April 27.

That was the first time he ever crossed my mind. And this is where our story begins. He was one of the most popular guys in school. He was the life of the party, the guy everyone loved. That guy who you could always turn to, the guy that every girl would kill to call their own. I was the quiet one, the sheltered one. I was damaged, scared. He was everything I wasn't but everything I wanted.

He walked down the hall so effortlessly, his friends following in his confident but easy footsteps. I stood quietly at my locker, gathering my things and trying not to draw any attention to myself.

"Hey, are you okay?" he stopped beside me as I tried to bury my face as far into the metal space as I could. "Is someone bothering you?"

"I'm fine, I'm always fine." I said as I pulled my anatomy book out of my locker.

"I'm Emmett by the way." he smiled. "I've seen you around but never got the chance to say hi."

"Rose, I know who you are." I was trying to keep this as short and less painful as I could. Every guys the same, and every person you let close to you is just going to hurt you in the end. Both were inevitable facts. Besides, he was probably just saying hi to be nice to me. There were so many other girls who he'd rather spend his time with. I glanced over at his group of friends. The majority were girls. All were pretty, skinny, and dressed to impress, the exact opposite of me. Christina, the queen bee of his friends caught my glance and scoffed. Yeah, I was nothing compared to her.

"Okay, well this might be a little weird considering I just met you," he laughed. No, please don't ask me out. I don't need a pity date. "but there's that movie, you know, about the demon in the mirror? I was wondering if you wanted to go see it with my friend and I."

I looked at him for the first time up close. His short, black hair shined under the white school lights, and his muscular body towered over mine. He was perfect. "Maybe, I'll see if I'm free."

"Cool." he smiled, "I'll pick you up around four."

Before I could say a word he disappeared down the hall with queen bee and his other friends.

I sighed and gathered my stuff. I couldn't get out of it.

"Rose!" my best friend in the entire world, Amanda, came bounding down the hall. "I just saw that! Let's go, we're getting you ready!" She grabbed my hand and we bounded down the hall, past the crowd Emmett was in, and into the parking lot. "Let me in! Let me in!" she banged on the door of my 2001 Toyota Corolla until I finally unlocked the door and got in faster than I've ever thought possible. "DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG YOU'VE CRUSHED ON HIM?!"

"I know, but crushing and going out with are two completely different things, Manda." I sighed and pulled out of the school parking lot. "Besides, I think it's just a pity thing."

"WHY WHY WHY would it be a pity thing?! Look at you! You're beautiful!" She smacked my shoulder.

"Have you seen the girls he hangs out with?" I sighed and looked at myself in my rearview mirror. My long blonde hair was pulled into a pony tail, and my eye liner had worn off, giving me raccoon circles around my blue eyes.

"Christina and Rebecca? Please, they have nothing on you. They're all just bitches who everyone's had. You're the exact opposite."

"I know, but he's the life of the party, and I'm the one who never goes to a party. We're opposites."

"Hey now, opposites attract."

I sighed and pulled into my spot in front of my house. This is going to be a long night. We walked into my house and past my mom who sat in th living room watching her soap operas. "Mom, is it cool if I go out tonight?"

"Where ya goin?" she smiled and looked up from the tv.

"Out with this guy Emmett. He asked me to go out with him and his friend to go to the movies."

"Of course babe, have fun!"

I sighed and made my way up the steps. Who would ever want a girl as damaged as I am? My past was filled with ghosts, and after several suicide attempts under my belt, I had settled into a routine of self harm. He didn't know what he was walking into asking me out, but as soon as he found out he would walk out like everyone else.

If I just keep my walls up and don't let him in at all I would be fine.

Maybe things will be okay after all.