Off Guard

c h a p t e r. 1

"Storm in her eyes, peace in her smile"
- v e n t u m
B r e x l e y

"Come on let's go!" Ashley says, I just know she's standing at the door swinging her keys around her index finger, waiting for me to come downstairs.

"I'm coming! Just give me one more minute!" I in fact, do not need 1 minute. I need like, 30 more minutes. But if I don't get down there Ashley is going to rip my head off.

We're supposed to go shopping today, I promised her we would. But what I didn't think would happen is her getting here at 10 in the freaking am.

I was asleep, and now I'm not ready. I just got out of the shower. I haven't even done my makeup or hair let alone figure out what clothes I'm wearing.

By the time I figure out what I'm wearing, it's almost 10:45.

I settled on a light pink button up sweater shirt, and a plain white skirt. I put on some pink thigh high socks and my white chunky platform sneakers.

I grab my Kate Spade staci medium satchel and walk downstairs to Ashley.

"Thank fucking god, you took forever." She crosses her arms looking at me.

I release a breath and shake my head. She opens the door and we walk outside.

"When I said we were going shopping, I didn't think you would come over at ten in the morning." I shoot her a glare as I get into the passenger side of Ashley's light blue 2014 jeep wrangler.

Her dad works at a junk car place, Joe's Junk Cars, so Ashley saw the jeep and immediately fell in love. Joe tried to convince his daughter not to take the car because it was going to need a lot of work. But after 3 years of working on the car every day, Ashley was able to get it up and running.

Of course, I didn't tell my cousin any of this. If Elijah found out that I was riding in a car that could crap out at any point, he would have my head.

Ever since Presley died, he's been very protective. He lets me live my life...sometimes. But anything that's known to be dangerous or something that he knows is going to hurt me in the end, he puts an end to it fast. He tried to do the same thing a couple months ago.

He's body guarding a famous singer, Claire Solace. And she's like my favorite singer ever. I've been a fan of her for years.

I begged my cousin to let me go with him to meet her. And he let me, but he was very against it. He hates it when I get close to people because he doesn't want me to get hurt.

I get it, but it's overbearing and annoying 95% of the time.

When I was younger it made more sense. I'm 6 years younger than him so I was a lot more naive when I was young. But I'm 28, and I want to live my life.

"Oh well, I got you up, didn't I?" She looks at me as she puts her keys in the car, starting it.

I roll my eyes and pull my phone out of my purse. "Not fun when we went partying last night. I feel like killing myself right now."

I unlock my phone and as I go into instagram, I feel a smack then sting on my thigh, I turn my head to the only other one in the car.