So here we go again. I get this idea and it will not leave me alone until I deal with it. I could write this story about any of the many fandoms that I belong to but for some dang reason it screams Leddie to me. So here is the deal...all my stories except this one and Remember Me are going on hiatus until I can get these two done. These are the two I love the most so I'm sticking to them.

Some things that you need to know.

Based on some of the PMs I get after I do prologues, some don't know what that is. It's not supposed to have major story events...it's basically a prelude to an event or issue that will be the theme of the story. For instance...the prologue for this is Loren and Eddie's multiyear long friendship that is severed due to circumstances beyond their control. The story is about them redefining their roles in each other's lives again as the fates align and draw them back into one another orbits. And they are short (prologues I mean). Some are long...but most of mine will be super short. This one is short but it sets up the story the way that I need it to.

This isn't going to be a happy go lucky story all the time. I like angst. I like romance, of course, but angst makes the romance that much better. That's not to say that there won't be plenty of romance as well, but it's going to be an angst filled lovely ride. Eddie is a little hard to take in this one. He's different. Totally OOC but there's a reason for that.

Eddie isn't a rock star in this. He has a passion for music but he's a regular average high school guy. I messed with the ages a little and he and Loren are in the same grade and so are Chloe, Tyler, and Ian. And just because...they all attend West Valley Charter.

Updates: I will alternately update this and Remember Me. But I need you guys to remember some things...I am a mom to three with a forth on the way. I also have a husband who thinks he's still a teenage boy. Sometimes life happens and I can't update as often as I would like. And sometimes when I do update it's short...I don't like it but sometimes that just the way it is. I'll try to be better but like I said life happens.

After the prologue...the first chapter is a time jump...one year later...so while the prologue takes place during sophomore year, the story continues during their junior year.

As always thanks to Mari for your awesome beta skills and support.

Fated Truths

Prologue

First day of sophomore year ( 1 year ago)

(Tate House)

They have been friends for years, yet today...today she didn't know how she could ever face time. The events of the last few months washed over her and threatened to knock her off her feet. Life had gone from happy and peaceful to downright insane and tragic in a matter of one night. One horrible night when her father couldn't get his life together yet again and destroyed not only his family but Eddie's as well.

Loren shook off the mix of sorrow and hurt that accompanied thought of Trent and moved out of the bathroom. He was gone. Nothing would ever bring him back. Him or Katy Duran. Dwelling wouldn't do anything to change that. The two and a half months since the accident hadn't done anything to ease the pain that she felt over the loss of her father or the loss of the woman who was like a second mom to her. It was clear at this point nothing ever would.

Picking up a picture of herself, Eddie, Chloe, Ian and Tyler. They had been the Fab Five since the first day of junior high. It makes her sad that none of them had contacted her since the funeral. It had been a long summer without them. She knew that Eddie was in Europe. He and his dad had left the day after Katy's funeral, but the rest had stayed in California just like she had and none of them had contacted her. She'd left messages for all of them but the had all gone unanswered. When she needed them most none of them had been there for her. She would like to think that they just got busy with the summer time activities that she knew were all planned, but she was supposed to be part of them so she wasn't naive enough to go with that theory. Deep down she knew what was happening. She didn't want to believe it but as the days went by and she hadn't heard from Chloe about their planned trip to Malibu or the guys about the party at Ian's family's house in Big Bear, she knew. When her daily calls to Eddie's phone went unanswered, she knew. She, Loren Tate, the daughter of the drunk driver who killed himself and Katy Duran, was being blamed and shut out.

(Duran House)

The first day of school used to be his mother's favorite. She would get up and make him a far to extravagant breakfast full of all his favorite foods. Together, the two of them would sit and reminisce about his first day of Kindergarten over homemade waffles and fresh fruit. His mother would get all weepy and tell him how proud she was of him and how she looked forward to all his adventures and tales of a brand new school year.

This year there would be no waffles, no fresh fruit, no reminiscing. There would be no weepy looks and pride shining through her brown eyes. There would just be boxed cereal and idle chit chat between him and his dad. Nothing special about that. It's how they spent most mornings these days. Thanks to Trent McCall.

Anger bubbled up inside Eddie at the thought of the man that murdered his mother. He used to think the guy was pretty cool. He couldn't count the times that he'd spent with the man, looked up to him even. That was all over now. Everything was over.

Grabbing his backpack off the desk chair in the corner of his room, Eddie glanced at the picture on him and Loren on the bulletin board above his computer. She had been one of his best friends. He had cared about her, confided in her about things that he hadn't even confided in Ian about. But she betrayed him. She knew her father had a drinking problem and didn't bother to let anyone else in on that information. She and her mother could have prevented him from driving that night but they hadn't. Loren helped to kill his mother and there was no coming back from that. He reached up and yanked the picture down. Tearing it into two pieces he tossed it in the trashcan beside the desk and walked out the door slamming it along the way.

(West Valley Charter School Quad—before the first bell)

Yep, she was definitely being shut out. Loren walked into the quad and all conversations stopped and countless faces turned to her. Eyes full of disgust landed on her making her feel more uncomfortable than she ever has before. The silence was deafening.

Finally after what felt like forever, eyes swung away from her and she let out a breath. But the whispers started then. Everyone was talking about her. She knew it even if she couldn't hear the words. But she didn't need to hear them to know that they were hateful and accusing. It didn't matter that she wasn't driving the car. It didn't matter at all. Eddie was the king of this school. He was the most popular, most sought after, if he hated her, blamed her, the others would too. His silence spoke volumes about how he felt.

And just like that he walked into the quad. Tyler and Ian flanking each side of him and Chloe right behind them. All their eyes bore into hers. None of them made a move to approach her. All sets of blue eyes and one set of brown looked at her with hurt and betrayal. Eddie was the first to look away and moved towards the table in the corner of the quad where they always sat. The others followed. She knew better than to as well. The lines had been drawn, even in the silence. She was out. She was no longer a member of the cool kids. She was no longer welcome in their realm. Even if she hadn't done anything wrong, it didn't matter. They blamed her. And now the whole school was too. Her life as Loren Tate, popular cool girl was over. Her time as Eddie Duran's best friend was over.

AN2: So what do you guys think? Different right? I don't know what it is about these two that always present themselves in different situations in my mind but it works. How about the twist that Trent killed Katy? Crazy right? This one is going to be fun...I can tell. Thoughts? Feelings? Rants? Let me have them!