The four seasons boxset, p.1
The Four Seasons Boxset, page 1
THE FOUR SEASONS BOXSET
..................
Alora Kate
ALORA KATE
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This book is a work of fiction; its contents are wholly imagined.
All rights reserved. Aside from brief quotations for media coverage and reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in any form without the author’s permission. Thank you for supporting authors and a diverse, creative culture by purchasing this book and complying with copyright laws.
Copyright © 2015 by Alora Kate
Cover design by Alora Kate
Interior design by Pronoun
Edited by Silvia Curry and Michael C
Proofreading by Silvia Curry
Distribution by Pronoun
ISBN: 9781518301773
TABLE OF CONTENTS
From Summer and Fall #1
Chapter 1 – Summer
Chapter 2 - Summer
Chapter 3 - Summer
Chapter 4 - Fall
Chapter 5 - Fall
Chapter 6 - Fall
Chapter 7 - Summer
Chapter 8 - Fall
Chapter 9 - Summer
Chapter 10 – Fall
Between Tristan and Hannah #2
Chapter 1 – Tristan
Chapter 2 – Hannah
Chapter 3 – Tristan
Chapter 4 – Hannah
Chapter 5 – Tristan
Chapter 6 – Hannah
Chapter 7 – Fall (Because, well, he made me do it)
Chapter 8 – Hannah
Chapter 9 – Tristan
Chapter 10 – Hannah
Chapter 11 – Tristan
Chapter 12 – Hannah
Epilogue
A Chance with Spring #3
Chapter 1 - Spring
Chapter 2 – Chance
Chapter 3 – Spring
Chapter 4 – Chance
Chapter 5 - Spring
Chapter 6 – Chance
Chapter 7 – Spring
Chapter 8 – Spring
Chapter 9 – Jen
Chapter 10 – Chance
Chapter 11 – Spring
A Wedding and a Proposal #3.5
Chapter 1 – Fall
Chapter 2 – Summer
Chapter 3 – Summer
Chapter 1 – Chase
Chapter 2 – Winter
Chapter 3 - Winter
Chapter 4 - Winter
Chapter 5 - Chase
Chapter 6 - Chase
Chapter 7 - Chase
Chapter 8 - Winter
Chapter 9 - Winter
Chapter 10 - Winter
Chapter 11 - Chase
Chapter 12 - Chase
Epilogue - Harold - Roughly five years later…
The Four Seasons Series – Complete Boxset
“I hear voices in my head and I love that it’s totally okay.” ~ Alora Kate
DEDICATED
To my son.
Always and Forever.
FROM SUMMER AND FALL #1
..................
Editor: Michael C
Proofreader: Silvia C
Cover: Kira A, Brandon C
Copyright © 2015 Alora Kate
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
CHAPTER 1 – SUMMER
..................
“You slept with her!” I yelled as I charged into the kitchen.
“Yep.”
He took a bite of his cereal. Any time of the day, the guy just loved eating cereal.
“She’s my best friend,” I protested.
He grinned that stupid grin, the one he knows I hate.
“Yep.”
I love my brother, I really do. But at that moment, I hated him more than ever.
Hannah Michaels and I had met in the fourth grade, shortly after she had switched to our school. We were quiet, shy, and kept to ourselves. We weren’t popular or skinny, nor were we super smart, but we studied hard and made honor roll each year. It never bothered us that we didn’t have the popularity because we were just being ourselves. We never tried to be anything different. Our interests matched when it came to movies and books, and we even had similar tastes in foods. Unfortunately, the day she became my best friend was also the day she fell in love with my brother.
It was different when we were younger. We would all hang out together, playing hide and seek, board games, and the best part was, we all got along great.
Now, he barely talks to or acknowledges her; well anyone for that matter. And if he does? That stupid famous grin of his would grace his face or he’d wink. Every time, Hannah would stop breathing, her eyes getting all dreamy like, and her head would start to fill up with visions that included a wedding and a white picket fence, alongside my brother, Fall.
They were visions we both knew would never come true. Despite his reputation and the line of girls he had used whenever and however he liked - or so I’ve heard - her crush continued. And when Hannah crushed on someone, the girl crushed hard.
“She was a virgin,” I whispered. I barely looked at him.
“Yep.”
He tossed his dishes in the sink and walked away. I felt bad for Hannah and I was pissed at my brother. I couldn’t believe he would actually sleep with her.
I followed Fall to his room.
Spring, Winter, Fall, and I all share a house near campus. My parents bought it for us after our grandmother had passed. They did not want us working while we were in college.
We were all students at The University of Ohio. Spring and Winter are twins, the oldest; then Fall, and then me. I was the baby of the bunch. Not only did I grow up with them, I couldn’t even escape them once I’d graduated high school. However, this was what Grandma wanted, and I’d rather live with my siblings than a bunch of strangers in a dorm.
