CHAPTER ONE

NEW KID

I adjusted my rearview mirror to pass a few seconds. I was growing impatient so I revved the engine again.

"Okay!OKAY!" a voice screamed through the front door. I smirked and looked up the walkway to the well decorated mansion.

I suppose rich snobby kids find other rich kids to befriend, well that's how I found Samantha Stewart. She was the only one who wouldn't talk to me when I first started kindergarten. As always I was the centre of attention because of my appearance.

Normally a child at six wouldn't mind people doting on their every need but I suppose I missed my mother's confident gene. So, when Sam didn't want to hang around me I was immediately intrigued to know her. How could someone possibly resist being friends with me?

I guess it was fate when we were placed near eachother at nap time. It was a habit of mine to lay awake in the dark carpetted classroom while the teachers had a coffee break in the hall outside. Suddenly I noticed a singing voice. I turned to my side and realized it was the red haired girl who refused to look at me, Sam.

She caught me watching her and immediately became defensive. I watched in silence until I finally said, "You have a pretty voice."

Her hazel eyes were shining even in the darkness. I could make out her smile, "Really?"

"Yeah," I said eagerly. I don't know what made me do it but I wanted to know more about her. "Do you want to be friends?"

She looked at me, "Friends?" she tested the words like it was another language. I propped my head on my shoulders and nodded. Sam wrinkled her nose, a cute habit I suppose, and shrugged.

That was the end of that. She still didn't want to talk to me. Being six years-old makes you do crazy things, like following your object of interest. So, when three other boys were teasing her pigtails and loud voice I was there to defend her.

My first ever fight, and I was saved by girl. Turns out Sam didn't need me to defend her honour and she was definitely stronger than I could ever be. She stayed beside me as I was still crumpled in the sandbox. Sam sat down and wrinkled nose, "What'd you help me for?"

It was my turn to shrug and hers to smile. Sam spit into her hand and held it out for me, "Friends?"

I grinned and spit into mine and shook hers, "Best friends."

"Sorry," a voice broke my reverie. I looked up to see Sam running up the passenger side of my silver convertible. She paused and whisteled at the car, "Sweet ride."

I propped the door open, "Only the best."

She laughed and her usual loud manner and tossed her expensive bag to the side and joined me in the car. Sam and I made an unusal pair. From all the traits we could've gathered from our rich, high-society parents we decide to be like 'common people'. Sure we continued to buy all the items money could afford, but our dreams didn't match our parents.

Sam wanted to be a professional music producer, but her mask in society was that of a cheerleader. Her boyfriend, Ryan Preslie, was the star athlete in the basketball team, but he was planning to be an engineer. And my mask?

My mask was easiest. I didn't have to be a jock or an active participant member in the student society, I was just the arrogant rich prick of Fallsview. As far as anyone knew I was going to follow into my father's footsteps. He was a famous lawyer and personal friend of the Mayor, and my mother was the leader of the Country Club council.

The lived in a perfect life, a mansion in the richest part of our small community. Their son was best friends with the daughter of another rich entrepeneur. I didn't want to shatter their dreams and so I continued to wear the mask of the snob who had a future already made for himself and didn't need anyone else.

The life of a lawyer and marrying an heiress was the not future I wanted. I had kept my parents happy in the past seventeen years, it was my turn. I wanted to be a writer, screen-play, novels, free lance, the whole package.

For now I had every girl at school swooning over me, and the teacher's willing to make life easier for me only because of my parent's grand status in Fallsview.

"Can you believe it's our senior year?" Sam gushed.

I shrugged, "I just can't wait to graduate."

"Oh, come on!" she punched me in my shoulder. Did I mention she was violent? "You have to join a club, or something. You're going to regret not experiencing enough in High School."

I snorted, "I doubt it. Besides, I'm already the editor of the newspaper."

"That doesn't count," she frowned. "You have to come out for a game-,"

"Please, nothing can convince me to go to your boyfriend's game," I cut her off.

She pouted, "I thought you guys were friends?"

Ryan has been her boyfriend for the past three years. I suppose you could call it one of those 'true love' couples, but it was too romantic for my taste. I admit we didn't like eachother at first, but he grew on me and eventually the three of us become a trio. Obviously, he's another product of the high class society.

"We were friends," I muttered. "He's still acting weird about what we told him before the summer."

I eased my way into the school parking lot. Fallsview High, a second home to twelve hundered students.

"He's not freaking over that anymore," Sam insisted.

"Oh, yeah? Then why did he run when I saw him at the Fallsview festival?" I laughed again.

She rolled her perfect eyes, "That was three weeks ago."

I parked farthest away from the school doors, in the shadow of the school's walls. "So, has three weeks made the difference?"

She grinned and reached for her oversized bag, "Of course."

Just when I was going to insult him a new voice interrupted us, "Sam!"

"Speak of the devil," I muttered as Ryan approached the car. I got out with my usual grace.

