I Won't Give Up

Copyright © 2012 by Sophie Monroe

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form

or by any means electronic or mechanical, including

photocopying, recording or any information storage and revival systems

Without prior written permission from the author

except where permitted by law

The characters, places, and events portrayed in this book are fictitious.

Any similarity to real persons living or dead is coincidental and

not intended by the author.

Contact:

sophiem
[email protected]

The author acknowledges use of the following brands: The Gaslight Anthem, Capital Lights, P!nk,
Patsy Cline,
Coke,
Audi, Ducati,
Chevy
, Kit-Kat,
Vitamin Water
, Diet Coke, Toyota, DiaperDude
, Tiffany & Co., Dolce and Gabbana

A special thanks to my BFF (you know who you are, S
tef
!) the one who reads

all
my work all over and over again
offering insight and ideas.

While a
lso keeping me sane and encouraging

me to keep going even when I feel like giving up.

A special thanks to Capital Lights for letting me use their music!

&

To everyone that loves a good story!

I Won’t Give Up

Sophie Monroe

Rewind…

Two months, three
days, nine hours, thirty-six minutes and fourteen seconds
, ago…

Fiona

“I’m so glad that’s over!” I said grinning excitedly to my boyfriend Jack and best friend Casey. I was stoked that we finished our exams and school was out for the summer.
Our senior summer
I
thought happily.
I’ve been waiting three years for this and it was already shaping out to be the best yet. Jack leaned in kissing m
e passionately making me wanton;
I’d get him later.
The thought made me giddy.

Jack
was great, the very best boyfriend
I could ever imagine
. We’d been togeth
er for a little over two years.
His family life was a lot like mine. His dad was a senator and his mom was a trophy wife.
H
e was
smart and athl
etic, damn did his body show it.
I was looking forward to having him shirtless most of the summer.
He played baseball, basketball, lacrosse but not football.
He had planned on attending Cornell after graduation, I’d planned to go to NYU so I could be close to him.

After he pulled out of the kiss I looked at Casey who was pea green with envy
. She would find her own distraction later.

“Ready to go shortcake?” Jack asked
putting his arm around my shoulder
. He had been calling me shortcake since
junior high way
before we even started dating and it just kind of stuck. He was 6’4” and me only 5’7”.

“Definitely.” I grinned making my best cheese face
and pulling him in for another kiss
.

“Oh get a room.” Casey laughed.

“Oh I plan on it.” I said cheekily.

“That’s awful
cocky
don’t you think.” She said causing me to burst out laughing
and
making Jacks face blush. I pulled his hand over towards where my car was parked.

Jack opened my door before walking and climbing into the passenger
’
s side;
he called my car
“Sadie
the
S
ardine
”
since every time he got in he felt like he was in a sardine can. My dad owned a bunch of car dealerships all across Tennessee and last year for my seventeenth birthday he gave me a white Audi TT that he had done with custom hot pink leather interior, I loved it!
Even the lights in the dash lit up pink. I was definitely daddy’s little girl.

I pulled out into traffic and started the journey back to my house where Jack would most likely eat us out of food; then he would most likely demand we go to dinner before heading to the field for the first kick off party of the summer.
The drive
from school
only took about ten minutes. I pulled into our expansive five-car garage, which was most likely bigger than most people’s actual homes. We walked hand and hand to the front door while I fumbled for my house key. When we walked in I
froze, I heard banging. It
was odd since no one was supposed to be home. Jack tensed and pulled me behind him while walking around to see where the sound was coming from.
Crash. Smash. Bang.
What the hell was going on?

More banging around it
sounded like it
was coming from upstairs.

“Wait here.” Jack ordered
while taking the stairs two at a time. I wanted to
open my mouth to
protest but
nothing came out.
Normally my mouth was
very unfiltered
almost like a volcano I just said the first thing that came to mind.
Somehow I was
at a loss for words
and frankly scared shitless
. I waited, I heard the noises stop and felt my heart rate accelerate,
I was growing increasingly worried,
did something happen to Jack. I couldn’t wait any longer I had to make sure he was okay. I headed cautiously up the stairs and saw my parent’s door wide open. Jack was sitting on the bed consoling my mom who was sobbing uncontrollably. Oh my god, what happened?

