The Sinful Three (ON HOLD)

I

I let out a loud sigh.

I had so much to unpack. It was my first day at Columbia University, and I was completely and totally overwhelmed. New York City is gigantic. I have no idea how I'll ever find my way around.

~

I lived in the California countryside with my dad. I guess you could say it was pretty lonely, but Dad always told me to focus on my studies. After Mom committed suicide, Dad pulled me out of public school. He said he couldn't handle losing another one of his girls.

We moved out into the middle of nowhere, and I started homeschooling. Things started to get bad once we moved out here. Dad cut us off from all friends and family and started drinking. He quit his job. I had to start working at the local bakery in town just to cover basic necessities.

I basically self educated myself using books from the library and the curriculum from school. I knew there was no way we'd be able to afford college, so I worked at the bakery during the day and studied at night. I got minimal amounts of sleep for years. Dad began verbally and physically abusing me. Molly, the owner of the bakery and basically my mom, noticed the bruises and bags under my eyes, and offered for me to live with her for free as long as I helped her out in the bakery.

I didn't want Dad to starve, so I sent him the small amount of money I saved up for college. He never came looking for me after I left. Although he would send me angry letters if I missed a payment.

My hard work paid off. I graduated a year early and secured a place at one of the most prestigious schools in America.

~

Just as I finish unpacking, I hear chatter outside the door of my dorm. A gorgeous, tall girl with straight dirty blonde hair and brown eyes opened the door with her mom trailing behind her. She looks about 5'7, which is a whole six inches taller than me. I have long, wavy brown hair and bright green eyes. She's wearing a T-shirt that says 'I'm a badass' with a pair of ripped jeans.

"Celeste, did you bring your retainer?" asks her mom.

"Yes, Mom," Celeste says and rolls her eyes while her mother isn't looking.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Celeste Rhodes," she stuck out her hand for me to shake. "Hi Celeste! I'm Anastasia Romanova," I shyly introduced myself. The abuse from my father and being cloistered from my world made me develop social anxiety. It gets much worse around men though.

"Mom, you can leave now. I'm an adult. I can take care of myself," Celeste says in an exasperated tone.

"Call me if you need anything! Please watch out for my daughter, Anastasia. She can get into trouble," Celeste's mom calls out as Celeste shuts the door.

"You look so young! Where are you from?", Celeste asks.

"I graduated a year early, so I'm seventeen. I'm from northern California," I said smiling.

"That's so cool! I'm from New York City!"

I help Celeste unpack, and we get to know each other a little better. I find out she wanted to go to college somewhere warm and sunny, but her parents wanted her to be close to home. She took a gap year and just turned 20. She's very extroverted and quite honestly the complete opposite of me. Celeste is majoring in business, while I'm double majoring in psychology and photography with a minor in art history. I plan on becoming a psychiatrist because I want to help people like Mom. No one should suffer through that pain alone. I mostly let her talk, while giving an occasional 'mhm' or nod.

A/NQOTD: Where are y'all from?

This chapter is short and boring because it's just the setting, but I promise it gets more interesting and steamy hehe.

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