Mila Wilson is quiet, anxious and a little bit of a mess. Panic attacks have ruled her life for as long as she can remember - but starting college is her chance to take control. Love? Not something she believes she's built for.
Then she meets Jace E...
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I quickly run my hands through my hair before joining Jace at the door. When I look decent, as if we didn't just have a make-out-session, he swings it open.
"Evening, friends," Bree says enthusiastically, holding a bottle of red wine in the air. I laugh at the sight of her softly, already enjoying the brightness she's bringing into the room.
"Hey guys," I say, giving Austin and Bree a hug after they enter the apartment.
"Ready to go, man?" Austin says, giving Jace a pat on the back.
"Ready. You two are going to be okay here on your own?" Jace asks, grabbing his jacket, ready to head out the door.
"Us three are going to be just fine," Bree says jokingly, motioning to the bottle of wine. Jace laughs at her like I did seconds ago.
"Alright, you two have fun then," Austin says, kissing Bree on the lips.
"We'll be home soon" Jace says, coming over and giving me a quick peck, too. His kiss is almost like a promise that everything's going to be okay.
"Have fun," I whisper towards him. And just like that, the boys are out the door. I feel a bit heavy, still not feeling great about all the things that could happen tonight. Still, I want to enjoy the evening with my friend.
"Alright, shall we open this baby up?" Bree says eagerly.
"Absolutely," I laugh, grabbing the bottle from her to take it into the kitchen.
"This is a damn nice place, I have to say. I can see why you spend so much time here," Bree remarks, following me with the two glasses I set on the coffee table.
"I know, right? I was as surprised as you are," I chuckle, pouring wine into each glass.
We settle on the couch. "So, how are you then? What do you think of Austin?" Bree asks, her tone curious but light.
"I think Austin's great. I see why you like him."
"That's good to hear. I really like Jace too, despite his... you know, occupation," she says with an awkward smile.
"I know... honestly, I wouldn't mind if he had a normal job sometimes."
"But we can't control who we fall for, right?" Bree sighs.
"Yeah, you're right," I say, handing her a glass.
"To a great Halloween night," she says, raising her glass for a toast.
"Absolutely," I agree, clinking glasses with her.
I hand Bree the remote to pick a movie while I head to the kitchen to microwave the popcorn. A few minutes later, she's chosen the top horror on Netflix. Once the popcorn's ready, we dive into the first movie.
The night unfolds with us watching two movies, chatting through the plots, and screaming at the jump scares. Horror movies make my anxiety spike, but I can't help but love them. I always want to know what happens next, even if it leaves me scared for days. At least now I have a reason to avoid spending the next week alone.
