Chapter 1

Megan POV

It was my first day of summer vacation. Finally! I was watching R5 videos on YouTube, when I heard someone knock on the door. Since my parents were at work, and my brother wasn't leaving his room anytime soon, I got up to answer it. I unlocked the door, only to find Riker Lynch standing on the other side. This was not happening!

"Hey, uh, we just got here like 10 minutes ago. We're staying in the house across the street for the summer. I was wondering if I could borrow some paper towels…?" Riker asked.

I just stood there with my mouth open, staring at him like an idiot. My brain finally processed what was happening.

"Sorry! Yeah, my name's Megan," I said, walking into the kitchen to get him the paper towels.

"Thanks. My name's Riker. Are you ok?"

I guess I didn't seem like I was totally there. My mind definitely wasn't.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Ok, well, thanks."

I watched Riker walk out my door and across the street with the paper towels. Riker Lynch was holding my paper towels! Focus brain! Why were R5 staying in upstate New York for the summer? There weren't many interesting things to do here. Just trees, mountains, and cabins. I walked upstairs to my room, still in shock of what just happened. Was that really Riker Lynch!? It had to be.

I put on some R5 music, and started typing an email to my best friend, Kayla. She wasn't an R5er, but she knew I was crazy about them. Halfway through my really long email, I heard another knock on my door.

"Hey, sorry to bother you again. I just wanted to return your paper towels," said Riker.

"Oh, thanks," I said, taking the paper towels back.

"Wait. Are you part of the R5 family?"

"What? Yeah."

"I see your pick necklace."

"Oh, yeah."

I could feel my face turning red. It was cool he noticed my necklace, but I knew I would only be another fan to him.

"Well, thanks. Do you want to come over tonight and meet the rest of the band?"

"Yeah, that would be so cool!"

"Ok, does 7:00 work?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, see you then."

I was going to meet R5! I ran back upstairs to finish my email, adding that I was going to meet them tonight. It felt like the afternoon dragged by as I waited for 7:00 to come.

My mom came home around 5:00 and started making dinner. I went downstairs to help.

"So, what did you do today?" My mom asked.

I started laughing like a crazy person, getting a strange look from my mom in return.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you!" I said.

"Did you get a boyfriend or something?"

"No! It's something way better than that!" I shouted.

"What could be better than that?"

"Mom! I met someone!"

"What do you mean?"

"I met someone famous!"

"Who would you meet around here that would make you all giggly like that?"

"Riker Lynch."

"He's the guy from that band you like right?"

"Yeah, R5."

"You met him!?"

"Yes!"

"No you didn't. Who did you really meet?"

"Riker! They're living across the street for the summer!"

"How did you meet him?"

"He came over. He needed to borrow paper towels. He noticed my necklace and invited me over at 7:00 to meet the rest of them!"

"Really?"

"YES REALLY!"

I helped my mom finish making dinner, while I thought about meeting R5. I was most excited to see Riker again though. He was always my favorite, but they were all pretty awesome.

My dad came home from work, and we all sat down to have dinner. I practically exploded when I got to retell the story of my afternoon. My dad wasn't crazy about R5, but then again, he was never crazy about any guy I ever talked about. He just didn't want me to grow up or get a boyfriend.

After dinner, I went back to my room, making sure my hair and makeup still looked perfect. My brother Toby came in suddenly.

"Can I help you?" I asked, annoyed he didn't knock first.

"Did you really meet that guy today?"

"Riker? Yeah why?"

"Doesn't he have a younger brother who's not in the band?"

"Ryland?"

"Yeah him. I always liked him. Do you think I could go over with you tonight?"

My brother Toby always locked himself in his room all day. I was taking any opportunity I could to get him out of there.

"Sure. I'll ask Riker."

At 6:55 Toby and I left and walked across the street to R5's house.

"Hey. Megan, right?" Riker asked.

"Yeah."

"Who's this?"

"My brother Toby. He was wondering if he could meet Ryland?"

"Yeah, sure. Come in. We're still unpacking, so don't mind the boxes everywhere."

