When I Met You

Chapter 1 - Chelsea's POV

I'm nervous. My heart was pounding in my chest. What if I let him down? What if his family hates me? How could someone like me ever be accepted into his lifestyle? I was quite literally just a broke, 20 year old college student. And of course, he was a successful business owner. Not to say he didn't work hard for it, but he reeked of old money. Everything he ever wanted was handed to him on a silver platter. He never even had to ask.

My thoughts were interrupted by Harper barging into my room like she owned the place. I mean technically she did. Well not her necessarily, but her parents paid for our rent every single month without hesitation. Despite me telling them a million times that I would pay for my share. Honestly, I was grateful though, because rent and college would never have been possible for me. I spent every spare second working at the coffee shop on Walker Ave just to cover my tuition. I don't have money lying around for my disposal. I was barely able to cover this semesters' tuition.

Harper has been my best friend since middle school and although she was a royal pain in my ass, I love her. Although she was pretty much made of money, she didn't flaunt it off like Blake did. Instead, she chose to work as a barista with me, because she claimed that she wouldn't get to spend any quality time with me otherwise. Which I suppose is true. I was always either studying or working my ass off. Even though we lived together, our schedules rarely lined up before this semester. It was nice being in her company, even if it meant I had to work with her lazy ass.

"Bitch! You won't believe what just happened to me in Biology class!" Harper exclaimed.

Yes, she was always this dramatic, but she kept my life interesting seeing as I have no other friends. "Do I wanna know?" I replied with an obviously sarcastic tone as a smile creeped onto my face.

"Chels, you're absolutely gonna flip when I tell you this!" She paused.

I stared at her waiting for a response, but she just raised her eyebrows at me and squealed like a teenage girl. "Well, go on. This suspense is killing me." I raised my hands in the air just to drop them back down.

She just smiled even more and replied, "Will just asked me out!"

Will was one of the most popular boys in our school, but not for the cliche reasons. He wasn't a jock. He wasn't a guy who just slept with every girl that had a pulse. No, he was pretty much what most would call a nerd. He was the top of our class. Not to mention, he was hot as fuck. He was just that guy. Pretty much every girl in the school wanted him, might I add a good chunk of the male population as well. I think what made him so hot was how mysterious he was. He kind of just showed up to school half way through our freshman year and no one knew much about him besides that simple fact. Oh, and also that he was quite reserved. He rarely spoke to any girl, even though they all swooned over him like he was some god. By the time this year came around, everyone started to assume he was gay, but that didn't stop the flirtatious college girls. So as you can imagine, my reaction when Harper told me that Will had recently become her lab partner a couple weeks ago. However, with the few interactions they've had, it was obvious that he liked her. I mean who wouldn't? She was every guy's dream with her blonde hair and blue eyes. Plus, over the summer she had a part-time modeling gig. Naturally, she captured our peers' attention. But never in a million years, did either of us think that one of those people would be Will Anderson.

Honestly, I didn't know how to respond. I didn't know if I should be overjoyed or concerned. I mean, obviously I knew she found him attractive, but I didn't know if she said yes or if she even wanted to date him. For Christ's sake, she was the first girl he has talked to publicly. I didn't know if that should be concerning. However, I came to the conclusion that I should probably pick the first option based on her tone. "Oh my god! What did you say?"

She laughed at me as if that was the most ludicrous question her ears have ever heard. "What do you think I said?" Her sarcasm was blatantly obvious. "It's Will-Fucking-Anderson! Of course I said yes!"

I knew that at that moment I should be happy for her, but the second I looked over at the clock on my dresser I started to internally panic. "That's amazing, Harp." I plastered on a fake smile hoping she wouldn't notice.

It was Harper though. She knows when something's wrong. "Hey, Chels. What's wrong? Do you not like him or something?" I knew she was trying to lighten the mood, but it wasn't helping. "Oh, shit! I forgot."

I didn't expect her to remember, but today was my 2 year anniversary with Blake. Tonight, I was supposed to be meeting his entire family for the first time. I was not sure how that's celebrating us, but it was Blake and once he had his heart set on something he didn't let it go. There was no point in arguing, because I knew that it wouldn't end well. Besides, it was our anniversary and I really didn't feel like arguing. "It's alright, Harp. I'm genuinely happy for you." But my mind is focused on other things.

"I know you are." She gave me that beautiful smile that warmed my heart. "I also know that tonight is a big night for you." She sent a sympathetic glance just before winking at me.

"Oh, stop it, you." I said as my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"What? It's a special day! I figured maybe something, you know, might happen."

Harper had given me this pep talk a million times, and you'd think I'd finally muster up the confidence to just 'do it'. " I don't know, Harp." I placed my hands upon my forehead and started shaking a silent no. "I just don't think I'll ever be ready, you know? Besides, tonight is not the night, because I'm meeting his parents." A small sigh escaped my mouth.

"Hey," she reached over to me and grabbed my hands off my head and placed them in hers. "Look at me, Chels."

I knew I shouldn't fight it, but I just didn't really want to talk about it. Even though I probably needed to just to clear my head up, even for a little while. I slowly looked up to meet her gaze. My eyes started to tear up.

"Chels, it's okay." Those words are what I needed to hear all day as she wrapped me up in her warm embrace. And that was when all the pent up feelings trickled down my face. I was never a pretty crier and right then was no different. Harper didn't care though. She had been here through all of it. She slowly patted my milk chocolate hair as a hushed tone sounded right near my ear. "Shhhh, it's gonna be alright, baby."

Of course her words were meant to be comforting, but I only found myself sobbing in even louder heaves. Snot started running out my nose and I knew that I didn't look pretty. I didn't want to do anything else at that moment, but stay in her arms. However, I knew that Blake would be here to pick me up any minute now, and I couldn't let him see me like this. I took that moment to break away from her hold. "He's going... to be... here soon. I should probably... g-get r-ready." I managed through the sobs.

"Okay, Chels." She stepped away for a second to grab the tissue box. As she handed it to me, she sighed. "Let's get you ready, then."

I knew she was trying to hold herself together for me. All jokes aside she knew. She knew why I was scared to have sex with him. Even though it had been years since, I still couldn't bring myself to move past the incidents. My therapist told me that it took time to heal wounds, but did it really take 8 years?

I pushed that thought aside and attempted to focus on the present issue at hand. I had exactly 15 minutes to make myself look presentable.