41: LA Incoming!

❝ California dreamin' bout you ❞

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"And it's all done!" Dad whooped, dropping the last suitcase in the backseat since the boot was already full. "Forget something?" He questioned, watching me zip open the bags, a frustrated expression painted on my face.

"Not really," I drawled, searching for the sweatshirt I accidentally packed with all my skimpy outfits. And I couldn't do without sweatshirts while travelling. "Looking for a needle in a hay stack could be easier, I think, than looking for a single piece of cloth among many others in a girl's suitcase." Frustrated, I tossed aside the two bags I'd finished checking, moving onto the third.

"What in the devilish hell are you doing?" Mom appeared, pushing me aside and picking up the suitcases to zip them up again. "You think it's a joke to uproot a week's worth of labor and hard work we went through to pack your bags?" Angrily dumping the bags inside, she poised her hands on her hips as her eyebrow twitched. "What are you looking for? That boy band sweatshirt of yours?" I nodded fast as she rolled her eyes. "Blue suitcase. In the boot. Third from the bottom in the left pile. Now, off you go!" Dad's jaw dropped open as his eyes played a game of ping pong from between me to mom.

"You genius, oh my god. You're right. The women are absolutely right about us. Men really are useless, oh my sweet Jesus." Mom chuckled, patting dad on his back who still looked awestruck.

"I'm done!" I announced, pulling the sweatshirt over me as mom and dad smiled. "Phone, purse, keys and docs are in the front. Which leaves..." my eyes scanned over. "Nothing."

"Come here, you young lady." Dad pulled me in for a hug, as I melted in his arms, the urge to cry coming up strong once again. "Let me see." Pulling back, his glassy yet proud eyes scanned my face, lips twitching. "I'm happy you're starting a new chapter of your life, on your own, at that and I wouldn't want anything other than my daughter growing up to be independent, strong and a self sufficient woman. Everything this world hates." Plopping a sweet kiss on my cheek, he said.

"You show them who you are, June. We'll be waiting for the holidays, and try to visit as much as we can. Your dad has many conferences in LA, so you can expect us bothering you to come and visit." Mom joked, as I laughed and hugged her.

"Yeah, I'll be annoyed but I'll manage." Laughing, we all stepped near the jeep, a figure arising from inside it.

"We should get going." Ray sidled beside me as I beamed up at him.

"Call us when you reach!" My parents warned, waving us over.

"It should take us about two hours or so, with the rest stops and traffic in LA, I estimate we'd reach by one in the noon. I'll make sure June calls to inform." At that, I nudged him in his chest as he groaned.

"What are you? My dad?" My parents moved inside to check for anything left behind and Ray knelt down so that his mouth was next to my ear.

"No, but if you want to, I could be one. In bed." We looked at each other for a moment before we burst out laughing, visibly cringing over the joke.

"Shut up, oh my god!" Pushing me towards his jeep which was by now stocked up with our bags and a few necessities, leaving two seats in the front for the two of us. "Let's get going." I drawled, my eyes scanning over the driveway and eventually, my house. I'd been living in Moordale since I was two years old, practically making it the only "home" I was ever aware of. From running down the pavement in black shiny boots and playgroup uniform, to wearing summer dresses and canvas shoes in middle school, to donning hoodies and sweatshirts in high school, all the important phases and levels of my life were tick marked right here.

And now as I left to create a new life; write a new chapter in the book of my life with the person who made me feel the only one, I got a little teary eyed when it came to saying goodbyes and leaving this place behind. For good. It was unlikely I'd visit for holidays, taken into consideration my father, who when came from the unknown to city life, moved around a lot for conferences, invitational surgeries and charity work. Mom almost always accompanied him, and now that I was about to go to college, she would run around with him too. Not because dad couldn't take care of himself, but because she missed him. She'd never admit it though. Moreover, all of our friends were in different parts of the country and we'd have to find a common place to meet, and we could only maybe meet in the holidays. Visiting this house again seemed plausible only after graduation.

Sam and Susan were moving out to Santa Monica, courtesy to Neil and Lilah, who'd recommended Susan for a managerial post in a big-shot travel agency. Sam would be closer to good healthcare and we'd be closer to him.

