Westmore Obsession

Chapter One

The first time I saw him again, he was kissing someone else.

Cole.

The guy who had haunted my dreams for two years.

The guy who had broken my heart.

I wish I could say I looked away.

I didn’t.

I stood there in the middle of the crowded university cafeteria, my books clutched tightly in my hands, watching him press his lips against hers like he had never once kissed me.

Like he hadn’t backed me into the shadowed corner of the glass greenhouse on my family’s estate when I was fourteen and he was sixteen.

Like he had never looked me in the eyes and promised that I was the only girl he would ever want.

That he would choose me. Even over his friendship with my brother, Ethan who was standing right beside him now, laughing at something their other friend, Alex, had said.

He didn’t know that so called best friend had broken his little sister’s heart.

Like he hadn’t spent half his childhood with his fingers tangled through mine whenever no one was looking.

My stomach twisted. He never kissed me in public. I was his dirty little secret. I still was.

The only difference now was that I didn’t hold his interest anymore. My heart sank.

I stopped walking. Maya, my roommate, took another two steps before realizing I wasn’t beside her.

“Lily?”

I blinked, finally tearing my eyes away.

“Right behind you,” I said quickly, trying to hide how flustered I suddenly felt.

She stared at me for a second too long.

Then she laughed. “You’re so weird sometimes.”

“I am not,” I denied half-heartedly.

“You literally just stopped walking in the middle of everyone.”

“I was distracted.” I rolled my eyes.

She gave me a suspicious look but didn’t push.

“Come on. I’m starving.”

I followed her deeper into the student cafeteria.

It was ridiculously packed.

Every table seemed occupied. Students stood around with trays in their hands, some talking loudly over one another while others rushed between the food counters and their tables. The smell of fries, coffee and fried chicken hung heavily in the air. Maya eventually spotted an empty table near the far end of the cafeteria.

“Finally,” she muttered, making her way towards it.

I followed her and sat beside her.

She glanced across the room.

“Have you seen Cole?” she asked, motioning towards him with her head.

I found him almost immediately.

“He’s with his girlfriend, Emily,” she explained as she prepared to order our food. “The usual?”

I gave her a reluctant nod.

Girlfriend. Of course she was.

Emily was blonde, with the kind of perfect figure that made me instinctively look down at myself. Her blue eyes were bright even from where I was sitting, and she had this effortless charm to her that made it impossible not to stare.

Even I had to admit she was magnificent.

Deserving of someone like Cole.

Not me.

Back home, everyone thought it was just a silly little crush on Cole.Including my brother Ethan, his best friend.

I turned my attention to Ethan, people always said we look alike, we shared the same hazel eyes we got from mum and both had the same dark thick hair.

A few minutes later, Maya returned carrying two trays. She placed mine in front of me, and I immediately felt bad that she’d had to carry both. But that was the only way to make sure someone watched over our seats since there were barely any left.

“Cole and Emily are the perfect couple,” Maya continued right where she’d left off. “I mean, look at them.”

Her eyes had gone dreamy.

“And his best friends, Ethan and Alex.”

She was practically drooling now, her food completely untouched.

I snorted. Something about her drooling over Ethan made me irrationally annoyed.

“Eat your food, Maya,” I said dismissively, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.

She was cute.

Ignoring me, she stuffed three fries into her mouth before continuing.

“I went to watch them play last Friday. I wish you came with me. They were amazing on the ice. Forces to be reckoned with.” I knew they were good. They had to be with the buzz around them. They’d always been athletic and competitive.

Apparently, here in Westmore college, they were gods. At least, that’s what I’d heard people call them.Maybe they were.

Not just because of hockey but also pockets. I swallowed. Westmore college was the school the hyper wealthy sent their children to “network” as dad would put it. But there were still levels to this.

I could see how everyone around them was constantly trying to catch their attention.

Girls stood a little too close, laughing at things that weren’t funny, while guys hovered around waiting for their opportunity to be noticed by the hockey team.

For a moment, I considered telling Maya that Ethan was my brother.

But I decided against it. I wanted her to be comfortable.

She was bound to find out sooner or later, though. Ethan, the ever-protective older brother, would make sure everyone knew I was his sister. And he’d make sure every guy on campus knew to stay away from me.

Maybe that was why I’d fallen so quickly for Cole before. He was the only one who dared.

But he was a f*****g coward, just like the rest of them. Hiding while he hit on his best friend’s younger sister. Ethan had no idea.

No one did.

I was the only one who knew it had gone beyond a crush.

The only one who knew what had happened between us before Cole left for college.

The only one who knew about the promises he’d made. Then he left.

And afterward, it was as if none of it had ever happened. I was left with questions I never got answers to. When I applied to Westmore College, I told myself I wasn’t doing it for him.

I told myself it was because the Pre law class was perfect. Because I wanted a fresh start.

Because I’d missed Ethan and wanted to be closer to him again. Because I had my own reasons for being here. That was all true. And yet, deep down, the biggest reason was him.

I had hoped I would see him again. I had hoped we’d somehow rekindle what we had.

That he’d explain. That he’d tell me he never meant to break those promises. That he never meant to break my heart and then act like I had never been important enough to matter.

My throat tightened. At this point, tears were threatening to spill.

“I’m going to the restroom,” I told Maya.

She looked at me.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” I forced a smile before getting up.

I hurried inside the restroom, grateful that it was mostly empty. I stood in front of the mirror.

Two teary hazel eyes stared right back at me. My black, wavy hair framed my face, with freckles scattered across my cheeks and nose. I wasn’t unattractive. I knew that.

But I wasn’t anywhere near perfect. Nowhere near that girl. I looked at myself for another second.

“Get a hold of yourself,” I whispered.

I wiped the tear from my cheek and took a deep breath.

I smoothed my shirt, reapplied a layer of cherry lip gloss, and forced my shoulders back. I wasn’t going to cry over a ghost. Not here. Not after two years.

I pushed the heavy door open, walking out of the washroom.

One step.

Two.

And then I collided with a solid wall. The force almost sent me backwards. A strong arm caught me before I could fall.

I froze. I knew that smell. The smell of the rain mixed with expensive oud perfume and cedar. I knew it far too well. My heart began pounding.

Slowly, I lifted my eyes. And there he was.

Cole Montclaire, the guy who broke my heart.