In her first year at college, Mila Wilson's life was completely turned around. After meeting drug dealer Jace Evans, falling in love with him, and finding out about his deepest, darkest secret, she has decided to take some time apart from him. Mila...
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Life lessons. In our existence, we tend to collect a lot of them. Hardly through the tellings of ofter people, but mostly through experiences we have to live through ourselves. Often they're tough, maybe so it's easier for us to learn from them. In my lifetime, I've already collected many, but this year another one was added to my collection.
Some people aren't who you think they are. No matter how convinced you are that you know a person, many can and will fool you, whether it's willingly or not. A small consolation: the truth always comes out in the end.
My life was completely turned around last year. I started college as the shy, lonely girl with a panic disorder and ended my first semester with complete heartbreak. How, you might ask? The answer is Jace Evans. He has many qualities, some of them being dark, mysterious and a drug dealer. To me, he was so much more than that; a friend, a protector, my boyfriend. Things between us were great. So great that he was the first person I could've imagined a real future with, despite his occupation and reputation. I had never met anyone like him before - sweet but mysterious, gentle but rough, and oh so handsome and genuine. That's how I saw him, before his secret unveiled. Now I don't even know who he is anymore.
One and a half months have passed, since I've last seen him. We haven't spoken a single word after what happened. After I found out that he's a murderer. Jace tried to reach out to me multiple times, but I'm still not ready to face him. I wasn't able to pick up the phone once, too scared to be at loss for words, or to be wrapped around his finger again with his sweet words. I needed to clear my head first.
Despite having had a lot of time to think about it, I still can't find any possible explanation how Jace would've been able to take another person's life and what must've happened for him to do so. Some part of me wants to reach out to him, to find out just that. The other part wants to push everything that happened between the two of us away forever without giving it another thought. There once was a time when I said that there's no one else but Jace out there for me, that I'll never leave him. I guess I'm a hypocrite, a liar, whatever you want to call me. I still feel like it's true sometimes, that I don't want anyone else but him. I just don't know if things can get back to the way they were.
"Mila, are you ready? Come on let's go, the sun's out!" Bree shouts from downstairs, bringing me back into reality.
After I had left her apartment the night of my 21st birthday, I spent the whole summer at my mom's house, until I felt stuck there too. Bree didn't give me a choice, she made me come out to the beach house in Portland when she found out how terrible I've been feeling. Since then it's just been the two of us in this big house this past week. Even though this place holds a lot of memories of Jace, it was good for me to get away from Seattle for a while. Bree's the best friend I never imagined I'd have. She's been there for me through everything, through the worst heartbreak of my life, even though I'm probably not fun to be around right now.
"I'm coming" I yell back, pushing my thoughts to the side. I grab my phone, my sunglasses and my towel and make my way downstairs.
"There you are" Bree greets me with a huge smile. "How are you this morning?"
