Page 1 of Unlocked

Prologue

SHELBY

Ten years ago…

Tonight is going to be epic! I’m so excited to finally be able to be normal like everyone around me. I’ve never really had friends I could hang out with. I was too ashamed of my home life to let anyone get too close. Until now, my only two friends have been Marley and Hillary, but I didn’t tell them what my life was like outside of school. I never had slumber parties or just had them over to hang out, because I didn’t want them to know the truth. My reality.

However, since leaving home after turning eighteen to move in with my aunt, my life is at long last looking good. I managed to get past the darkest time of my existence with the help of my aunt. Now, I’m a college student, and I’ve begun to make friends with some of my classmates. They’ve invited me out to a club near campus for the evening. I’ve agonized over what to wear all day. I’m a plus-sized girl, and I find it hard to find clothes that look as good on me as they do my much thinner friends. Society expects women to look a certain way. Thin with soft curves in only the right places. I don’t fit that mold, not even close. I just want to fit in with the others, be accepted as a part of the group.I have high hopes for the night. I’m wanting to meet some cute college guys and, for the first time in my life, have some fun.

I’m so nervous. I’ve never been on a date. I don’t really expect to meet anyone tonight, but a girl can dream. At twenty-years old, I’m still a virgin. I’m not planning on losing my virginity tonight, but I perhaps I can meet someone I could begin dating and eventually get there. My phone buzzes with a text, drawing my attention.

Hillary:Hey girl! Are you about ready?? I’ll be there in 5.

Me:Yeah, I’ll be waiting in the lobby.

Hillary: Sweet! See ya soon!

I pocket my phone, taking one last look at myself in the mirror. I’m wearing a loose over-size button up the front blouse with a V-neck that showcases the top of my cleavage. It hangs down almost to my knees, hiding my round abdomen as much as possible. My jeans are stone washed with straight legs. I’d love to be able to wear skinny jeans, but they don’t make them in my size. Even if they did, the tight fit would only show all my rolls.

My round face is free of blemishes. I have a nice bow in my upper lip, and my lower lip is full. Kissable lips they say.So why haven’t they been kissed?Because I’m too big, that’s why. I can hear my daddy now. “Shelby, you’re fat! I don’t see how you can walk as big as you are!” That was some of the nicer things he said to me.

My daddy is an asshole of epic proportions, but I’m away from him. I try not to let his abusive words and actions continue to affect me, but after hearing it for eighteen years, it’s hard to forget. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive him for all he took from me. I wish I had something sweet to eat. It would make me feel better. Mom always made me some kind of dessert when daddy mistreated me or when kids picked on me at school.

I shake my head. Now is not the time to let the past bring me down or get me off my diet plan. I’m going out with friends tohave some fun for the first time in my life. That’s what I need to focus on. Besides I’ve been trying really hard to get my weight under control. I have to stay on the plan until I reach my goal. I won’t let the memory of my daddy’s abuse derail me, ruining all the progress I’ve made over the last two years.

Turning from the mirror to grab my clutch purse, I head for the door of my dorm room. I don’t have to wait long in the lobby before I see headlights turning into the parking lot. Seeing that it’s Hillary’s car, I head out into the night. Ready to begin living my life for the first time.

The bar is justwhat I was expecting. Rock music is blaring from hidden speakers as strobe lights flash. There are lots of college kids dancing, drinking, and, in some cases, engaging in questionable activities in the darker corners. To my inexperienced mind, I can’t believe some of what I’m seeing. We pass a table where a girl is snorting white powder up her nose with a straw. At the next, a guy has his head thrown back moaning moving his hips suggestively. I can’t tear my eyes away, trying to figure out what he’s doing. Then I see the leg of a girl under the table. I quickly avert my eyes, suddenly understanding what’s happening.

“Here’s an empty spot,” Ashley says cheerfully, finding us a high table that isn’t occupied. We settle in with the drinks we’d gotten at the bar when we first arrived. I struggle to get up on the high barstools that surround the table. Once settled, I glance around with a smile on my face. Despite some of the illegal and morally questionable things I’ve seen since getting here, I’m thrilled to be out with my friends.

