Please, please, PLEASE comment! Second FF and I'm really proud of this one!

Chapter One: School.

I slipped past the group of jockeys and nearly tripped as one of them stuck their foot out, trying to hook it around my ankle. I jumped over their foot at the last minute and ignored the swear word that was thrown at me. I sighed and walked on, my feet carried me to class but my mind was else where. I was thinking about the English test I'd taken this morning, I was sure I'd got question twenty-one wrong, I was sure of it! I gripped my book bag and dodged another attempt to trip me up.

"Emo!" someone hissed at me as I walked past them.

I sighed. I may have been a Goth, but I was still a human being, I still had feelings. I moved my long, black fringe out of my face and walked up to my locker. I spun the dial to the right numbers and opened it. I fished my Math's and Geography text books out my bag and replaced them with my Science and History ones. I slammed my locker door shut and started walking down the corridor, only to be stopped by Caroline Mats. She stood in front of me; her manicured hands on her little hips, her thick, red lips were turned up into a smirk. I sighed, waiting for it.

Caroline flicked her long, blonde hair out of her eyes and rested her finger on her chin. Her green eyes slid over my black jeans, purple t-shirt, black coat and black boots.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" she asked as her posse stood behind her, all of them staring at me.

"Well, I'm called a human being, and my name is Zoe," I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Really? I thought you were an alien for a minute there, you certainly look like one!"

She laughed and the rest joined in with her. I tried to slip past her but she shoved me back, making her posse laugh again.

I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want?" I asked, one hand on my hip. I didn't have time for this.

"I don't want anything, I just like teasing you!" said Caroline.

I rolled my eyes again.

"I've got to go."

I pushed past her again, managing to get past but she grabbed my wrist and held on.

"See you later, Emo!" she hissed.

I yanked my wrist out of her grip and walked on, pushing my way through her posse. I could hear them laughing at me as I went. I went into the bathroom and locked the door. I dropped my book bag next to the sink and looked at myself in the mirror. A 17 year old girl stared back. My pale skin stood out underneath all the black. My eyes were framed by thick, black eyeliner, black eye shadow and thick, black lashes. My long, black hair hung limp and lifeless, my long fringe hiding most of my face. My thick, gold chain with a small, black cross hung around my neck; my earrings were small with purple stones set in the gold. I swallowed back tears and looked at the scars on my wrists from where I'd tried to kill myself but failed. I sighed and sat down on the floor, my back resting on the sinks. I wrapped my arms around my knees as I brought them to my chin. I sighed.

And that's where I stayed until the end of school. When I finally looked at my watch it said 15:55. I sighed and got to my feet, dragging my bag with me.

I slammed my bedroom door and locked it with the key and the dead bolt. I kept the key in the lock so no-one could use the spare key to get in. I took one look at my dark purple walls with black symbols on them, the large, double bed with purple sheets, the pine dresser covered in my make-up and my jewelry. A large mirror stood propped against the wall on top of the pine dresser. The edges were smudged with black, purple and blue make-up. I collapsed onto my bed and sighed, pressing my face into the pillow. There was a knock at my door, but I didn't say or do anything. The signs on my door said, "Keep out!" "Do not knock!" "Leave me alone!" And I only knew one person that ignored the signs, my mother.

Well, she wasn't my mother and she was. She was my foster mother, my real mother and father died when I was still young, leaving me alone. That is one of the reasons why I am what I am. I'd been fostered by Lynda and Jonathan Wilkes ages ago, but I'd never really got on with them. They picked me up when I was ten, and in the first stages of becoming what I am today. I was in a foster home and, after three months of knowing them and a lot of days out, I reluctantly agreed to go home with them. I did want to go home with them and I didn't. I just wanted to be alone, but I thought maybe I could be normal again, with parents and friends.

But it didn't turn out like that.