Riker showed Toby which room was Ryland's and then led me through their house to the basement. Ross, Rydel, Rocky, and Ellington were all sitting on a couch.

"Guys, this is our neighbor I told you about. Her name's Megan," said Riker.

"Hi," I said, quietly.

The rest of the band introduced themselves, and talked a little bit about themselves. They asked me some questions about myself and the area they had just moved to. They seemed just like they did on YouTube. They were all really sweet and funny, especially Ellington.

After a little while of talking to them, Riker offered to walk me and Toby home. Of course I said yes. He led me back up the stairs from the basement, and out the front door.

"It was really cool hanging out with you tonight. Usually fans are really crazy. But you're different, in a good way," said Riker, smiling.

Yeah you don't think I'm crazy. If only you could see the chaos going on inside my head right now.

"Thanks for walking me home," I said.

"No problem. I'll see you guys tomorrow," said Riker.

"Thanks, bye."

I walked upstairs to my room and collapsed on my bed. Best. Night. Ever. Toby came in shortly after.

"So how was your night?" Toby asked me.

"Amazing! You know I love them. Why wouldn't it be amazing?"

"Yeah I know. You have posters covering your walls everywhere!"

"How was your night? Did you meet Ryland?"

"Yeah. He's really cool. We played videogames and talked about stuff."

"Stuff?"

"You know. Just normal stuff when you meet people."

"Yeah."

Toby left my room, leaving me so I could go to bed. I fell asleep, thinking about everything that had happened today. Amazing.

The Next Morning…

Megan POV

"Megan wake up!" Toby was shouting, while shaking me.

My eyes snapped open as I smacked his hand away.

"What do you want?" I groaned, still not fully awake yet.

"Someone's at the door."

"So? Go answer it."

"No way! I can't!"

"You're older than me, you'll be fine," I said turning away from him and closing my eyes.

"No, Megan! I think it's that guy you like!"

"Riker?"

"He has blond hair right?"

"Toby, there's 2 guys that have blond hair, Riker and Ross. Was it the guy that answered the door last night?"

"Yeah, him."

"Well then why can't you answer it? You know him! He's not going to murder you or anything!"

"Can you please just answer it?"

"Toby, my hair's a mess. I can't."

"Here. Now you're good. Go answer it," said Toby as he took off his hat and put it on my head backwards.

"Toby!"

"Come on!"

Toby picked me up from my bed and carried me all the way downstairs to the front door. I could see Riker standing outside. Toby put me down and ran back upstairs to his room.

"Hey," said Riker.

"Hi, sorry, Toby just woke me up. My hair's just…"

"It looks fine. My parents are having a barbeque tonight, and wanted to invite your family over to get to know you guys."

"Oh, cool. My parents aren't home right now. When they get home I can tell them. What time?"

"6:30."

"Ok. Sounds good."

I closed the door as Riker turned to leave.

"TOBY!"

"What?"

"Why did you make me do that!?" I shouted.

"What?"

"Answer the door! My hair looks awful!"

"I gave you my hat. You looked fine."

"Ugh!"

I angrily walked up the stairs to Toby's room, and threw the hat back at him before heading back to my own room. I took a shower, and then went downstairs to make lunch. Toby was sitting at the kitchen table playing a game on his laptop.

"Are you making lunch?" He asked.

"For me I am."

"What about me?"

"You think I should make you lunch after this morning?"

"Please?"

I stared at Toby, my face emotionless.

"What if I help?" Toby asked.

"Ugh fine. What should we make?" I asked.

"Something easy."

"Toby. Don't be so lazy!"

"Fine then you pick."

"How about macaroni and cheese?" I asked, laughing.

"What?"

"You know Rocky? There's a video of him involving macaroni and cheese."

Toby rolled his eyes at me.

"Let's just make it. What do you want me to do?"

"Get the ingredients."

"What are they?"

"I don't know! Look at the instructions on the box!"

After a very long afternoon with Toby, our mom came home.

"Mom, you know how the Lynch's are our new neighbors?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"They invited all of us over for a barbeque tonight."

