Y/N POV:

Three months earlier...

"Come on Y/N. You've been locked up in the library for the last five years. When was the last time you actually saw sunlight?" Anya's voice was filled with amusement and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"You're so fucking hilarious." I gave her a bored look, crossing my arms over my chest in a show of irritation. It's not like the conversation was a new one, not by far. For the last five years, I had been hearing the same thing. Y/N you need to get out more. Y/N you need to meet a guy. Y/N you're letting college life slip right by you. Y/N let me introduce you to my boyfriend's cousin's best friend's brother's friend. I had heard it all before and between you and me? I was tired of it.

As much as I loved Anya, I did not expect her to understand. Anya and her twin, Aniylah, had their college completely paid for by mommy and daddy. They didn't have to keep a certain GPA or carry so many credit hours per semester. They could go out and have fun, meet new people, experience the ins and outs of college life. Unfortunately, it just wasn't the case for me. I was currently five years into a six-year academic scholarship, one that was paying for my master's degree in social work, something I was only one year away from achieving, the light at the end of the tunnel getting a little bit brighter each day. The end goal was to secure a position working in a women's shelter, something that I held near and dear to my heart. After watching my aunt go through years of both physical and emotional abuse at the hands of my uncle, I knew I had found my calling. My cousin would come to my house, tears streaking down her cheeks, afraid to tell us what was happening. It had finally come out and not a moment too soon.

My uncle had been arrested shortly after the story was told and sent to prison, where he was currently serving a 15-year sentence. My aunt, after several years of therapy, was reaching a point where she was able to smile again, where she could laugh, where she could be the woman she was before she ever met the son of a bitch who took away her happiness, the light within her. I knew my mother was happier than ever to finally get her sister back, to get back the woman she had looked up to ever since they were kids. They talked on the phone everyday and had lunch together once a week, slowly tearing down the walls that my aunt had built, walls to protect not only her, but my cousin as well.

"Y/N? You're not even listening to me at this point." Anya's voice had changed, a tinge of annoyance to her words and I couldn't help but blush, knowing she was right. Anya's hands went to her hips as she studied me, her lips set in a tight line, one that told me she wasn't going to take no for an answer, no matter how many times I tried to tell her I wasn't interested, that I was doing just fine, that I didn't need to go to parties and get blackout drunk to enjoy my college experience, that I was perfectly okay being on my own.

Knowing I wasn't going to win this one, I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, but I'm... I'm just worried. My Cultural Competency Practice essay is due next Wednesday, I have a final in my Policies and Policy Reform class on Thursday and I still have to fit in twelve more field experience hours for Practicum I before I can pick my classes for next semester."

Anya shook her head, but I could see the sympathy in her eyes, a compassion that she always showed me. "I get it Y/N, I do, but if you don't take a break once in a while, you're going to burn out before you even get into a position. If that happens then what was it all for?"

Although I wanted to resist, deny her claims, I knew she was right, more right than I wanted her to be. I had seen it in my field experience hours, seen it in the clinics, the shelters, the halfway houses. So many social workers, clearly drained, surviving on coffee, stale donuts and a determination that had the chance to either be really good or really bad. There was no in between: you either had it or you didn't. And at the women's shelter I was volunteering in for my field experience hours, there was a definite lack of those who did. Those who used to do the job didn't want to anymore, leaving gaps that needed to be filled almost desperately. Unfortunately with desperation comes lackadaisical attitudes and some of those who wanted to get into the profession were sometimes severely lacking in the necessary qualities, qualities that changed everything, qualities that could change a life.

"Fine." I threw my hands up in the air, knowing there was no way of getting out of this, knowing she wasn't going to give up, knowing there was no way she would let me stay here. Here in my comfortable dorm where no one knew my name, where I could bury my nose in my books, where I could be invisible. Just like I liked. I really did love my friend, but she had the tenacity of an alligator snapping his jaws down on his prey. There was no way of escaping her clutches, no matter how many times I struggled, how hard I fought her.

Anya's eyes lit up in excitement and she darted forward, yanking me to my feet, dislodging my books that were scattered across the bed. "I promise you that you're not going to regret it. It's going to be so much fun. Tae even said he would pick us up." Taehyung, Anya's current fling, was majoring in fashion design and was just as handsome as she was beautiful. They made a striking pair and even though Anya insisted it was just for fun, I could see the happiness in her eyes whenever his name was mentioned. "And he said Jungkook's going to be there tonight."

"Anya no!" I crossed my arms, ready to put a kibosh on the whole. "He's such a man whore. That man has slept with half the campus."

Anya squeezed my hands, her eyes pleading. "Come on. Kook's not that bad. He's always been really nice to us when we've run into him."

