BOOK ONE || the city lights series
Adina Ricci is the daughter of two of the most famous people on the planet. She grew up in the spotlight and she never once felt ungrateful for what she had been given. But, right before her fourteenth birthday, he...
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I STARTLE AWAKE, the sound of banging on the door scaring me half to death. Vaughn startles awake a second later, looking at me with furrowed eyebrows as he leans on his elbows beside me.
"Vaughn! Open the door, for fuck sake." The sound of Caspian's voice vibrates from the other side of the door, sounding frustrated. "Vaughn!"
"What is it?" Vaughn shouts as he clambers out of bed and walks towards the door.
"Just open the damn door, and then we can talk," he sighs.
Vaughn and I connect our eyes as he unlocks his door, hearing the panicked tone of his voice. He opens it to reveal Caspian and Blaise. The former stood in a serious stance, his hands firmly on his hips.
"Can you tell me now, Cas?" Vaughn crosses his arms as I get out from under the covers.
"Just... just take a look for yourselves," he says, taking out his phone and swiping it until he finds what he's looking for. Caspian points the phone to us so we can see his screen.
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My breath is knocked out of me. No.
"Fuck," Vaughn gapes.
I feel tears begin to form in my eyes, the shock of what's happening takes all my words from me. This can't be happening.
Caspian begins to say something but everything starts to blur as I stumble towards my bag to grab my phone.
When we fell asleep it was only around four o'clock and the post's timestamp is half past five. Not only could I be in deep shit with my Dad, but also Kat and James, maybe even Lorraine, since we've probably overslept and didn't help with dinner at all. I mentally shake my head.
Is that really what I'm worrying about right now?
Once I get to my phone and switch it on, my head starts to spin. Notifications and notifications. Phone calls and text messages.
From my family. Friends. Even my Dad's publicist.
Everyone who is anyone in my life has been trying to contact me for the past three hours and I hadn't even heard any of it.
"Dina?" I feel Vaughn come up from behind me, his hand slowly touching my arm, trying his best to be comforting, but it doesn't work.
The texts Dad and Adrian had sent me only have me thinking one thing. I need to call them ASAP and I'm not doing it with these three in the room.
Rushing, I grab my things and quickly make my way toward the stairs, so focused on what I have to do I have tunnel vision. But, before I make it to the first step, Vaughn stops me, taking my hand and pulling me into his chest.
"Where are you going?" He asks, making me look at him with wide eyes. Is he being serious right now?
"I have to call my Dad," I state, as though it were obvious.
His eyes roam over my face, wildly, as if he's trying to figure out what I'm thinking. His grasp softens as he tucks a stray hair behind my ear.
"Okay, but call me after, alright?" He whispers, "I want to know what he says." He probably meaning my father.
At this point Caspian and Blaise have retreated into Vaughn's room, closing the door to give us some privacy.
"Okay," I say, pecking his cheek.
I shouldn't be getting annoyed at him, even though I have a lot of shit to clear up, Vaughn hasn't done anything wrong. So, I give him a little smile to reassure him we're okay.
His mouth parts, probably comprehending what this could mean for us. I run my hands through my hair, sighing.
"I need to go." Now. "But, I was having the best sleep of my life in there," I try and lighten the mood.
This brings a small but fleeting smile to his face before he kisses my forehead. It lingers and causes a ripple that goes through my chest and stomach, almost like a sense of dread. Ignoring the sensation, I then turn to leave.
"Wait, Adina." Vaughn's voice is pained, and when I turn back to face him, his once-amused emerald eyes look solemn. "Just... stop. Why does this feel–"
He cuts himself off, but I know what he's trying to say. Why does this feel like the end? My eyes close, trying to keep in the unshed tears I've been holding.
When I speak my voice comes out shaky, my efforts of staying calm not going unnoticed.
No matter how much I care for Vaughn, I can't help but wonder if it's selfish to put our feelings above my family's. The ones who've been there from the beginning. Who were there for me when Mom died. Who were there for me after Nick. When I had to go to therapy.
It's not fair to them that I did this. I've made Dad and Adrian worry. I've made them mad. Sad. Angry. Disappointed?
"There's nothing we can do now. It's out." I tell him, "Just... just give me some time to explain everything to him."
"Okay." He solemnly says, "But I meant everything I said to you, Adina." His eyes look solemn, "Everything."
Holding back tears from flowing down my face, I try and hide by looking anywhere but him, "I'll be back," I walk up the stairs again, "I promise."
I kiss him deeply for a few seconds, his hands going to my hips, before releasing me as I go down the stairs and to the front door.
At the bottom, I see a small figure coming from the living room, but I don't stop to find out who because I just want to get out of here.
Once I make it across the street, still clad in Vaughn's clothes he let me borrow, I run up to mine and Sawyer's empty room and lock it before pulling out my phone.
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