Life in Moordale had come to a slow stop.

"Guys, you should get on road," Dad snapped me out of the nostalgia and we nodded, taking a last glance at the house, the sky, the trees, the roads; everything that was Moordale. "I put the sandwiches in the passenger seat. Munch on 'em when you are hungry, okay?" Pressing a kiss to my forehead, mom reminded.

"Goodbye, parents." I joked, hugging them, yet tearing up on the inside.

"Goodbye, daughter." They joked back, putting up a brave face as well.

Pulling the jeep door open, we settled down and buckled up as mom and dad stood hand in hand, gazing from the pavement as we pulled out of the driveway. Their right hands raised up in the air to wave us goodbye as we waved back, stopping for a while. A last glance later, we were speeding down the neighborhood, about to start something new.

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I'd spent all of my life living in California, but it was something about the air in Los Angeles that made me want to chuck all my worries aside and just live.

Skyscrapers as tall as your vision could enable you to see, people adorning clothes straight out of a fashion magazine and almost everyone's right hand occupied in holding a cup of coffee energized yet made me nervous at the same time. The good kind of nervousness. The I'm about to live my dream life nervousness.

"I sure don't read minds but I can very well tell that you want a cup of iced coffee right about now, isn't it?" My head snapped to look at Ray who laughed, making a sharp left turn and switching the ignition off. "C'mon, let's get you charged up." Clicking the seatbelt out of the holder for me, he ran over to open my door, practically picking me up and setting me down on the ground.

"Am I a child?" I argued, as he took my hand in his.

"Yeah, you weren't aware?" Smacking him on his shoulder, we entered a retro café, ordering our drinks which came almost immediately. The service was so LA-ey, oh my god. Wasting no time, we drove straight to UCLA, who had us shook by it's campus and the environment which was buzzing with electricity.

"UCLA, what a dream you are." Ray mused, a small smile pulling on his lips. Twining my fingers with his, I sighed, taking in the place I was about to spend four years in. "And the fact that I get to live this dream with you is even more surreal." I could sense his hazel eyes on me but I simply smiled. "Thank you for making me realize giving up on my dreams was not an option."

"Cut the cheesy crap, Rutherford. Instead promise me something."

"Anything."

I took a deep breath. "Live all of your dreams with me forever."

His tucked his index finger below my chin, raising my head so that I was looking into his eyes.

A small smile painted itself on his lips. "Isn't that cheesy, Williams?"

I raised a brow. "Backing out now, are you?"

He smirked. "I promise. There isn't any person I'd like beside me when I'm living my dreams. How can I fuck anyone else hard in a bathroom at the back of a bar? In a car with the windows fogged up? Against the wall of my art classroom? How can I, when you are the center of my dreams, June Williams?"

I could feel myself burning up. "Shut up, you horny ass."

His lips brushed against my ear. "You love me anyways."

I smiled. "I do. I do love you."

Pulling back, he shrugged his shoulders. "Then that works, because I happen to be deep in love with you as well."

"No shit, Christian Grey."

"Okay, Anastasia Steele."

The only thing on my mind as we looked for our dormitories was, Los Angeles, what a wild, crazy ride you are about to be.

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Short, very late, but nevertheless, here's the last chapter of Irresistible!!!! Brb crying because I can't believe this book has come to an end. It's time to say goodbye to Ray and June. Heavy heartedly, that being. To everyone that has supported me from the very start of this book, I appreciate you so much, and I will always remember you as my first reader. I know you, I see you, I read your comments and they make a big difference in my life. I love you xx

Edit 10/05/2023: I'm going to start rewriting this book as promised! No major changes but better writing and flow + maturity in characters. Also, quick question. Would you guys be interested in reading a sequel about Ray's younger brother Sam? ;) lmk in the comments!

In the meantime, I will also be starting a steamy sports YA romance rated 18+ whose details will be out with one last bonus chapter of Irresistible sometime next week!!! Hope you guys stick around for I've worked really hard on this one. Thank you for the love, always!!!