While I'm Alive (An Owen Grady Story)

Chapter One

Author's Note: 

 Well...here it is! Ta da! I've been working on this one for a few weeks now and am so excited to finally be able to share it with the world. As a huge Jurassic Park fan, I was way too excited about Jurassic World. Saw it, loved it, fell in love with Owen, and had to write a story about it. Please, let me know what you think. Updates will be every Monday and Friday unless life gets in the way (which we know it sometimes does). Read, vote, comment, message me! Can't wait to hear what you guys think! 

 PS- Please don't worry, Life I Left Behind is far from over and will continue. I just needed a change of pace for a minute. 

PPS- I received so many amazing covers from people! I want to try and use them all eventually! Thank you everyone who was kind enough to make one for me! :D

 xoxo 

 -Nikki 

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 CHAPTER ONE 

 "FOR WHATEVER REASON, MY LIFE WAS GOING TO CHANGE HERE" 

 SONG TO LISTEN TO: UP WE GO BY LIGHTS 

 "Are you sure this is what you want? It's not too late to back out." 

I slid off my sunglasses and perched them on top of my head, simultaneously rolling my eyes. "Come on, Claire. I already got that talk from both my folks. I don't need you doing it too." I watched as she let out a dramatic sigh, one I recognized from years of close friendship. I bit back a grin, knowing it was driving her crazy that she couldn't talk me out of abandoning my old life for this one. I bumped her shoulder playfully with mine. "It'll be fun. Like old times."

"Yeah, except now your parents hate me for influencing you to drop everything and become an islander." She grumbled, lifting one of my duffel bags over her shoulder. "Car is this way." She said, leading the way off the docks and through the excited crowd. 

"Would you stop?" I chided her, craning my neck to take in my new, breathtaking surroundings. Blue skies, a wide expanse of clear waters, white beaches, and so much green. How could anyone blame me for choosing this? "They know you had nothing to do with it. I made the choice to drop out months ago...you just offered me another option." The crowd thinned out as we made our way to a parking lot near the huge ship. A sleek, expensive looking SUV was glimmering in the sunlight. I let out a low whistle. "Nice ride. The company give you this?"

She shot me a look as she clicked a button on her keychain and the trunk lifted open. "Company car. Not mine, technically speaking."

"Sorta yours." I shot back with a grin. She rolled her eyes at me as we loaded the trunk, but I caught the tiny smile tugging at her lips. She was happy I'd decided to come. I knew it. But if she admitted it, she'd also be admitting she supported my decision to drop out of college. My life had always been a whirlwind of uncertainty and spontaneous decisions and Claire hated it. She was my opposite. Structured, organized, every little detail in place. Yet somehow, we were instant best friends. Yin and yang, or whatever the hell you wanna call it. We just clicked.

"The rest of your stuff will be dropped off later, I talked to the crew." Claire said as we wedged both my duffles into the back of the SUV and slammed the trunk shut. She turned to face me, hands on her hips. She looked every bit the business professional she was, in her tailored grey dress pants and crisp pink blouse, completed by a pair of black pumps. Me, on the other hand, in jeans, a t-shirt, and a battered pair of converse sneakers.