1. The beginning

Anna was just like any other girl in their early twenties. Heart broken. Studying at university. Living in a house full of friends. She was just vanilla. Simple. Until Tom entered her life. A self-made millionaire who had a desire for certain fantasies.

Before Tom, Anna only ever compared things to her first love, Jon. But now things were just getting interesting for this young woman. Interesting, passionate and chaotic.

**Anna**

This was the last time I would cry over a pathetic boy. And not just any pathetic boy, but one boy in particular. A pathetic relationship. Or excuse for one if you call it that. I’d spent years going around in circles with Jon. It’s time I put myself first. It’s time I focus on my needs and explore what’s out there.

Tomorrow, I’ll be 21. No more crying. Just fun.

“Anna, we’re going to find food! You coming”. It was Mae racing through the house finding where she’d left her wallet and phone after our party last night.

The house was in all sorts. But that’s to be expected when you live in a house with four single girls.. well three and Ben. Although he was more girl than guy sometimes anyway.

“Yeah, I’ll be right out”, I tried to cover my voice after just spending the last hour I would ever spend sobbing over Jon. I fixed my sandy blonde hair running my fingers through it and washed my face before racing down to meet Mae.

“Don’t tell me you spoke to him again”, a frown followed Mae’s face as she noticed my eyes. “Get in, I’m driving, there’s this cute place on Mary and heaps of hot guys are there this hour”.

The car trip was quiet. The hangovers were taking their toll. Mae sang along to the newest hits. She was the most promiscuous one in our group. She was also gorgeous with highlighted blonde hair that just went past her shoulders, naturally tanned skin and killer legs. She could have any man she wanted, but she preferred married ones. It was something we didn’t agree on a hell of a lot. But she’d been my friend since we started college and I wasn’t going to throw that away because of who she chose to sleep with.

The cafe was a short car trip away. It had that hipster vibe that seemed to be the in thing right now and Mae wasn’t wrong. There were tradies everywhere.

“Best way to get over one is under another, A”. Mae would usually call me A, and I would call her M in return. A sort of nickname we had for one another.

“Honestly M, you’re worse than a guy sometimes.. I swear sex is your answer to everything”.

Mae laughed. “Sex is the answer to everything. Mmm check the guy with the bucket hat, he’s totes checking you out. Fuck grab his number A.”

I’d do no such thing. I wasn’t against sleeping with randoms. I was just shy.

We sat down at a quiet table in the back outdoor area of the cafe. From here we could see the food menu, and the male population dominating the cafe. I caught myself checking out the muscular man with the bucket hat. And in that instance, we locked eyes. I felt my cheeks turn bright red as I quickly darted my eyes back in Mae’s direction.

“you guys were practically eye fucking, you could always go out the back and get one off”. Mae was unreal. I swear she should have been a guy. In the bedroom, she’d have to be the dominate one.

“Oh A, can I have your phone? I’m downloading tinder”. It wasn’t a question more of a request. She grabbed my phone from infront of me and started making a profile.

“One Cap and a latte”, the waitress put our coffees on the table and as I took a sip, the muscular man with dark features and killer eyes slightly hidden under his bucket hat approached.

In the midst of taking a sip and feeling the hot liquid travel down my throat, I almost choked as this man came over to ask for my number.

Mae answered for me straight away.

“I’m Tom anyway. I saw you guys when you walked in. Quite the meat fest of a morning so you made quite a stir when you pair walked in”.

“Oh”, I blushed unable to say anything more as the shyness crept over my face.

“Anyway, I gotta go. My mate was checking you out”, he directed to Mae, “so maybe we can set up a double date some time?”. I nodded as he half ran over to his vehicle obviously running late as his mate gave a wave to Mae from the drivers seat.

“Double Date A! You know who’s getting laid soon”.

Our meals arrived a short while later, together with Ben and Emily, our two other housemates. They left before us to organise stuff for tomorrow.

“Perfect timing, they’ve just gone back to get yours Ben. Em, they didn’t have the waffles so I got you the pancakes”.

Em wasn’t disappointed in any event. We all sat and ate our brunch while discussing the goings from last nights party and getting excited for tomorrow’s party.

I checked my phone to see if Tom had messaged yet. I don’t know why I was expecting anything so soon. But like Mae had said, the best way to get over a guy… I got a little too excited at that thought and hoped no one noticed my cheeks slightly blushing. He had such a deep and domineering voice I thought to myself. Arrr! I had to brush these thoughts away before I got too excited.