CHAPTER 6

"Hi Miss Celeste, I need a late pass," I smiled.

She pulled out a pad from her desk and began to scribble on it. With a grin, she passed it over the counter. Before I could grab it, she pulled it back playfully. Confused, I looked up into her playful eyes.

"Where is that handsome uncle of yours?" She narrowed her eyes.

I lowered my head with a smile I couldn't contain the urge to laugh.

"He is still in Amsterdam, but he sends his regards," I grinned

"He better," she smirked pushing the paper forward.

My uncle Kyle and Celeste had a thing for each other back in college that went cold after he got accepted an internship in Amsterdam to be a Biologist. Nevertheless, they still keep in touch mainly through me with little comebacks and cryptic messages of reuniting. Cute and funny, I would say.

I walked out of the office into the halls and walked towards my 3rd-period class.

"STEPHANIE!" I heard my favorite voice in the world shout.

I turned expectantly, my eyes raking the halls for her. Stacy. A huge smile stretched across her face. Her short messy blond hair was bouncing crazily as she ran through the hall, skillfully dodging around people.

I stood waiting for her as she threw her arms around me nearly toppling me over.

"OMG!! Girl where did you go last night? I saw you dancing and eating face with that gorgeous hunk and then you disappeared," she wiggled her brow with a grin.

I felt heat crawling up my throat to my face. I didn't know where to begin.

Before I could say anything Dana popped her head in between us and the squabble between the two of them began. I couldn't get a word in as we turned to walk off to class.

And, this is how my day went. By the time the last bell rang, we were all heading out.

"Hey, so what's the plan for tonight. Girls night or what? " Stacy looped her arms around my arm and pulled Dana into the loop as well.

"Sure I'm up for it," Dana agreed.

I shrugged and agreed as well.

"My parents are still away in Milan for their honeymoon, you two can crash at my house," I said.

So it was agreed that we would meet at 6pm. We had a lot to catch up on.

I finally got home and pulled up into the driveway. Eyeing the largest estate in the distance it was pretty much empty. My parents were away and my brothers Marcus and Jayden were no doubt hanging out at the gym. My sister Valerie lives in the city so I would see her later in the week.

With a deep breath, I stepped out of my car and walked up the steps towards the large door.

I entered and stopped in the large foyer and looked around noticing the quietness.

I walked up to my room and as soon as I tossed my bag down on the floor, my phone rang. I looked at the screen and saw my brother Jayden's pic.

"Domino's Pizza may I take your order," I bit back the urge to laugh.

I heard him laugh.

"Very funny Steph, hey are you home yet?" He asked.

"Yep, I just got in,"

"Cool, I won't be home tonight I'm staying at Vanessa's and Marcus is heading out to Vegas in the morning with Tom for his bachelor party. Are you gonna be ok?"

"Sure, I'm having a girls night with Stacy and Dana, were gonna stuff our faces with junk food and watch some movies."

"Alright, that sounds exciting, look I gotta go if you need anything call me, I will see you tomorrow night," he said.

"OK."

As soon as he hung up my phone buzzed again with an unknown long distance number and I answered.

"Hello,"

"Pumpkin, it's Dad,"

"Hey dad, how is Italy? How is mom?" I tried to contain my joy from hearing him.

He chuckled. "We are fine, your mom is at the spa so I decided to sneak away and call to check up on you,"

"I'm fine," I giggled.

"And your knucklehead brothers have they been giving you a hard time?"

"No, daddy the question is if I'm still alive and if they fed me and gave me water. And the answer is yes."

He gave a hearty laugh and I joined

"That's good to know pumpkin, have you seen Valerie?"

"Not yet, we spoke yesterday and imp going to see her on Tuesday,"

"Great, well princess before I go, I have a proposition for you."

That immediately caught my attention I sat up straight and listened.

"OK. What's up?"

"You remember Matt, from our Graphics design department?" He asked.

"Yeah,"

"Well, he will be out for a couple of weeks; he had a bad accident and is bedridden with a broken leg,"

"Ouch, what happened?"

"Well, his fiancée Monica took him skiing to the slopes at Thunder Ridge and he took a bad fall," He sighed.

"Wow, sorry to hear that." I felt really bad.

"Yeah, we are all in a bind with this news. What I need you to do for me Pumpkin is to work on the layout and design of the Peterson and Lark Campaign Ad. It's important we get that account because it seems like Chase industries has gotten their hands on their marketing proposal as well." He said.