I didn't get on at school, I was rebellious with my parents, I didn't do my school work, and when my foster parents got me a job doing the paper round at the age of thirteen, I refused to do it after two rounds and got the sack. My foster parents were furious, but I didn't care. I never cared about the job so why would I care if I got the sack. They didn't really speak to me awhile, but I didn't care. I was thirteen, a teenager, why did I care whether they spoke to me or not?

In the end I spoke to them, I told them I was sorry and that the next time they got me a job, I'd stick to it. But they never did.

After that, I changed, completely. I got into dark things like music and make-up. I locked myself away, changed my appearance, and changed who I was. I was no longer the happy, care-free Zoe; I was the dark, suicidal, and quiet Zoe. My foster parents noticed and even tried to talk to me about it but I was having none of it. I refused to talk and put a lock on my door so I could lock them out. I refused to eat with them, sit in the same room as them or even go on holiday with them. Whilst they spend two weeks on the beach, getting a sun tan and having fun, I sat in my room at the hotel, watching the TV and playing on my laptop.

Its not that I hate them, I just don't belong here, I don't belong anywhere. I belong in my room, with no-one disturbing me or asking if I was okay. I'd never be okay, I lost my parents for gods sake!

Lynda knocked again, pulling me out of my day-dream. I groaned and lifted my head.

"What?" I asked, not moving off the bed to unlock the door.

"Me and Jonathan are working late tonight," Lynda said through the door. "There's some money of the counter and you've got your phone. Be good!"

I heard her footsteps fade away and pressed my face against my pillow again. I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep.

*****

The next morning the house was quiet, as I went to my door I saw a note lying on the carpet. Someone had pushed it through the small gap in-between the bottom of my door and the carpet. I picked it up and read it.

Dear Zoe,

Me and Jonathan have gone to work,

He needs to go to a meeting later so he isn't coming home later.

I got some appointments and then I've got a meeting I got to go to in New York.

We both won't be back until next Friday, sorry.

There's a hundred quid on the counter in the kitchen, use that to buy food or whatever.

Don't invite anyone around, and if that house is a mess when we get back, then you're in trouble!

Love Lynda.

XXX

I smiled. House on my own! Awesome! I loved getting the house to myself, that way I could go around it freely without avoiding my foster parents. I was chuffed to bits! Friday? That was a week away! I had the whole house to myself for a whole week! When I was younger, they used to get someone to look after me – a nanny or one of their friends – but I was old enough now to be trusted to look after the house for a few days on my own. I screwed up the note and threw it in the small bin next to my door. I slammed the door after myself and headed to school.

As I slid into my seat in the Science classroom, I knew something was different. I just knew it! I stared at the groves in the wood of my desk and glanced at the empty chair next to me, the only one in the classroom. No-one wanted to sit with me, not that I wanted anyone to sit next to me. I pulled my books out of my book bag and dumped them on the desk in front of me. Someone threw a pencil at me and I ducked just in time, it went sailing over my head. I heard the classroom door open and close over the babble of voices in the room. I looked up and saw our Science teacher, Mr. Simms.

Mr. Simms was about forty, his hair was short and black, with a few grey hairs poking through. His eyes were brown behind the thick, red rimmed glasses he wore. I'd never seen him wearing anything else but a suit. Today he was wearing a black suit with a white, crisp shirt and a brown tie. He threw his briefcase onto the desk at the front and turned to us lot.

The classroom was plain, with white walls – covered in posters about Science – and a tile floor, which had been marked over all the years by trainers and shoes. There were eight double desks, each with its own set of gas taps and electric plugs. There were cupboards running the length of the room each side, containing all the equipment we would need for any experiment.

Mr. Simms sat on the edge of his desk and whistled in a high pitch. Everyone immediately and faced the front. I looked at him, my chin propped on my fist. I was bored already and the lesson hadn't even started yet. I sighed quietly and ducked as someone threw a pen at me. Mr. Simms barked at him to stop and stood up.

