“Holy moly, you aren’t lying.” She heads straight for my classic black pumps with red bottoms.

“Here, these will do just fine.” She hands me my shoes.

We both get ready. I decide to keep my hair down. It’s still growing back out from the chemo. It has finally made it to my shoulders. My eyebrows and eyelashes have grown back too. I barely need to shave my legs, though that’s a good problem to have. I am just thankful that I have most of my hair back.

I never take my cancer bracelet off. It’s not like I want to announce to the world that I’m a survivor, but it’s my reminder when I start feeling down. I fought cancer with all that I had and I came out victorious. I kicked cancer in the butt.

“Okay Ev, are you ready to go?” she asks while I coat my eyelashes in one more coat of mascara.

“Yep.” I throw the tube down on my dresser. “All set. Show me how college life is.” I reach for my purse and shove my phone inside. “If my parents can’t reach me they will flip out.”

I stop and look in the full-length mirror. I finally look healthier. I have gained a little of my weight back and my curves are starting to fill back in.

“You look fine. Now let’s go.” Adella takes my hand, giggling while we lock up our room.

We make small talk the entire way to ‘Before and After’. There is a huge line waiting to get in as we walk up.

“This is because the band is just that good. C’mon, I know the bouncer. He’ll let us skip the line,” she says as she pulls me forward.

“Hey Skinny! What’s up handsome?” Adella purrs at a big burly guy who is most definitely not skinny.

“Adella, baby, who’s your friend?” He eyes me up and down.

“Fresh meat. Let us in.” Her eyes roam over to the door.

“Go ahead baby, show her how it’s done,” Skinny sighs.

“Thank you Skinny,” I say shyly.

“No problem baby girl.” He removes the red clip on the velvet rope. “Well, go on.” He gestures us in.

It’s dark and the music is loud. I don’t mind loud music; in fact, I love it. It helped get me through some dark moments in my life. Mom and Dad say music plays a bigger part in my life than I know. Doctors told them it was best if I forgot the lost years and move forward, because there is a huge chance those years were not coming back. That is one of the things I disagree with the doctors on.

The strobe lights are amazing. Everything is so alive in here. Alive: I am freaking alive. I sigh with a happy grin. I got a second chance. Adella drags me to a booth by the stage. I don’t understand why, because it says reserved.

“Adella, um, this says it’s reserved for the bands,” I point to the sign.

“Yes, the bands and the friends of the band mates. I grew up with Shawn.”

Drinks come over from the bar. “Ladies, Shawn sent these over for you,” the male waiter says.

“That’s my hubby.” Adella grins.

“Hubby?” I repeat slowly.

“No, but one day that man is going to wake up and realize he’s in love with me and marry my ass.”

“I’m sure he will Adella. I’ve known you for all of two seconds and I already love you.” I laugh.

“See? I’m a free spirit.”

She really is. I can’t help but think that my being paired in a dorm room with her this year has happened for a reason.

“Lost is getting ready to go on,” she says as she points to the stage.

That is when I realize a few things. First, the poster did them no justice at all. Second, the energy coming off them is so strong I feel weak in the knees. Third, I think I just fell in love.

“Tristan is the lead singer and guitarist. Shawn is backup vocals and a guitarist. Drake is on drums. He can sing, but he never does Kyle is a jack of all trades, except for singing.” She laughs at that.

I stare at the men. That is what they are, full-fledged freaking men. I cannot wait to get a better look at them in the light. Just thinking about them makes my panties wet.

The thing is I’m not a virgin, but I can’t remember losing my virginity or whom I lost it with. The doctors say I am most definitely not a virgin, so that means I had a life, possibly even a fun one, before cancer.

“Tristan is a bad boy,” Adella points. Tristan is now in the light and my breath hitches in my throat. I cannot breathe. He is so gorgeous and tanned with his brown hair tousled about. I want to see his eyes. “Rumor has it a girl broke his heart back when he was seventeen and he’s never recovered. In fact, he screws his way through the campus.” I could see that possibility.

“He’s gorgeous.” I sigh.

“Wait until you hear him sing. Oh and when they come and sit with us, his presence alone will drive you crazy,” she giggles.

I sip on my drink. It’s fruity and I have no idea what it is, because I don’t even know if I have ever had alcohol. Sometimes I wish for those years back, but it’s not good to want things you can’t have.

“Welcome to 'Before and After', we’re Lost! Have you ladies heard of us?” Tristan’s voice drips through the microphone. As soon as he speaks, the girls around us start screaming.

“Oh, you have? Well, let me hear y’all scream a little louder.” He holds the microphone out to the crowd. His smile is so contagious. Tristan’s smile is the kind of smile my mom used to warn me about when I was thirteen. She would stick her acrylic nails into my face pointing, ‘Them kind of boys are sweet to the tooth, but leave you with a cavity’.