Prologue
"Stop, please let me go. I didn't do this purposely. Please stop, listen to me. No, don't do this. I'm sorry. No, stop,"
"STOP," Ashlyn shrieked.
She opened her eyes and found herself naked on a bed. She instantly forwarded her hand to take the duvet to cover herself but felt extreme pain in her body, especially in the lower region.
All the things that happened last night flashed in front of her eyes, and she cried on her fate.
She brought her knees close to her chest and covered her nakedness with a duvet. She was crying and sobbing for her mistake and fate that had brought her to this situation. Her whole existence was screaming pain, the pain in her body, heart, and soul. She was wailing over her fate when the sound of a door opening came. She tried to cover herself more. Within a moment, the door opened, and a tall, handsome man stood in front of her.
“Please let me go home. My family would be worried about me. They would be searching for me. Please let me go.” More tears fell from her eyes.
The man threw a plastic bag towards her.
“Wear this dress within ten minutes, and my man will drop you at your place.” He laughed evilly.
“After three days, you’re going home and in this condition. Now, you’ll realize the real meaning of insult. You’ll realize how it felt to be naked in front of everyone.” The man exclaimed, walking out of the room.
**************************
Two weeks ago
A girl was standing in front of the mirror, admiring her beauty and looks. She has a curvy body with sunrise gold hair that goes till her waist. She has green forest eyes with syrup sweet luscious lips.
She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked gorgeous in a light pink off-shoulder ball gown. Her hair was in a messy bun.
"Wow, Ash. You look pretty gorgeous." Kate said, her friend.
Ash smiled towards her in the mirror.
"Everyone is waiting for you. Let's go." Kate said.
"You go. I'll come in a minute or two." Ash replied.
"Fine. Come fast." Kate said and went away.
Ash took out a choker necklace from her dressing table's drawer and put it on her neck. She placed her palm on the choker necklace and saw herself in the mirror.
"Ashlyn, you are looking adorable, my sweet little sister," William said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"Thanks, William bro," Ash said.
"Are you missing mamma? Don't be sad. She'll be happy today because you are going to be 21 years old today. She'll be sad if you'll make this type of sad face." William said, looking at her palm on the choker necklace which belongs to their mother.
Ashlyn nodded.
"Now, smile, we are getting late. Everyone is waiting for you down the hall. Let's go and cut the cake. I'm starving." William said, tickling her. Ash smiled and moved downstairs in the hall with her brother, where her birthday party had been arranged.
She was going down stairs when everyone's attention diverted towards her. She was looking like a Disney princess moving down with her hand in her brother's hand.
Everyone was praising her beauty. She is the single sister of two brothers, William and James, who love their sister unconditionally and could die for her. Ashlyn's mom and dad died in a plane crash when she was 15 years old. So, from then her brothers and sister-in-laws spoiled her with their love and care.
She reached towards the table where the princess-style cake was placed. She cut the cake and fed her brothers than her sisters-in-law. After the cake cutting, everyone was busy eating.
She was talking to her friends Helen, Kate and selah. They were her friends from college. Her other friend Samara came and wished her birthday with a gift. Samara is not her best friend. But somehow friend because Samara is doing medicine, so once she helped Ash with the bandage. And from there, they became friends. But they didn't meet much. As Ash is doing finance study with her other three friends, their buildings are different.
They did a little chit-chat, and the party came to an end.
Next Morning
Ash was sleeping when her brother James came to wake her up.
"Asho, wake up. You're going too late if you don't wake up within five minutes." James said, trying to wake her up.
"Ughh, Jami, leave me alone. I want to sleep more. I'm tired." Ash shouted at him and went back to sleep. She calls him Jami because he is two years older than her, and they are best buddies.
"I also don't want to wake you. But you told me yesterday to wake you because you have a presentation today, and it's important." James said, removing the duvet from her.
Ash immediately got up, listening to the presentation word. She glanced over the bedside clock.
It was telling her. It's 9 am.
"Jami, you're late. I told you to wake me at 8 am and see it's 9 am. My presentation is on 10. I'm going to be late. Now, step aside." She scowled at him and moved towards the washroom.
"Wow, that is great. It's you who is not waking up. I'm trying to wake you at 8 am. It's you dumb." He also shouted.
"Whatever," She yelled from the washroom door.
"Come fast in the dining hall. Caroline made breakfast." He told her and went downstairs.
Ashlyn took a shower and wore ripped jeans over a white crop top and denim jacket. She wore sneakers, took her uni bag and books, and moved down the hall.
On the dining table, James and William were eating while Caroline and Amanda were serving their husbands.
"Asho, come and eat first. You can't go like this." James said.
"No, Jami. I'm getting late."
"Ash baby, at least drink this orange juice and take a sandwich with you," William said.
"But William bro," Ash knew they would not let her go without eating, so she drank orange juice in one go and took one sandwich in her hand.
" Bye Jami, William bro, Amanda, and Caroline sis," Ash said, placing a kiss on James's cheek and went to the porch where her black Mercedes was parked.
" See, James Ashlyn loves you more than any of us," Caroline said. She and Amanda didn't like her. For their husbands, she is the priority, so both of them were jealous of Ashlyn but didn't show it because of their husband's love for Ash.
"Our James is also devoted to her. So, how can she not love him." William said, and they all smiled. Brothers were smiling for their sister while sisters-in-law were smiling out of jealousy.
