This is an AU version of my ROTG series. If you would like to read the series, you can start with Winter and Fall, Snowflakes on Autumns Leaves and then Darkness Rises. Anyway, you don't have to read the series if you don't want to, it has nothing to do with this AU story. So enjoy.
Summary: In the small little town of Burgess, Autumn Pines is just a smart, straight A student in her sophomore year in high school and hangs out with a few crazy seniors. Nicholas St. North, Nick for short, is a Russian transfer student who looks tough, but his is sweet at a candy cane. Aster E. Bunnymund is the short-tempered Aussie but overall a sweet and caring guy. Sanderson, a mute who is always taking naps in class. Toothianna, who is crazy about teeth. Then there is Jackson Overland, the quiet nobody in Autumn's class. What if Autumn and Jack become friends, what will the others think?
Disclaimer : I do not own ROTG just my OC's . Enjoy!
Sixteen-year-old Autumn Pines yawned for the fourth time in a row as she sleepily walked down the stairs in her pink tank top and gray sweat pants. It was a Saturday morning, and she would usually sleep until noon, but she decided to get up early today to go running with her eighteen year old brother, Eric.
Eric was one of the most popular seniors in high school and is also one of the smartest students in the school. He is captain of the Boy's Soccer Team and the star of the cross country team. In a year, he is going to Harvard with a full-ride scholarship to major in Biology. Autumn couldn't be any more proud of her big brother.
When Autumn walked in the kitchen, she went to the large black refrigerator, took out a water bottle and an apple to eat. She walked to her living room, which was across from the kitchen, and sat down on the couch next to her brother.
"Morning," Autumn smiled as she took a bite out of her apple.
"Good morning, Autumn." Eric smiled back and began roll his ankles. "Remember to stretch after you eat. Make sure you drink lots of water."
"I am, don't worry." Autumn laughed.
Eric looked over at his little sister, "I just wanted to make sure, I don't want to carry you back home."
"I'm not that out of shape." Autumn looked offended.
Eric laughed, "No you're not. That's why I want you to try out of cross country this year!" Eric lightly punched Autumn in the arm.
"I don't know." Autumn said as she lies down on the couch and puts her feet up on Eric as pay back.
Eric rolls his eyes, "You're just lazy." Autumn glared at her brother as she drinks from her water bottle. "Come on." Eric pushes Autumn's feet off. "Go put shoes on. "
In 35 minutes, Eric and Autumn return home from a six miles run. Hot and sweaty, they raced up the stairs to see who can get to the bathroom first to shower. Of course it was Eric, because he tripped Autumn down the stairs.
"Jerk," Autumn teased her brother and walked back down stairs to get more water. Once she got her water, she walked out to her backyard and sat down by the large pool. She pulled up her sweat pants up to her knees and put her feet in the pool.
Taking small sips of water from her water bottle, Autumn stared up at the trees around her. It was fall and the trees where changing colors. Fall was always her favorite time of year. Not just because it fit with her name, but because it was so beautiful. As a kid, Autumn would believe that spirits were responsible for the change of seasons. She was disappointed when she learned the truth in school.
"Autumn, you can go in the shower now." Eric called from inside the house. Autumn got up and went into her house to take a shower.
After ten minutes, Autumn was all cleaned up and dressed in a red long sleeved shirt with white skinny jeans. She put on some eye liner and mascara, her typical everyday make up. Today, she decided to straighten her naturally curly auburn hair and put it up in a high ponytail as her bangs cover her forehead. She smiled at herself in the mirror, today is going to be a good day. Suddenly, there was a knock at Autumn's door, which made her jump. "Yes?"
"Hey, Dad needs me at the bakery, can you watch James?" Eric poked his head in.
"Yeah, can we go to the park?" Autumn asked.
Eric shrugged, "Call Dad. See you later Autumn, love you."
"Love you too, bye." Autumn said as she got up to look for her phone. She found her IPhone on her dresser, charging. She pulled out her charger, unlocked her phone and scrolled down her contacts until she found 'Dad'.
