Chapter One

To this day it still baffled him, no matter how many times it crossed his mind. Every single time he would try to make sense of the situation because even now he didn't understand it... and he doubted he ever would.

It all began at the age of fifteen, when Robbie Shapiro had achieved what others would have thought impossible, hell, even what he thought was impossible. He had convinced one of the most beautiful girls in school to go on a date with him. He wasn't completely sure how it had come about, or how he had even gotten the words out as he stood in front of her, his hands shaking wildly at his side the entire time.

Cat Valentine exuded warmth that shined through even on the bleakest of days. She was so optimistic, so talented and pretty that Robbie was convinced she would never have the time for someone like him. But once again, he had underestimated her to such a great extent. For on one fateful day fate seemed to be on his side, because Cat Valentine was assigned as his lab partner. He was surprised when she didn't frowned at him like other girls would have at this order, instead she smiled warmly at him as she perched herself on the stool beside him. It happened so quickly, before he could even comprehend what in the hell he was going to say to one of the most popular girls in the school… she was off like lightning, ranting and raving about everything and anything that popped into her head.

Their relationship only strengthened from there, they became friends and magically, it developed into more. From that moment on they were inseparable; one of those kind of couples that make others uncomfortable because their love for each ran so deep that it almost consumed them. They were blissfully happy together, they were reckless together, but somehow it was a perfect balance that was required for a relationship to last, and as far as he thought, he imagined that this was something that would last forever, because she was his first love… and first loves are forever.

But forever is a figment and he was horribly naive to believe it.

He remembered that day so vividly, it was two days before her sixteenth birthday. Out of the blue, Caterina Valentine vanished from Los Angeles. Her Nonna woke up one morning to an empty bedroom and a letter that read only two words, "I'm sorry". Everyone was shocked, the students of Hollywood Arts practically crumbled without their favourite eccentric redhead. But this crippling news hit no one harder than Robbie, who in no way thought she would ever leave him without say goodbye, without a single reason or indication that she was unhappy with her life here, with her life with him.

He was irrational for weeks, surly, sour and snarky to everyone who tried to comfort him, basically to anyone who wanted to know the whole story about her disappearance. That particular question annoyed him more than anything, because he himself didn't know the entire reason for her absence. As she was a minor they sent out search parties, the police where contacted, a mad search for Cat Valentine was launched… only to be later closed six months later when they couldn't trace her. But that didn't surprise Robbie, because Cat Valentine was mischievous and an excellent actress, which seemed like the perfect mixture for someone who wanted to vanish.

That was sixteen years ago, Robbie Shapiro had spent sixteen years of his life trying to put his first love behind him. But not a day went by that Robbie didn't wonder about her, on the odd occasion he would still ring her old number of her sixteen year old disconnected phone in the hope that she would pick up. So many questioned still lingered in the air like a storm cloud; did she get the life that she wanted, did she achieve all of the dreams that they had spoken of when they were only children? Did she ever move on from him, did she find true love? The kind of love that Robbie was clearly not able to show her.

But more importantly; he wanted to know why she left all those years ago.

So many times he had thought about chasing after her, about starting his own investigation. After he graduated from business school he had considered it, but he put it off due to financial issues. Then when he reached 25, he was a successful manager to some of the greatest rising stars of all time. Now he was making more money than he knew what to do with, and yet he still couldn't find the courage to search for her, because why had she left with no indication of where she was going, it was something that he had never wanted to admit but now had to accept.

Cat Valentine did not want to be found.

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Robbie was now thirty-two, however he still recognisable from his high school pictures. His messy main of curls was now slightly more tamed but still rather prominent, his eyes still adorned with glasses, only these ones where apparently more stylish. He had grown into his body, he wasn't as frail as he used to be, he would even go as far to say that he was physically fit… and he was attractive, which to this day came as a shock to him.

For the past ten years he had attempted to put the past behind him, to move on with his life, to find someone new, because he had too if he was ever going to enjoy the life that he had now. So every morning when he woke up, he would face the reality that she wasn't coming back and rise from the bed to force himself to consume enough coffee to survive the gruelling day ahead of him.

He rarely thought of her anymore, only on the days that where significant, such as their anniversary or her birthday but he never mentioned it to anyone else. He no longer had a connection to Cat Valentine, she was a part of his past and not his future.

His phone began to vibrate frantically, and he groaned as he saw the caller ID. Bringing the phone to his ear he sighed as before greeting his early caller.

"Hello Tori." He said gruffly before taking a sip of his coffee, "What is wrong today?"

"Can't I say happy birthday to my favourite manager!" she said brightly.

"I am your only manager." He reminded her as he stared out of the window that looked over his rather excessive garden.

"Which instantly makes you my favourite!" she reminded him, "So what have we got on today boss?"

He sighed as he walked from his kitchen into his home office, "I think all we have on today is the studio but I need—"

His sentence fell short, completely distracted by what he had just seen.

"Tori, I'll need to call you back."

Before he could offer an explanation he had slammed the phone down and was rushing out his front door. He knew this was irrational, that he had finally lost it, because it certainly could not be who he thought it was. But he hadn't imagined it, there was a girl sprinting across his garden, her head darting back every so often, to see how close he was from catching her. Her downfall came when she reached the gate and didn't have enough time to reach the top, her bag slipped from her hand and splatted to the ground, the contents spilling all of the concrete.

She cursed loudly as she jumped back down to scramble them all together and by that time Robbie had reached her.

"Just what the hell do you think you are doing!" he demanded, his pulse racing and his head fuming, "How dare you break into my home!"

Still crouched down on the ground, her head bobbed up to look at him, and in that moment Robbie's head began to swirl, his heart dropped to into his stomach, the acid in it making it bubble and fizz in confusion. He knew those eyes; deep brown with speckles of caramel, with soft brown curls adorned her head, the colour of her natural hair.

Then he spotted it, he stamped his foot on it before the soft breeze captured it and stole it from him. He picked up the crumpled old photo while the girl stood frozen beside him, watching him curiously as he studied it.

"Where did you get this?" he murmured, his eyes fixed on the smiling couple in the photo, surprised at the boy in the photo that was… once him. That at one point in his life he had been that happy, that he had experienced a love like that before.

"It's you isn't it?" She said, answering her own question, "You're that boy in the photo."

"Well you didn't answer me." He said, trying to remain calm even though he thought he could throw up at any minute, "Where did you get this photo?"

She sighed heavily as she snatched it back, "I stole it from my parent's desk."

"Why would your parents have this?"

"Probably because they aren't my parents." She said; an undertone of disdain apparent in her voice.

It was all too much, it took him no time to process what she meant, although he still needed to hear the words come from her lips, "You can't be serious."

She smirked as she shoved the photo back into her bag, "I'm afraid so. Congratulations, I think you are my father."

I know I said I would never write again, Pshhhh I lied okay!

And yes I know, these stories are soooo overdone but I have always wanted to write one, so why the hell not! Did I get anyone, did anyone think for a second it was Cat though?

Please Read and Review and stick with it please!

Much love always!

Sweeney7760