I could hear his anxiousness to really nail this account. It would put him back on top in competition with Chase Industries. For as long as I can remember, my dad and Arthur Chase have been on a competing whirlwind. You could practically call them rivals.

I knew very little about the company or its creator other than him and my dad years ago before he met my mom they were best friends. But somehow a rift in the friendship which is a mystery set them apart and ever since then they have been hostile towards one another.

"Sure daddy, I'll help out," I answered, hearing a sigh of relief on the other end.

"That's my girl, it will be spectacular. You're a good Graphics Designer Stephanie; I don't know why you don't..."

"Daddy!" I warned with a whiny tone.

"OK... Ok. Pumpkin I know," he sighed.

It's always been a debate that I join the family business. My parents and brothers and my sister have all insisted that I do. I have taken 3 years of Graphic design. I love it. Then again, my heart's desire is to study medicine. I've always wanted to be a Doctor.

"I'll see you when I return pumpkin," he sounded happier and more relieved.

"Ok daddy, kiss mom and tell her not to stay too long in the Spa, then she may not want to return,"

He laughed. "Be safe pumpkin and stay out of trouble,"

Suddenly a guilty feeling washed over me. And flashbacks of the Frat party made me fidget.

"I always stay out of trouble daddy," I murmured, trying to erase the guilt from my voice.

"I know you do Princess you're my good girl."

Our call ended on that note and I felt like the worst daughter in the world at that moment.

How can I be the best daughter in the world after I did what I did?

***Stephanie's POV***

A gasp followed after I mumbled my shameless act.

"You did what?" Dana squealed in horror as Stacy clapped and squealed with joy.

I shivered at the thought of explaining something that was so obvious. I woke up naked beside a total stranger. I was sore between my thighs and was so drunk I remembered only glimpses of last night. And the odd thing about it was I can't seem to get that guy out my head.

"So was he....You know?" Stacy wiggled her eyebrows with a grin.

Dana gasped and shoved her with a frown. "How can you ask that, Stacy?"

I stared at them both. They continued to argue and the whole realization of it all kicked in. The most important moment of my life happened and I didn't remember it. On top of that, it was with someone I didn't know.

We sat around talking about it, I omitted details about what I did remember. The questions mainly consisted of questions that made me squirm. I felt as if I was being interrogated by a sleazy tabloid with these two.

How did it feel? Did he make your toes curl? Did he kiss good?, Was he fit? And the all-time shameful question that simply had to come out of Stacy's mouth... Was it big?

My blank stare said it all. I was completely too drunk to notice. But I had to look away from their penetrating stares.

"If it's any indication that when I did wake up I was very sore and it hurt." I swallowed.

Stacy gawked with faking as she was going to faint and Dana just stared at me with huge eyes.

I waited for Stacy to elaborate because she wasn't a virgin, she had experience with lots of guys. She wasn't a slut. She just had a short attention span when it came to long-term relationships. You could call her a.... Selective dater... I think. And there were rules she stood by. Like... She would never date a guy from school, never make out with guys at a party too close to home... and she always went for the jocks.

"Of course it's going to hurt the first time kare bear, but afterwards, it doesn't," she plopped on the pillow with a soda in her hand and a dreamy smile on her face.

"Well, if I know any better college boys are responsible and use rubber so at least your safe right?" She shrugged and dug into a bag of chips.

My heart slammed in my chest at that moment and I suddenly felt cold. I quickly nodded for fear of their reaction.

"Of course, he did," I could barely get those words past my throat.

In reality, no we didn't.

*~*~*~*~*~*

***Bernard's POV***

Finally alone, I decided to shower.

Closing my eyes, I stepped deeper into the spray, willing for the lingering thumps in my head from my hangover to leave my body and circle the drain at my feet. A shiver wracked through me, and my thoughts shifted to her. I closed my eyes and focused on those eyes and petite body.

Cool water bombarded my clammy skin, chasing away the clinging shadows of a crazy lustful night I couldn't fully remember.

"Shit!" I slammed my hands flat against the cool tile and absorbed the chill of the punishing cool spray into my weary bones. I was such an irresponsible fuck.

I lathered, quickly trying to wash away the guilt, dried sweat, and aroma of sex I'd woken up in. Within minutes I was heading out to the bedroom, where I pulled on a clean pair of boxers and jogging shorts before heading to bed. It was just barely two in the morning before my head touched the pillow and sleep took over me.