Okay, so i wasnt sure about posting this story. This has been like my baby for the past 8 months. I have quite a bit written for this story. Its 100% my own so dont get any ideas...jk. The Sarah Dessen books in general inspired this story. I have to re-write the whole 2nd chapter because my flash drive messed up and replace my WHOLE DANG CHAPTER with YYYYY's...not cool flash drive. NOT COOL. Lucky for me i have the story printed out so i can re-write it the way it twas written originaly. I cant promise updates all the time. I will try my best to update ASAP. Before you read this idk if Reding is an actual place in montana, so dont spaz out if it isnt. Also in my world i pronounce it Ree-ding not Red-ing. My friend just pointed out that i have a Rayden in another one of my stories...sorry bout that. Just so all my readers know if you leave a review that is a flame i will call you out on it. I will speak my mind one way or the other. Im not saying that to be mean, im not a mean person. I just want everyone to know that you can leave a flame or speak your mind but if you arnt expecting me to say something about it then you are very wrong. I have an opinion the same as you and i will speak my mind if i see fit too. If your one of my readers that has read my stories before and is wondering why the suden change in my personality go to my other Just Listen fic and read some of the reviews. I dont mind someone telling me what i could do better to improve but I DO NOT like it when you tell ME what to do with MY story. I hope you enjoy the story and please read and review. :)

Chapter 1

When I was thirteen I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for attempted suicide. They say I took a gun to my head to escape the problematical issues of my life. But, I don't remember it that way. I didn't hate my life; I had no problem with my life. I just chose to die for someone I loved. This person was my older brother, Rayden. My name is Larkin James and this is my story. I have never told anyone the truth about my "attempted suicide", and no one asked. My dad works all the time and my mother died when I was four, so no one really cares what happens to me. My older brother Rayden basically raised me. He was the only one who cared. That's why I done what I did. When no one else cared, he did. I guess that's an older brother's job though, to take care of their little sister.

Ray was 18 and out of school, he had a job at the local auto part store, Auto Joe's. We live in Montana, a little town called Reding. Less than 600 people live in Reding. I guess that's why news travels so fast. When the news of my "attempted suicide" leaked into the gossip chain of Reding my life forever changed. My friends stopped talking to me, my teachers wouldn't look me in the eye, and everyone had the look on their face. You know the one, the "I can't believe she did that. It's so sad" look. Between all the stares and looks I got, I stopped talking. I thought to my self; if that's all they can talk about why talk? I don't want to relive it over and over again. I want to forget it. Shove it so far in the back of my mind it seems like a dream. A dream that was so unreal you can't believe it. But that's almost impossible. It's been four years and I still get the looks. I still don't talk, and no one talks to me.

My brother had recently gotten into some trouble with a drug dealer. He didn't do drugs but he was with one of his friends when a drug deal went bad. The drug dealer accused Ray of being the person who ratted them out. He told Ray that he would kill him. No matter what, he would get his revenge. Ray didn't even do anything. It was about four months later; I heard a knock on the door. I walked over to the door and opened it. There was a middle aged bald man standing there. He smiled at me. it was crooked, creepy grin.

'Hello. I'm looking for Rayden James.' He said in an overly nice tone. I knew then that he was not from around here. No one around here called Ray by his real name. They all called him Ray.

'He is at work. Won't be home 'till later.' I said shutting the door. The bald mans foot stopped it from shutting.

'Wait. What's your name young lady?' He said, smiling at me. I looked up at the bald man.

'Larkin.' I said. I wasn't going to give him anymore information unless he asked.

'Larkin. Are you any relation to Mr. James?' He asked pushing on the door slightly.

'Yes. I am his sister.' I said trying to push the door shut. The door wouldn't budge, and the man pushed his way inside.

'I was going to take this matter up with Mr. James, but I think this little idea that came to my mind just now will hurt him more than what I had planed.' He said pacing around the living room like he lived there. I just stood there, frozen, staring at the bald man. He then turned to ask me the most important question of my life.

'Do you want to save your brother?' He asked. Frozen in shock I stood there, not saying a word.

'If you do as I say your brother will live. We will play a little game. How dose that sound?' He asked looking at me. I shook my head yes. I would do anything for my brother.

'Good. Follow me. We are going somewhere.' He said walking out the door. I obediently followed him. We got into his van and drove to this abandoned building in a near by city.

'Follow me.' He said getting out of the van and walking to the door. I followed. Once the door opened he walked inside and turned on a light. There was nothing in the building. Just the concrete floor and dust. He walked to the middle of the room and stood there. He motioned for me to come over.

'This is the game,' he said pulling out a gun and laying it on the floor between us. 'you put the gun to your head and pull the trigger. There is one bullet in this gun. And one person will die,' he said as two other people walked into the room. 'That means that one of us,' he pointed to the other two men that just walked in, 'will die.' He said this with no emotion. He had a one out of four chance of dieing and he could care less. He smiled that crooked grin that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

'Sit.' He said. Everyone sat down in a circle around the gun. He took the gun in his hand and placed it at his temple. There was a click. No bullet. He then passed it to the man sitting next to him. Click. No bullet. I was next. The man handed me the gun as tears ran down my face.

'Take a breath. Clam yourself. If you play it's for keeps. Count to three.' He said. I looked around at the empty room. My heart is beating so fast I am sure you can see it through my chest. I am petrified but Im not leaving. I see my life flash before my eyes. I won't get to say goodbye to Ray. I am giving my life because I love him. I hope he understands what happened and why I did this. He has such a good heart and so much to give. That's why I can't think of the value of my life when his is so much more important. I would do anything for him and I know he would do the same for me.

'Close your eyes, sometimes it helps.' He says. I wonder how many times he has done this. If he is here it means that he has never lost.

I closed my eyes and said 'Sorry, Ray.' Then the gun went off.

Thank you. Please R&R...i will love you forever. :)