Chapter 1
*Taylor*
I painfully watched my boyfriend and his basketball team lose another game. My boyfriend, Chad, took a shot at the buzzer. The ball rolled around the rim before falling off. The East High side sighed heavily as the announcer annouced the other team as the winners. We lost 59-6. Chad wasn't gonna be happy. I sighed and thought, Oh Boy. I walked out of the gym and waited with the other basketball players' girlfriends, with the exception of my best friend, Gabriella. She was nowhere to be found.
I chatted meaninglessly with the girls until Chad came out of the gym in a huff. He grabbed my wrist. I gasped in pain, trying not to scream, as he dragged me to his car. He, practically, threw me into the car and slammed the door. I thought to myself as I rubbed my wrist There gonna be some fresh bruises tonight. When we arrived at my house, he cut the far off and we sat in the silence for a few moments. He turned to face me with pure anger in his eyes. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the first hit.
*Troy*
I, finally, came out of the locket room, after losing another game.I ,as usual, was the last player to leave. I looked arounf the empty gym for my girlfriend, Gabriella. I heard a familiar giggle and peeked around the corner. I saw my girlfriend kissing Ryan Evans, the school mascot.
She pulled away and giggled. "I love you, Ryan." Those four words hurt me deep, but it didn't break my heart. I'd known something had been going on with her for weeks.
" I love you,too." He replied. "So, when are you going to tell Troy?"
"I will. I promise...eventually." At this point, I rounded the corner. I didn't want to hear anymore.
They immediately seperated. "Hey, baby. Ryan."
"Hey Troy." Gabriella walked over and took my hand. "I'm sorry you guys lost."
"It's okay." I kissed her head. " Let's go."
"Okay." We started walking and she turned back and waved. "Bye Ryan."
"Bye." He replied, as I rolled my eyes and pulled her along."
*Taylor*
I nursed my bruises with a cold wet washcloth. I sighed with relief that they weren't going to be noticeable at school tomorrow. The majority of them were one my chest. I put the washcloth down, walked back into my bedroom and laid across my ed. I looked up at the place my Chris Brown poster once was. It had be replaced with a Rihanna poster. I had been Chris' biggest fan up until February. I,once, thought I was gonna be Taylor Brown, until I found out he hit Rihanna. Now, his face made me sick to my stomach. I wanted him to ROT in jail, for him and for Chad.
I heard a tapping on my window. I knew it had to be Troy, throwing whatever kinds of candy he had at my window. I walked over and opened the window. "What do you WANT, boy?"
"Just checkin' in on you." He smiled as his blue eyes brightened.
"Well, thanks." I sat in the window pane. "How are things with you and Gabriella?" I watched the dark shadow pass across his face before answering. "Troy."
He sighed and smiled. "We're fine." They were so NOT fine, but I played along.
"Good. We wouldn't want East High's cutest couple to be having problems, would we?"
"Nope." He smiled and his eyes lit up. " What about you and Chad? We don't want East High's SECOND cutest couple to be having problems, would we?"
I frowned."Good Night,Troy." I closed the windows.
*Troy*
I closed my bedroom window and walked toward the top bunk. I could never figure out why I had bunk beds, but I like the choice of where to sleep. I thought about Taylor's reaction when I asked her about Chad. I couldn't help but think about Chad's last girlfriend, and how he hit her. There was no way he could be hitting Taylor though, he had gotten psychiatric help and was doing better. I wouldn't be surprised if Taylor knew about his past.
I turned my attention to the picture of me and Gabriella on the nightstand. I reached down and knocked it over. It still hurt me that she would cheat. I rolled over and looked toward Taylor's window. I smiled softly as I thought about our last 15 years of friendship. Suddenly what Gabriella did, didn't hurt anymore. I sighed as I came to the realization, "I'm in love with Taylor McKessie."
