Drake Parker rolled over and slammed his fist on his alarm clock. First day back at school today. Only this year, it would be his last. After all those years of hard work, this would be the year where they would be paid off. Drake rubbed his eyes and stretched while yawning. He hadn't gotten up this early for about three months. The other bed in the room was empty and he could see his stepbrother Josh decided to listen to their mom, and get up at five thirty, instead of six. Drake had rebelled and gone for the latest he could, six fifteen. Downstairs he could hear the whole family talking.

Drake crossed the room to his laundry basket and picked up a light brown tee shirt with a picture of a convertible sitting at the beach in white. He sniffed it before putting it on, clarifying it was clean. He changed into a new pair of jeans his mom bought him and checked himself out in the mirror. Everything seemed to be good so he ran to the bathroom and brushed his teeth before grabbing his car keys and slipping on his shoes.

"Drake, are you just getting up?" his little sister Megan said putting the carton of juice away in the fridge. Drake picked up an apple, rubbed it on his shirt and bit into it.

"You bet I did," he said giving a smile. Josh finished his milk and wiped his hands on his pants.

"Josh, don't do that," his mom snapped as she came into the room. Josh rolled his eyes and turned his body towards Drake in his car.

"Want to give me a ride to school?" he said with a smile. A week before school started again, Josh left his car in the street [which his mom told him not to do a thousand times, especially since their neighbors were so reckless] one night and they found it smashed in the front and unable to start up. Technically they couldn't do anything to their neighbors, since there was no proof they did it, but everyone knew. Drake looked up to the ceiling then back at Josh.

"Naah," he said shaking his head and following it by biting into his apple again. Their mom shook her head and sipped into her coffee.

"Drake, you'll drive Josh until he gets his car fixed. He did drive you three months before you got your license, and you told him you wouldn't forget about it.

"But mom, the thing is, I DID forget about it," he said throwing his core into the trash and started to head for the door. His mom stepped out in front of him.

"Drake Parker if you want to start this year off right, you'll drive your brother to school until he gets his car fixed."

"And if I don't?"

"And if you don't, you don't go out for the marking period." Drake groaned.

"Fine, fine. I'll drive him, but he better not forget about it!" Drake said pointing his finger at Josh. Josh shook his head and grabbed his book bag containing his bagged lunch, three new black ink pens and two spiral notebooks. Drake shook his keys as he made his way out to his Jungle Green 2005 Ford Explorer. It was his pride and joy; it was also the reason Josh couldn't park his car in the driveway the night his car got slammed. Drake wouldn't allow him, and told him to park it on the street. Josh was still mad about it.

"So are you picking up anyone today?" Josh asked, throwing his book bag in the backseat.

"No one," Drake said starting it up. Drake stealthily pulled out of the driveway and turned on the radio. Josh slammed his hands on his legs and bobbed his head to the catchy and upbeat tune pouring out of the next up and coming pop sensation. Drake pulled out his sunglasses and tried to duck down a bit. Josh may have lost 94 pounds and built himself over the summer, but he was still a loud, obnoxious, goofy stepbrother.

"So how is you and that girl, Sherri doing? Still hot and heavy?" Josh asked curiously about Drakes summer flame, Sherri Lakkes, a tall blonde haired girl with bright blue eyes and a healthy tan glow. Drake shrugged.

"I dumped her last night. I told her since we went to different school it'd be hard for us. That's a lot of crap, I was just sick of her." Josh nodded and looked out the window. Drake always had a girlfriend. And never for a long time. They all lasted a month or so. It wasn't like Drake was a pimp or a player, he just had trouble finding a girl that didn't get on his nerves or bore him after a while. A lot of them mainly talked about their beauty and made fun of others. Josh hated those girls; they weren't smart and certainly not funny. He wondered when someone would come along for Drake.

"I don't know if you'll ever find someone," Josh said bluntly as they pulled into the student parking lot. Drake shrugged and waiting for Josh to get out. Josh obviously wasn't going anywhere without Drake so Drake unwillingly turned off the engine and got out.

"Maybe this year I'll find someone," he said, swinging his keys around his finger, before oh-so-suavely dropping them into his jeans pocket. Just as he said that, a girl with shoulder length brown hair walked past in a short jean skirt and white v-neck shirt with a pink tank top under it. Drake's jaw opened and he stared at her.

"I need to talk to her . . ." he said, moving towards her. Josh grabbed him by the collar and held him back.

"Oh no tiger, I'm not letting you. You're going to date her for a month and let her go. Its not going to happen, I'm not allowing it." Josh said in a strict tone. Drake nodded his head and allowed his body to go back.

"Sadly, your right. I'd meet this girl, show her a good time, and then break her heart. She seems to into herself anyway," Drake said, not completely sure he wanted to listen to Josh. Josh smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Good to know." Drake watched the mysterious girl disappear into the school and snapped out of his trance. The five minute bell rung which meant he would have five minutes to get to homeroom for his schedule and locker. Josh left Drake at the water fountain to talk to that girl from Florida who apparently had a crush on him since last year. Drake smiled at his stepbrothers feeble attempts to impress the un-impressed and slid into homeroom. Ashley Parker, who had sat next to for the past five years in homeroom [counting middle school]. She smiled at him and looked at the desk in behind her.

"How ya doing buddy?" She asked with a hint of cheer in her voice. Ashley was always happy, and she made the day for Drake.

"Fine, just back to school blues," he said fidgeting in his seat. Ashley pushed a piece of blonde hair out of her face.

"So you and Sherri still going together?" she asked. Drake shook his head and looked down at his shoes.

"Naah, we broke up last night," he said. Ashley snapped her head down in a nod of approval.

"Good, she wasn't right for you anyway. Too into herself," Ashley said. Drake felt like her and Josh had been talking too much. "So who's on your mind now?" Ashley asked innocently as two more people came in. Drake shrugged.

"Well I saw this girl in the parking lot today, with brown hair and a jean shirt and a low v-neck white shirt, and a pink shirt under it. She was really pretty and I just never noticed her before. But I promised Josh I wouldn't go for her, he's really anti-girl right now with me." Ashley nodded and looked at the ceiling, as if in thought.

"I think that's Amanda," she said clicking her pen. Drake looked up.

"Amanda? How do you know her?" Ashley waved her hand in the air.

"Field hockey. She's our sweeper. I've known her as long as I've known you pretty much. She's really cool, and really funny." Drake smiled. "And single," Ashley said, her eyes narrowing onto Drake.

"I already promised Josh I wouldn't go near her . . ." he said. Ashley shrugged.

"That's too bad. Your name has come up a few times on the bus and once and while when we were all hanging out. Since eight grade she's had a mini crush on you. She was just too shy to ever tell you." Drake sighed. A girl who had a mini crush on him? Since the eight grade? Of all people, why did he promise not to go near her to Josh. Drake groaned and tried not to think about it. Stupid Josh.