It was exactly four thirty in the afternoon when I was sitting in front of my dresses with my hair done and my face covered in light makeup. I placed my hand over the table and glanced at my nails. Were they looking nice? My brow quirked at my thoughts. Something was wrong with me. The date with King Emerson was just a full thirty minute away and I was panicking from within.

I was shaken.

Every nerve in body was quaking in fear and confusion. I didn't know what to think or what to say throughout the date. It was the first date I would've ever been since breaking up with Bryce.

Men barely liked me and not many people found me attractive. Maybe it was the way I carried myself or maybe it was my terrible personality that wasn't amusing enough like other girls. And it was the recollection of the past that kept circling in my head and poisoning my positive thoughts about tonight.

Why me?

There was nothing attractive about me. I was a dull woman that had barely lived through her life and for the most part, I didn't care about anything—I was emotionless.

"Where are you heading?" Aunt Carol walked inside the room.

I tore my eyes away from my reflection and even when I wasn't looking, my reflection was staring back at me, slowly judging me. "Oh, just on a date." I stuttered, stumbling on my own words. "Just causally."

"Date? With who?" She smiled and walked over to me.

I pretended to smile when she came and stood beside me. There was a wave of slight shock that crossed her face and it lasted for a minute. My heart pounded in my chest and the words become fumbled once more. What was I going to say? I barely went on a date, even when being with Bryce. We only hung out, did drugs and partied.

"Just someone random." I lied. There was an urge to spill the truth but I didn't want Aunt Carol to judge me.

I had just gotten out of a relationship and I was already having a liking for a man I had met once. There was a strong attraction between us and I couldn't deny it. It was something I had never felt before and I hoped to feel it again when seeing him today.

"Well, I hope you have fun, darling!" She kissed my head while I combed my fingers through my hair. "And if you need anything, I'll be always here. I'm going to be out for the night with a few girlfriend's but I'll be back before dawn." She remained behind me for several seconds, her eyes on the mirror and upon my face.

I smiled at her and she returned it. "I am sorry."

"For what?" She turned me around to face her instead of facing my reflection. "You have done nothing wrong, Eos. I took you under my wing knowing what you were going to become after your parent's death and with that, a lot of responsibilities came and it felt great taking care of you. If anything, I should be apologizing for any wrong I had done on my part."

I narrowed my eyes to her hand as they clutched mine. "Thank you for everything."

"Take care and I hope you have a great time with the mysterious man." She winked before walking out of the room and leaving me to finish up.

I glanced at the clock for the hundredth time. There were only a few more minutes left before King was going to be outside, at my doorstep, waiting to take me and for once, I was willing to be taken.

Stepping up from the seat, I forced myself away from the mirror and picked up my bag. My clothes were casual, a red skirt and a denim over the top as it was going to be chilly outside and the last thing I wanted to do was freeze to death in front of a man I admired.

A loud roaring of an engine pulled me out of my thoughts and suddenly, I became attentive. Was King here? I looked at the clock again. It was one minute past five. I quickly hurried with grabbing my things and wearing my thigh-high boots before slipping out of my room.

Before taking the first step downstairs, I paused and took a peak outside where a matte black car was parked near the porch but away from the entrance. The windows were tinted and nothing could be seen from the outside even when it hadn't gotten that dark yet.

The sun was still setting. The sky was gray with a thousand of clouds spread throughout. The moon was slightly visible. It was a waxing moon. Something throbbed in my chest and I tore my eyes away from the sky. There was an uncertain feeling growing inside me and then there was a certain feeling.

I didn't know what to think.

My mind clicked onto something. The car was familiar along with the sound of the engine. It was as if I had seen and heard it before.

Maybe at the welcoming party.

I sneaked under Aunt Carol's nose and disappeared from the house before she noticed me leaving. I had my reasons to hide a few things from her as she wasn't always supportive. She hated Bryce with her whole heart and she was one of the happiest people I had seen when I broke up with him.

The sky darkened more when I stepped out of the house and into King's car. My heart ran for miles at his appearance and a single glance at him melted me from within. I turned into nothing but water. He had looked different from the last time we had met. Then, he was rather in a formal attire and now, he was dressed casual—a thick black shirt with a coat over it. The colors reflected him just perfectly.

The warm from the heater inside the car calmed me a bit.

"Hey," His lips quirked into a smile. "How are you?" His eyes quickly trailed up and down my body before he commented. "It's going to be cold."

"Oh, I know." I locked myself behind the belt and sat back straight. "And I'm good. How are you?"

"Never been better." King replied, finally tearing his piercing gaze away from me.

With a single push of the gear, he began driving away from my house and onto the bumpy town roads. I clamped my legs together, holding them shut and placed my hands over them. My fingers fiddled with one and another by themselves and I let out silent yet heavy breaths. The panic was real and it was here.

Slowly, I found my eyes drifting toward his thickly muscled arm that throbbed every time the steering wheel moved. My heart beat faster and the naughty thoughts came rushing into my head.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, hinting on the call he had made earlier.

"Good. It was just a bruise and it healed quicker than I expected." My gaze returned back to him and I remembered out last encounter at the washroom at the Mayor's house. It was awkward to the least. "And the doctor has given me full permission to do any sort of activities as long as they aren't for a very lengthy time." I continued, explaining to him.

"That's good. I'm glad you're doing well."

I turned my head to the window for a moment. King continued to drive farther into the depths of the town at a steady speed that didn't terrify me. The car and radio made wonderful sounds and for a minute I forgot the thumping of my anxious heart.

"I'm still wondering on how you have gotten my address." I shifted to him over the seat and asked while placing my hand underneath my cheek. "Did you follow or stalk me?"

King chuckled and shook his head, "I just had to ask a few people around. It's a small town, Eos, anyone can know anyone and fairly, you're very popular among youngsters."

My face turned pale. Fuck. I drew my head away from my hand while my lips lined straight. This couldn't be happening. I had done things throughout the years—drugs and fights. I was known as a hot-tempered, depressed druggie among the teenagers same as my age and that was the last thing I wanted King to learn about me. It hadn't been a minute and my past was ruining everything.

How could I ever move on?

King glanced at me and then looked back at the roads, "Don't worry. I like to judge on my own experiences rather than someone else's experience." He said, his words giving me a bit of relief.

"Oh," I sighed. "That's good."