“Mom.” I cried. I looked around the room, there
was glass shattered everywhere, picture frames strewn across the room.

“Mom, what happened? Did someone break in? Are you okay?” Panic was rising.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” Jack said before walking out the door closing it behind him.

“Mom, please tell me what’s going on.” She finally looked at me, her hair normally perfectly styled and make-up meticulously applied was now a hot mess.
Mascara was all over her tear streaked face and her hair looked like a haystack.

“He’s gone.” She said flatly.

“Who is?” I asked confused.

“Your father, he’s gone.”
Daddy.
My heart sank and broke into a million pieces. I loved my daddy.

“Oh my god mom. What happened?” I said and I couldn’t hold back once it registered. Was he in an accident, heart attack, I needed to know. I was too young to be thinking about these things.

“I came home early from my bridge club, I wasn’t feeling well and…and…”
She sobb
ed. “He was just finishing loading his truck… he
’s
left me.”

“Mom, that doesn’t make any sense. Are you sure?” She nodded and pointed over towards his vast closet. I got up off the bed and carefully stepped around the broken remains before opening the door. It was empty. He left, he really fucking left. In that moment my hurt turned to anger.
Here
I thought he died but really he just left.

“I just don’t know what I did.” She said, her voice breaking. I walked back over and pulled her into
a hug.

“Mom whatever this is, it had
nothing
to do with you!”
My mom was
an
amazing
person and she’s gorgeous
.

“
Honey,
I need to be alone for a little while. Why don’t you go find Jack? I’ll be fine.”
I watched as she
crawled into her bed fully clothed, pulled a pillow to her chest and continued to sob.

“I’m here if you need anything mom, just ask.” I closed the door behind me
taking a deep breath
I headed back down the hallway to my room where Jack was waiting. He seemed standoffish.
I guess I would be to I’m sure he doesn’t know what to say, I don’t even know what to say or think.

“Hey.” I said
trying to break the ice
.

“Hey.” He replied. He pulled me into an awkward hug, not like the one he had given me only an hour earlier.

“So you know?” I asked. He nodded his head.

“Think he’ll come back
?” He asked.

“I have no idea. I don’t even know why he left in the first place.”

“I do.” He said and I looked up at him shocked. “Gigi.” He didn’t need to elaborate anymore it all made perfect sense now.

“Listen I called Hunter to come pick me up I figured you’d want to be alone for a bit. Plus I didn’t think you’d be up to going out later
and I don’t want to miss the first party of the summer
.” He said shrugging. What the fuck!

“My dad just left and you thought I’d want to be alone!
I need you now more than I’ve ever needed you. Can you call Hunter back and tell him to come get you later maybe.
” I yelled.

“Fiona, I think it’s best for both of us to see other people. I’ve been feeling this way for a while now and with everything that just happened I know it needs to be done.
I don’t want to be part of the scandal and frankly my dad doesn’t need to be part of this either.
I’ll see you around.” Just like that he turned and left leaving me alone and in agony.
Two of the most important people in my life just left, what was I
supposed to do now.
I picked up my phone and dialed the one person I trusted more than anyone. He answered on the first ring.

“Luke.” I cried. I didn’t even need to say anything else.

“I’m on my way.” He replied.

Rewind

Three months, three weeks, one day, eleven hours, nineteen seconds ago..

Cooper

Hit him!

Go for the left!

Go for the kill!

Knock him the fuck out already! 

I woke up to a soft knock on my door. I looked at my alarm clock it was 8:17 on a Saturday. I really wanted more sleep.
More like I needed more sleep.

“Coop can I come in?” My dad asked. He’d been going through just as much lately and I knew I was part of the problem too.

“Yeah come in.” As soon as he opened the door I knew what he’d come to say
and I didn’t want to hear it
. He sat down on the edge of them bed
as I sat up
.