Fall of course, just happened to be the most popular guy on campus. His best friend, Tristan McCree, was second, or first; I wasn’t sure what the latest gossip was nor did I care. But it was hard to escape the chatter that spread around campus.
I had the tiniest, smallest, itty bitty, little crush on Tristan McCree. I had since he had moved to town his senior year and became best friends with Fall. His hair was long, down to his waist, and it contained multiple shades of blonde. It surrounded his square chiseled jaw, and a nice clear blue set of eyes. He was our quarterback in high school, and now here at college. He was built like a god. I, along with a lot of more girls, had a crush on Tristan McCree. He played the same game on the field as he did off the field, but he was more of a charmer, a little nicer to the girls he slept with and I know that doesn’t mean much, but he was nicer than Fall.
Hannah and I were out of our league, we both knew this but she still went down that road last night.
I hated his room, and have never stepped a foot inside of it. It was disgustingly dirty; you couldn’t see the floor because of the clothes that lined it and I doubt he ever opened a window.
“You’re an asshole, Fall. I can’t believe you would do that to her.”
I couldn’t believe I had just cussed at him.
Fall flopped down on his bed and put one arm behind the back of his head.
“She knew the score, all the chicks do; two consenting adults, fucking. She was a great lay, phenomenal kisser, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”
“She had been drinking last night, Fall. You took advantage of her.”
“The fuck I did,” he said with a tight jaw. “Talk to your girl and find out for yourself. Now, get the fuck out of my room, Summer.” He pointed at me or well past me, and I knew it was useless. This was Fall, my brother the man whore. I just wanted to cry.
Ahhh! I silently screamed to myself and left him to his filth.
How had he become this person? Who knows? Seriously, no one knows. He did a complete one-eighty the summer before his senior year of high school, becoming a completely different person.
We all tried to talk to him, my two older sisters, and Mom and Dad. We tried to get him to open up, but he never did. We all slowly gave up, because he wouldn’t let anyone in.
Hannah decided to stay in the dorms instead of taking up the fifth bedroom in our house. It would have been hard for her to be around my brother all the time but in her absence, Tristan kind of moved in instead. I had to be cautious around the house at all times because I never knew when he would and wouldn’t be there. I felt like I was always sneaking around my own house! It was only two months into the school year and I swear Tristan didn’t even know which dorm room was his.
First Tristan, now Fall. College was not going as planned. I’d never felt so stressed and out of place in my entire life.
I heard my phone ringing as I walked in to my bedroom and shut the door.
“Hannah,” I said softly when I answered.
“Hey.”
“I yelled at him or at least tried. God, he makes me so mad, Han.”
I lay down on my bed and stared at the white ceiling. It used to be yellow, like the yellow stains left on smoker’s teeth, and it was the first thing that I had changed about this room.
“Please Summer, don
“He should have never-”
“I could have said no!” she yelled at me, and then got quiet.
“Sum, it was love at first site for me, you know this. I knew it’d only be the one time and it’s OK with me. I wanted him, I picked him for my first time and I’ll be fine. Yes, it sucks, but I knew how it’d all play out. Besides, it’s nothing a little ice cream won’t fix.”
“Are you sure, Han? I know how much you like him, remember.”
She sighed and was silent for a few minutes then said, “I was sober, Sum. He thought I had been drinking but I wasn’t. I got what I wanted, and for me it was perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing. Please, just try and let it go. Don’t fight with him, technically he did nothing wrong.”
Ha! She said, Fall did nothing wrong, I disagreed. She had been sober, thank God for that. She knew what she was doing and the consequences of her actions. I guess I needed to let things play out. The guys on campus always talked about which girls they slept with, who performed better than others did, comparing them in demeaning ways. It was wrong and now they would talk about my best friend.
Fall would be talking like that about her!
“I swear if he says anything mean about you, I will hurt him. I can’t believe he would do that to you, Hannah. You’re my best friend; you deserve so much better than Fall.”
“Sum, he’s your brother.”
“Yeah, but he’s a jerk and he uses women.” I sat up and looked at the clock. It was still early afternoon on a Saturday and the only plans I had were homework. It could wait.
“It was my choice. Please, just let it go. I don’t regret it, never will.”
I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be able to let it go, but I would try for her and I guess for Fall also. He was my brother after all; I just wish I had the old one back.
“Fine, it’s gone.”
“Thank you, Sum.”
I could hear the relief in her voice but I knew the subject would come up again. It was just a matter of time.
A little later that afternoon, I invited myself into Hannah’s dorm room like always. However, this time I was armed with ice cream, candy bars, and a lot of other foods that would send us into a sugar induced coma.
“Honey, I’m home! I brought lots of treats.”
The dorms always remind me that I was happier at my house but her roommate sealed the deal. I was so lucky not to be stuck with the ‘Queen Bee’ as a roommate.
Speaking of the bee, she was here.
