CHAPTER 1

I was tired, sick, and stressed when I woke up for the first day of school. It was senior year at Dulaney High, and I was already ready for it to be over. I was done with the people, the teachers, and the awful school lunches.

"Rise and shine, little sister!" my 18 year old sister Kayla shouted, jumping on my bed repeatedly. I groggily shoved myself up from under the covers and glared at her. She gasped and ran out of the room, laughing. I threw the covers off of me and swung my legs over the bed and onto the ground. My toes hit the hardwood oak floor and my feet inched towards my slippers. I put them on and shoved myself up, my pink plaid pajama pants that were a bit too long falling over my ankles. I stretched and let my long brown hair down from its ponytail it'd been in all night. I yawned and walked to my closet, opening the doors and staring at my countless band T-shirts, V-necks, camisoles, skinny jeans, shorts, and skirts. I pulled a purple long sleeved V-neck and lilac camisole off of a hanger and paired it with some white short shorts. I exchanged my slippers for Vans and laced them up, heading downstairs for breakfast. My mom was in the kitchen, slaving away at making the perfect first-day meal like she did every year. Kayla walked in, sitting down next to me at the counter.

"Morning Kayla, morning Tayler." my mother nodded to each of us as she flipped pancakes. "Sleep good?" "Like a dream-" Kayla gushed.

"Like shit." I said at the same time. My father walked in as I said that and he chuckled.

"Watch your mouth, Tayler." he said, pulling my hair lightly. I swatted his hand away jokingly. We all sat down to breakfast, me and my father eating like pigs. I would always get along with my dad way better than my mom. It was the exact same with Kayla and Mom. They were two peas in a pod.

After breakfast, I climbed upstairs and into the bathroom, curling my long brown hair into luscious locks. I applied some thin eyeliner and mascara. And then I was done.

Year four, Dulaney High, here I come.

I walked downstairs to see Kayla had already left with her best friend, leaving me the car. I grabbed the keys, my backpack, and a sweater just in case. I hugged my dad and kissed my mom, and headed off. I walked out of the house and down my driveway and unlocked my car. I tossed my bag into the passenger seat and slid my sweater on.

"Tayler Noel Eakins." I heard. "My my, I thought you would've given up on Dulaney by now." I knew that voice anywhere. I mustered up my best 'bitch, please' face and turned to meet a boy I hated seeing every single year.

"Alexander William Gaskarth." I grinned sarcastically. "I'm not a quitter."

He smiled, the right corner of his mouth curling higher than the other. His light brown and blonde hair was cut to swoop left, with some still hanging down. His dark chocolate brown eyes studied my light green ones. Mine were full of disgust, his were full of curiosity. I hadn't liked Alex Gaskarth since we were little. He'd live next door to me for as long as I could remember. His best friend Jack Barakat and I were okay, but I couldn't be around Alex without getting pissed every two minutes. He drove me insane; mainly because he was such a prick to girls. Oh, and because of that one time in 8th grade when we played spin the bottle at Jack's house, Alex landed on me, and we had to make out in the closet for 10 minutes, and he stuck his tongue down my throat and his hands in my butt pockets. IN 8TH GRADE.

"Need a ride?" he grinned. I rolled my eyes and pointed to my car.

"Thanks but no thanks, Gaskarth." I hissed, opening my car door and getting in. He laughed and walked back to his house. I started the car and started driving off to school.

I pulled into the parking lot and gathered my stuff. I got out of the car and slammed the door shut, locking it as I walked away. A car blew past me, almost hitting me. I scoffed when the door opened, Blink 182 was blasting from the stereo, and Alex stepped out. Go figure. He would try to run my ass over. Prick.

I tossed my hair over my shoulder and walked across the lot to the campus. As soon as my feet hit the sidewalk of the school I groaned. I hated this place. Alex was right. I was surprised I hadnt quit on this place and moved schools.

I stopped at my locker and put in the combination I'd had for so many years. My fingers glided over the knob and I yanked the old, rusty locker open. I looked inside it, smiling at the posters, sticky notes, and stickers scattered about it. The mirror I had placed in it suddenly had more than my face reflecting in it. I turned and smiled at the skunk haired, brown eyed boy standing behind me.

"Hi, Jack." I laughed, giving him a big hug.

"Tayler! How the hell are ya?" he grinned his goofy grin and released me.

I shrugged. "could be better." I said. "I'd rather not be here another year but what can you do, ya know?"

He laughed. "Fair enough." He nodded to the parking lot. "I saw you almost get killed over there. I assumed you and Alex reunited?"

I groaned. "unfortunately." Jack sighed.

"You shouldn't be so harsh to him. He's not as bad as he seems."

I rolled my eyes. "Puh-lease. He's a man whore and he tries to run me over with his cars. He's pretty fucking bad!" I motioned to the parking lot.

Jack cracked a smile. "I'll see you around, Tayler." he said, giving me another hug. He left, and I shut my locker, meeting up with my girlfriends Stacy and Brittany. We talked a bit before the bell rang, and I headed off to the first of my four ninety minute classes, Advanced College Algebra. No sign of Alex or Jack in this class. I loved math, strangely. I loved it because there was only one answer; never multiple ways to configure things. You could go about it different ways but you always got the same answer.

My second hour class was English IV. I walked into the room, immediately seeing Alex. I rolled my eyes and took a seat rather far from him. But Alex was Alex, so he moved seats to sit right next to me.

