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summer. I never planned on taking her up on the offer, that is, until three days ago.
    I had finished my finals last week and was officially a graduate, but I wasn't set to walk for my degree until this Sunday. My family, Brock, and Brock's family were all going to come up to MSU and watch the ceremony. I was getting antsy and had no desire to stay on campus for another week, so I packed my bags and decided to drive home and surprise Brock, maybe spend a few days with him before heading back to MSU for my graduation ceremony. When I got to his apartment complex I went straight into his apartment. I had a key and I wanted it to be a surprise, and it was a surprise all right. Just not for him.
    I got the surprise of a lifetime when I walked into his bedroom and caught him fucking Lexi Sanders. Lexi was a year younger than us in school and I knew she had always had a crush on Brock, but I never thought I had to worry about her. He was devoted to me. When his eyes landed on me in the doorway, he got up and tried to explain, but I wouldn't let him. I didn’t even wait to hear his excuse. I stormed out of his apartment, climbed into my Toyota Yaris, and started to drive.
    I didn't know where to go at first, but I knew I didn't want to go home. I didn't want to have to explain everything to my parents and sister. I also didn’t want to risk the possibility of my parents defending Brock to me.
    I didn't really understand what I was doing, but one minute I was so upset I thought I should pull over, and the next minute I picked up my phone and logged into Facebook. I got Tawny's address from our private messages and plugged her address into my GPS. I started to drive and never looked back.
    My phone was going crazy with missed calls and texts, but I ignored them all. I finally checked my phone that evening when I checked in to a motel in Iowa. I called my little sister and let her know I was okay. I didn't tell her where I was or when I'd be home. I just told her I'd call her in a few days.
    Now I'm in California, looking for the next street I'm supposed to turn onto. A few minutes later my GPS leads me to a gated community.
    "This must be some mistake," I whisper to myself. "There is no way Tawny can afford to live here."
    There is a security tower to my left and an older man walks over and knocks on my window. I roll it down, preparing to let him know I'm lost.
    "Name?" The security officer asks. I'm caught off guard.
    "Um... My name is Autumn, Autumn Adams."
    He looks down on his clipboard and back up to me.
    "I don't see an Autumn Adams on the list."
    "That's okay, sir. I actually just think I'm lost," I pull my GPS off my dashboard and hand it to the security guard. "My friend Tawny lives in this neighborhood. I'm having a hard time finding the street."
    He looks down at the address and hands me back my GPS.
    "You're at the right spot, honey. You're looking for Jared Reynolds' place. I'll open the gates. Just drive up the hill and turn at the first street on the right. His house is at the very end of the block. You can't miss it with the party he's throwing tonight, and the houses being so far apart."
    I want to question him and ask who Jared is, but he's already left me and opened the gate. I drive in and follow his directions. The homes in this subdivision are enormous. Something I've only seen in a movie.
    How can Tawny afford to live here?
    I make a right at the top of the hill and pull up to the last house on the block. I cut the engine and stare up at the house in front of me. I'm hit with floor to ceiling windows on every floor. It looks to be about three stories tall and the U-shape driveway leads to a six-car garage. A few minutes go by before I realize I'm just staring.
    I get out of my vehicle and stretch my legs; they're aching from three days of limited mobility. I pull out my duffle bag from the backseat of my car. That's one of the benefits of my impromptu road trip; I still had my bags in the car from when I left