Hillary is one of my closest friends. She is a bit of a wild child by my conservative standards, but she’s kind and so much fun to be around. She hasn’t always been this way, or at least, she’d hidden her wild side as much as she could until we got to college. Now she’s the life of any party. Her long brown hair is crafted into a beautiful wavy cascade down her back. The sides are braided and pulled into a clip at the back of her head. She has on a pair of black skinny jeans with a low-cut tank top, a cropped denim jacket paired with high heeled boots. She looks like she just walked off the page of a fashion magazine. I envy the confidence she radiates.

Estelle is one of Hillary’s friends. I’m meeting her for the first time tonight. She’s an impossibly tall, thin blonde. She is working on a modeling career, and I can see why. She’s stunningly gorgeous. Her porcelain skin is flawless with a soft dewy appearance. How she can get her makeup so perfect is beyond me. I’ve practiced over and over, but I never feel like I can get it to look so effortless.

“Don’t look now, but we have a group of hotties headed this way,” Estelle sing-songs loudly to be heard over the music. She takes a sip of her cocktail as she looks at Hillary but side-eyes the dance floor. I can’t keep my head from turning to peer in the direction she’s indicated with a slight flick of her head.

My heart skips a beat. There is indeed a group of guys heading straight for our table. The group is led by a hunk of a man with short blond hair combed in a perfect swoop to the left. He has broad shoulders and bulging biceps that are straining the hem of his shirt sleeves. Said shirt is a University of Virginia t-shirt. It is stretched over his chest in an almost obscene way. I can see his pectorals flexing as he moves. I’m suddenly hot wondering how he might look without his shirt. Fanning myself with the napkin that came with my drink, I force my eyes to look at his face and not his very hot body.

When my eyes rise, they meet the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen. A thrill shoots through me when he smiles broadly as if he knows I’ve been checking him out. I feel my face heat, and I avert my gaze. The group walks up to our table. Hottie coming to stand right beside me.

“Hello, ladies,” Hottie greets us. “What are such beautiful girls doing here all alone? Please don’t tell me your boyfriend is in the bathroom.” I glance over to see he is looking right at me. I glance to Hillary who gives me an encouraging look.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I reply shyly. Hottie smiles even more causing my heart to go wild. Feelings of desire run through me like I’ve never felt before. I’m tingling all over from the intense look he’s giving me.

“What?” he demands, looking shocked. “You’ve got to be lying to me.” I’m slightly offended he would suggest that I would lie. He doesn’t know me at all, but maybe that is why he thinks I could possibly be a liar. I just shake my head. “Then may I ask you to dance?” He holds his hand out toward me. I look at it, then at Hillary. She nods, and I look back at his outstretched hand. Biting my lower lip, I try to decide if I want to humiliate myself by trying to dance. I’ve never gotten an opportunity to dance with someone before. “Please, beautiful?” I’m shocked he would call me beautiful when Hillary and Estelle are standing right here, but he seems genuine. This is why I’m here tonight, right? To have some fun? Throwing caution to the wind, I take his hand with a smile.

“Let’s do this!” I giggle when he hurries us out onto the dance floor. The music is pounding out a hard rock song. The crowd is bopping up and down. Many of the couples are grinding on one another. I’m not sure what to do and try desperately to take any cues from Mr. Hottie. We dance a couple of fast songs bobbing and shaking in time to the music. As a slower song comes on, I expect him to want to head back to the table, but instead hegrabs my waist, pulling me close. My breath catches at the close contact.

“My name is Lance. What’s your name?” he asks as we begin to sway.

“Shelby,” I answer.

“Well hello, Shelby. It’s really nice to meet you.” Lance smiles down at me. “Thanks for agreeing to dance with me. I haven’t had very much luck with girls and my friends told me to just go for it with the first girl who caught my eye.” I know I must have a shocked expression on my face. I initially thought he only asked me to dance so he could get the low down on Hillary or Estelle. Could he possibly be interested in me?

“Icaught your eye?” I question, unable to fathom such a thing. He nods with a strange smile on his face. “You aren’t interested in my friends?” I ask, glancing at our table, needing the clarification. How is this totally hot guy into me and not Estelle or Hillary? He shakes his head emphatically.

“It’s you, Shelby, who caught my eye.” Lance leans in close. So close that I can smell the scent of toothpaste on his breath. I bite my lower lip again, peeking up at him. He flashes me another devastatingly hot smile before spinning us around in time to the music. We dance several songs before he pulls me from the dance floor toward our table. Our friends are still standing around talking to one another. It doesn’t seem any of them are interested in dancing.

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