The One That Got Away ✔

Chapter One

The burning sun is heightening all my emotions and senses like a pressure cooker on high heat. The temperature is twice as hot when I open the car door, scorching my hand on the handle. The air is thick and stuffy, making it impossible to breathe. Sweat drips down the corners of my forehead as moisture forms between my fingers.

I shake my head violently, slamming the door of my red BMW shut.

Freddy rolls his eyes from the passenger seat "Mum"

"This is stupid..." I cry as Freddy rolls down the window. "Kyle is finally getting his life together! Do really want to jeopardize all that, Freddy?"

My son firms his gaze and clenches his jaw. I hate it when he looks at me like that.

"We're going" Freddy demands, furrowing his brows.

I already know that I'm going to lose this battle — as I lose most with him.

I look up at the sky for strength and guidance but instead find the bright sun burning my eyes. Stupid of me to think that anyone up there would want to help me.

"What am I supposed to say to him?" I sigh in frustration, looking at my son gently.

He softens his eyes, unempathetically "the truth" 

"But—" I fold my arms like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

"No buts" he interrupts with wide eyes, "get in the car!"

I thought the mother was the one supposed to give out the orders?

Reluctantly, I jump into the passenger's seat. Freddy wouldn't let me drive because he thinks I'll turn the car around. He's probably right.

Freddy wants to finally meet his father and after sixteen years of secrecy, Kyle is going to find out that he has a son.

Sixteen years is a long time to keep them apart.

I went too far with this secret.

I realize that now.

I should have told him when the strip turned pink.

They say that lies will always catch up with you eventually. I'm stupid for thinking that I was the exception.

Maybe if I start from the beginning, then I can pinpoint where it all went wrong?

So let's start there — the beginning.

I first meet Kyle when we were six years old. He was a dorky kid with glasses and back then, I had light hair and pigtails.

I remember as clear as day his face light up when I sat next to him in morning homeroom, it was right after Johnny Bonaduce kicked him — we've been best friends ever since.

Together we went through everything life could throw at us. School, jobs, lovers.

When we were fifteen, I became friends with people that most parents warn their kids about.

We would drink whatever we could steal and get high on whatever we could get our hands-on. Each of us owned a fake ID and became masters at getting kicked out of public settings.

My mum was convinced that we would end up in prison. I still think to this day we weren't so bad.

I don't recognize the person I was back then. That girl didn't have a care in the world. Everything changed after I got pregnant, but I'll get to that later.

I think the only thing that reassured my mother that I'll be okay was Kyle.

Kyle was different from the rest of us.

He didn't do any of the stuff that we did. He was responsible, mature, bright, he had a good head on his shoulders, I guess that's why I loved him so much.

I always knew Kyle had a little crush on me, he had liked me ever since I sat next to him in first grade. I never told him I knew but I think he always did.

What can I tell you about Kyle? Let's see, he lives a simple life. He loves vanilla ice-cream, watches sitcoms from the 70s and 80s. He laughs at the same crap that I find funny, loves walking through parks and sitting in cars on a rainy day. He isn't a jerk but in fact a gentleman, and would do anything for me.

Kyle is the best friend that I could talk to about cute boys, troubled friendships and my screwed-up family.

I broke his heart you know, he loved me so much and I just hurt him. Why? Because I had to protect myself from anything that could potentially hurt me and I did just that.

"God it's hot in here" I fan my burning vermillion face with my dainty hand.

"It's only like seventy degrees" Freddy sighs.

"It feels more like two hundred" I admit, twisting off the cap of my bottled water.

"What happened between you two?" He askes.

I pause, trying my hardest to prevent the memories from resurfacing.

"More then you'll ever know" I admit, looking up at my son.

When he turns his head, all the memories come flooding back.

Kyle used to look over to me while sitting in the driver's seat, his smile so wide that it would show all his teeth. He did have the best smile I had ever seen.

Kyle could make me laugh harder than any comic ever could. He never even had to try, either. It was always so natural for him.

And now he'll hate me for keeping this secret.

And I won't blame him because if I'm being honest, I hate me too.

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Hi all,

I'm so excited to release the first chapter of this book!! This is a story that I hold very close to my heart as it was my first wattpad success.

I took it down over a year ago because I felt like it needed a lot of editing, which now I've decided to finally do. I also changed the characters names because the old ones were a lil too basic lol. Getting used to the new names has been an adjustment.

Please let me know what you think so far!! VOTE if you're enjoying this book.

Happy reading!

- Rose xx