Taking a deep breath I prepared my self. Prepared myself to face another day of school, another day of pretending. Hey at this rate I could become a great actress, maybe I should consider that for I career. I checked myself in my rear view mirror. Two dark chocolate eyes stared back at me, along with two perfectly arched eyebrows, a simple nose, and well shaped lips. I ran a hand through my shoulder length reddish-brown hair and decided this was as good as it was going to get. Getting out of the car, I grabbed my backpack from the backseat and locked the car. Adjusting the bag on my shoulder, I confidently walked towards the school, my sneakers making no noise on the asphalt. I paused before the door to the student center, I smoothed out white v-neck blouse, noticing how dark the blouse made me, and then doubled checked to see if my wallet was in the back pocket of my jean shorts. I told myself to look at the upside; it was Friday, just today and then two days of peace; plus only one week left of school after this and I was done. Graduation was next weekend. Taking another deep breath I plastered a fake smile on my face and opened the door and instantly my ears were filled with the noise chatter of everyone making small talk. It wasn't half as loud as it would be at lunch. Most people were still half asleep at this hour in the morning. I myself, was only halfway awake but I had to make myself look awake, that's were makeup came in handy.

The student center was a fairly large square area where everyone hung out. There were many wood benches and several tables and chairs place around. To the right and left were hallways where the class rooms where. If you continued walking through the student center you would again find two halls but these ones were different. One hall led to the cafeteria and gym and the other led to the office, the teacher lounge, and to the principle's office that was at the very end. No one really hung out in that hall at all, you can imagine why. Our school was a tall brick building and the walls were all plain white.

Looking around, I saw the different groups all hanging out in their designated areas. The popular people taking up the front and center while the others hung to the side and towards the back. You could easily see the disconnection between the groups. Fake smile still in place, I headed over to my friends who were seating on a bench near the wall.

"Hey Erin!" my friend Rachel said nudging Megan next to her. She looked up at me and gave me a smile hello. Rachel was tall, with an athletic build. She has the classic blonde hair, blue eyes. Megan was the complete opposite. She was short and plump, and had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Where Rachel was loud, Megan was quiet. Where one was good at something, the other wasn't so good at. Complete opposites; it was almost amazing that they had been friends since they were little. They balanced each other out. Somehow I fitted between the two of them and was pretty much the middle person.

"Hey guys." I said, dropping my black bag on the floor and took a seat next to Rachel.

"So did you finish the trig homework?" Megan asked looking hopefully at me. I smiled at her just as the bell for class rang.

"Yeah you can copy it during lunch." I grabbed my bag off the floor and stood up. "Let's go Rachel, Ms. Vine will have a fit if we are late to English again. You know that threat of detention isn't really appealing." I said with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you." Rachel grabbed her stuff and got up too. "We'll see you later Meg."

"Ok, I'm off to history. Later!" Meg started walking to one of the halls to the right.

"Bye" Rachel and I said in unison back to her and headed down a hall to the left soon getting emerged into the crowd that was starting to form.

Sitting in class has to be about the most boring thing in the world. It was late in the afternoon, the sun was beating down and a sweltering heat hung in the air. Half of the class was staring out the window, the teacher being none the wiser to realize no one knew what he was talking about or even listening. Every now and then I would check the clock, time seemed to be going so slow, each ticking of the clock seemed too long. Thankfully that this was the last class of the day. Five minutes to go. Four. Three. Two. One. God it was pathetic. Everyone was staring at the clock willing it to go faster. Finally when it seemed if the clock didn't move it was going to start going backwards, it moved and the bell rang. Everyone was practically running for the door. I grabbed my bag and headed out.

The student center was so loud it was almost unbearable. I quickly got through the crowd and out the door. Standing at my car was Rachel.

"Hey," I said as I got closer to the car and grabbed the keys out of my pocket. "You need a ride?" I asked unlocking the car and throwing my stuff in.

"Yeah if you can please."

"Sure get in." I got into my black car and sat down on the red and black seat.

"Have I ever told you how much I really like you car?" Rachel said taking an appreciative glace around. It was a custom job that my brother, Kyle, had done. The car was painted black and the interior was a mix of black and red, my favorite colors. This was the last thing he gave me; it was his going away present to me. I realized I had drifted off thinking about the car and then remembered the question Rachel asked.

"No. It is nice though huh?"

"Definitely." I started up the car and put it into first gear.

"So where am I taking you? Home?"

"No I have work today, so it's to the diner." Rachel reached into her bag that was on her lap and pulled out her uniform.

"To the diner it is." I left the parking lot and went left. The diner wasn't too far from the school, maybe a mile or two. Soon I was pulling into Betty's Bakery & Burgers. It was a peach colored diner that was cozy during the winter and cool during the summer. It was one of the better places to eat in town. It was usually pretty busy.

"Thanks for the ride Erin." Rachel gave me a hug bye and was off toward the back to the employee entrance. I turned back onto the road and headed away from the town, towards the hills, the trees, the ocean, and home. As I get home I park my car in the garage and walk into the house. I grab something to drink and then head outside. I walked to my secret spot and settle myself in the tree remembering how I found this spot.

AN- So this was the first chapter. I know it's kind of short, but I didn't want to start posting it and then have no one like it. I have the next part ready to post, just need at least 1 review before I post it. I don't want to put something up that nobody wants to read, that's just a waste. So hope you liked it and don't forget to push that little button in the corner and tell me what you thought!