chapter in her life. A chapter without him, that she'll get to write herself. A chapter with a practical, well thought out, outcome.

"Time check?" Jade calls out as she opens her closet, searching for something sexy, but not necessarily slutty, to wear

"Robbie says the Uber is ten minutes away!" Cat calls back

"Fuck..." Jade mutters to herself "Okay!"

Quickly, she grabs her most typical 'going out' outfit and begins getting dressed. The jeans, top, and heels might not scream 'sex', but she looks and feels good. When Cat's boyfriend, Robbie, texts them to let them know that he's waiting out front in an Uber, she grabs her purse and her staple cosmetic items, ready to finish her makeup in the car.

"You made the right choice." Cat smiles as the elevator doors close and the car begins moving them to the bottom floor "This is more fun than fighting writer's block."

"Maybe." Jade shrugs with a smirk "We'll see."

"Come dance with me!" Cat screams over the loud music

"Cat, I-"

"C'mon!" The redhead insists

Jade allows her friend to pull her out onto the dance floor, pushing past the crowd of people to make space for themselves. Jade has never really been one to go out dancing, although she will every once and a while. If she had her pick, she'd rather sit outside on a patio somewhere, listening to a cover band play live music while she sips on a drink and talks to her friends. Clubs are so loud, especially this one, she can feel the vibrations from the bass in her chest. Nonetheless, Jade appeases her friend's wishes and the two girls laugh as they dance around, feeling free and careless as the music plays.

"I need another drink!" Jade yells to Cat as the song ends

If she's going to keep dancing all night, she's going to need a bit of liquid motivation. While she and Cat are both newly twenty-one, alcohol has been readily accessible to them throughout their entire college experience. Whether it be free at a party or purchased by an older friend, a strong drink was always easy to find when they wanted or needed it. Jade likes to think she's better at holding her booze than Cat is, but everyone has their moments of weakness. Tonight doesn't feel like one of those moments though, thank god.

"Okay!" Cat smiles "I'm going to find Robbie!"

"You do that!"

The two girls part ways, Cat heading back to the small table in the back that their group had claimed for themselves, and Jade to the bar in the back of the large room. The club doesn't feel as crowded now that she's left the dance floor, but there's still quite a few people around. Jade tries to keep her head up and forward, keeping a close eye in front of her as she navigates her way to the bar. Unfortunately, she doesn't pay attention to either side, and accidentally bumps into a man on her right.

"Shit!" She exclaims as their shoulders collide "I'm sorry!"

"Don't apologize." He assures her "S'my bad."

"If you say so..." Jade shrugs, turning to keep moving

"Hey wait!" She feels him reach out and grab her hand to stop her from walking away "What s'your name?"

"Uh..." She laughs nervously, looking around for Cat or Robbie "Jade. And you are?"

"Beck." He grins "S'nice to meet you, Jade."

He's hot, there's no denying that. Olive skin, dark hair pulled back into a short ponytail, and brown eyes that stare directly into her blue ones. Jade can't help but feel a tad excited as he touches her hand, smiling a bit as he smiles back at her. He seems like he knows that he's hot though, and that might make him a douchebag. Jade isn't sure if she has the patience to find out tonight or not.

"Are you here with anyone?" He asks her before she has the chance to say anything else

"A few friends." She tells him "You?"

"Friends of friends, I guess." He shrugs "Can I buy you a drink?"

Cat and Robbie are probably off in a corner somewhere making out, and while they would stop if they saw her approaching...it might be nice not to have to third-wheel for the first time in awhile.

Fuck it. She thinks to herself Why not?

"Sure." She agrees "Lead the way."

Beck takes her hand again and Jade follows behind him as they weave their way through the crowd towards the bar. He orders a beer for himself and a cocktail for her, then leads her over to a small table in the corner.

"You're gorgeous, by the way." He tells her as he takes his first sip "Sorry to be so straightforward, but s'true."

"You're not terrible to look at either." Jade laughs "Do you go to NYU?"

She's never seen him around before, but over fifty-thousand students attend the university. He might be from out of the neighborhood as well, it's not that uncommon for college students to venture into different parts of the city every now and then for a different night-out experience.

