It All Started Last Summer

Author's Note:

For the purpose of those that didn't read In Love With My Brother's Fianceé and The Gift Summer Gave Me.

Rachel is Royal sister, and she's usually referred to as Ray — it's the pet name she's usually called.(but Aurora calls her Iv specially)

Aurora is Rachel's best friend, she's also called Rora by mostly Rachel, then by Maya, Royal and Charissa.(she's the one abandoned by her parents because of her sexuality and refusal to go to UCLA)

Cassidy is Jessie's best friend as well as Cara's (She also has other friends –Kaylee and Ocean) she is also called Cassie.

Jessie is Cassidy's best friend, and is also Cara, Kaylee and Ocean's friend. She's always referred to as Jess.

Caramel is Friends with Cassidy, Jessie, Kaylee and Ocean. She is always referred to as Cara in the story.

Cara's elder sister is Kristen (Who is dating Cassidy — you will meet her later in the chapter)

Royal and Charissa are a couple.(Charissa is usually called Rissa, and Royal is usually called Ry or handsome by Maya and Rachel, then Charissa addresses her as Royalty specially)

Maya is Royal's best friend.(she's is called 'My' by Royal)

Lauren is Aurora's new friend

I hope I have cleared any impending confusion…

The other characters will be explained as the story unfolds. Thank you for reading. Although I personally recommend you read the two books for better comprehension and enjoyment of this masterpiece.

The new academic session had kick-started in different colleges – Berkeley included – and students had begun finding their way back to their various colleges.

Both the freshmen and the old students.

Rachel and Aurora were among the categories of freshmen finding their way to UC Berkeley, accompanied by Rachel's sister Royal, and her fianceé Charissa, alongside Royal's best friend, Maya.

The two girls refused to board a plane to UC Berkeley and insisted on Maya, Royal, and her fianceé dropping them off and being with them for the last time.

Rachel's hand stretched out of the window enjoying the airy feel as Royal drove down the road.

"Your hand's going to cut off pretty soon, babe." Aurora joked beside her.

Rachel shot her a sharp look and she laughed.

"Kidding!"

Rachel chortled. "Yeah. I know."

Seated in the backseat, their eyes held for a moment before they broke the stare. Rachel first. She turned to Maya, her sister's best friend who was seated with them in the backseat. Joking about something while Aurora casted her gaze outside the window.

Good thing the weather decided to be nice today. Clear weather, the refreshing scent of spring, and the hopeful aura of a promising college experience.

The day they had been waiting for was finally here. After their college registration both online and in school. They had gone shopping, sponsored by Royal and Charissa, and Maya had specifically found an apartment for her and Rachel.

Now, they were finally heading back to school to start living their dream. Her gaze shifted to her front, taking in a chatty Royal and her fianceé giggling away. She couldn't be less appreciative of them.

They had come through in funding her college fees and other expenses after her parents had made it clear to her that they weren't going to sponsor her education because of her choice to attend Berkeley and the discovery of her sexuality.

Yeah, Aurora chose to come out to them before she told them of her choice to go to Berkeley instead of UCLA. Now, she was wondering if they really abandoned her because she refused to go to UCLA or if it was her sexuality that was the root of all these.

"Serious much." Royal's voice seeped through her ears, and she chuckled, their eyes meeting over the rearview mirror.

Amongst all the choices Aurora had made, asking Royal to be her pet mum was the best choice she had made that year.

"Just a trip down memory lane," I said honestly. Rissa glanced at her with a smile, her head tilted to the side.

"Have you started missing Los Angeles already?"

"Babe, let's focus on making more memories at Berkeley, yeah?" Rachel said, crossing her arm around Aurora's shoulder.

Aurora nodded. "Sure, we will do that." She laughed as her eyes drifted back to the rearview mirror where Royal held her gaze.

"Are you okay, baby? With your parents' attitude and all?" Her eyes were filled with concern, and Aurora was beyond convinced that she cared.

"Yeah, I am fine. I mean, I wouldn't have been without you guys."

Royal smiled at her through the rearview mirror.

"You are my baby girl and my responsibility. No matter what, I will always support you."

"Me too." Charissa chipped in.

"Yeah, me too." That was Maya.

Rachel held her hand and squeezed it.

"And I will always be there for you, babe."

The amount of love she was receiving right now was so overwhelming for Aurora. Her family abandoned her, but there were other people, willing to take full responsibility for her.

Her eyes stung with tears and she blinked rapidly to take them back.

"Hey, don't start crying right now," Rachel warned and they all burst into laughter, including Aurora. She just laughed softly.

"Thanks a lot, y'all. I appreciate the love and support." She said, her gaze resting on each one of them with an appreciative smile on her face.

"But, I wouldn't want to weigh you down with my burden. So, I am going to get a job once I settle down."

She stared at Royal for approval and she nodded.

"If it will make you happy, by all means, we'll support you. But, if it encroaches on your study, you are gonna have to stop. Agreed?"

Aurora grinned. "Agreed. Thanks, Mum Royal."

Royal smiled at her. "You are welcome, baby girl."

"Hey," Rachel called Aurora's attention and she turned to face her.

