Reckless

Chapter 1: The Call

"Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us."

                                                     - Nicole Reed

Roman

Ring, Ring
Ring, Ring
Ring, Ring

My eyes pop open and quickly close again when the harsh sunlight hits me directly in the face.
Fuck, that's bright, what time is it?

"Close the drapes." I groan into the room hoping someone can hear me and sort out the problem. My head is throbbing. When I hear no movement from anyone around me I open my eyes again and sit up.
I'm in my bedroom still fully clothed from whatever happened last night. I also have my shoes on so I must have passed out. I don't remember a fucking thing.

Ring, Ring
Ring, Ring
Ring, Ring

"Whose phone is that?"

"It's yours bro," Sebastian, my best friend announces, walking into the room with a piece of toast hanging from his mouth. My cell clutched in his hand. His dyed black hair is sticking up in all sorts of directions. Whatever black shit is smudged under his eyes and red lipstick is smeared all over his lips and cheek. He however is not fully clothed. Quite the opposite in fact. The only thing he is wearing is a bowtie. He must have had a good night.

"Seb. Put your fucking dick away. It's not the first thing I want to see when I open my eyes."

"Its not something you haven't seen before. You know I just got a new piercing. I want to show it off." He chuckles, throwing my cell on the bed beside me.
"That's been ringing all morning. Seems important. You might want to answer it." With that he turns and walks out of the room, full ass on display with the smiley face tattoo that I've seen more times than I care to admit.

"Put some clothes on." I call after him and he just flips me off.
Sebastian may be a handful at times, you either love him or hate him and I love that fucker.
I've known him pretty much all my life, we grew up together back when we lived in Peace River Grove - A small town just outside of New York, both bonding over our love for drawing and art. When my mother kicked me out of my family home just over five years ago, at seventeen years old, Sebastian didn't even hesitate to join me on my journey of making a new life for myself. He didn't have the best home life and his parents didn't care where he was or what he was doing, he was just a pay check to them. With the little money we had and the small necessities on our backs, we hurled our asses out of PRG and haven't looked back since.

At the time I hated my mother and her alcoholic husband for kicking me out with no where to go, but looking back on it now I'm glad they fucking did it or I wouldn't be where I am now. A business owner of one of the best - if I do say so myself- tattoo shops in all of Cali.

Ring, Ring
Ring, Ring

I look down at my cell and a number I don't recognise flashes across the screen.

Who the fuck could that be?

"Hello."

"Thank god, I've called you about twenty times." The voice says on the other side. It's a girl. Her voice doesn't sound familiar. But she does sound distraught.

"Who is this?" I'm hoping it's not some random hookup I've had recently. But then again I never give them my phone number. It's usually an 'I will call you' type of situation.

"It's Ella."

"Ella?" The only Ella I know is my brother's friend but surely she wouldn't be contacting me.

"Ella Bennett. I'm friends with your brother Callum. I live next door...."

It is her.

"I know who you are Ella. What's up? Is something wrong with Callum?"

"No. Well yes."

"Yes or no, Ella?"

"You have to come home Roman."

What is going on? I stand from the bed and make my way into the living room. Seb looks over from the couch and mouths 'everything okay?'

"What's going on, Ella?"

Seb mouths again "Cal's Ella?" And I nod once. He looks just as confused as I am. I put Ella on loud speaker so Seb can also hear the conversation.

She sniffs, I think she's crying now. My stomach sinks. Something bad must have happened. "It's your mom, Roman. She had an accident."

"What kind of accident?"

"She erm...she ssslipped and fell and..."

"Spit it out, Ella."

"I'm so sorry Roman. But your mom didn't make it. I'm so sorry. You have to come home." She ends the call. Silence fills the room and my body goes cold.

My mom died.

"Fuck. Ro..." Seb begins to say.

"I know." I don't have any other words. Im completely numb.

I haven't spoken a word to my mother in five years. Now she's dead and I don't even know how to fucking feel about it. How the fuck does Callum even feel? He hates me so no wonder he didn't make the call himself but he should have.

"I know she wasn't the best mother to you. And I don't know how you're even fucking feeling right now, but what do you wanna do Ro?"

"The only thing I should do. I have to go home."

Callum may hate me, but he needs me and I'm all he has right now.

"So, back to Peace River?"

"Back to Peace River."

Fuck.

A/N a short first chapter but they will just get longer and better from here.
Hope you like everything so far. Please give a star and comment, it makes my book get out there for the world to see lol. Love you all xxx