Chapter One

As the rumors about Levi's birthday party spread like wildfire, I found myself rolling my eyes at the absurdity of it all. Everyone seemed to be talking about it, claiming that it would be the biggest event of the senior class. But to be honest, I couldn't care less. I knew better than to believe the ridiculous rumors that were being circulated.

During second period Science, I overheard Leila Donovan telling her friends that Levi was going to ask her to be his girlfriend as soon as he turned 18. I couldn't help but scoff at her naivety. Hadn't she seen Ashley hanging off his arm that morning? Sure, Levi had a reputation for changing girls like he changed shirts, but it was still ridiculous for Leila to believe that he would settle down with her.

By third period History, Felix was spreading the rumor that Levi was having the party so that he would have an alibi for a robbery he was planning. I couldn't believe how far-fetched these rumors were getting. Surely no one actually believed that?

During fourth period Math, Steven claimed that Levi was only having the party so that he could break a record for getting the most women in his bed in one night. As absurd as it sounded, I had to admit that this one was more believable than the others.

I was relieved when the lunch bell finally rang, giving me a break from the constant stream of rumors. Why was it so hard for people to believe that Levi was just having a regular eighteenth birthday party? I was sure that it would be like any other party - a bunch of drunk girls throwing themselves at the popular guys.

As I make my way through the sea of teenagers towards the crowded cafeteria, the overpowering noise and smell assault my senses. It's a bad combination, too many bodies in one space already heated by the food. I can't be the only one who feels this way, can I? Seeking solace, I head straight to the soda machine and hastily extract a dollar from my pocket to purchase a Coke when suddenly, I feel a familiar arm draped around me.

"Hey, favorite sister in the whole wide world," Paul grins at me, but I only return his smile with a stern glare. I can tell that he finds my annoyance amusing, with the twinkle in his similarly colored eyes, though his are slightly darker than mine. He wears his varsity jacket open, revealing a white t-shirt that's one size too small, accentuating his chest muscles.

Knowing him all too well, I demand, "What do you want Paul?" We hardly ever speak to each other at school. Sometimes, he might give me a slight head tilt to say "what's up," but that's about it. Paul hovers on the cusp of popularity and being a thriver, whereas I am a definitive nobody.

"I forgot my wallet. Can I please borrow some dollars for lunch?" He gives me the puppy dog look, pleading, "Pretty, pretty please, my favorite little sister?"

"I'm your only sister, and I'm only two minutes younger than you," I retort, gazing up at him to see the same puppy dog face still on display. With a sigh, I rummage through my backpack until I locate a loose five-dollar bill and hand it over to him. He takes it with a wink, muttering his thanks before scurrying off.

As I leave the cafeteria, I navigate around the backpacks scattered haphazardly on the table and try not to make eye contact with any of the groups chatting excitedly about Levi's party. I never eat in the cafeteria, preferring to spend my lunch hour outside among the trees that line the school. The shade they provide on warmer days and protection from the wind on cooler ones is just perfect.

I love reading outside during my lunch break. It's a chance to get lost in the worlds created by my favorite authors. I become so absorbed in the stories that I'm hardly aware of my surroundings, at least for a little while.

Suddenly, I'm jolted out of the world James Philip created as I hear two voices nearby. I look up to see Jason and Charles following Levi, who looks visibly upset. Scratch that, he looks absolutely furious. His hands are shaking as he sprints towards the trees. I can't hear what they're saying, but the moment Levi takes off, Jason and Charles follow closely behind.

I watch as they disappear into the trees, roughly twenty feet from where I'm sitting. It's probably the weirdest thing I've seen all day. Why would they go into the trees? Maybe Levi is tired of all the rumors flying around about him. Then again, maybe he loves all the attention - it would definitely feed his ego.

As the bell rang, it abruptly interrupted my thoughts and signaled the end of my current period. I quickly gathered my belongings and made my way to my fifth-period class, where I knew I wouldn't have to deal with the drama of the popular crowd. To be honest, I never really understood the appeal of their antics anyway.

The rest of the day was thankfully uneventful, although I did hear some rumors about a party that Levi was hosting. I knew better than to get my hopes up that anything exciting would happen, so I didn't give it much thought.

As soon as I arrived in my room, I couldn't resist the urge to collapse onto my bed. I buried myself in my familiar purple blanket and allowed myself to rest for a while.

Before I knew it, my mom was calling me down for dinner. I had apparently fallen asleep, and I begrudgingly made my way to the kitchen, where the delicious smells of spaghetti and garlic bread greeted me. As my parents talked about their days and my brother Paul boasted about his soccer team's victory, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

When Paul announced that he would be spending Friday night at a friend's house, my parents didn't bat an eye. I couldn't believe it. If I were to suggest such a thing, I would have to endure endless questioning about who, what, where, when, and why.

It must be nice to be the perfect child, I thought bitterly to myself. I silently wished that Paul would suffer a terrible hangover on Saturday morning, and I even entertained the idea of taking a picture to prove it.