Worlds Collide (Fan Service #6)

Prologue

Carter Din

June

Just climb the fucking stairs, Carter.

It might be strange to be pushing myself to go into the house I grew up in, but in reality, I know I’ve got a perfectly valid reason for second-guessing this whole thing.

First of all, the house has been basically completely closed for more than three years since I moved back to America. I’m pretty sure that it’s only thanks to the cleaning service I pay to come by once a week that it hasn’t fallen down.

Okay, that’s an exaggeration. Mum renovated the whole thing only months before that awful day after graduation, so the house is actually in pretty good shape.

Perfect for selling…

The whole reason why I’m here.

I’m definitely selling it.

There’s no reason to keep it, and it’s not only because it’s a financial burden—though Dad left me more than well taken care of—it’s the principal of it all.

No matter what our last phone call was like I know my parents loved me. They wanted the best for me, and Mum would’ve definitely hit me over the head for not getting my shit together sooner. For spending so much time stuck in the past.

Staring at the front door, at the elaborate front facade of the building, I can’t help but think over everything that’s happened.

After graduation, after I realized what happened to my parents and what my last words to them had been, I moved back here and was a mess for too long. I let myself wallow in the empty pit of guilt, regret, and loss.

I still don’t know exactly how I’m supposed to live the rest of my life without my parents, and they died more than seven years ago. I have no idea how I’ve survived—no, actually I do.

My friends back in America.

When I was living here and I did my very best to push them away, but they didn’t let me. Even busy as hell with med school, CJ came by two summers straight and tried to keep me alive.

Adam and Sebas came as well while he was in the off season and Sebas had time off from school.

And they brought me back to America with them eventually.

Sebas opened his gallery and reminded me that what I wanted to do with my life before it imploded was manage galleries, I wanted to see beauty every day, and I could still do that if I let myself.

So I closed up this house, and moved to New York. Started my masters, started working with Sebas, reached a point where I don’t hate myself so much anymore even if I still am kind of a mess, and now I know I’m finally back to being strong enough to deal with what has to happen.

I have to sell my parents’ house. I have no business keeping it and I’m never going to be able to live in it.

“Carter?” I hear a deep voice from behind me and turn quickly because it sounds so familiar. And then I see him.

It’s been more than ten years since we left Woodcourtt School, since I moved to San Francisco to attend Cavendish University. Ru stayed here, and went to Oxford as was expected of him, but seeing him now, how he’s changed so much and not at all at the same time, it warms my chest the way only an old friend can.

I smile at him, nothing else I can do at the moment, and walk over wordlessly to throw my arms around him.

“You alright, mate?” he asks me quietly. Then he hugs me back, and it’s perfect.

“I didn’t know I missed you,” I tell him.

He chuckles lightly, never one to be overly expressive, I didn’t expect anything else from him.

“Me either.”

I step back after another moment and look him in the eyes. “You still living with the Lord?” I ask. That’s how we’ve always referred to his father, and I don’t see any reason why that would change now.

“No,” he scoffs and reaches up to fix his perfectly styled hair. “I was summoned.” He rolls his eyes and I feel longing and sympathy at the same time. My parents were never as strict as Ru’s, never as elitist, or as…well cold. But I’d give anything to be summoned by my father.

At the same time, I know Ru hates having to run back home whenever his father demands it, so I understand why he’s not happy about it. Still, it means he saw me standing here, staring at my house like an idiot.

“I’m glad you were,” I tell him truthfully. “I’m here to pack it all up and sell it.”

“I’m sorry, Carter,” he says, sympathy dripping from every syllable. I appreciate it, I really do. I can’t really bring myself to thank him for his condolences, though, so I shrug it off and smile brightly, hoping to bring back the good mood.

“Do you have time to go get something to eat?” I wonder. “I’d love to catch up.”

“You know what?” he asks, reeling back a little. “I do, and I can’t wait to hear all about you. Let’s go,” he nods over to the sidewalk and I know instantly where we’re going.

To the little Indian place where we used to escape to during summer break when we were both home. It was always our place, and I can’t believe it will be again.

Maybe the month I’ll spend here won’t suck as bad.

Without thinking twice about it now, I grab the suitcases I abandoned at the foot of the stairs, and drag them up. I open the front door by putting in the code on the little panel beside the handle and push them in carelessly and close the door again to walk back down.

“So what’s going on with you?” I ask as we fall into step. He only grimaces in answer. “That bad? Is it romantic trouble? Or the Lord?” It could be either honestly.

“Both,” he grumbles. “My father wants to marry me off to a woman I hate and the man I fell in love with is an asshole who I can’t get over.”

My body lights up at so much juicy information.

“Okay then, we’re going to need some drinks to go with our lunch, won’t we?”

I pat his shoulder lightly as he nods glumly. I’m no expert in love—obviously—but I know Ru. I know damn well he would never fall in love with an actually bad person, hopefully I can help him see that.

This month is for sure looking up now, though. I’ll sort everything out here, and then I’ll get back to New York and move on with my life.

Carter’s story is coming! I can’t believe the Fan Service series is coming to an end, but I'm so excited to close out this awesome friends’ group stories with a scandalous bang!