Beginnings (2 page)

We never left each others' sides. I went everywhere with her, and we did everything together. She became my everything.

Chapter 1

“Annie, come on, you have to get up.”

Groaning, I pulled the covers over my head, “I don't want to.”

I heard a loud bang on the door, then Haley threw it open and came barging in. She stomped to the foot of my bed.

“Did you take my pink champagne lip gloss?”

I pulled the covers down, “When have you ever seen me wear anything other than chap-stick?”

“Unfortunately, never. I just thought either you were playing another one of your stupid tricks on me, or for once you cared about your appearance.”

I heard Adam chuckle, “Why didn't we think to play a trick on her this morning? It's been months since our last one. We should have broken the heels off of those stupid pink shoes she wears and glued them back on so they would break on her at school.”

Without turning to look at him I cocked my head to the right and gave a smirk to let him know I wished we had thought of that too.

“Why don't you just wear one of your other pink glosses?”

“I need that one! It's my power color. Last year I let Charlotte take over and be the most popular freshman, but not this year. Sophomore year is
my
year! Now, do you have it or not?” She looked annoyed that I was wasting her time.

Shaking my head, “No, don’t have it.”

With a frustrated growl she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

“See? Something to look forward to: watching Haley and Charlotte compete for most annoying girl in school.”

“Can't we just run away to Europe and live our lives wandering the cities?” I asked.

“Believe me, that sounds very tempting, but you need to graduate and go to college.”

“But why?” I said it in a whinier voice than I intended.

“Stop being so dramatic and get dressed.”

“Fine.” I sat up in bed and made a show of stretching. He made a face and rolled his eyes. I got up and went to my closet. I pulled out a pair of jeans and a black tank top, then headed out the door to the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later I had showered, dressed, and blow-dried my hair. I made my way downstairs to the kitchen where I knew I'd find Adam reading the newspaper over my uncle's shoulder.

I sat down at the table and poured a glass of orange juice.

Adam looked up at me, “Is that all you're having?”

I shrugged my shoulders. I was too depressed to eat. I hated school, and high school was proving to be the worst. It wasn't the learning that bothered me, I actually enjoyed that part. I was the weird girl who spent her breaks in the library doing homework. I did it because I couldn't exactly talk to Adam at school without looking like a freak (even though he was never more than a few feet away from me), so I started going to the library to get all my work done, that way Adam and I could do whatever we wanted after school. I was considered a loner for never socializing, and I suppose they were right. Adam had been my only friend for the past eight years and it never bothered me. In fact, I preferred it that way.

“Haley, it's time to go,” my aunt yelled up the stairs.

“Calm down, Sandra, I'm coming!”

Haley had started calling my aunt by her first name over the summer. I think she thought it made her look cool.

Five minutes later, Haley came down the stairs, trying to be as model like as she could.

“Well, how do I look?” She asked, posing at the bottom of the stairs.

“Oh sweetie, you look beautiful!” My aunt said, throwing her hands together and staring at her daughter with pride.

I immediately looked to Adam so I could see the disgust on his face at what my cousin was wearing. I felt my stomach drop. He wasn't staring at her with his usual disapproving frown, he was admiring her! I'd seen that look on his face before when he saw an attractive girl on the streets or in a magazine. He was actually checking my cousin out! I felt nauseous.

“Could you be any more obvious?” I scowled at him.

My Uncle looked up from his paper, “Obvious about what?”

Crap.

“Um, obvious that you're unhappy they want to raise minimum wage again,” I quickly said after Adam pointed to the headlines on the front page.

“That obvious?” He grinned, “Everyone always wants minimum wage to go up, but don't take into consideration that businesses make adjustments to compensate: reduced hours, hiring fewer employees, terminating employees, charging higher prices. Over time we are right back where we started from: not enough money to buy the things we need...”

I stopped listening as he continued his rant. I'd heard it all before. I looked to Adam to give him a thank you smile. He winked back at me, causing my stomach to flutter. I tried to brush it off as nerves for school.

“That's enough, Tom. I have to get the girls to school,” my aunt said, interrupting my uncle.

“Okay, you two have fun today,” he said, smiling, but as he turned to look at his daughter his face changed, “You are not wearing that to school!” He looked horrified.

Finally, the reaction I was looking for!

“Oh, don't be silly, Daddy. Everyone my age dresses like this.” She still called my uncle daddy. She had figured out at an early age that if she gave him her most sugary sweet smile and called him daddy she always got her way.

“Anna doesn't,” he said still frowning and nodded his head in my direction.

She shot me a look full of loathing. “Well, that's because Anna is a loser who spends her days in the library.”

“There has to be another skirt you can wear? Something a bit longer?” He asked, waving a finger at her pink, ruffled skirt. If it was any higher she would have been fully exposed.

She came over and gave him a peck on the cheek, “Bye Daddy, I don't want to be late.”

He let out a sigh, shook his head, and continued reading the paper.

I got up and followed Haley out of the kitchen. “Bye Uncle, have a good day.”

“Ah huh,” he mumbled, absorbed in the paper.

Adam quickly followed behind me, “I couldn't help but look. She has an awesome body and that outfit shows off every inch of her.”

I let out a grunt.

“Aw, don't be mad Annie.”

“I'm not mad,” I grumbled under my breath as I grabbed my backpack by the door.

My aunt eyed me as I walked past her out the front door. It wasn't the first time I'd been caught talking to myself. By now everyone was used to it. It didn't happen all the time, but enough that it could be added to list of things that made me an outcast.