"You couldn't stay over there, could you?" I complained. He laughed sarcastically.

"Please. Don't flatter yourself. I wasn't about to sit next to Calvin. He's gross as fuck." Alex said, shuddering.

I chuckled. "I hear he has dandruff."

Alex's eyes widened. "It's true. It's gross as hell dude! It's not even funny!" he said, panicked. I laughed.

"I guess I can't disagree with you there." I said, smiling.

Maybe Gaskarth wasn't all bad, like Jack said?

"Plus over here, I can see Brittany's ass a little bit better." he grinned at Brittany, who spun around in her chair and shot daggers at him with her eyes.

Nope. Alex was pretty much all bad.

I scoffed and looked away, scooting as far as my chair would let me.

In the middle of class, he leaned over and rested his hand on the back of my chair and yanked me closer. Alex leaned in and whispered in my ear. "You look like you don't wanna sit by my. Come on. I'm not gonna bite."

"No, you're not." I seethed back. "But I am afraid you're gonna stick your tongue down my throat and maybe your hands in my pants." I rolled my eyes and locked eyes with Alex when they got high enough. He was shaking with silent laughter.

"I'd only do that if you asked. Which you eventually will." he chuckled, removing his hand from my chair and focussing on the teacher again. I slammed my face down on the desk, and I kept it there the rest of the hour.

The bell rang and I jumped up, eager to be away from Alex. He flung up as soon as I did and we both sprinted to the door, awkwardly shoulder bumping as we slid through it. I turned to go left as he turned to go right and we ran right into each other.

My chest was to his and my arms hung straight down. Our eyes met, but for the first time in five years since the 8th grade incident, it wasn't because he'd said something to offend me or so I could tell him he was an asshole. It was just an accident, and it was hard to look away. But he didn't look away either, which blew my mind.

"I need to get to my 3rd hour..." I murmured. Alex nodded, walking around me, maintaining eye contact for as long as possible.

I shook my head and began to walk to my 3rd hour class-Chemistry. I opened the door to see my old as dirt teacher lecturing some kid. I looked around and saw Jack. He jumped up and stood on his stool.

"TAYLER! TAYLERTAYLERTAYLER! sit next to me so I won't fail this class!" he shouted. I laughed and took the seat next to him and he sat back down. He leaned over and hugged me. "How's your first day so far?"

I leaned back and thought about it. Do I count the Alex incident as making the day decent? Or as some freak accident never to mention again?

"It's the first day.." I trailed off. Jack chuckled and nodded, knowing where I was coming from.

We sat in silence for the rest of the hour. The only time I became interested in Jacks antics was when he received a text and glanced up at me quickly, then pounding the keys on his phone violently. Was he texting about me? And to who? I leaned slightly, trying to see, but Jack put his phone in his pocket, unaware I was trying to get a glimpse of the number.

The bell rang, and it was time for lunch. I walked with Jack, who was telling me about his band with Alex and two other guys; Rian Dawson and Zack Merrick. Zack went to a different school, but Rian would be eating lunch with us. Well, with them. I wouldn't be dining with Alex Gaskarth, that's for sure. I got my food and went to go sit with Stacy and Brittany, but I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I spun quickly to see Alex. He put his hands up in defense.

"Relax, Tayler. I just wanted to get your attention. Sit with us?" he asked.

"There's a hundred ways to get my attention, Alex. Wrapping your arms around my waist like I'm one of your sluts is not one of them. No, I will not sit with you." I glowered, pivoting to walk away. He reached out and grabbed my wrist, making me stop. He took my tray of food out of my hand and set it down on the table.

Then he pulled me close and kissed me.

I yanked back and slapped him across the face.

"Oh whatever, Tayler! That in the hallway, you know you felt it too! I could see it!" he shouted, rubbing his cheek I'd hit. Everyone was staring now.

"That meant nothing! We happened to run into each other! NOTHING!" I challenged. But I was lying. It had felt like something.

"Well you didn't ask me to move, and you sure as hell didnt try to break the eye contact!" he defended. I rolled my eyes.

"Fuck you, Alex. Fuck you." I said.

"You know you want to. When and where, babe?" he narrowed his eyes. I spun my head and glared at him. I reached into my pile of food and pulled out a sandwich. I chucked it at him and it hit him square in the face.

"FUCK YOU!" I yelled. Alex scraped the bread off of his cheek and watched it awkwardly as it fell to the ground.

"You bitch." he glowered. He grabbed a soda off of the table and threw it at me. The cola went all down my shirt front and in my hair. I was fuming.

I looked down at the soda then back up at Alex. I sprinted full speed at him and jumped on his chest. He fell over from the sudden weight and I went down with him. I sat on his stomach, hitting him in the chest repeatedly. He pushed me off him and stood, grabbing me and flinging me over his shoulder. He then dropped me on the salad bar, lettuce and dressings covering me.

He turned and laughed, walking back to his table and thinking he'd won.

I righted myself and jumped on his back, yanking on his hair. He gripped onto my legs so that if he went down, I went down with him.

"YOU CRAZY BITCH GET OFF ME!" Alex yelled, laying back onto the table so that I was trapped between him and the wooden table. I squirmed but it was hopeless. I wasn't going anywhere.

Jack pulled Alex off and Rian grabbed me as soon as Alex's weight wasn't holding me down. We were now both being held from opposite sides of the table. I kicked and fought.

"I HATE YOU ALEX GASKARTH!" I screamed.

And I really did.