Chapter 1

“ I am not taking you with me. Go bug someone else.” Zander sneers at me. I can only see his back but I know him very well and his expressions. 

“ Please, Zan. We are already getting late and you know very well that I can’t drive.” I beg him. 

He turned around and like always my heart skipped a beat. Looking at him is always a new experience. His dirty blonde hair is smeared on his forehead, his one leg is already on a bike. He rolled his steel-gray eyes at me and huffed. 

“ Hurry up then. I am not going to wait for you.” 

“ You are the best Zan.” I grin at him and take a leap toward him. 

He smirked at me and before I could even understand what he was going to do, he revived the engine and left me standing in front of his house. 

I looked at his passing image and the ghost of his bike and sighed. It's always like this with him. The more I try to breach his walls, the harder he pushes me. 

I look at the time and I know I am getting late on the first day of school. I could ask for a lift from my Dads but they are not at home. One is at his gym and the other at the hospital. 

“ Ahh.” I groan and make a run toward the bus stop. It's very unlikely that I will be getting any bus at this time but let's hope for the best. I ran to the bus stop but it was all in vain. My red hair stuck on my forehead and my neck. The day was getting hotter and hotter. I don’t even see a cab nearby. 

I reached the school, the first period was already halfway. 

I make my way toward my class. Mr. Colton, my homeroom teacher without looking at me, hands me a detention slip and I accept it with a small smile. I catch Zander laughing with Hannah in the back seat and I frown. 

He has smiles for everyone except me. I hate him. 

But I am lying. I don’t. 

On the contrary actually. 

I really like him. But he never cares about me and never thinks that I might get hurt by his actions. 

I drag myself back to my seat and don’t look back at Zander the whole period. This is the most I could do for my scrapped esteem. 

I closed my locker and somebody tapped on my shoulder. She smiled warmly at me and I frowns at her. 

“ Aww, what happened to my favorite girl” Hannah cooes. She drapes her arm over my shoulder and I lean into her. She is taller than me maybe three or four. 

“ He left me standing in front of my house and then I had to walk to school. I got detention on the very first day. I don’t like this.” 

She gave me a pursed smile.

“ Oh so tell me so you are sad because of the detention slip or because..” she gestures in the other direction. I look up and see Zander at his locker scowling at some books. 

“ Both. I hate him.” 

“ No you don’t,” she replies.

“ Bitch.” I take a bag from my locker and thurst into her chest.

“ Oh my god. You did it.” she shrieks.  

I smiled. And she wraps her arm again on my shoulder.

“ Hannah, can you give me a ride back home?” I ask her. 

She hesitated but replied. 

“ Umm, I would love to girl. But I have something important.”

I give her a nod.

“ What about Emma’s birthday?” 

“ Nothing, you know she doesn’t like to celebrate. It would be a hush-hush event at her home.” she said but I find her voice a little uncertain. 

“ I can bake a cake for her or anything you tell me.” 

“ Just leave it.” she whispered.

I slipped from her arms and headed to my class. 

“ See you at lunch,” she shouted behind me. 

I smile but flip her. 

“ What are you smiling about?” Trent asks me and lowers his cheek for a kiss. I slap it lightly. 

“ Nothing you should know.” 

He mockingly held his chest. 

“ So how was your summer?” I asks him.

“ You mean to ask how it was like to stay in the caves with skeletons. Let me just tell you. Gross.” he visibly shudders. 

“ It can’t be that bad.” I hold back my laughter. 

“ Don’t start now. I have to bleach my mind to get free from those visuals. Tell me about yours?” 

I shrug. 

“ Nothing special. Dad Mave taught me some self-defense moves and Dad Nick was busy at the hospital so it was a normal day.” 

What I will not tell him is that I saw Zander taking a sunbath every day by his pool. Or mowing his backyard. Or Silently brooding in his room. That’s my secret to keep. 

“ You didn’t bake anything?” He asks me  

“ Of course I did. I have apple pie at home. I can bring it for you tomorrow or after school.” 

He gives me his dazzling smile and bumps my nose.

“ You know you are my favorite right?” 

I nod.

“ I am everybody’s favorite.” I retort 

“ Not everybody’s” He smirks at me and I push him. I know what he is thinking right now. Zander. I am not his favorite. Sometimes I feel like he doesn’t even like me a little bit.

“ A ride back home?” I ask him hopefully. 

His face is full of uncertainty. 

“ Not today. Maybe tomorrow.” 

“ Ahh, you guys are forcing me to drive. I will find another way. Just wait and watch.” 

He barks a laugh.

“ So, who would you be asking, other than your obvious targets.” He backs me against the lockers, his eyes are twinkling with mischief.

I act to make a show of thinking and then whisper conspirately to him. 

“ Your captain.” 

“ Good luck, with that.” he places a soft kiss on my cheek. 

I sighs and we both went in different directions.