"Ryan!" she squealed and hugged him. I watched the exchange whilst swinging my keys around.

They pulled away and he faced me akwardly. He tugged at his polo shirt. "Erm..." he began. Sam gave him a push towards me. "Look, dude...uh, sorry for acting like a..." he searched for some words.

"An asshole?" I suggested with a smirk.

He grinned back,"Yeah. Apology accepted?" he offered me his hand. I rolled my eyes and shook it.

"So..." he laughed and looked at me.

I groaned, "I knew this was going to happen."

"Ryan. Don't do you dare," Sam came to my defense.

He only grinned at me, "Oh come on!" he protested. "Don't I get any revenge for his initiation when we first started dating?"

I sighed, "Okay, I guess." I raised my hands in surrender, "Give me your best."

He laughed again, "Aidan," he started but couldn't finish without laughing.

"Just get it out of your system," Sam punched him in the arm.

He winced, but used to her violence, "I just can't believe Fallsview's manwhore is...gay." Ryan failed to keep back his grin.

I smirked, "I am not a manwhore."

He ran his fingers through his sandy hair, "That's not what Stacey said over the summer."

"Stacey Winkler?" Sam shrieked in her loud voice, which only made it worse, "But she was dating Danny."

I shrugged on my designer backpack, "They were taking a 'break'."

"For a week," she said.

I chuckled, "It's not my fault she couldn't resist taking a turn with me."

Ryan hung his heavy arms around our shoulders as he walked between us. "Man, you're like a legend. I never would've guessed you were gay."

"And neither will anyone else if you keep saying it so loudly," I warned.

"Relax, I can keep a secret. How long have we known eachother?" he messed up my hair.

"Too long," I complained and tried to pull my hair from my face. It was hanging just below my ear, jet black and framing my face perfectly, if I do say so myself. I grinned ay my reflection in the glare of the glass door before we headed inside.

The halls were crowded on the first day and noisy as per usual. Ryan easily caught a basketball thrown his way and Sam greeted a few other cheerleaders in her tinkling voice. I ran my fingers through my hair and caught a few girls shudder beside me.

I kept myself from laughing and inclined my head in their direction. I turned around before I could see them squeal at my acknowledgment.

"Aidan!" I turned around to see David Pru heading towards.

"Hey!" he greeted me again as soon as he was near me. I grunted in reply. His sidekicks, Manson and Craig stood at his sides like bodygaurds.

There was a huge difference between me and them. My parent's may be friends with their parents but I always stayed as far away as I could. Sam, Ryan and I and I may came from a snobby backgrounds but we chose to live differently.

While I pretended to be a prick, they were sincerely your usual filthy rich kids who enjoyed looking down on the underclassmen ( the students who lived in the suburb area). David was always trying to get closer to me, even though his money had already gaurenteed him a spot in the In-Crowd.

"How was your summer?" he asked in his british accent.

"Fine," was my curt answer. He grinned through his greasy hair and custom made attire.

"Oh yeah, I heard," he winked and nodded his head towards a blond head cheerleader.

"Who? Stacey?" I said, not bothering to look in that direction. "She's only one of many," I rolled my eyes.

As I mentioned before, my parents had the "perfect life" image and I didn't want to ruin it for them. So I dated as many girls as I could, who would ever suspect I wasn't interested in them at all? It had been working so well for the past seventeen years, one more wouldn't make a difference.

David snickered in his obnoxious way, "So, have you heard?"

"What?" I hadn't asked Sam for the latest gossip updates.

"There's a new guy coming to school this year," he flashed me another grin.

Fallsview was a fairly small town, any new family that moved here wouldn't go unnoticed. A new student? I shrugged, "He's probably just another suburb." I used the term for the underclassmen.

Him and his friends snickered together making me impatient, "What?" I asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

"He's no suburb," Manson smiled, he was the typical dumb jock, linebacker actually.

"He's Dave's new neighbour," Craig spoke up, he was point guard for basketball.

I turned to David, "Your neighbour? That means he lives two streets away from me. How come I never heard about him sooner?"

He was obviously pleased he could give me news that no one else had, "Oh, they just moved in yesterday."

I nodded, "I guess he wont come to school today then."

He looked eager to reply but Ryan was back at my side. We were an equally tall height, so I couldn't miss the expression on his face.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

He took hold of my shoulders and faced me towards the main school entrance. "Looks like you've got some competition," he laughed.

"What're you talking about?" Then I followed the gaze of thirty other girls, "Oh."

"Yeah, I guess the new kid starts today," David smiled.

CHAPTER TEN

I entered the cafeteria, but I knew something was wrong as soon as I opened the door. I quickened my usual slow stride towards the elite table.

"What's going on?" I looked at David. The others at the table looked up and immediately began whispering.

"I think I can answer that," I faced Seth's low voice. He tightened his tie and smirked at me, "What's going on is...the dethroning of the Prince of Fallsview."