"Ok, what time?"

"6:30."

"Sounds good."

I walked upstairs to go talk to Toby.

"So are you excited to hang out tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah. Ryland's pretty cool. What about you?"

"Of course I am!"

I walked back to my room and got ready to leave. Finally, my mom, dad, Toby, and I walked across the street to the Lynch's house. Riker answered the door, just like last night. He led us all inside and introduced my parents to everyone. Then, we headed outside where their dad was barbequing. Their backyard was amazing. They had a really big pool, and woods that seemed to go on forever. We were in the mountains and there were always a ton of trees everywhere. Riker walked up behind me, scaring me. I jumped as his hand touched my shoulder.

"It's ok, it's just me," said Riker.

"You scared me!" I said, looking up at him.

"Sorry."

"Your backyard is really cool. The woods are really pretty," I said.

"I haven't been in them yet. But yeah, they are. Maybe tonight we can play manhunt in them."

I wasn't big on manhunt, but I agreed anyway, since it meant I would be spending time with the Lynch's.

After dinner, Toby caught me, and wanted to talk.

"Ryland told me that you agreed to play manhunt with us tonight. Are you really?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Aren't you scared? You never play when my friends are over."

"Of course I'm scared. But they don't need to know that! I'll just stay close to the house."

"Are you sure? I can tell them I need you to help me with something at home, if you want."

"No, I'll be fine. But thanks."

Even though we fought sometimes, Toby and I cared about each other. Toby was always willing to save me from awkward situations, and I did the same for him. Being my older brother, he was always a little bit protective of me.

Ross wrote down everyone's names on pieces of paper and put them in a hat. He drew 2 at a time, making 4 teams of 2. I got paired with Riker, Toby was paired with Rocky, Ellington was paired with Ross, and Ryland was paired with Rydel. Ellington and Ross were the first team picked, so they got to hunt first. Riker and I ran off into the woods in one direction, and the other teams ran off in other directions. Riker was in front of me, leading me further and further into the woods. I could barely see now. It was really dark. Riker stopped running suddenly, causing me to crash into him.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," I said immediately.

Riker laughed.

"It's fine."

"Where are we?" I asked.

"I don't know."

I started panicking a little bit. I couldn't see the back lights of his house anymore.

"Are you ok?" Riker asked.

"Yeah."

"Ok. Let's go this way," said Riker, leading me off in a different direction.

I shivered as we walked along. I was wearing shorts and a tank top. Nights in the mountains could get a bit cold. Riker took off his sweatshirt.

"Don't tell me you're hot," I said.

"No, I'm giving it to you, silly," said Riker.

"I'm fine, really."

"You're shivering. Here," said Riker holding his sweatshirt out to me.

"Thanks," I said, taking it and putting it on.

Riker and I kept walking through the woods. I had no idea where we were going, but I kept following him. He stopped suddenly.

"Do you know what direction my house is?" Riker asked.

"What!? No! I was following you!" I said, starting to freak out.

"Yeah…"

"Riker, what are you doing!?" I asked as Riker started climbing up a tree.

"I'm going to see if I can see my house from here," said Riker as he climbed higher and higher.

"Be careful!"

*Snap

I looked around for the source of the snapping twigs. It was too dark and I couldn't see anything.

"Riker?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you hear that?"

"What?"

"Nothing, just hurry up," I said as I walked over to the tree he was in.

*Snap

"Riker hurry!"

*Snap

"Riker!"

Riker jumped down from the lowest branch, landing next to me. He put his arm on my shoulder, making me jump again.

*Snap

"Let's get out of here," said Riker, looking behind us.

We started walking quickly in a random direction Riker had chosen, away from the source of the snaps. He wasn't able to see his house, but we needed to leave. We walked on, followed by more snaps. When we stopped, so did the snaps. When we kept walking, the snaps started again. I could hear them getting closer and closer. Riker was walking so close to me now, I was surprised he hadn't crashed into me yet. He kept looking behind us, but never said anything. We kept walking, when all of a sudden, something grabbed me from behind a tree, and I screamed.