"Nah..." He shakes his head "I just moved here for work."

His comment takes Jade a bit by surprise. He certainly looks to be around her age, and while she knows that college isn't always everyone's chosen path...people their age without degrees usually aren't working the kind of jobs that would require them to relocate.

"So, you came out to a college bar?"

"I'm twenty-one." Beck shrugs "I wanted to be around people my own age. My buddy's girlfriend goes to NYU and he invited me out with all of them tonight."

"Fair enough." Jade takes a sip of her own drink "I'm twenty-one too."

"Do you go to NYU?"

"I do."

"Let me guess..." Beck smirks "English major?"

"Close..." Jade chuckles "Drama and theater studies."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You want to be an actress?"

"Maybe..." Jade nods "Or maybe a screenwriter...m'still trying to figure that part out."

"Well, you seem like you'd be great at either."

He of all people should know.

"How would you know what I'd be good at?" She laughs "You've only known me ten minutes."

"I know...but I already feel like I've known you longer."

"That sounds like a line."

"S'not a line!"

"Oh yeah?" Jade smirks "You're not just trying to sleep with me?"

"No!" Beck assures her "I mean if that's what you want, I wouldn't be opposed but..."

"I'm just teasing you." She assures him "S'okay."

Jade is already one of the most intriguing women Beck has ever met. She carries herself with such confidence...but it's a different kind of confidence than he normally sees in people their age. She's funny and sarcastic...and interesting. This might just be something worth pursuing...as long as she thinks the same.

"Do you want to get out of here?" He asks her "It's too loud to have a conversation, and I think I want to get to know you better."

"You think, or you know?" She raises an eyebrow at him

"I know." He insists "What do you say?"

"I say...let's go." She shrugs "Just let me text my friend first."

"Of course..." Beck nods "I should do the same."

They finish their drinks, and Jade types out a quick text message to Cat to fill her in on the situation. Cat is thrilled for her of course, reminding Jade of their earlier conversation about her having sex with someone tonight. Jade responds with an eye-rolling emoji, and shares her location with her friend so someone knows where she is heaven forbid anything should happen.

"Ready?" Beck asks

"Yeah." Jade smiles "Let's go."

He takes her hand again, leading her in the opposite direction this time. Most people are trying to get to the bar, so it feels as if they're two fish swimming upstream against a current as they try to make their way out of the club. They laugh once they finally make it outside, their eyes adjusting to the light from the street lamps and the music fading away behind them.

It's nearing the end of April now, and spring is just starting to show its head. The night air, while brisk, isn't exactly cold...but it isn't exactly warm either. Jade shivers a bit in her tank top, regretting that she hadn't brought some kind of jacket with her.

"Here." Beck shrugs off the denim jacket he had been wearing "Take this."

"Oh..." Jade is surprised as he drapes it around her shoulders "Thanks."

"Of course." He smiles a bit as their eyes lock on each other "So...do you live around here?"

"I do..." Jade shrugs "C'mon, let's go this way."

She's not entirely unconvinced that she won't sleep with this 'Beck' guy tonight, but if she does she doesn't want it to be something so calculated. If they spend time together and things naturally progress in that direction...then great, but taking him home right away doesn't seem like the move to make in order to keep things natural.

"Your friends don't care that you left?" Jade says to him as they walk

"Nah, they'll probably bar hop around the neighborhood now." Beck tells her "They seemed like they're into that."

"Are you into that?"

"I'm twenty-one, so yeah...I like to drink." Beck laughs "But if there's a more desirable option, I don't mind missing out."

Jade feels herself blush. He totally meant that to insinuate that she is the more desirable option for him tonight.

"Same here." She nods "Are...are you hungry?"

"I could eat, sure." He smiles a bit "Do you have somewhere in mind?"

"I do, yeah."

She leads him a few blocks over to an all-night greek diner across from Washington Square Park. The restaurant has quite the mixed crowd inside. Although most are NYU students from the neighborhood, some are with friends and others study at tables by themselves. Beck and Jade slide into a booth near the window and order a stack of pancakes to share. It hadn't even been a question when they saw that breakfast food was a menu option, they both knew it was the obvious choice.

