Chapter one

Waking up to banging on my bedroom door and my best friend yelling is a horrible way to wake up.

“Celeste wake up we are going to be late! The Park opens at 9.” Stephanie continued to yell.

I get out of bed look at the clock it’s 6am the amusement park is an hour away. Just as I am about to open the door in comes Stephanie.

“Steph it’s 6am we have plenty of time.”

“I want to get there early and we need to find you a cute outfit and swimsuit and do your makeup.”

Stephanie was saying as now she is going through my dresser.

She means well and acts more like a big sister then my best friend even though I am older. “This is perfect you will look so hot in this Celeste now go get in the shower”

“Steph you know it’s a theme park it does not matter no guy is going to look my way and if they do it will because of the mark on my neck from the car accident.”

“ Listen  Celeste you are gorgeous and no one is going to pay any attention to the mark when they will be too busy looking at everything else.”

It had only been 3 weeks since my car accident and that’s when everything changed. Goodbye boot camp. Good bye getting away from my hometown where everyone knows everything about everyone. Growing up on a small island of North Carolina was incredible and also annoying. Especially when you make the front page because you were in a car accident with a drunk driver. So now it’s big news and gossip around every corner. That is why Steph planned a day at the theme park. It is far enough away that nobody would know about gossip from a small town.

“Can’t I sleep for like 10 more minutes “

I am not a morning person by any means and sleep is hard to come by since everything that happened.

“No we are getting up and leaving as soon as you are dressed! Now go get in the shower and get ready”

“Fine I’m going”

I got in the shower and let the hot water consume me. Taking my time to contemplate life and what I should be doing next as now I am an adult and having to figure out how to be responsible for myself and a house and dealing with the accident. Tomorrow I meet with an attorney to discuss my case. Can I just move on from this nightmare?

Climbing out of the shower I get dressed in my cherry bikini with black board shorts and a white tank top. Stephanie thought it was a hilarious idea on the bathing suit as I was still a virgin. “Gotta advertise the situation and get you a guy!”  

“Ok how about we just put me in all white as well and lead me to slaughter or let’s just advertise it on a billboard” I replied

“ Not bad ideas something to think about!” She laughed.

It has always been a running joke that I have not lost my virginity yet. I just want it to be with someone who makes me feel something. Not with the guy that just wants to say they nailed me first. I did not think it was too much to ask for but it was in this town. In my professional opinion guys can only last two weeks without sex before they start asking for you to give in. My last boyfirend could not wait and cheated on me. 

Before we knew it we were in the car Steph was driving. She has an amazing mustang silver with the 5.0 engine and it’s a stick shift. Listening to whatever music is on the radio I am distracted by my own thoughts. Meeting with the attorney has been on my mind a lot. My dad set it up because it was a drunk driver that caused the accident and the hospital was neglagent in my care.  The attorney thinks we have a solid case with the other driver and with the hospital. I just want it to be done with and pick up the pieces of my life.

“Celeste …….Earth to Celeste!”

“Oh sorry Steph I zoned out whats up.”

I am stopping up here to get gas do you want anything?”

“Coffee definitely coffee.”

We get out of the car pump gas and then head in to pick up our breakfast of champions.

We make our way to the register and Steph is already flirting with the guys in front of us.

Steph always makes conversation with a hot guy she sees. As always she is looking to see if I have any interest in Either of these two guys. I just shake my head and go to the next register to check out.

“ Celeste those two were hot we should have invited them to meet us up there. “

“ yes because inviting strangers to hang out with us has worked out so well in the past” I said.

“Ok Chris was a jerk and I am sorry I gave him your phone number but come on you need a hot guy to get your mind off of things and have some fun.”

“Eventually I’ll find a guy I’ll take a chance on but it is not at 7am before coffee deal?”

“Ok but only if you try and talk or flirt with a guy today. You have to at least try and flirt.” Steph said with a grin.

“Ok I’ll try and make you proud and be a flirt.”

“Aw look at you growing up so fast “ Steph was giggling.

She was trying to mean well but she always tried to set me up with guys that where looking for sex. Is thier no guy out thier that wants to just take things slow. Last two boyfriends it felt transactional. They started out nice and try and sweep me off my feet but as soon as they figure out I am not giving it up it just turns into them being an ass and then it ends.  Where have all the good men gone. I was going to leave my little town and head west to Colorado after boot camp to see what else or who else was out there. Maybe the one I needed in my life was in a different state.