Finding Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

go to UCLA or somewhere out west?”
    I shrugged. “Four hours was far enough away to start fresh where no one knew me, but close enough to not completely drive my parents over the edge. At least I’m in the same state. In my dad’s mind, I’m still just a drive away.” So close yet so far described home completely. My new life hadn’t started yet because I was still running from my old one.
    “I’m sorry all that happened to you, but it’s not Owen’s fault your ex is as heartless jerk. And if you push every guy away because of what Christian did to you, you’ll never get over it.” Laura raised her eyebrows at me and I nodded.
    She was right. I already gave him far too much power. The whole purpose of coming here was to leave all that behind. It was time I finally let it all go.
    “Thanks for listening, Laura.”
    “Anytime. Who knew asking about your favorite candy would turn so serious?
    “We’ll talk about your sordid past tomorrow. I have an early class.” I leaned over to make sure the alarm was set on my phone when I noticed an unread text lingering on the screen.
    OWEN : Hey City! Don’t think I forgot. Pick a day.
    No sense in wasting any more time. It was time to take a leap out of my comfort zone. Deep water, here I come.
    ME : How’s tomorrow? My last class is over at 5, so any time after that is fine.
    My phone buzzed in my hand with Owen’s immediate response.
    OWEN : Awesome! Pick you up at 7. Sleep well ;)
    The last time I had a first date, I was fourteen—if this even was a date. Maybe it was just a thank you dinner. Either way, Owen wanted to spend his Friday night with me. Warmth flooded my insides along with a few butterflies. I had run away from all my problems, but it was time I finally got away from them—for good.

Bella
    OWEN TEXTED “LOOKING FORWARD TO seeing you later” the next morning and I lost all focus for the entire day. By my last class, my head was a million miles away.
    I headed straight for the dorms after class and tore apart my closet for about an hour. Laura was at a jam session with a few friends from her music class. If I didn’t have a date, or whatever this was, with Owen I would have tagged along. No one was here to talk me off the ledge, and my nerve was slipping away with each top I tried on and tore off.
    I needed to stop.
    I needed to get a grip.
    I needed my mother.
    I dialed the phone as my leg bobbed up and down. My mom always had a way of calming me when I was anxious. Dad was a great listener too, but after what happened with Christian he was even more overprotective than usual when it came to boys.
    “Hey, sweetheart! I just heard from you yesterday. Everything okay?”
    I smiled to myself and shook my head. Mom knew me so well. It was just the two of us until I was five, and ever since then we could read each other without speaking a single word.
    “Yes, everything is fine. I’m just a little . . . I don’t know . . . jumpy, I guess. The guy I’ve been helping in accounting class . . . Owen . . . I think we’re going on a date tonight.”
    “You think ? Why aren’t you sure?” Mom giggled in my ear.
    I let out a long sigh. “He told me he wanted to treat me to dinner for helping him get a B on the midterm. I didn’t really do anything. He never seemed to be having that much trouble.”
    “I see . . .” There was a sarcastic lilt in my mother’s voice.
    “See what, Mom?”
    “Well, I used to know someone in college who lied about having trouble in accounting class just to get close to the tutor.”
    I chuckled at the phone. “Who?”
    Mom took a deep breath. “Me. And the tutor was your dad. I wasn’t really having trouble either. But I told a little fib, just so I could have his undivided attention for an hour or so a couple times a week. But I never had the guts to ask him out to thank him. Good for Owen.”
    “But Dad was . . . Dad. Owen is two years older than me, and you should see what happens to girls in his presence.