"Right, before I start the lesson I'm going to announce that we have a new student today," he said, walking over to the door and putting his hand on the knob. "This is Jace."

He opened the door and I gasped quietly.

The boy standing on the other side of the door was gorgeous! His short, black hair was straight, with his fringe hanging to the side. He was wearing black jeans, just like me, and a dark blue t-shirt with Slipknot written on the front. His black boots were shiny and suited him perfectly. His eyes were a dark green. His perfect lips were stretched out into a grin. I swallowed loudly and stared at him. I could hear the girls around my whispering, telling each other how cute Jace looked. I looked down, not wanting to be caught by anyone staring at the new kid. I looked at the grains of wood, trying to get his image out of my head. I heard him step into the room; his boots making light thuds at they touched the ground. I looked up again, but keeping my eyes on Mr. Simms. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jace looking around.

"This is Jace Makers," said Mr. Simms, smiling to the class. "Now, I want you to be nice and friendly and don't put him off."

He chuckled lightly and pointed to my desk. I felt blood rush to my face as I realized what he was about to say next.

"There's a spare seat next to Zoe," Mr. Simms said. "Go sit by her!"

I looked down again, trying not to look like I fancied him, as he walked over. I picked up my pen and tapped it against the desk as Mr. Simms sat down at his desk. Jace reached my – our – desk and pulled out the chair next to me. He sat down and copied how I saw sat, only without the pen. I could see him looking at me from the corner of my eye, that same grin on his face. I swallowed and looked at Mr. Simms, who had started to write something on the board.

I sat like that throughout the lesson, occasionally looking to my left, and he stared at me for most of the lesson, only looking away to take notes or do his work. When the bell ran I grabbed my stuff and practically ran out the room. I went to my locker and dumped my stuff inside it and reached for my other books.

"You're Zoe, right?" asked a voice.

I froze and pulled my arm out of the locker. I turned my head to my left to see Jace standing there, that same grin on his face.

"Yeah," I said, looking back at my locker. "Who wants to know?"

"Me," said Jace, humor in his voice. "I was wondering if you could show me to the English block, I don't know where it is."

I froze again, but quickly recovered. I had English next as well. I nodded and shoved my books in my bag.

"Yeah, I can," I told him. "I'm just about to go there next."

Jace didn't seem to be listening, his eyes were moving lazily up and down my body. I slammed my locker shut, bringing his eyes back to my face.

"Good," he said, still grinning.

I rolled my eyes at him and turned my back on him. I started to walk down the hallway, I could hear him following. I could hear the faint thuds his feet made even over the babble of voices in the corridor.

It took us about five minutes to get to the English block. I headed into our classroom and sat at my usual seat, evidently the only double desk in the room with a spare seat. He was going to have to sit next to me again. I glanced around the room, not wanting to look at Jace as he spoke to Mrs. Thompson, the English teacher.

The English room was boring. The lilac walls were covered in posters promoting books and old school trips. The floor was also marked with the shoes and trainers of the people who had passed through here over the years. There were nine double desks in here, every one of them filled, apart from mine. How come it was always my desk? Why couldn't someone else take Jace for once?

Not that I didn't like him, it was how I felt for him that made me want to run. I hadn't felt like this ever! I looked out the window at the rain as he slid into the seat next to me. I swallowed again and kept my eyes off him.

The rest of the day was torture. He was in three of my other classes and he was sat next to me. He hardly took his eyes off me. I even thought about pretending to be sick to get out of my classes, but, even though I hate school, I needed to stay in so I could get the grades I want.

I rushed out of the school as fast as I could when the bell rang. I jumped into my blue Neon car and closed the door, only to be blocked in by some jerk from the football team. I groaned and beeped, he was waiting for someone to come out the school. I sighed and sat back in my seat. There was a tap on my window and I turned to see Jace standing by my car, my Math's text book in his hand, that grin of his face. I bit my lip and rolled down my window.

