Written in the Stars *EDITING*

Chapter 1: A Rejected Proposal

This dark, shady neighborhood was not the kind of place that shy, straight-A student Emilia Wilson should be. Mia hugged her black cardigan tighter to her body as she approached a tall apartment building illustrated with vibrant graffiti depicting crude sayings and mesmerizing drawings filled with social commentary. Once inside, she made her way to the third floor, room 313. With a deep breath, she knocked on the door twice.

The door opened a few seconds later and out walked a tall, smirking teenage boy who closed the door behind him. His perfectly arched eyebrows lifted in surprise when he took in the visitor. "Mia? What are you doing here?"

Mia let out a slightly startled gasp. "You know my name?"

"We've had a few classes over the years. Why are you here?" he asked once again.

"I need your help, Nathan," Mia hurriedly said before continuing. "I want to date you."

Nathan let out a sharp laugh. "I didn't expect Mia Wilson to be desperate enough to come to this apartment in order to ask me out on a date."

"Oh my God. Not like that!"

"Then like what?" Nathan questioned, one of his black eyebrows raised.

"I want us to fake date for a few weeks because then it would solve some of my problems. I know your usual rates for tests and things of that nature. How much would this cost me?" Mia asked. Nathan Caldwell was the fixer of Redwood High. If someone needed test answers, a forged permission slip, a message to a soon to be ex-significant other, or any other solution to a problem then Nathan was the guy. He charged a pretty penny for his services but the result was always worth it.

Nathan let out a sigh. "I don't know what you've heard about me but I don't fake date people. Life isn't some cliché early 2000s movie. Besides, that would be weird."

"But I can pay you! And I really-"

"Mia I'm sorry but you've wasted your time. Go home and do your homework or something," Nathan quickly assessed her. "Never mind, you've probably done all your assignments already," he said with a laugh.

Mia stared down at her black sneakers. Her confidence and determination had slowly evaporated over the past few minutes as Nathan shot down her proposal. "Fine. I'll see you in class."

"Wait," Nathan opened the door to the apartment and quickly grabbed something off a table near the door. He handed it to Mia, his large hand enveloping hers as he placed it into her hands. It was a compact black bottle of pepper spray. "Call an Uber and have this in your hand until you get safely inside your home."

"Thank you," Mia said softly. With one final look into his honey brown eyes, Mia turned and walked to the elevator. They both assumed this would be their final conversation on the matter. Little did they know that lady fate had already woven their strings to tangle.