Chapter 1.
Emma stared at the room around her, half done up, half still in boxes. She had had nearly all summer to unpack the boxes and put everything away in her new room yet still on the first day back to school it wasn't complete. Finally she found the box with "School" written on it and pulled out her belongings her bag, books and pencil case. Emma hastily stuffed her school belongings into the bag.
She couldn't be late today, today was the trial day to see if there new life would fit together. Emma, her mother, her brother and her mother's new fiancé and daughter. Today everyone went back to school and work. Everyone was busy, no one left behind to pick up the pieces.
It was however her first day back at school, and she had to look her best, she had a reputation to maintain. Emma ran her hands through her long dark brown hair, checking if it was neat and straight, she wouldn't have time to straighten it any more. She then leaned forward to check her makeup, and quickly added lipstick. Emma smiled at her reflection Perfect she thought.
Her mother banged on her door several times "Emma! Hurry up we have to go or we're going to be late!"
"Sorry, I'm coming!" she called back and quickly followed her mother out to the car.
"Ok, you have to drive Wesley to school before you go and I'm taking Stella to her pre-school." Her mother reminded her, as if they hadn't discussed the plan several times that week. "Jay has already left for work."
Jas was Jennifer's new fiancé, and soon to be Emma and Wesley's Stepfather. Emma knew Wesley was seriously upset about their mother remarrying, but at the age of 12 he no doubt believed that Jay was a replacement to their father.
Having the only father in your life die at the age of 14 leads to a serious rebellious teenage phase, which led to sneaking out of the house, parties with alcohol, secret boyfriends even smoking despite her father having died from lung cancer that was believed to have developed from his lifetime of smoking. Anything to make the pain of loss go away. Emma had started to delve into the world of drugs, when someone she knew had an overdose and ended up in hospital she was scared away from them and for that she was now grateful.
Wesley was the opposite. He seemed to accept it at first until Jennifer, their mother, started to seriously date Jay. When they announced their engagement he had an explosive reaction, yelling and crying. He was slowly adjusting, Jay was a charismatic guy, and no doubt their mother had told Jay of Wesley's reaction had spent the summer attempting to bond.
Emma kept a watchful eye on Wesley once she dropped him off at his school, ensuring he actually entered the school and didn't sneak off. That was one of her own tricks over the last two years when she felt the pain too strong, and later when she had stopped caring.
Emma couldn't quite remember when she had started caring again, but she knew she had. Slowly she started to let go of everything that made her mad and sad and she didn't need to sneak out, go to parties, drink alcohol, or any of it. Of course she still did all of these things in a social aspect, just not to the extreme extent she had been doing before. Now the parties she went to were with her friends not random strangers just to get out.
Emma made a promise to herself that she would put all her effort into the next school year, her future was now depending on how she performed and she couldn't afford to ruin her future.
Walking into the school she was greeted by her three best friends Savannah, Angela and Natalie. They squealed with delight and all rushed forward for a group hug.
"Come on, I'll show you your locker," Savannah said "Yours is right next to mine!"
Emma had missed orientation yesterday so she was relying on her friends for her locker and schedule. "Thanks, do you have my class schedule?" Emma asked. Natalie whipped a piece of paper out of her bag "Sure do, we have 2 classes together," Natalie said with a wink "I already checked."
"I only have 2 classes with you," Angela said slightly dismayed "But Savannah and I have 4 classes together."
"And I have 3 classes with you!" Savannah added happily.
Emma browsed her schedule "What class do we have first?" she asked
"We have Spanish together, let's go!" Savannah said, linking her arm around Emma's.
"Wait up, I'm in Spanish too!" Angela called catching up to them
"See you later Natalie!" Savannah called back to Natalie as they all left for their classes.
School started as Emma expected, a blur of familiar faces chatting and laughing. Emma and her friends gained the most attention in their grade, as they always did. They were the perfect combination and the prettiest girls in the school. Emma with her long dark brown hair and emerald green eyes, Savannah with her bouncy red curls and warm brown eyes, Angela was the traditional American beauty with tan skin, blond hair and blue eyes and Natalie was the striking Italian with waves of black hair, olive skin and chocolate brown eyes. Wherever they went they were flocked by boys who wanted to date them and girls who wanted to be them, and they all wanted to be in good favour with them.
Emma caught up with Natalie for her Biology class and she could tell by the look in her eyes she had something to tell her.
"Emma, I have some news I think you're going to like...a lot!" Natalie said with a smile "While you were all in Spanish without me I met the new student. Emma he is drop-dead gorgeous. All the girls are falling over themselves for him."
Emma was definitely interested, she had started the new school year single. By choice of course but she had no intentions of staying single much longer, and a hot new student sounded like the perfect option.
Natalie grabbed her hand "Emma, he's here," she whispered.
Emma turned towards the classroom door and gasped. The boy who entered was the most beautiful boy she had ever laid eyes on. He had perfect straight facial features, beautiful smooth pale skin, dark hair and the most mesmerizing eyes. Staring into them was like staring into a pool of gold and green and Emma simply could not look away. The boy made eye contact with her and seemed to have much the same reaction she did to him. He stopped and stared his mouth slightly agape, eyes widening with shock. Emma smiled and in that moment thought Oh yes, I'm going to make him mine!