After a couple rings her Dad answered the phone in his usually happy voice, "Hey sweetie, how was your morning?"
"Good Daddy, Eric and I when for a run. How is yours at the bakery?" Autumn asked.
"Busy as usual, anyway did you need something honey?" Dad asked.
"Can I take the Corolla to go to the park with James." Autumn asked.
"Of course, it's your car after all!" Dad exclaimed. "But thank you for asking, I want to know where you go with James."
"Yep, no problem Dad, love you!" Autumn laughed.
"Love you to sweetheart, bye." Autumn hung up with her Dad and walked out of her room to go to her little brother's room.
The six year old was sleeping soundly in his bed so Autumn had a great idea to get him up. With a smirk she slowly stood up on his large water bed. "James, wake up!" She called out playfully as she jumped on the water bed and landed on her butt. With a startling scream, James flew up but Autumn caught him in the air. "Got ya!" Autumn laughed. Once James realized who was holding him, he smiled and hugged Autumn.
"Hi, Sissy!"
"You want to go to the park?" Autumn asked.
"Yeah!" James jumped up and down on his bed.
Autumn laughed, "Okay, buddy. Go get dressed, I'll go make you some toast."
"Okay!" James jumped down from the bed and ran over to his closest. Autumn chuckled at the child's behavior and went down stairs to make him breakfast.
James came down the stairs, dressed in a blue long shirt and blue jeans with his black sneakers. As Autumn waited until James finished his food and brush his teeth, she put on her black boots she bought from Aeropostale and grabbed her purse with her car keys and money. She walked back down the stairs and saw James already standing by the door waiting for her. "You ready?"
"Yeah!" James jumped up and down.
Autumn unlocked her White Corolla and got into the driver's seat. She adjusted the review mirror and checked if everything was alright. She turned around to see if her brother had his seat belt on and when he did she put her seat belt on. She put on her Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses Eric bought for her, inspirited by his favorite military movie. Once she turned on the car she pulled out of the driveway.
"Autumn you must be really happy you have a car!" James told Autumn.
"Yeah, I love this car, Daddy bought it for me on my sixteenth birthday." Autumn said.
"I guess you're lucky, many teenagers don't get cars on their sixteenth birthday like how you and Eric did." James smiled.
Autumn didn't respond to this. The Pines family got a lot of money because of their successful bakery business. George Pines was the CEO and owner of the Pines Bakery. There where at least one Pines Bakery store in every state. So the Pines are actually very rich, but they don't let money get to them, they don't care for it. Every month they donate a lot of money to charity, to the military and to education.
Once Autumn got to the park, James rushed out of the car and ran to the swing sets. "James, be careful!"
"I will!" James yelled.
Autumn smiled and sat down on the bench to keep an eye on her little brother. He was swinging on the swings until a young girl around his age with brown hair and brown eyes, came up to him and asked him something. He smiled and shook his head, getting off the swing set to follow her. Autumn watched her brother as he walked over to another brown haired boy and a blonde toddler. What surprised Autumn was the teenage boy with the small group. He too had brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a blue jacket and brown jeans. He looked familiar to Autumn but she couldn't remember where she had seen him.
"Autumn!" Autumn turned around to see her friend, Toothianna. Toothianna was very short for her age and was very tan. She wore her black hair down and was wearing a short green dress. She removed her sunglasses to reveal her purple eyes. Everyone one thinks that Toothianna wore contacts but purple is her real eye color. It was just the way her eyes were created by a rare mutation, but no one thought it was a bad thing, she was still gorgeous. If she was 5'10 instead of 5'2, she could be a model.
"Hey Anna!" Autumn called using the nickname everyone used for her.
Anna walked over and sat down next to Autumn, "Where's James?"
"He is over there playing with his friends." Autumn pointed to where James was playing.
