Chapter 1; The Not-So-Bad Boy.

Only one thing about Shane did I know was 100% sure about; he was considered the "Bad Boy" in school. What others don't know about him would 'kill his rep.' but I've seen the real side of him…The real Shane. The Shane who doesn't care what others outside from school thought about him. The Shane who wasn't afraid to go all out on outfits or anything like that. The Shane…who was my best friend…But only outside of school…In school? He chose not to pick on me. He'd stand by and watch me get insulted and apologize after school…when no one's around. What has high school done to him?…He's so…

"Lydia…" I heard a low voice behind me and turned around to see Shane. Shane Grey…I was shocked but didn't show it and rose an eyebrow. "I…" He started and looked around us. Everyone stopped what they were doing/saying and just stared at us. I felt really uncomfortable but just kept my eyes on Shane, waiting for him to continue. "I just wanted to say…" Everyone and everything was dead silent. I expected "I just wanted to say…I'll see you later." but was that what I got? Nope…

"You're blocking my locker..." His face turned hard, cold. I couldn't believe this…What was going on with him?

"O-oh…Sorry…" I apologized, shocked and didn't move.

"You're still blocking my locker." That face super glued onto his real face…The soft expression he always had…

"I'm so sorry…" I mumbled, shutting my locker and moved aside, keeping my eyes on him.

He opened his locker, ripping off the picture he had of Chelsea and him in his locker. Chelsea; Shane's girlfriend…Or maybe ex…

I looked at him confused. He turned his head and looked at me, that same cold, hard, scary expression.

"What?" He demanded.

"Um…Nothing, I just…I…" I couldn't finish…I couldn't even talk to him…I just…He scared me…

"Well?" He snapped.

"You know what, Shane?" My voice was rising…Tears started to fill my eyes…My voice could crack any moment now but I was too mad to even care. He raised his eyebrows, motioning me to continue. "I'm sick of you treating me this way. You'd act like you don't care about me in school but when we're alone, just the two of us…You act like we're…FRIENDS!" Oh yeah…there went my voice…I didn't care, I kept going. "I really don't get you Shane…What happened to the Shane I actually liked to talk to? The Shane who didn't care if he was seen with a girl in a t-shirt and sweats? The Shane I fell in love with?"….I didn't just say---Uh-oh…

His face dropped, going back to the old expression I was used to seeing. The soft one…

"L-love?" He asked, his voice quiet, nearing a whisper.

I was still mad at him…I didn't know what else to do, so I lied…

"Loved."

With that, I stormed off. I heard my name being shouted…

"Lydia! Lydia, wait!"

I knew that voice anywhere but as of right now…I honestly didn't want to talk to anyone…Not even my best friend ever; Anna.

(Anna's POV)

I couldn't believe it! She told me she'd snap at him one day but I didn't expect it to be so soon…So…Powerful! I kept calling after her but she never even looked back. Not even a glance. Not even a twitch…I don't really blame her though…I guess having a best friend, practically sister, with the most perfect (I would say.) boyfriend ever. The hardest part on her? The fact that my boyfriend was Shane's brother. Blood brother. I already know what'd she'd say if I even brought the subject to break up with Nate to her attention, she'd probably lock me in a dark room with Nate, telling me to get him back any way I can and keep it that way. I stopped calling after her when she was out of sight which wasn't long considering she ran off after I called her name the fourth time. I looked around me and everyone was staring at Shane. I walked over to him.

"A-are you ok, Shane?" I asked, looking at him.

"I'm fine…" His voice was so low I had to lean in a little to catch what he said next… "tell her…I'm in love with her…" With that, he walked off before I could recompose myself and ask a question…

In love with her? Lydia? Oh my…Oh shoot, this is not good. And I thought I was going to have to kill Shane for him to realize what he really wanted…Or…What Nate and I thought he really wanted…Which was Lydia…Oh goodness…

I left school, yeah, I'll get in trouble for this if I get caught but I don't care. I mean, my parents wouldn't either, right? When you're in heaven, you don't hear about these kinds of things that happen to your children, right? Right. I looked behind me and saw no one coming so I

ran to Lydia's house, seeing her sitting on the couch with her head in her hands from her living room window. I knocked on the door.

After a few seconds, she opened the door with her eyes, blood-shot red.

"Oh, Lydia…I'm so, so sorry!" I pulled her into a hug. She hugged back and pulled away.

"About?"

"About my stupid thoughts. I thought Shane---"

"It's fine, Anna. I thought the same way. I know what it's like to think something and then find out that it's not even true. By the way, it's in the oven…" In the oven? What? What the heck was she talking about? Shane was in the oven? No, I don't think she'd do something like that. Besides, Shane wouldn't have even gotten here unless he ran his little butt o---

"Sorry…On the phone." She said, waving her cell phone and continued to talk on it. "Yeah, 10 more minutes and it'll be good…I know I left it in there, David…I'm not that stupid." She motioned me to come in so I walked in, sitting down on the couch. This was like my second home. Not including the house I lived in now which was my grandmother's…She was talking to her step-dad. David. She never called him "Dad" ever. Or, at least not the times while I was over. She sighed.

"No, David. I'm not in a fight with Shane." She rolled her eyes and shut the door. "Yes, I cleaned my room. Can I just talk to my mom?" There was a long pause. "I know, Mommy…I just…Can't you come home already?" Oh…That's right…she's been having to live alone because her parents were on a "family vacation" … one thing they forgot. The other part of the family; Lydia. It always pained me to see what she has to go through everyday. It pained her to see that I'm almost just like that but in her words; worse…"Anna, your parents aren't around anymore and they won't be around! They're gone, okay? I'm not trying to rub it in, It's just…Seriously, Anna? My parents…I can actually talk to them…But you…I'm sorry…'" She seems to always be alone. Maybe that's why she needs all of Shane's attention…not that I mind. I mean, he's not my property. He's like a brother to me, she's like a sister. Together, they'd probably be happier than the person who invented Pepsi!

(Shane's POV)

[1 week later…]

I ran my hand through my hair. Probably the 100th time I've done it today. I've been doing it a lot for a whole week. A whole week without seeing or hearing Lydia. I couldn't take it anymore! I grabbed my phone and dialed a familiar number…It rang…and rang…and rang…and finally---