I wanted to protest, but I had to admit she was right. Jungkook was a man whore, there was no denying that, but outside of parties, he was the campus golden boy, the one everyone looked up to. He was good at sports, polite to faculty, and always seen helping someone. It was a strange combination and one that threw me off balance, one that made me uneasy. It also made me wonder which side of him was real, which was the true Jungkook. "I swear on your Gucci sweater that if this party sucks, I am never forgiving you!"

Anya grinned then hugged me. "I swear on my Gucci sweater that if this party sucks, I will never ask you to another party again."

Sighing in resignation, my shoulders slumped in defeat. Anya let out an excited squeal, one that was way too happy, and I let her drag me towards the bathroom, knowing there was no way she would let me leave the room looking like I did: hair up in a messy bun, my brother's old Army sweatshirt, and a pair of jeans that had seen better days. It was my Saturday afternoon study outfit, one that Anya had threatened to burn on multiple occasions, and one that I swore I was going to be buried in. Nope. No way she would let me leave like this.

***

"See? I told you it would be great!" Anya threw an arm around my shoulder as we downed our latest round of shots.

I didn't want to admit it, but I was actually having fun, more fun than I had ever expected. Taehyung had picked us up like promised and when we arrived at the party, Jungkook had gravitated towards my side and had been there the whole time. At first I wanted to tell him to beat it, that there was no way I was going to be the next conquest, but as the night continued, the drinks kept flowing, the music and multicolored strobe lights pulsed around me, I found myself letting Jungkook get closer. Way closer than I would have ever felt comfortable with on a normal day, a regular day.

As much as I would have liked to believe he was attracted to me, I knew better. Anya, true to her nature, had taken me from shy little bookworm to sensual, sultry siren (her words not mine). Gone were my comfortable clothes, replaced by a short black skater skirt, a bright pink shirt that was completely open in the back and a pair of knee high black boots, which I actually loved. My messy bun was yanked down and my hair fell around my shoulders. She had given me smudged eyeliner and a shimmery gloss that made my lips look fuller and prettier. I had been stunned when I looked in the mirror, seeing a girl I didn't recognize, one that was actually sexy. When I touched the mirror me's nose, Anya had laughed then hugged me.

Anya's look, although stunning as usual, had made Taehyung's eyes widen when he picked us up. She had gone for a pale blue short dress that accentuated her mocha skin and her bold maroon lipstick was perfect. When she had stepped out of the bathroom, I had almost questioned my own sexuality. Her twin sister, Aniylah, had gone a completely different route, choosing a pair of tight jeans that she paired with a black shirt and a white denim jacket.

We had seen Aniylah for a few moments when she arrived with her boyfriend, Namjoon, but we hadn't seen them since and I wouldn't be surprised if they had already escaped to one of the many empty bedrooms. They had started seeing each other seriously three years ago and were about as perfect as could be. Although Namjoon could have his own slew of women, he was exceedingly loyal to Aniylah, treating her like a princess. I knew sometimes it made Anya envious, especially since Taehyung and Namjoon were such good friends. I knew Anya wanted the same thing, but she wouldn't admit it, not to me, not to Taehyung, and definitely not to herself.

"I really like this shirt." Jungkook's breath was warm against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. His hand, which had been, on my shoulder most of the evening, slid down, gently caressing the bare skin of my back. "And your skin is so smooth, so silky. It's making me wonder if it's like that everywhere."

I tried to ignore the fluttering in my stomach, the sudden arousal that dampened my panties, the need that made me want him almost desperately. I wasn't stupid. I knew he probably used those lines on countless women, just like I also knew what he wanted, what he was going after, but I wasn't completely immune to him either, no matter how badly I wished I were. There was something about Jungkook that could make a nun give herself over to him. And knowing I had his attention tonight? I had to admit to myself that it made me feel good.

I wish I could lie and say the man wasn't sexy because holy fuck he was, more so than any man I had ever seen. He had donned all black tonight: black cargo pants, black boots, a black hat, and a long sleeve black t-shirt. He looked like the devil incarnate and was hotter than sin. Looking over at Anya, I gave her a look of 'save me' but she just grinned and winked at me, a subtle indication to let the night go where it wanted to, where I wanted it to, and damn did I want Jungkook no matter how hard I tried to resist.

"What do you think babe?" Jungkook's lips brushed against the shell of my ear and I couldn't stop the little sound that escaped my lips. "Want to get out of here? Let me show you just how good I can make you feel?"

The common sense part of me was screaming at me to say no, to back away, to get the fuck out of there. However, the part of me that controlled my heart, and my fluttering nether regions, told me to take advantage of it, to enjoy it. There was no way Jungkook would even remember this in the morning, let alone Monday back on campus. On Monday, I could go back to being the shadow, the ghost, but for tonight? I wanted to be in his arms. Pushing aside the last of my doubts, I simply nodded.