Ava and Mia

Chapter 1: Ava

I open my eyes and blink through the sleepiness. I look at the clock sitting on my nightstand - 3:30 AM. Ugh. This is the UMPTEENTH time I've woken up at this time. I sit up in bed and grab my Kindle; might as well get some reading done since I'm wide awake. I glance at the clock again, 5:00 AM. Holy shit. Already? I hear my stomach complaining because it has yet to be fed. Fine, I'll eat. I walk down the hall of my small, one bedroom house and go to the kitchen, turn the light on, and scream. "Hello, Ava," the man sitting at my square, marble, 2 chair dining table set said. I stand there staring in pure terror. There is a STRANGER in your kitchen. Okay, okay. Think. What do I do?! Right, I should probably memorize his face and stuff to relay to the police later. I stand there and quickly catalogue everything I could to remember every feature of this man. Dark brown hair-slightly wavy, hazel eyes, beard, 5'9" or 5'10" and...EXTREMELY HANDSOME. "How did you get into my house!? I'm going to call the cops!" I reach for my phone and mentally kick myself...I left my phone in my room. The man seems amused by me being flustered. He chuckles and stands up. Holy shit, he's so hot-STOP THAT. I mentally kick myself again for checking him out. "No need to worry, Ava. I'm not here to hurt you," he says as he walks very slowly, very carefully towards me. He's wearing a black V-neck, khaki shorts, and some black vans. I instinctively take a few steps back the closer he gets to me. "Yeah, that's what they all say before they hack your face off and RAPE YOU!" I feel my face getting extremely hot, my heart pounding. Why can't I stop staring into his eyes? Again, he seems amused by my reaction. As if reading my thoughts, he replies "I know, I feel it too. I've been waiting for you, my sweet, sweet, Ava." I freeze and he leans in close enough for me to taste his breath. He stares into my eyes and I feel like he's staring straight into my soul. Oh my God, he's going to kiss me. BEEP BEEP BEEP! "What the hell?" BEEP BEEP BEEP!

Right then, I sit up abruptly in bed. My alarm is going off. It was only a dream! Holy fuck. I look down at my chest, my kindle is laying there. I must have fallen asleep while reading. "I really need to stop reading creepy books before bed," I say aloud to my empty house. I stand up and walk to the full length mirror I have sitting in the corner of my room. While I stare at myself, I take in all that makes me, me. I look at my dark brown hair that's cut into an asymmetrical bob with a random blue strip of hair in my bangs. I look at my round face, my pierced nose, my wide hips, my small-ish waist. I look at my big, round, brown eyes, at my somewhat chubby cheeks. I'm not bad looking, I'm just not GREAT looking either. "My name is Ava Park and I'm 25 years old," I say aloud. Geez, I talk to myself a lot. Oh well. I look at the clock, it's 8:45 AM. Fuck. I'm going to be late to work if I don't start getting ready now. I have an appointment with some guy at 9:30 AM for a short film today. I quickly hop into the shower, get dressed, and throw on some simple makeup on my face. I'm ready to go and hopping into my car at 9:15 AM. Good thing it's not far or I'd be out of the job.

As I pull up to the shoot location, my jaw drops. A freaking mansion!? You have GOT to be kidding me! It's fucking gorgeous! I get out of my car, grab my makeup box, and walk up to the gigantic door. I take in all the glory that is the mansion. Stone walls, gigantic stone pillars on each side of the door, floor to ceiling windows, a balcony on each side of the house, perfectly trimmed rose bushes to act as a "wall" on either side of the brick walkway, and a beautiful 3 tiered fountain in the middle of the lawn. I ring the doorbell and wait for someone to come get me. The door opens and I almost scream. It's him! It's the man of my dreams! LITERALLY. I stare with my mouth hanging wide open because I cannot believe what I am seeing. "Hi, I'm Damon. I'm assuming you're the makeup artist. Ava, right?" My mind finally starts to work again when I manage to let out "Yeah, Ava, makeup artist, me." Damon looks at me with a puzzled look and then smiles at me, "Uh, alright. Heh. We're right in here. Come on in, I'll show you where you can set up." Damon guides me through the house and I barely even register that I'm in one of the most beautiful houses I have ever been in because I can't stop staring at him. This has to be some kind of joke right? I must have seen him before somewhere for me to have dreamt about him...right?! Oh my God, he's so fucking gorgeous. I was so into my thoughts that I did not realize that Damon had stopped right in front of me and I run right into his back. "Shit! I am SO sorry," I apologize. I can feel myself getting red. Why am I such a fucking klutz all the damn time!? Ugh, stupid stupid stupid. He's probably- "Oh no, are you ok? That was my bad," he says interrupting my thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine. Next time, just give me a heads up, unless you want me to bump into you again then...by all means, continue abruptly stopping in front of me," I hear the words come out of my mouth before I could even stop myself. Why the fuck did I just say that?! I mentally kick myself for making a fool out of myself in front of such a gorgeous man. I hear him chuckle and I look up. "In that case, maybe I will," Damon smoothly responded. Holy shit! He's flirting. I think I'm going to melt into a puddle on the floor. "Can't wait," I respond with a wink. Wow, when did I become so flirtatious?! He smiles and leads me to a giant room with a large, black floor rug in the center of the room. There is one brown leather couch in the corner of the room. Other than that, the room is empty. Alright, time to set up.