Stumbling (H.S. / A.U.)

Chapter 2

Before it all happened... we need to go back and see how we got into this mess...

Saturday, August 5th

Riley's POV

August nights had been warm lately, and everyone was throwing house parties or bonfires to tip off the beginning of the upcoming school year.

Every weekend at FSU (Florida State University) is a designated party weekend honestly.

Sometimes there is nothing to celebrate other than it's no longer a day filled with boring lectures or lame professors.

I wouldn't have considered myself a 'party kid' in high school. I was well liked, but not at the top of the popularity totem. I probably could even count every time I have ever drank on one hand. I just didn't have time because I was always busy.

I was always trying to balance life, work, relationships, school, all of it.

But ever since I was 13, I knew I wanted to go to Florida State. FSU was close to home but was a great school. I remember in high school hearing stories from kids that would go there to party on the weekends and I knew it would be the experience of a lifetime if I went.

I wanted to study chemistry and make a difference in the world. Not too big of dreams right?

By the time I applied for college, I lucked out have a solid 3.98 GPA, was in the top 5% of our class, had a mile long list of extracurriculars, even saved up a ton of money from working at the local Gap store in the mall in case I wanted to try living on campus.

I busted my butt in school so I could get into college with the promise of scholarships to pave my way. Once I got in, I knew everything was on the right track.

My best friend, Autumn, was going to go to FSU with me even. Autumn as going for fashion design? Interior design? Something along those lines.

Autumn was a little different that me. High school for her was filled with boys, drama, and a lot of popularity. It helps that her family is rich and Autumn is a total babe.

Once my family realized the dreams were all coming true, they actually did the impossibly crazy and allowed Autumn and I to talk them into letting us move into an OFF CAMPUS apartment for our freshman year.

When we got our acceptance letters, Autumn and I thought everything in life was perfect and that nothing could slow us down. Well except one thing... The letters came towards the end of senior year, and around the same time Luke, my boyfriend, got his acceptance letter. 

His dream school... Michigan State. 

Luke was my boyfriend all through senior year, ending two weeks before graduation.

We met during one of the first football games of the year. I had to interview a few of the football players for the school paper and he ended up being extremely funny and nice to me.

Luke was really nice, well liked, smart, and overall a great guy... a first. We spent the beginning of our relationship making a ton of memories and being the picture perfect couple.

Luke got a football scholarship to Michigan State and he knew my goal was to stay in Florida. We decided our relationship was going to ride out the summer months before making the decision of long distance or ending things.

I was sure it was going to end... but not like that.

Luke wasn't my first boyfriend, but he was my first REAL relationship.

I even lost my virginity to Luke.

At first I was so scared because he wasn't a virgin, and I was. Instead of making it this big thing, I just told him I would rather it happen naturally and be nonchalant. Luke did just that. We went to the movies one night, saw a super cheesy horror film with a plotline that made zero sense. When we came back to my house, there was a note from my parents that they were having a late date night with some fellow friends. The opportunity was perfect. Luke and I had a great time. It wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be, but it wasn't as comfortable either. It hurt, and I felt a little shy of body for the first 5 minutes. However, in the end, everything was great that first time.