“Seriously,” Chelsea eyed the bags of food, “it’s Saturday, the campus is full of parties, and here you two sit getting fatter.” She stood from her bed, smoothed out her way-too-short red dress, and stood in front of her mirror, checking herself out. Like always. She had blonde hair - probably from a bottle - and brown eyes. She was just a typical girl with nothing special about her but her personality; Chelsea was a nasty person.
And we were not fat! We had curves.
“Don’t you have to get to work?” I asked as I sat the bags on Hannah’s bed and turned to her, catching her eyes in the mirror. “I heard the corner of Fifth is most popular these days.” I lied. I had no clue if there was even a Fifth Street here in town. I just wanted her to leave.
She spun around and if looks could kill, I’d be dead, I’m sure of it.
“You’re just jealous. I can have any guy at this school.”
“You probably already have, sweetheart.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
She huffed and grabbed her purse. “At least guys want me, find me attractive, and pay attention to me. What about you two? I heard,” she points to Hannah, “she begged Fall to fuck her. He turned her down but then she started crying, put on a show in front of everyone and Fall felt sorry for her.” Hannah and I were both shocked, and my arms fell to my side where my small hands balled into fists. I was sick of her and her nasty mouth, and we had only been in college a few months.
“How does it feel to be a pity fuck?” she spat at Hannah.
I punched her. I punched her like my dad had showed me years ago. Damn did that hurt! I shook my hand out and kept the tears from streaming down my face.
“You fucking bitch, you hit me!” she yelled.
Hannah was suddenly there, in between us. I doubt I could do any more than punch her, so it was a good thing Hannah was in the way. I really didn’t want to add a chick fight to my list of problems.
“Duh!” I yelled at her over Hannah’s shoulder.
“Chick fight!” We heard someone yell and we all stopped to look at the door.
Some guy was in the doorway with a wonky looking smile on his face. It was as if he was watching pigs fly or something. A few people came to stand behind him.
“What fight?” I heard someone say behind him. We had attracted an audience.
“No fight!” Hannah yelled. “Get out of our room. But first,” she turned to Chelsea, “you leave. Get out, go find an orgy and get crabs.”
“Both of you can fuck off.” She lunged at me and I stepped to the side. “Pussy.” She slung her big gaudy looking purse over her shoulder and stopped when she got to the door. She turned her head slightly toward us and spoke, “I think I’ll go find Fall.”
I ran after her, or at least tried to but Hannah grabbed my arm, pulled me back, and shut the door before I could accomplish anything.
“I knew this was going to happen.”
Hannah dropped her head, and slouched on her bed.
I felt bad for her. I really did. I was afraid it would get worse than this. She had to share a room with that nasty girl the rest of the year.
“You sure it was worth it?” I asked as I wrapped her into my arms, comforting her.
“It was. It will blow over in a few days, Sum. I’ll just be another girl, one of many that have slept with him.” She looked up at me with her baby blue eyes. “It’s different for me because I love him. At least I think I do, I don’t know. Anyway, the other girls don’t get it, won’t ever get it, but I know how I feel. I know with all my heart that it was the right thing to do.”
“Your braver then me, Han.”
“I put myself out there, and went after something I wanted.”
“I just wish he wasn’t like this, especially with you.”
“So do I Sum. So do I.”
My poor Hannah.
My hand started to ache.
“I need some ice for my hand.”
I put it out in front of my face to inspect it.
It was swelling up already. Figures. Maybe I did it wrong? Could you actually punch someone the wrong way?
“Do you think she’ll have a black eye tomorrow?” I asked Hannah.
“She better.” She stood and started dumping the contents of my bags on her bed. “Let’s dig into this ice cream before it melts.”
I iced my hand in between eating ice cream and candy. We watched romantic movies that made us cry. We then tried a horror one. We shut it off after ten minutes.
I convinced Hannah to stay with me at the house that night. I knew Fall and Tristan would be out partying until the sun came up, and with the inside lock on my door, no one would come into my room and bug us. We would leave the next morning before either of them woke up.
In addition, I did not want Hannah to face the nasty girl alone, when we did eventually make it back to her room.
I was still irritated with my brother but proud of myself for sticking up for Hannah. I couldn’t believe I actually punched someone! I fell asleep with a smile on my face and an upset stomach.
Never again, I vowed, will I eat that much sugar in four hours’ time.
Fall
“Dude.”
I turned to Tristan.
“What?”
He lifted his chin. “You’re still not hitting that?”
I turned back to Chelsea. I heard the bitch had crabs. Didn’t surprise me none, considering she’s the female version of me, or worse. The tight red dress she had on was so short I could see her ass cheeks hanging out the back. The girl wasn’t bad to look at, but I wasn’t sure a condom would protect me from her nasty ass vagina.
“Nope.”
After last night, I needed a night off. Like most things, I kept that to myself.
“Huh,” he said and shook his head.
“She’s been eye fucking you for two months now.”
“Don’t care.”
