Demi's P.O.V

This is not how I imagined my senior year to be. I'm moving to California because of my dad's job. I mean a whole new state? That's just crazy! When I talk to my parents about it, they just tell me that maybe something good will come out of it. What good could come out of moving to a new place during your SENIOR YEAR? Nothing. I look up from my iPhone as we pulled into the driveway of our new 'home'. I'm not going to lie…it was pretty nice /x1eUY. And big. But it would never be the same as our old house. I hear my parents yell at me to get out of the car and unpack.

"Coming!" I yell back as I roll my eyes. I grab a box out of the giant moving truck and head into the house. The inside was pretty amazing too. I set the box in the living room and go outside to get more boxes. I go to the loading truck and grab a box, I turn around and all of the sudden there is a boy standing there. I jump.

"Oh, uh, hi." I said looking at the boy. He chuckles.

"Hey. I'm Joe. I live next door." He points at a house next to mine.

I shake his hand and tell him my name. "I'm Demi."

Joe smiles. "Demi. I like that name. Well Demi, do you need help moving boxes?"

I smiled at him and replied "Oh no, I don't want to bother you. Plus, my parents are here helping."

"You're not bothering me. I was just going for a walk anyway."

I laughed. "Okay. If you want to help, it would be appreciated." I said smiling at him.

"Great." He said picking up a box and heading towards my new home.

I grabbed a box and followed behind him. Walking in, we saw my parents.

"Mom, Dad, this is Joe. He lives right next door. He saw we were unloading and came to help." I said setting my box down.

"Well that was awfully sweet of you." My mom said grabbing the box from him and setting it on the floor.

"Oh it isn't a problem." Joe said.

We all talked for a bit and finished unpacking until it started to get late.

"I should go. My mom is probably wondering where I am." I laughed and stood.

"I'll walk you out." I walk with him to the door and it's pretty quiet. We get to the door and he turns to me.

"Sooo…" I hear him say. I giggle slightly.

"So thanks for helping us Joe. We would have been moving boxes for a week if it wasn't for you." I say gratefully.

"No problem! I was glad to help." Joe said sticking his hand out. I shake it for the second time today and tell him goodnight.

I shut the door as soon as he is out of sight and turn around smiling. Maybe moving here won't be so bad after all. I mean…nice house, cute boy next door. Then I remember that I have to start school tomorrow. Great. Senior year and I only have one friend. Or so I think.

When I got to school the next day, I see Joe talking to some girls. I walk over to him, smiling, and say hi.

Joe turns to me and smirks. "Hey cutie." He says winking at me. I swear I saw a glimpse of apology in his eyes. I look at him confused.

"My parents wanted me to make sure I than-" I started to say, getting cut off.

"Joe always makes out with a girl before Spanish class." Some random girl on his side told me.

"That's uh, great I guess. I'll talk to you later then Joe."

"Later babes." Joe said.

Honestly, I'm not surprised. All guys are manwhores these days. I shook my head. I bumped into someone and look up. She smiles at me sadly.

"I see you met Joe." She rolls her eyes. "Let's just say he's the school manwhore. Gets every girl he wants and doesn't stop until he gets them."

I shake my head. "I see. I'm Demi." I smile at her and stick out my hand.

She smiles and shakes my hand. "I'm Selena."

We walk to class together and I spend the rest of the day avoiding Joe.

I decide to walk home after school. My car still hasn't got here yet and I don't want to be that senior that rides the bus. My mom dropped me off this morning so I didn't have any problems. I groaned as I looked up at the sky. It had started to rain and I still wasn't very sure about the way back to my house. I see a car pull up next to me so I walk a little faster. I was scared, who wouldn't be. The car catches up to me easily and the driver's window is rolled down. I look over and see Joe. I roll my eyes and keep walking. I hear a car door shut and Joe call my name.

"Demi! Demi!" Joe calls. I sigh and turn around.

"What Joe?"

"Demi, let me drive you home? It's raining."

I sigh and think about it. I really don't want to get sick, and most importantly, lost. "Fine Joe. My house and that's it."

Joe sighs and takes his jacket off, wrapping it around me. I want to take it off, but it's so warm. We walk back to his car and he starts driving. The car ride was pretty awkward. We only talked when Joe asked me if I was okay. We pulled up at my house and I was getting ready to get out of the car.

"Demi?" I heard Joe say. I turned to him finally letting my anger out.

"What Joe? Are you going to apologize so you can get in my pants?" I yell at him. "Am I some type of joke to you? Joe, when I met you, my first impression was that I finally found a guy who isn't a total douche. Now I see that you're just like the rest of the guys out there."

"I'm sorry, I'm not who you think." Joe said looking down at his lap.

"Then who are you Joe? Looks to me like you're just an asshole!" I yell at him.

"Even though we barely met, I feel like I can trust you…I just, I feel like I have to be a jerk in order for people to like me." He looks down. "Summer before freshman year my dad passed away…he got into a really bad accident at work, and by the time he got to the hospital, he was already gone. I was so angry and upset that I turned to drinking and sleeping around with random girls. That's how I spent my first two years of high school. After those years, my mom made me realize that what I was doing wasn't something that my father would approve of. I'm not that person anymore, but I feel like I have to keep up an act at school so people won't stop liking me."

I could tell Joe was being honest. I lightly grabbed his hand, "Joe, I think that if you were to stop the act, and be yourself, people would still like you and you would still have friends. And if your friends don't accept the real you, then they aren't really your friends."

"You're right Demi. I'm going to start being me. Not the me everyone thinks I am, but the real me." He said pulling me in for a hug. "Thank you so much for helping me realize that I don't have to be a jerk to have friends."

I smile at him and gently lean into his hug. We pull back slightly and I look into his eyes. He brings his face closer to mine and slowly puts his lips on mine. We kiss for a few minutes then he pulls away slowly.

"Demi?"

"Yeah?"

"For your information, my first impression of you was who is this beautiful, gorgeous girl? I have to meet her. And you know what?"

"What?" I asked him, leaning my forehead against his and smiling.

"I did meet her, and I don't regret it one bit." He whispered and leaned in kissing me again.

I smile in the kiss. Moving here wasn't so bad after all.