I got into the back seat of my aunt's Volvo. Haley was already up front primping in the mirror. Adam sat in the seat behind her. My aunt started the car and we made the dreadful journey towards school.

We pulled up to the front of the school just as the warning bell rang, telling us to get to class. We hurried out of the car and made our way to our first class, which sadly, we shared.

“Remember Anna, it's the same as last year: don't talk to me in school.”

I rolled my eyes.
Why would I even want to?

We made it to class just as the final bell rang. I sunk into my usual seat in the back row of the classroom. Adam leaned against the wall behind me.

“Good morning class, I'm Mr. Timmons. I thought we'd ease into the morning by going around the room and telling everyone something fun you did this summer. I'll go first. My oldest son got married in Hawaii. I spent ten glorious days with my family, and watched my son marry an amazing woman.” He pointed to the boy up front on the far right, “Okay, lets start with you and work our way down. Don't forget to say your first and last name. I'll be making a seating chart. This will be where you sit for the year.”

I watched the boy stand up, looking awkwardly around the room. “I'm Henry Olsen, and this summer my family and I went to Washington D.C.”

I slouched deeper in my chair. I really hated when teachers made you do this. At least I was in the back so it would be awhile until my turn. My stomach was in knots. I barely paid attention to what anyone was saying. Some people were quick and others dragged on.

“That's it!” Adam said, his voice so high it startled me, “I've been trying to figure out what you should tell them.” He came and stood next to me, “You have to tell them about saving that little girl's life from drowning. You were incredible. One minute she went down, and the next thing I know you jumped in the ocean and had her out in seconds. I was so proud of you.” I basked in his compliment. “No wait! Instead, tell them about sneaking on the tourist boat and getting to see the ship surrounded by dolphins. Man, that was fun!”

I smiled. That
was
fun.

“Hi everyone! I'm Haley Matthews,” she spoke, flipping her perfectly groomed blond hair. She rested her hand on her hip, “This summer I also went to Hawaii where I learned to surf, which I'm a natural at, and I went para-sailing.”

“She's so full of shit,” Adam said next to me, “She screamed in fear the whole time that a shark was about to get her. After twenty minutes she gave up.”

I had to suppress a giggle.

Just as the next person was about to speak, the door opened and in walked the most gorgeous guy I had ever seen. He looked like he had just stepped off a film set. His dark hair was tousled like he just came in from a heavy make-out session, which immediately made me notice his lips. They were incredibly sexy, so full and plump. His intense dark brown eyes, with the thick long lashes, were his most beautiful feature. My eyes trailed down his perfectly sculpted body, never realizing a high school boy could be so appealing.

“Now who's shamelessly staring?” Adam whispered in my ear, making my face flush up.

He handed the teacher a slip of paper, then strolled to the back of the class, taking the empty seat next to me. Every girl in class had turned to watch him, mouths gaped open.

“Okay class, who's next?” The teacher asked eying Charlotte, who sat next to Haley.

“As you all know I'm Charlotte Blackwell, your homecoming freshmen maid, and your future sophomore duchess.” I heard Haley let out a grunt of disagreement. Charlotte looked down at her with a “come bring it” glare.

“Its like a blonde pissing contest,” the new kid next to me said. Both Adam and I laughed, causing him to turn his head to me and flash me a smile while his eyes trailed down my body. His smile grew wider and he gave me a wink, causing my cheeks to redden.

Charlotte must have heard me, because when I turned back to look at her she was glaring at me.

Perfect, more reason for her to torment me
.

Wanting the new guy's full attention she gave him a full blown “bleached my teeth until they glow in the dark” smile.

“As I was saying, this summer was amazing. My dad and his latest girlfriend took me on a European vacation for three weeks. This necklace I'm wearing,” she tilted her neck to the side and sensually grazed her fingers down her neck, stopping at the necklace, “It's
a
BVLGAR
I
,” she boasted. Everyone, except Haley and me, stared at her in envy.

“
Who buys a teenager a necklace that costs more than most families make in a month? Sure must be nice to be rich.” Adam's voice was full of sarcasm and revulsion.

Before she sat back down she admired the boy next to me one more time, letting her face show her approval for his appearance.

And so the ongoing torture continued as more students retold their summer.

The girl on my other side stood up, “I'm Julie McGee....” Now I felt sick. I was next.

“You don't look so good,” Adam teased getting right in front of my face, smirking, fully amused at my discomfort.

I scowled at him.
He knows I hate speaking in front of people and he's taking joy in my misery. Some friend.

Julie sat back down.
Great, now it's my turn.

I slowly started to stand and Adam started telling me another story I should tell.

“Tell them how you skinny dipped in the neighbors pool! That would shock the hell out of them!”

“Um, I'm Anna Monroe, uh,” Why did I have to be so nervous? “This summer...” I trailed off as my ear caught Adam getting excited and telling me yet another story I had to tell.
I hated when he did that, it made it hard to think, and I looked like an idiot just standing there not saying anything.

“This summer you what Ms. Monroe?” Mr. Timmons asked, in a voice I'm sure he only used on small children.

“ I, uh, spent the summer in the library reading.” I quickly sat back down. I heard a few students snicker, whispering about how lame and boring I was.

I looked down at my hands on my desk.

“Seriously? Went to the Library? Why do you always do this?” Adam was standing in front of me, pissed.

The the new guy next to me stood up.

“I'm Jeremy Carson. I spent the summer packing up my shit so my family can move us from New York to another who-gives-a-crap state,” then slammed back into his seat.