"You left this!" he said, handing me my book.

My fingers brushed his as I took it back; sending shivers up and down my spine. I chucked my book into the seat next to me and smiled at him.

"Thanks!"

I looked forward at the car blocking me, hoping it would move soon. I could see him grinned at me through the open window. I tried to roll it up but he put his hands on the frame.

"What you doing tonight?" he asked, still grinning.

"The usual: nothing," I said, looking at him. "Why?"

"I'm having a party tonight, and I want you to come."

He passed me a small, white piece of paper. There was an address and phone number on it.

"Why? You hardly know me!"

"Exactly, I want to get to know everyone."

He grinned at me again.

"Fine, I'll see if I can come," I told him, making a mental note to think of an excuse why I couldn't come.

"Good, see you there!"

He winked at me and left just as the car in front of me moved. Hang on, he winked?! I shook my head and pulled out of the space and raced home.

Once at home, I parked the car in the driveway – something I didn't usually do until my foster parents left, since their cars were always parked in it – and raced into the house. I closed the door after me and sighed. I was about to run to my room when I remembered that there was no-one in, the meeting with Jace had made my head go weird. I'd slipped the piece of paper into my pocket after he'd given it to me. I pulled it out now and looked at the address, it wasn't far from here. And why was his phone number on here? I chucked my keys into the bowl next to the door and walked into the kitchen.

The kitchen was simple, white walls, tiled floor. The cupboards ran along the wall and a second set ran along the wall above them. The fridge was a double door, ice dispenser. The cooker had four hobs, a large oven and a large grill. The double French windows led to a well-looked after garden with a range of flowers, a brown garden fence running the whole way around and a unused bench swing that sat next to the gate.

I dumped my book bag on the counter and pulled the orange juice out of the fridge. I poured some into a glass and put the carton back into the fridge. I sat on the counter and swung my legs as I drank it. I stared at the wall and played with my empty glass.

Should I go? I haven't been to a party in years! I thought. But, what is it with him? He's…..gorgeous, that's for sure. But I bet someone else gets him before I can even make a move.

I sighed.

In the end I decided not to go. Why should I go? So I can get kicked out by someone else there? So I could get humiliated? I jumped off the counter and looked around. What the hell was I going to do? I had the hundred pounds I'd been given and the money I had anyway, that was about…….one hundred and fifty pounds. I could always go shopping, or rent a DVD and get some popcorn or something. I sighed. This is the only bad thing about being on your own, you had nothing to do. That party sounded great right now, even if it meant I might be humiliated, or worse.

I looked at the clock on the wall, half past five. I had three and a half hours left until the party. I bit my lip. Should I go? There's no harm in going, and if anyone tries something I can just leave. I sighed and ran to my room. I looked through what I had to wear.

*****

I pulled up outside the house and gaped at it.

It was three storey tall, Victorian house. The front lawn was covered in flowers that would put even my own back garden to shame. The driveway was massive, and two cars were parked in it. There was a large double front door, in which most of the school was walking through. The windows on the front of the house were large, with lights coming through.

I gripped the steering wheel hard and started at the front of my car. Now that I'd got here, I was regretting coming. What was I thinking? I looked down at the black jeans, purple t-shirt and the flat, black slip-ons I'd come in. I knew my face was covered in dark make-up, I'd put it on. My left hand slid down to the ignition key, I could start the engine and quickly get out of here before anyone noticed me. I turned the key and threw the car into gear. I backed out of the space I'd managed to grab and sped off down the road.

What was I thinking? That I could just go in there and have fun like everyone else? No! What was I thinking? I wasn't thinking, that's it. This is all Jace's fault!

I parked the car in the driveway and headed into the house. I slammed the door after myself and locked it. I rammed the bolt home and slid the chain into place. I turned my back on the door. I sighed and stepped further into my house.

Comment! Please! I know, I know, its my second FF, but more will come! I promise you!