Elowyn was walking home when she recognized someone. It was the boy she met at her locker. Sweet! She thought to herself. But how would she approach him? She couldn't just walk up to him and say "hey, I'm glad your here, because I really like you though I only said one sentence to you."

Something unexpected happened. The boy walked up next to Elowyn. "Hey. I didn't get to introduce myself. I'm James Diamond. I live in the yellow house over there." Said the boy, pointing to the house next to Elowyn's.

Elowyn just stood there at a loss for words. He lived next door to her. It was like a dream come true. The story was classic: The cute boy moves in next to her and they somehow fall in love. Elowyn took a deep breath.

"I'm Elowyn Murray. I live next door to you. So, what got you into Hollywood?"

"I sing. You?" James asked.

"I'm a jazz dancer. I also do a lot of acting. It's really fun." She replied.

The two talked for about twenty minutes, just standing there. They talked about school, friends, jazz dancing, singing, acting, but not family.

"So, Logan has a crush on Wendy, and I was hoping you could help me with that." he said.

"Aw, he does? Yeah, I think I can set them up."

James smiled him signature million dollar smile. "So, uh, do you want to go roller-skating next Saturday? I heard there was this place near by and I thought it would be fun."

Elowyn was suddenly afraid to answer. She did not know how to skate. And she couldn't not be able to skate; she was perfect and perfect people have to be great at virtually anything. Before she could stop herself she confessed, "I don't know how."

"Oh, cool! I could teach you. It'll be fun." James said happily.

"Okay. Yeah. What time?" said Elowyn.

"Um, five o' clock. I'll pick you up." He replied. James' watch beeped. "Aw. I got to go. See you Saturday."

James walked up the walkway to his house. Elowyn was left in a state of pure joy. She had a date with James! Elowyn skipped off to her house, filled with happiness.


James ran up the walkway to his house, and crept inside. He was very suspicious. Elowyn Murray; where had he heard that name before. Then, it hit him. James had read the name in a local newspaper a year ago.

James ran into the family den. He started digging through old newspaper. And he found it. On the front of a paper was a picture of Dean Murray, father of Elowyn Murray. James read the article. It said he had been arrested for child abuse. It said he had hit Elowyn with a leather belt often. James was horrified. It was definatly her father, for this man in the picture resembled Elowyn so much. James thought hard. This was a secret, no doubt. But it was in the local Manhattan newspaper a couple years ago. And this was Hollywood. Nobody knew about this but James.

Elowyn was trying to fool everyone in Hollywood into thinking that this had never happened. But James knew. Trying to tell himself that it was a different Elowyn Murray was hopeless. The man featured in the picture resembled Elowyn too much for it to not be her father.

James was conflicted. What should he do now? He could come right out and tell Elowyn that he knew what happened. Or he could keep it a secret. Elowyn probably didn't want anyone to know about her past. James assured himself that the secret would be kept. No one knew he knows this horrible secret about the most popular girl in school. Her father had hit her when she was little, and her father was arrested and jailed.