Anna looked and saw the teenager playing tag with them, running slow so it could look like they were winning. "Who is that, doesn't he go to our school?"
"Does he?" Autumn looked at her friend. "He does look kind of familiar."
Anna shrugged, "I think he is a sophomore, he could be in some of your classes."
"Maybe," Autumn turned back to look at the boy, at that moment he turned his head and saw Autumn looking at him. Once his brown eyes met Autumn's dark green eyes, she turned around so he wouldn't think she was staring at him.
Anna laughed at Autumn, "Oh, Autumn you should have waved, you're always so shy."
"I'm not shy!" Autumn protested.
"The first time we met, you barely said a word; your brother had to introduce you!" Anna pointed out.
Autumn looked down at the ground, "Yeah your right, but I can't help it."
Anna smiled, "You shouldn't be shy all the time you can make a lot of friends."
"I do, I have you, Nick, Sandy and Aster. " Anna signed and shook her head. She didn't say anything after that.
Anna looked at her phone, "Well, I got to go home. My mom and dad are going out so I have to watch my sister. Text me later."
"Will do." With that Anna got up and left.
Autumn took out her phone and saw she got a text from her dad, "Pick up Marco's Pizza for dinner." It was already four and they usually eat by five. Autumn called the pizza place and ordered.
"Thank you for ordering, your pizza will be ready in 20 minutes."
The pizza place was far from the park so by the time they get there, it will be ready. "James," Autumn called as she got up from the bench. "Time to go."
"Okay!" James called and said goodbye to his friends. As James ran over to Autumn, the teenage boy looked at Autumn again. This time, Autumn smiled at him and he returned the smile with a nod. Autumn took her brothers hand as they walked to the car. "I had so much fun!"
"That's nice," Autumn smiled. "I'm glad you had a lot of fun."
"Thanks Sissy!" James exclaimed and hugged Autumn.
Autumn returned the hug, "No problem buddy. Come on let's get pizza."
"Yes!"
…
"Beep, beep, beep, beep!"
Autumn moaned and lazily turned off the alarm clock that was next to her bed. It was six and she had to get ready for school. She went to her closet to pick out want to wear. She found a pretty pink dressy shirt, a black skirt and black shoes so she decided to wear that to school. She straightened her hair once again but left it down to her shoulders this time. After putting make up on, she went down stairs to have breakfast with her family.
"Good morning, Autumn." George smiled. "You look nice today."
"Thanks Daddy." Autumn said and kiss her father's cheek as she went to her seat. Today her father made pancakes for the family to eat.
"Morning everyone," Eric came in with James next to him. The two boys sat down so the whole family began to eat their breakfast.
"I have a huge, AP Calculus test today." Eric announced.
George looked at his oldest son, "I bet you will do great."
Eric smiled, "I hope, I studied all day yesterday." Eric always studies the day before a test, so he always passes with flying colors.
"Do you have any tests today, Autumn?" George asked.
Autumn shook her head, "No, just lessons."
"I have a spelling test today!" James exclaimed.
"So you're going to knock it out of the park right?" George asked with a smile.
"Of course," James smiled.
"Autumn, I can drive you to school today, I don't have practice." Eric offered.
"Thanks," Autumn smiled.
Eric got up and put his dish away, "Go finish getting ready, we will leave when you are done."
…
Once Eric pulled parked in the school parking lot, almost everyone was staying hello to him as he walked by. Some people would even say hello to Autumn, because she was only known as Eric's cute little sister. Autumn went to her locker and put a few books in there that she will need later in the day. Then she walked to her first period, English Honors.
"Hello, Autumn," The teacher Mrs. Graham smiled when Autumn walked in the room.
"Good morning Mrs. Graham," Autumn smiled back as she sat at her desk with everyone else in the class.
The bell rang and the teacher began to speak, "Today I will assign-," The teacher stopped as her door opened and revealed a brown haired boy, with brown eyes walk into class. Autumn gasped when she saw him, it was the boy at the park! This time however, he wore a white shirt in blue jeans and sneakers. She knew he looked familiar! "Mr. Overland, care to explain why you are late?"