At 10 am, Ashlyn reached Uni. She approached her classroom. There her friend Kate was giving her presentation.
"Thank god. I'm not late." Ash said to herself and moved towards the last bench where her other two friends were sitting.
"Why are you late?" Helen asked.
"I'm not late," Ash replied.
"Yeah, just on time," Selah said.
"Next student," Miss Victoria called when they were chatting, and Ash was going through her presentation.
"Yes, mam. It's me." Ashlyn raised her hand, and Miss Victoria nodded in response to come and give a presentation.
"Best of luck," Kate said, and Ash smiled towards her.
After one hour:
At University Garden:
"Miss Victoria did a great job by insulting you." Helen mocked.
"Don't take her name in front of me. She is just... leave it." Ash replied. She was annoyed.
"But you lose the bet. You were over-confident that you would do good in the presentation, and Miss Victoria will praise you. But see, everything had happened differently. So, we won the bet." Selah said.
"But I didn't know mam would take our presentation today. If I had known it before, I would never bet. Yesterday I was busy shopping for my gown and at a night party. I didn't have time to prepare. But I didn't give a worse presentation." Ash said with a sad face.
"But it was not good either," Kate exclaimed.
"Whatever the reasons are, you lost the bet. So, you have to do what we say." Helen said.
"You people won't agree. So, tell me what I have to do?" Ash asked.
"Okay, let us think," Kate said.
"Okay, I'll tell you what you have to do," Helen said.
"You have to kiss the first person who will enter this garden." Helen was excited.
"Okay fine. Let's see who will come first." Ashlyn said.
"You have to kiss on the lips," Helen said.
It felt like a bomb to Ash.
"What the hell? I won't kiss him or her on the lips. You all know I had my first kiss till now. And I'll give it only to my dear husband. I won't kiss anyone." Ashlyn was annoyed.
"Ohh, see who the first person came," Kate said with excitement.
"Oh my god, Kyle Ivan. You're a lucky bitch. We gave you a dare to kiss him. He is the most handsome man in our Uni and still single. No one has dared to date him or go near him. He has a devil may care outlook." Helen said.
"He is the smartest guy at the university. He is the topper. It's his last year. And girls die for him, but he doesn't care. I Couldn't believe he didn't have a single scandal. His reputation is clear as crystal clear water." Selah said.
"I have heard in his last year he is already taking care of his dad's business. Everything is so perfect for him." Kate said.
Ashlyn was just looking at him, who was standing with some boys and telling them something. He was attractive. Ashlyn also found him attractive, but she didn't want to date or kiss him because she has everything for her husband.
"I won't kiss him," Ash said in a low voice.
"You are backing off, Ashlyn. You are not daring. You can't even complete a single dare. We are not telling you to kiss him tongue to tongue. You just have to kiss him on the lips. Even a peck will be okay." Helen exclaimed in annoyance.
'A peck, but I didn't peck anyone before.'
"You have to kiss him, Ash. Otherwise, we are considering you weak and pathetic. Now go and kiss him. He is going back." Helen said and pulled her up to stand and pushed her towards his direction. He was coming towards her, not actually towards her, but his route was this.
Ashlyn was standing like a statue there. Kyle passed by her, but she didn't do anything just said:
"Wait,"
Kyle stopped but didn't turn towards her because he wasn't sure if she had called him.
Helen gestured to her to turn and kiss him. So, Ashlyn turned towards him now Ashlyn was facing his back. When she didn't say anything, Kyle took a step to move.
"I said wait," Ashlyn said, a little bit nervous.
"Did you call me?" Kyle said, turning towards her.
But before he could see her face or ask her anything more. She slanted her lips on his. He froze in his place. Once, her lips touched his. She didn't know how but her lips moved on her own. She started sucking his lips and kissing them. But Kyle came to his senses, and he pushed her away and slapped her right cheek.
"Are you out of your mind? How can you kiss me? You bloody whore." Kyle shouted at her.
Tears came to her eyes because the slap was way harsher. No one has ever slapped her or said something like this.
"Hey, mister. Control your tongue and think before you say something like this about me when you know nothing about me. I'm not slut or someone you think I'm. That was my first kiss which I gave you because of some stupid dare. But I don't know why I'm telling you this." Ash said, placing her palm on her right cheek where he had slapped her.
Kyle moved away without saying anything more.
Her friends came to her and said;
"Sorry, Ash, We didn't know Kyle would react like this."
Ash glared at them and moved away. Her friends were calling her from behind, but she didn't look back.
She rushed to her Mercedes and went to the nearby park.
She was sitting on a bench in a park and crying.
"Why did I kiss him? I should not have done this. That was my first kiss, and he called me a slut. He slapped me hard. It felt like my jaw had broken. Mom, I'm sorry that is my first and last mistake. I won't go near anyone. It hurt, Mom. It was my first time near him or anyone. He should not slap me." Ash cried for almost half an hour then went home.
At Davies Villa:
"What happened to your cheek? It's red." Caroline asked as she entered home and passed through the lounge.
"Nothing, I just fell and got hurt," Ash replied.
"Are you serious? You fell and got this on the cheek." Amanda asked.
Ash nodded.
"Whatever," Amanda said.
"Go to your room and apply some ointment. Otherwise, your brothers will take this home on their head." Caroline taunted, and Amanda laughed mockingly.
Ash nodded and went to her room.
