Disclaimer: All characters belong to the wonderful Kiera Cass!
"I'm home!" I call. Silence. And then, I'm bombarded.
"Where were you, America? We've been worried sick about you! You were supposed to be home four hours ago!" My mom shrieks at me.
Gerad, the youngest in our family, pipes up. "America was probably at the recording studio!" I briefly shook my head, letting him know that I had been somewhere else. "Or in detention!"
My dad, who had just walked in, groaned. "Not again, America… not on the first day of school!"
"I know! She was with a boy!" May accuses, pointing her finger at me.
I sputter, "W-What? No!" This confirmed their beliefs. And in an instant, a ruckus really started to break out. Thank my lucky stars that Kenna and Kota aren't here to make it worse. Especially Kota.
I run upstairs to my room, where I slam my door shut. My phone beeps, causing me to look down at it. It was Aspen, sending me a message: Are you home yet? I bit my lip, before replying: Yes. And how did you get my number? He types back lightning-quick. Marlee.
Of course. I set my phone down and stare out the window, before pulling out my guitar. Singing softly, I begin to compose a new song for my next concert. I know I should be in the basement, where all my professional music appliances are, or at my private recording studio.
The small bubble of peace was shattered when May barged into my room. "Is he cute? Please, I have to meet him!"
Startled, I said, "We went out as friends. Nothing more." Huffing, May stormed out.
At school the next day, I talked to my new friends. Kriss was sweet, with an elegant charisma.
"Hey. Kriss Ambers, right?" I grin, hoping to make light conversation.
"Yeah. Aspen is a great guy, by the way." She winked at me.
I laugh. "Do you like anyone?"
"No…" Is her short response. Her gaze is distant. Not wanting to touch further on the subject, I scramble over to Elise, who is just as friendly.
The ringing of the bell jerks all of us into a hurry. I scramble to Math, hoping I wouldn't be late. I dart in between people until I crashed into a girl.
"Oh, sorry—" I'm cut off by a snarling voice.
"Watch where you're going, whore!" Celeste. I open my mouth to respond, only to get cut off by a painful slap to the face. Oh.
Flashback:
"Whore!"
"Slut!"
"Bitch!"
The names I'm called in my freshman year in high school. Olivia glares down at me, a smirk darkening her sharp features. Her friend, Bariel, is the same. They continue to slap and kick and punch me, while I try to hide from their blows.
"Stop!" A voice.
Bariel and Olivia glance at me, afraid of getting into trouble. With one more look, they scurry off.
That was the day I left Carolina Province High. That was also the day my dad heard me singing in my room, the only thing that helped me through the torment of school. He immediately made us move to Avalon, California, and hired a crew to hit off my singing career.
I'm slapped back to reality. Literally. I run off, looking back at Celeste one last time.
Thankfully, I wasn't late. I quickly walk to my seat and start working on a math formula required for the AP classes. Halfway through the class, a boy walks in.
I recognize him. Maxon Schreave. Almost all the girls in the class swoon, batting their ridiculously long lashes and tossing their perfect hair. He strides toward his seat in the back, confidence leaking into his every step. Other boys look on jealously. And there's me, having no reaction at all towards Maxon Schreave.
The teacher notices, beaming with deviousness, obviously thinking of a punishment.
"You." She doesn't bother to address him by his name. "Come sit here with dear Mer, up in the front." Maxon looks untroubled. "And you will be partners with her for your Statistics project." This time, he looks worried. The teacher sends me an apologetic look.
Maxon turns to look at me for the first time, but I don't look at him. When class ends, I'm the first one out of the door.
Aspen took me ice skating a week later. We're not afraid to admit that we're in a relationship now. I glide across the icy lake, laughing in joy. I do a few twirls, while Aspen slides across the frozen pond even more gracefully. I bask in the frosty sunshine until another couple joins us.