"I was talking to a teacher." The boy obviously lied.
The teacher sighed, not wanting to argue, "Go sit down." As the boy moved to sit down at his desk, his eyes met Autumn's. He smiled at her and then sat down at his desk in the back of the room. "As I was saying," The teacher started again. "I will assign all of you to different seats." Many students groaned at this, but the teacher signed and continued, "Maybe if you students wouldn't talk all the time in class this wouldn't happen!" The teacher told everyone to stand at the back of the class room as she began choosing seats for students. As she pointed to seats, she called out students. Once she got near the middle, she looked at Autumn, "Autumn you will sit here!" Autumn moved to the desk Mrs. Graham pointed to. The teacher then pointed to the desk next to her and looked at the students as she thought who should sit next to Autumn, "Jackson Overland, you can sit here." The boy walked over to the desk and sat at his new desk. Autumn was shy to sit with someone she barely knew but she remembered what Toothianna said. She shouldn't always be shy this Jackson boy didn't seem all that bad. Autumn worked up her courage and looked at the boy, "Hey."
"Hi." Jackson said and looked at her. "Autumn Pines right?"
"Yes, Jackson was it?" Autumn asked.
"Yeah, call me Jack." He smiled.
Autumn smiled and nodded, "You were at the park Saturday, right?"
"Yeah, that was me. I was playing with my sister and cousins." Jack explained.
"I was there with my brother, he was playing with you." Autumn stated.
Jack thought for a moment, "Oh yeah, James, he's a good kid."
"Sorry I didn't recognize you at the park, if I knew it was you I would have said hi." Autumn apologized.
Jack shook his head, "Its fine that happens all the time." Autumn felt bad for Jack after he said that. He sounded a little upset.
"Alright class, this is your seating chart for rest of the semester." Mrs. Graham announced. Many students started to complain, wanting to sit with their friends. "Don't give me that! Now, we are going to be reading some poetry today and I want you to discuss the meaning with your partner." More students complained about this but the teacher just rolled her eyes and started to pass out poems to everyone. Even Autumn was disappointed that they were doing poetry today, she never understood it.
The teacher gave Jack and Autumn the poem, "Inscription For A Gravestone" by Robinson Jeffers. Autumn and Jack read the poem to themselves before they can find out what it means. Autumn read it over and over, but couldn't understand it. "Do you get this?" She asked Jack.
"I think." Jack said looking at Autumn, "It's a little tricky, poetry isn't my best."
"Same here," She gave a small smile.
"But," Jack looked back down at the poem, "I think he is trying to say that he is a spirit who has become one with the Earth and nature."
Autumn read the poem over again, "Yeah, I think you are right, wow know it makes so much sense!" She laughed.
The bell for second period rang and most of the students in the class quickly ran out of the classroom. Jack and Autumn where the only two students left in the class and actually turn in their poem to the teacher. "Thank you, you two." Mrs. Graham smiled. "I'm glad I put you two next to each other." The two nodded and walked out of the classroom.
Autumn looked to Jack and smiled, "I'll see you around."
"Yeah," He simply said with a smile and walked off the other direction. Autumn turned around and walked to her next class, Biology Honors.
…
Half the day had gone by and nothing exciting really happened, except a few texts from Anna. It was time for lunch so Autumn went to her locked to get some money. Once she got her money, she closed it and found that she was face to face with the person that hated her the most; Ava Hollow. "Hi, Autumn!" Ava said in a fake happy voice. "What do you got there?" Ava snatched the money right out of Autumn's hands.
"Ava!" Autumn shouted in surprise. "That's my lunch money!"
"Please!" Ava laughed, "You really don't need this money, you should be considerate and let me have it."
Autumn glared at Ava, "You took it right out of my hands."
"What are you going to do about it!" Ava shouted, which made everyone in the hallway turn to look at the two.
