Broken Compass

Broken Compass Hilary Anne Copyright Copyright © 2023 by Hilary Anne All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents and places are products of the author's imaginations, and are not to be construed as real except where noted and authorized. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or actual events are entirely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or names featured are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is not implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. ISBN: 979-8-9869511-2-6 Editing: Brittany at E & A Editing Services, LLC Cover Designer: Hilary Anne Formatting: Hilary Anne Contents Dedication Playlist Prologue 1. One 2. Two 3. Three 4. Four 5. Five 6. Six 7. Seven 8. Eight 9. Nine 10. Ten 11. Eleven 12. Twelve 13. Thirteen 14. Fourteen 15. Fifteen 16. Sixteen 17. Seventeen 18. Eighteen 19. Nineteen 20. Twenty 21. Twenty-One 22. Twenty-Two 23. Twenty-Three 24. Twenty-Four 25. Twenty-Five 26. Twenty-Six 27. Twenty-Seven 28. Twenty-Eight 29. Twenty-Nine 30. Thirty 31. Thirty-One 32. Thirty-Two 33. Thirty-Three 34. Thirty-Four 35. Thirty-Five 36. Thirty-Six 37. Thirty-Seven 38. Thirty-Eight 39. Thirty-Nine 40. Forty 41. Forty-One Epilogue Acknowledgments Also by Hilary Anne About the Author Dedication For the ones still waiting for their compass to guide their way. Playlist Glimpse of Us | Joji I’m Good (Blue) | David Guetta, Bebe Rexha roots | GraceDavies Earned It | Bootstraps Wolves | Grace Davies Love Like Mine | Stela Cole Power | Isak Danielson Never Break | John Legend Stand By Me | Bootstraps Heaven (Acoustic) | Calum Scott Hear You Me | Jimmy Eat World Breathe | Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat Watching Airplanes | Gary Allen Something in the Orange | Zach Bryan One More Night | Tim Gallagher I Do | Aloe Blacc, LeAnn Rimes Listen HERE on Spotify Prologue Charlie - Eighteen Years Old “Come on, Charlie. It’s time to leave.” There’s no way I’m leaving the party now. It’s just getting started. “A little bit longer, I promise,” I fib and dance my way into the kitchen for another refill. The after-prom party at Erick’s house is brimming with underage alcohol consumption and teenage pheromones. Speaking of Erick, I lock eyes with him over the rim of my red cup. The mixture of alcohol and juice tastes god awful, but it sure gets the job done. Erick holds my stare for a moment and gives me his infamous lopsided grin that makes all the other girls’ panties melt. We’ve been flirting for weeks and tonight is the night I’m finally going to fall into his bed. I get a feeling like I’m being watched, no doubt from Thea’s glaring eyes. I shift my attention to her and find I was right. “What?” My voice is filled with fake innocence. “You know what. Don’t do this, Charlie. We told our parents we’d be back at your house by midnight, and it’s…” She glances down at her watch, and I roll my eyes at my prudish friend. “…a quarter after one.” I love her. I really do. But shit, she needs to let loose once in a while. I’m sure my parents will understand if we’re a little late. They were young once. They know it’s the night of our senior prom. It’s almost expected to be out past curfew. “Would you relax? You’re killing the vibe, babe. Here, drink this.” I pass off the cup in my hand, and she takes it but doesn’t take a drink. I laugh, put my hands on her shoulders, and stand on my tippy toes to bring our eyes closer to the same level. “Thea, please. I’ve been after Erick for weeks. Don’t make me leave now. I want you to stay and have some fun, but if you really want to go, I won’t stop you. You have a key to my house, and you’re welcome to go there. I’ll be right behind you.” I think I’ve got her and that she’ll decide to stick around until she huffs and says, “Fine, I’ll see you back at your house. Better yet, call me when you need a ride. I’ll come and get you.” I’m a little disappointed she’s leaving, but I won’t let that stop my plans for tonight. I plaster on a wide grin and smack a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll be fine, babe. More than fine.” I waggle my eyebrows at her. Now it’s her turn to roll her eyes, but her lips are curled up hinting that she’s not actually mad at me. “Promise to call if you need a ride home.” Thea gives me her stern mom eyes. “Yes, mommmmm,” I drag out my words. Another roll of her eyes and then we’re hugging goodbye. Before she’s even left the kitchen, I’m making a beeline for Erick. I brush my fingers across his chest as I walk past him and toward his bedroom. I can feel the heat radiating off him as he falls in step behind me. Erick is all talk and no game. Sweat drips off the tip of his nose and lands on my forehead. His grunts seem a little exaggerated because his hips aren’t working that hard. Plus, he won’t stop asking, “Do you like that, baby?” There’s nothing worse than a guy that needs reassurance every two seconds. If I was liking it, you’d sure as hell know it. My phone has been buzzing nonstop on the nightstand. I push