Chapter 1

For the first time in my life, I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone. My heart was beating like crazy, both from excitement and nervousness. I was on my own, having told no one about this, and I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing as I stared ahead of me.

The door in front of me looked dark and ominous, but I knew exactly what was behind it—hot and delicious danger. My skin was clammy under the coat, the only outward sign of my nerves. I stood straight and proud, but on the inside, I was a wreck.

I couldn't believe I was doing this. It wasn't too late to turn around; I hadn't entered yet. But I knew I wouldn't. This was something I had wanted to do for a long time.

Having lived my whole life in a little town in Greenport, NY, I hadn't had the opportunity to do this until now. Well, that might not be entirely accurate. I moved to New York two years ago, as a transfer student, but it was only now that I had worked up the nerve to come here.

Most of the time, I was a pussy. I could admit to that much. I had never been the go-getter, do-what-I-want, fuck-everyone's-opinion, and fuck-the-consequences kind of girl. The never-stand-out, calm-and-quiet, never-push-myself kind of girl? Yeah, that was definitely more me.

Right now, though, I was saying "FUCK IT" in big block letters, and I was proud of it.

The bouncers looked at me, no doubt wondering if I was going to go in or not. Probably time to move my ass along, I had been standing here for far too long.