I know instantly the moment I see her. It's Celeste, and she's not alone. Maxon is with her, sitting quietly on a bench. She looks smug as she slips on her ice skates, before effortlessly gliding onto the ice.
I won't lie. Celeste was good. She did several pirouettes, completing an entire dance on the ice. When she's done, I clap softly for her.
"That was amazing!" But when I compliment her, she doesn't look pleased at all. Instead, she pushes me, and I fall. But it wasn't just any fall.
The thin ice beneath me, which I hadn't noticed before, cracks even more and shatters. I plunge into the icy lake, my body numb and unable to swim. For an earth-shattering minute, I choke for breath and sink even more.
Strong arms grab me by the waist and hoist me up. Aspen. I am relieved beyond measure as I tumble onto the thicker ice, looking into the eyes of my savior. My eyes meet warm chocolate ones. I choke. Maxon is drenched with freezing water, no doubt from saving me.
"W-why did you help me? I've never done anything for y-you." My teeth chatter from the cold.
"I don't know. Probably because then, I would have to do the entire Statistics project." He jokes, but I can tell that it isn't the real reason. I let it drop, though.
"Th-thanks."
"Anytime." For the first time, Maxon's perfect honey hair is messed up, slightly soaked. I smile a little.
Just when I start to wonder where Aspen is, Celeste stomps up to Maxon and drags him away, but not before roughly kissing him. I look away. I reach up to touch my own hair before realizing—my wig. Thankfully, it was undisturbed by the whole debacle.
I finally spot Aspen hovering near a few trees, setting up a picnic. He had absolutely no idea. I rush over.
"Wow, Mer. What did you do this time?" Aspen thinks that I caused the entire disaster!
"It was Celeste. She pushed me, I slipped and fell, the ice broke, I nearly drown. See what happens when you aren't there?" My voice is sarcastic, rude even.
"Oh, Mer… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that." His voice is sorry. I forgive him when he swoops down and kisses me gently. "How did you get out?"
"M-Maxon got me out." My shivers have renewed again.
Aspen's gaze darkens. "Don't trust Schreave. You know what he did last year? Natalie Luca. Sweetest, most innocent girl. But then, Maxon came and swept her off her feet. Dated for five days, he slept with her, then dumped her. Schreave had a new girlfriend the next day.
"She was devastated, Mer. Her grades dropped. She became a shell of who she used to be. And all we could do? Pick up the pieces. She never returned to her normal self. And towards the end of the year, she simply left the school."
I was speechless. I couldn't believe that anyone could stoop so low. "Oh."
We ate lunch together in silence, me absorbing this new sliver of information. When I finished, I said goodbye to Aspen and left.
The next day at school, I chatted with Marlee, Elise, Kriss, Carter, and Aspen like nothing ever happened. My cheerful façade faded when I sat down in my seat for Math, next to Maxon.
"I can come over to your house this afternoon to work on our project," He offered.
I subtly nodded. "Of course."
The rest of the school day passed without consequence. And when I returned from school, I dreaded the ringing of the doorbell. But when it did, I hurried to answer it.
Maxon stood, hands in his pockets, shifting his weight from either foot. I slipped on my fake smile, made sure my wig was in place, and let him in.
Turns out that working with Maxon wasn't too bad. For an hour, we were sitting on opposite sides of my room, researching. But that all went downhill when Maxon found my radio and turned it on.
My voice was singing, clear and in tune, live at one of my previous concerts.
"Do you like America Singer?" Maxon's voice was curious.
I fumbled. "Uh, sure, she's okay, I guess. Do you like her?"
"What? She's got talent! Not to mention beauty…" His voice was awed.
I was disgusted. His true personality was showing. The boy who played with girls and broke their hearts. "Get. Out."
"Why?" Maxon was genuinely puzzled.
"I said, get. Out. Of. My. House!" My voice had barely concealed undertones of anger. Maxon seemed to hear it and slowly got up and walked out of my house. As his car backed out of my driveway, I started to feel regret for the first time.