"So you also like breakfast food at all times of the day?" Beck raises an eyebrow at her as their waitress walks away

"Oh yeah." Jade nods "Time is a social construct, you should be able to eat 'breakfast' food whenever you want to without being judged."

"I couldn't agree more." Beck laughs "If you can wake up and eat cold pizza for breakfast right away in the morning, you should be able to have pancakes for dinner."

"Exactly!"

They both laugh, knowing that their conversation sounds absolutely ridiculous, but also thankful to have found something in common.

"You said you moved here for work, right?" Jade clarifies "Does that mean to the neighborhood? Or New York in general?"

"Uh, both...I guess." Beck admits "I came here from Los Angeles not that long ago, and work set me up in Greenwich Village."

"Wow, coast to coast." Jade says "I'm sure that wasn't difficult or logistically complicated at all."

"It wasn't so bad..." Beck chuckles "Like I said, work has really helped me out."

"What do you do?" Jade asks him as their waitress re-appears with their order "Thank you."

"I work for one of the television networks." Beck is careful to be honest without being too specific "I've only been here for about a week, I haven't officially started yet."

"Oh shit, that's cool." Jade admits "How'd you end up with that gig?"

"Pure luck." He sighs

That part doesn't require any withholding of details, it really was pure luck that he ended up in New York in the situation that he did.

"Funny how that happens, huh?"

"Sure is."

They stay in the diner for about an hour, sharing the plate of pancakes and talking. Beck is from Canada originally, but moved to Los Angeles when he was ten because his father got a new job. He has American citizenship now, but still considers himself a Canadian first. Jade grew up in New York City and has never thought of living anywhere else. They're both only children, and they both love dogs. They like classic Hollywood films and have a similar taste in music. Jade tells Beck about how she met Cat and the two of them ended up living together, and Beck admits that he wishes he had a roommate because it might make living in a new city feel a little less lonely.

"New York is the best city in the world." Jade tells him "I might be a bit biased, but I do think if you give it enough time...you'll find that you never want to leave."

"I hope so." Beck admits "It certainly seems like it has a lot to offer me."

"Have you seen the park all lit up yet?" She asks him "It's better at night, in my opinion."

"The park?"

"Washington Square Park?" Jade chuckles "With the arch? And the fountain? It's in all of the movies."

"Ah, that park." Beck smirks "No, I haven't had the chance yet."

"Do you want to? It's right across the street."

"Sure." He nods with a smile "Yeah, let's do it."

Jade offers to split the bill, but Beck insists on paying it himself. A stack of pancakes and two glasses of water costs less than ten dollars, and he doesn't mind being the one to take care of it.

Once they leave, Jade takes Beck's hand again and leads him across the street. They have to walk about another block but soon enough the Washington Square arch comes into view, a perfect fame against the fountain behind it.

"Oh wow..." Beck gasps as he takes in the sight before him

"It's the heart of campus." She smiles "S'where I take all of my lunch breaks...when I have the time at least. Isn't it beautiful?"

"S'the second-most beautiful thing I'm looking at right now..."

"You're really into the cheesy lines, huh?" Jade teases him as they stop beneath the arch "Careful, I might just fall in love with you."

"I don't think I'd mind..." Beck admits, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear so he can see her face more clearly

He leans in first, and Jade follows his lead. Their lips meet and move against each other's, both of them wanting more. Beck steps closer, until their bodies touch, then his other hand comes up, his fingers grasping at Jade's waist...pulling her even closer still. For a moment, they are absolutely lost in each other, and Jade feels all of her defenses give away. She would have never thought that a complete and total stranger could make her feel...this good, especially after everything that she had been through in the past year. Yet...here he is, doing exactly that.

"My place is only three blocks away..." She stops kissing him to tell him "Do you want to head back there?"

"What about your roommate?"

"She'll go to her boyfriend's." Jade tells him "She always does when she's drunk. Not that it matters, we have our own bedrooms."

"Okay." Beck smirks, taking her hand and lacing their fingers together "Lead the way."

Jade can't help but smile, biting her lip a bit as she pulls Beck in the direction of her apartment. The night has taken an interesting turn...and she isn't mad about it.

Cat was right...this is so much better than fighting writer's block.