Her Sweetest Mistake (Amelia) novel Chapter 42

Step–Taboo

AMANDA’S POV:

Life was simple. Maybe too simple. After everything that happened back in New York, moving to LA to stay with my dad was supposed to be a fresh start.

And honestly? It kinda worked. My dad got me into a new college, something about pulling some strings with his connections. I didn’t ask too many questions. I was just glad I didn’t have to deal with the mess back home for a while.

My mom and I definitely needed some space from each other. Things were tense before I left, and I wasn’t sure how to fix them. Maybe time apart would help. We already weren’t close together, maybe distance would help.

The only part of New York I really missed was Shawn. We still talked every day, though. Every single day. I don’t think I’d survive without hearing his voice, even if it was just for a couple of minutes.

But, still, it wasn’t the same. I missed him a lot.

This morning started like any other. I rushed down the stairs, my hair still kind of a mess because I didn’t feel like fixing it yet.

My dad was in the kitchen, flipping bacon like he was in some kind of show and it bothered me. “Morning, my darling,” he said, not even looking up from the pan.

“Morning!” I kissed his cheek quickly and took a piece of bacon off the plate he was filling. “Thanks for breakfast, but I gotta go. I’m running late!”

“Don’t forget to grab your coffee from the counter. And try to eat after class, alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be fine!” I called over my shoulder, grabbing the cup he’d set out for me. My dad might not have been around much when I was a kid, but he was trying now. And honestly? It wasn’t so bad living with him.

Classes were… well, they were classes. I wasn’t exactly dying of excitement in any of them, but at least I had Kayla and Kaya to make things bearable.

They were the first two people who talked to me when I got here, and now we were basically inseparable. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

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“Tell me you saw what Mason posted last night, Kayla said as we walked through campus after class.

“Oh my God, yeah,” Kaya said. “Who does he think he is? That outfit? Tragic.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I didn’t see it. What happened?”

Kayla pulled out her phone and shoved it in my face. “Look! Like, why would anyone wear that to a party?”

I squinted at the screen, trying to make out the blurry photo. “Is he wearing… neon green? With leopard print?‘

“Exactly!” Kaya groaned dramatically. “I can’t believe I used to have a crush on him. What was I thinking?”

The three of us spent the rest of the afternoon gossiping about outfits, bad dates, and everything. It felt good, normal. Like I was finally settling into this new life.

When school was over, I headed straight home. I had plans tonight, and I needed to look good. No, not just good, amazing. I bolted up to my room, throwing my bag onto the floor and yanking open my closet.

I already knew what I was going to wear, but I still stood there for a minute, staring at my clothes like they might

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Step–Taboo

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suddenly start giving me advice.

After a deep breath, I grabbed the red dress. It was perfect, simple but classy. I slipped it on, adding a bit of red lip gloss and my favorite red heels to match.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, turning a little to check the back. Not bad, Amanda. Not bad at all.

I felt excitement start in my stomach as I headed downstairs. My dad was sitting on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. He glanced up when he saw me, raising an eyebrow.

“Wow, look at you. A date?”

“Yeah, kind of,” I said. “Don’t wait up, okay?”

“Noted,” he said with a smirk. “Have fun, sweetheart.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway. My ride was already waiting outside, and I slipped into the backseat, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach.

Why was I so nervous? I’d been on dates before. This wasn’t supposed to be different.

When we pulled up to the restaurant, I took a glance at the place, it was fancy, like, way fancier than anything I was used to. I felt a little out of place, but I shook it off as the host led me to a private room.

And there he was.

Xavier.

He stood up when he saw me, flashing that perfect smile of his. “Hey,” he said, pulling me into a hug.

“Hey,” I replied, laughing softly as he kissed my cheek. He pulled out my chair, before sitting across from me.

We started talking, and it felt… easy. Comfortable. I asked him about his day, and he let out a dramatic groan. Stressful doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he said, running a hand through his dark hair.

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“Aw, poor baby,” I teased, leaning my chin on my hand. “Want me to tell you about my boring classes to make you feel better?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “No, I think I’ll survive.”

The food was amazing, but honestly, I barely even noticed. I was too focused on him, on the way he smiled when he told a joke, or how his eyes lit up when he talked about something he was passionate about.

Before I knew it, dinner was over. It felt like it had only been a few minutes, but the waiter was already clearing our plates. Xavier stood up, holding out his hand. “Come on,” he said. “I’ve got something else planned.”

I raised an eyebrow but took his hand anyway. “What are you up to?”

“You’ll see.”

He led me to another private room he’d booked just for us. My heart was racing the whole time, but I didn’t say anything.

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