"Ava," Autumn began, getting embarrassed to be looked at by everyone. "Please give me my money back."
"Why would I do that?" Ava's voice rose. "You're a spoiled rich kid that doesn't need any more money!"
"Why are you doing this, you always treat me this way!" Autumn was getting annoyed that she was always getting yelled at by Ava.
Ava's eyes widened at Autumn raising her voice, "Don't yell at me you stupid kid!" Ava stepped closer to Autumn which made Autumn back up against the lockers, "Did it ever occur to you that I hate you."
Yes it did, Autumn thought but didn't dare speak. Everyone in the hallway was watching intently now, thinking a fight would start any second. "Back away from her," Someone in the crowd spoke. Autumn was relieved that someone was there to make Ava get away. She was expecting a teacher but she was surprised that it wasn't; it was Jackson Overland.
"Who are you?" She asked in disgust.
Jack ignored the question and stood beside Autumn, "Back away, you don't want to fight Autumn."
Ava glared at Jack, "Oh, you don't know anything! I can't wait to break her stupid face!"
"But you don't want another referral now do you?" Jack asked with a smirk. "I hear you hold a record."
"Shut up!" Ava screamed.
"Right, whatever," Jack turned to look at Autumn. "Come on lets go to lunch."
Autumn just stared at Jack as he stood up for her, "Yeah."
"You just got told by a sophomore, Ava." Some kid laughed at Ava.
Ava's face redden in anger, "Shut up!"
Jack started laughing as he walked away with Autumn. Autumn looked at him a smiled, "Thank you."
"Don't mention it!" Jack smiled. "Ava is a jerk. Someone had to tell her the truth."
Autumn laughed, "I guess you're right." Suddenly Autumn's stomach growled. "To bad she took my lunch money…"
"No she didn't." Jack said.
"Huh? Yeah she di-" Autumn stopped as she stared at her money that was in Jack's hands. "How did you get that from her?"
"I have my ways." Jack smirked. Autumn looked at him in amazement, "Okay, just kidding. I took it when she wasn't looking."
Autumn laughed and took the money, "Thank you."
"No problem." Jack smiled. Once they were in the lunch room Jack turned to Autumn, "I'll see you around."
"Wait, Jack!" Autumn called as Jack began to walk away.
"Yeah?" Jack asked, raising his eye brow.
"Do you want to sit with me and my friends?" Autumn asked.
Jack smiled, "Sure."
Once the two got their lunch, they sat down at a table that was full of seniors. "Hey guys, this is Jack. He is going to sit with us."
"Hey." Jack smiled at everyone.
"Hello Jack!" Autumn's friend Nick said in a thick Russian accent. Nick had black hair with a mustache and had baby blue eyes. He was a very big young adult, but he was very loving.
Aster, the Aussie, glared at Jack and let out a small, "Hi." Aster was the tallest of the group, standing at 6'1. He was very tan with dirty blonde hair and green eyes.
Sanderson, the mute, waved at Jack with a sleepy smile. Sanderson, or Sandy, was the shortest with blonde hair and golden eyes.
Then there was Toothianna, who exploded in excitement, "You were the one in the park, I knew you went to school here. Oh, Autumn you became friends with him! I'm so proud you are getting out of your shell!"
"Anna…" Autumn became red in embarrassment.
"So," Nick spoke. "Why were you two late for lunch?"
Jack and Autumn looked at each other, "Well, you see…" Autumn explained the whole thing about Ava and how Jack helped her out.
"That Ava is always picking on you!" Aster exclaimed in anger. "We gotta teach her a lesson!"
"Are you really going to hit a girl?" Anna asked Aster.
"Well... No, but you can!" Aster said.
Anna smirked, "Yeah, I'll teach her not to mess to Autumn."
"Anna please you're embarrassing yourself." Autumn teased Anna.
Anna pouted, "Fine, I won't protect you."
Autumn laughed, "I don't need to be protected."