"Prince? What, you mean me?" I pointed at myself. David sat like stone at the table. "And how exactly am I being dethroned?"

He gave me another evil grin, "Well no one's going to idolize someone like...you."

"Someone like me?" I stepped closer to him. We were the same height.

"Everyone saw the picture of you and Jacob," before the words even left his mouth the entire cafeteria had their eyes on us. He wasn't kidding when he meant everyone.

"You took the picture didn't you, you asshole!" I pushed him.

He landed onto the table. Everyone at the table rushed away from table. David grabbed my arms, "Dude, stop! You can't get suspended."

I tried to break away from him and suddenly I felt three other guys hold me back, "Let. Me. Go. I'm going to beat the fucking shit out of him! Let me go!"

Seth wiped his lip as Mason helped him up. He approached me. I pulled harder on my restraints, David sent me a dangerous look, "Why'd you take the picture?" I snarled.

He only stepped closer, "How does it feel, Aidan Daere? To fall from your pedestool."

"Come a little closer," I growled, "and I'll show you how it feels."

"What's going on here?" As soon as the teacher headed towards us, everyone backed away from the scene. "Who was fighting?" She looked between Seth and me and noticed David pulling me back.

"No one, Miss Schiffer." Seth sent her an oily smile, "Everything's been settled."

She gave us another skeptical look before leaving the scene. I pulled my shoulder away from David, "I can handle myself."

I headed back through the double doors of the cafeteria. The laughter and the conversations continued to grow louder. As soon as I was in the hall someone called my name.

I turned around in exhaustion I didn't know I had, "What, David?"

He ran his fingers through his hair, "I...look I'm sorry about what he did to you...and I..."

"You'd rather not be seen with me," I finished for him.

He looked away, "Man, I'm sorry, but the other guys on the basketball team will make it hard for me and the Scholarship Scouts are going to be here next week...I need them on my side." His voice had a hint of pleading.

I sighed, "Sure. Whatever." He had been my friend for the past three years, and the second person to ever know my secret. I knew it would upset Sam to see her boyfriend get humiliated because of me. She was my best friend, it would hurt me more if my life was hurting theirs'.

"We can still hang out...during the weekend," he said quietly.

A dry laugh left my mouth before I registered it, "But not in public?" I paused the guilt trip, "Look, I understand. You and Sam don't have to worry about me."

He looked at me and gave me an outstretched hand, "Thanks." I shook it and walked away.

It was only until I reached the school parking lot that I let out a deep breath. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed an all too familiar number. There was only the answering machine.

"Sam..." I didn't realize my voice was cracking. Maybe the Prince really had been dethroned. "I know you saw the picture, and I know you don't want to choose between me or David. I've already made the choice so you can quit pretending to be sick and come back to school."

I looked around the empty the parking lot, "Sam...we've been best friends since daycare and I've never asked for anything, but I need you." I gave another low laugh, and shivered. "Can you believeit? Aidan Daere is asking for something?"

Just when I decided to hang up I heard a faint click, "Aidan?"

I sighed, "...hey."

I could hear her breathing, "I'm sorry I didn't come." I didn't respond, "Do you think we could meet now?"

I looked back at the school, "Yeah, I haven't gotten anything else to do. It'll be like old times, when we skipped school...the usual meeting place?"

"Yeah. I'll meet you there in fifteen minutes."

"Okay," I hesitated, "Wait!"

"...yeah?"

"You saw the picture, Sam," I kicked the rubble at my feet, "Is there anything wrong with me loving another guy?"

I could sense her reluctance to answer, "Actually, Aidan, yes. If you weren't a high-society brat maybe you'd have a chance...but you can't afford to fall in love in this world."

Even though I expected this I couldn't help by feel a sharp pain in my chest, "I never really belonged in this world with the elite."

"Yes, you do, Aidan. You always have," she murmurred into her phone.

We said our goodbyes and I took another look at the school before heading for my car. As usual is parked at the farthest end, where it could remain in the shadows of the trees on the greenery beside it.

I tried to block my conversation with Jacob just yesterday. His perfect face still confident in my memory.

FRONT PAGE of the school newspaper. Their relationship was no longer a secret. Neither was everyone's hatred against them.

"Jake, it's not secret...maybe we should end it," I resisted the painful feelings. "What did you think was going to happen to us?"

"Nothing. We'll just stay this way forever," Jacob smiled. "So what if they call us a few names?"

"It's not the names, Jake. It's the threats!" I was trying to keep my anger in all this time. I slammed my fist against the wall, "I don't want you getting hurt! They wont target me because my parent's are powerful in this society...but you... You only moved here last semester."

He shrugged, "I don't care. What we do has NOTHING to do with them. I'll keep fighting for us no matter what they say."

"Then I'll be there even in the end..."

I never expected the end to come so soon. There wasn't enough time for me to react when I was ambushed at my car. I didn't a psychic to tell me that this wasn't going to end well. The last thing I saw was Seth's smug face. Blackness filled my mind.