Author's Note

Oh my, God, I haven't written a Fan Fiction in FOREVER. Well I randomly got an idea so I figured I'd write it. I'm not sure if you'll like it because I usually try to include some action but this doesn't really. It's just a romance. But please give it a chance. Thanks!

Summary- a story about a couple's first meet, date, etc. Inspired by the movie 500 Days of Summer (sort of haha).

Disclaimer- I DO NOT own Nick Santino/a Rocket to the Moon or the songs by them that are mentioned throughout the story, or Abercrombie and Fitch (and I'm sorry if by saying all the snobs in the main character's school wear it is offensive to anyone), or "California Dreaming". However, the story line and other characters are of my own creation. Enjoy!

The California Gold Rush is so boring, I think. I slouch farther in my desk as Mr. Burton survey's the room with his beady eyes, searching for another victim.

"Sierra Bogan!" he booms. "Why don't you present your project next?"

The girl mumbles a curse under her breath and carries a large poster to the front of the class. It's mediocre, covered with clumps of yellow paper to represent gold. I feel rude for admitting it, but it made me feel more confident about my poster.

Sierra launches into her presentation and I zone out. I can relax until Mr. Burton is ready to call on another person. Unfortunately, her presentation wasn't as long as I had hoped.

"Okay, you may sit." Burton crosses her name off of his clipboard. "That was our twelfth poster, guys. I told you to be creative with this!"

Sierra hangs her head guiltily and Mr. Burton moves on.

"Nick Santino? You're up."

I don't recognize the name…Was there really a Nick Santino in this class? I try to remember if I'd seen him before as he walks from the back corner to the front. Oh, that's right! He's in a lot of my classes; I had just never known his name.

He's a little on the scrawny side with a wide nose. His hair is a fiery orange and his skin is pale. He's not ugly, just different than all the other boys at this school. Every other boy her is a snob who only shops at Abercrombie and Fitch and is on the football team. He seems to be kind of a loner. He's carrying a beautiful guitar and I wonder what in the world his project is. He sits on a stool Burton brings him and as he sits atop it, I see something under his sleeve. A tattoo? My eyebrows furrow. Why did a boy like him move here?

"Finally," Burton exclaims, "something interesting."

Nick looks at the floor, embarrassed. He clears his throat. He does a few fast scales and arpeggios that leave the class memorized. He clears his throat again. His face looks a little flushed. I see his mouth move mutely, counting down.

Then he begins to sing in a soft, velvet voice. He's singing "California Dreaming" by the Mama's and the Papa's but changes the lyrics around a little. I glance around at my peers and they are all opened mouth and in a trance, right along with me. I am jealous. I've always thought guitar was amazing and singing was even better; this boy could do both.

His song is over much too fast. He starts to recap some of the major facts of the Gold Rush. Then, he's walking to the back of the room again. Everyone cheers loudly and his face gets a little redder. I peek back and smile at him; he stares at me when our eyes meet. I turn back around. Just because you're extremely talented doesn't mean you can't be odd too…

"Well done, Nick. Well done!" Burton cheers along with the class. Then he's onto the next presentation. No one can top Nick's. "Hmmm, Ella Morrison. Go."

Well, crap.

****

After class, my friend Abby and I approach Nick.

"Hey nice job," I say as Abby just stares at the boy. It seems like she's scared of him.

"Thanks, you too," he says and I'm surprised that his talking voice sounds a lot like his singing voice. Soft.

I make a face. "Hell, no, all I had was a power point. Nothing exciting, like yours."

"Well, you didn't have a poster at least." He looks at Abby who is clutching her poster to her body. "No offense."

"None taken," she mutters. She's staring at his upper arm and I'm guessing she sees the tiny bit of tattoo that's showing. Abby's shy like that and, in this stuck-up town, she probably has never seen anyone like him. "I have to go to class. See you at lunch, Ella."

"So you're Ella? Hey, I'm Nick." He smiles.

"Yeah, I know." I laugh, the kind that's back in your throat where you don't open your mouth at all. We head for the hallway and walk side-by-side. People stare as they see me with him. I bite my lip. "So…you're extremely lucky. You can sing and play guitar. That's awesome. I've always wanted to try."

"It's really fun. You should try. I'd teach you if you wanted."

"Oh, um, thanks." I look at my shoes.

"Well, I've gotta head on so I'll see you in science."

"Oh, okay, yeah, bye." I sputter like an idiot. I'm frozen to my spot. So he realized that we had a lot of classes together, too.

He walks off, guitar slung on his back, and I swear that he winked at me.

He sits next to me in all of the classes we have together today. And by lunch, I'm about sick of this boy.