"Don't worry, Rora. We'll pull through this together, yeah?"

Aurora nodded, touching Rachel's cheek.

"Yeah, together." She replied, holding her gaze for a while longer.

Royal and Charissa exchanged glances with Maya who was seated beside the two girls.

The trio pressed their lips together and silently prayed for this growing attraction between them. Clearly, this was metamorphosing into more than friendship. They were staring at each other longer than normal.

The front tyre climbed on a big stone, throwing them forward. That was what broke the stare.

"I'm sorry about that, guys. I guess I wasn't concentrating."

Charissa nodded. "Yeah, you weren't"

They glanced towards the backseat and found Rachel showing something to Maya through her phone.

Royal met Aurora's gaze through the rearview mirror and they smiled knowingly at each other. Charissa saw the exchange and narrowed her eyebrows at Royal, who shrugged.

"Mother and daughter exchange."

Charissa nodded with a chuckle. "Mother and daughter exchange it is, huh? Only God knows what you two are planning." She said in a low voice.

"It's clearly about Ray, right?"

Royal nodded. "Yeah. I pray she sees through Rora's feelings." Royal replied in a whisper.

"More like praying that Rora will man up and make her feelings known."

Royal nodded. "You are right, babe. I really pray so."

"Okay, what are you two whispering about? Have you turned to night wisps?" Rachel asked, leaning forward to the front seat to catch a glimpse of Royal and Rissa's faces.

"Have you?"

The duo burst into laughter, including Maya and Rora. Rachel was just so humorous.

She rested back on the backseat, picking up her phone that fell in between her lap.

"You guys are not just love birds but are also love night wisps. Am I right?"

Royal and Charissa nodded simultaneously.

"Yeah, we are."

"Pixie, am I one too?" Maya asks playfully and Rachel nodded.

"Yep. For calling me that, you have automatically turned to one because I bet you and Uncle Chris do that a lot."

Once again, the car rang with laughter from everyone, including Rachel who cackled.

"What about me, babe?" Aurora asked, and Rachel shook her head.

"Nah. You are not, babe." She replied with a smile. The kind that always melted Aurora's heart. She smiled back. Remembering her resolve to bring her feelings to the limelight.

Rachel had been extra sweet these days. Holding her stares, calling her sweet names often. That was a sign, right?

"Okay, who's excited about living together from now on?" Maya's voice seeped through her thoughts.

Rachel raised her hand, touching the roof of the Lamborghini slightly.

"I am. What about you, babe?" She glanced at Aurora, and she raised her hand too.

"Me too."

"Good," Royal said. "I like the sound of that. But you girls shouldn't lose yourselves, yeah?" Royal said, her gaze alternating between the two of them a little bit sternly.

They both nodded slowly and exchanged knowing glances.

"I saw that." Royal intoned and the two of them burst into laughter.

A few hours later, Royal drove into the esteemed University Of California, Berkeley. The girls had been there once to complete their registration processes, so they didn't quite digest the beautiful surroundings as they were doing now.

Mouth slightly agape, and eyes dilating like lost puppies from one building to another.

"Here, that's the Sproul plaza!" Rachel sang and Aurora gave a nod of approval.

"Why are you guys acting like this is the first time you have been at Berkeley?" Maya asked, snapping her fingers at the two of them.

"We came here a few weeks ago, remember?"

She narrowed her gaze at the two girls who were really staring at her like lost puppies.

Royal and Charissa exchanged chuckles.

"Well, you guys didn't give us time for proper sightseeing. Hell, we didn't even stay here for more than twenty minutes."

Who else if not Rachel, in her typical, I-want-to-prove-a-point way.

Maya smiled."Great. We are here now, Ray. Let's sign you girls in and take you down to your apartment."

"In other words, no sightseeing?" Rachel pressed further.

Royal stepped in front of Maya, her hand folded across her chest while she gave Rachel a narrowed look.

Rachel looked down at her feet. "Right. Royalty has the final say." She said with a resigned sigh and they all laughed.

Aurora scanned the environment and noticed that a significant number of people were gazing in their direction. Not just students. Men and women in corporate wear whom she assumed must be lecturers and even some parents who came to drop off their kids.

"Is it just me, or is almost everyone in this school staring at us?" Aurora asked no one in particular and the rest glanced around, nodding in agreement.

"It's not just you, baby girl. But I wonder why." Came Royal's response.

After their morning lectures, Cara stood outside their lecture hall, both arms strapped to her small backpack while her entire attention was focused on the flyer that was pasted on the notice board.

What attracted her wasn't the information inscribed on the flyer, but the way the flyer was designed. Her friendship with Jessie and Cassidy had made her take a special interest in arts, especially with the gifts they presented to her during her birthday.

They made her love arts and designs and instilled a spirit of appreciation in her. Her hands felt the texture of the flyer, smooth and seamless. Her fingers trailed on the edges. This looked as though it was designed by a professional. It wasn't just any regular designer. Someone like Jessie and Cassidy. She smiled to herself.

Despite being attracted to the design. She couldn't turn a blind eye to the information the flyer bore. FRESHMEN DAY!

How could she forget? That happens every year. Sh