"Hey guys sorry I'm late." Eric came and sat down at the table without food.
"Eric, why aren't you eating anything?" Autumn asked her brother.
"I'm not hungry." Eric smiled. Then he saw Jack, "Oh hello!"
"Hey," Jack greeted.
"Eric Pines," Eric introduced himself.
Jack nodded, "Jack Overland."
Eric began talking to his friends with a smile but there was something in his eyes that were different. No one noticed but Autumn. Eric was sad about something and she hated seeing him sad. She knew her brother, he would always eat anything even if he was full, and if he wasn't eating then something was very wrong.
"Hey," Jack looked at Autumn. "You okay?"
"Hmm," Autumn turned to Jack, "Oh, yeah I was just thinking." She smiled.
Autumn pulled out her phone and texted her brother, "Something is wrong with you." Seconds later Eric looked at his phone and his smile was gone, he looked at Autumn then back at his phone.
"We will talk later." Eric texted back and went back to talking and smiling.
Autumn took in a breath and put her phone away. Throughout lunch Autumn talked to Jack and the rest of her friends.
…
When school was over Autumn and Eric drove home from school in silence. Eric looked very unhappy now, he looked incredibly sad. Autumn didn't want to say anything until they got home.
"Do you have homework?" Eric asked breaking the silence.
"No, do you." Autumn asked.
"No." Eric answered.
Once they got home Eric went straight upstairs and went to his room. Autumn was worried so followed him up stairs. "Eric?"
"You can come in." Eric called through the door.
Autumn opened the door and saw her brother on his bed with his open laptop. "Eric, what's wrong?"
Eric signed and closed his laptop, moving it away so Autumn can sit down on the bed with him. "It's uh, Julie and I." Eric frowned. "We broke up."
Autumn's eyes widened. "What, why?" Julie and Eric have been together since the eighth grade. Julie had long blonde hair and beautiful brown eyes. She was very smart and probably the prettiest girl in the whole school. Autumn looked up to Julie as a big sister. Autumn thought Eric was going to end up marrying her; they were so perfect with each other.
"She is going to a different college and she just didn't want a long distance relationship." Eric explained. "I tried talking to her about it but she said she would be able to handle a relationship like that. I didn't want to break up but if it made her happy, then I had to…" Eric finished, sounding a little chocked up.
"Eric, I'm so sorry." Autumn looked at her brother, she didn't know what to do he was the one who always gave her comfort, not the other way around.
"She said we could still be friends so…" Eric didn't sound too happy to say this. He looked over at Autumn, "I really thought she was the one, Autumn."
"I thought so too." Autumn said. "I'm so sorry Eric, is there anything I can do for you?"
Eric shook his head, "Wait, there is one thing." He said looking at his little sister.
"What is it, I'll do anything." Autumn smiled.
"Can you watch Top Gun with me," Eric gave Autumn the puppy dog eyes and she couldn't say no to that face.
Autumn laughed, "Yes, of course." Eric always felt better watching Top Gun, he will even be happier if he watched it with his sister.
Eric smiled, "You're the best sister in the world!" He hugged his sister.
"I'm your only sister." Autumn pointed out. Eric just rolled his eyes and ran down stairs to the living room.
Once the movie started, Eric said the opening lines without looking, "On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art or aerial combat and to insure that the handful of men who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world. They succeeded. Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it: TOP GUN."
Autumn laughed and rolled her eyes. She watched this movie so many times with her brother and every time he quotes the beginning. Autumn watched the movie as the people on the deck worked on the fighter jets and prepared for flight. Autumn smiled as the song Danger Zone started and her brother sang along. Once the jet took off to the sky, Autumn wondered how it would be like to fly high into the sky, touching the clouds and traveling the world…
That is chapter one. I hope you enjoyed it! The quote is from Top Gun, I couldn't resist making Eric love the movie, my own brother is in love with it! I think it was a great movie. Definitely my second favorite! So tell me in comments how you like this so far, and I will continue it!
