"Mom, I hate you," I said at the kitchen table the next morning, joking around.

"Ha-Ha," she laughs, knowing exactly what I was on about.

"I will never be able to fully comprehend your desire to send me to hell five days a week."

"Well…face it Max, you kinda deserve it," Ella snickered.

"Does that mean you deserve it too? Last time I checked, you were just as compelled as I am to endure the torment school has brought upon us all," I fired back, using my logic.

"Well, Max, maybe if you didn't go around hating everything, maybe things would be different and you may actually be able to enjoy school." I literally flinched when she said enjoy. She was wrong though, I didn't hate everything, just the stupid rule that school had to start at 7:50 in the morning.

I mean, WHY? Someone please put me out of my misery and tell me why that is an essential part of our education?

Essential in our torment? Why yes.

But essential in our learning experience? Hell no.

"It's not fair. All it is is a vain sentence to complete and utter horror." And this is the mood I walked into school with for my first day. Not even my Jaguar convertible could cheer me up. And let me just tell you, my Jaguar is my Baby.

School.

Ugh.

I parked my car quickly and stepped out of the car. The first thing that registered into my thoughts was the cold gust of wind that practically knocked me out. But instead of shivering of the cold, I shivered of delight. I'm really weird in the sense that I don't really get cold. It's really quite strange. I don't get it and neither does anyone else for that matter. And it's not entirely that I don't get cold, it's more like I love being in the cold and feeling it, if that makes any sense. I also hate feeling restricted in clothes. I can't stand it. That's why most of my wardrobe consists of shorts and t-shirts, the exact thing I had tossed on after taking my cold shower this morning.

I let the cool air into my lungs and enjoyed the fresh feel it left behind. I took another deep breath before I walked through the doors; it's the morning of my very first day, as well as the morning of the sixth month of school for others. It's February; the middle of the year.

Just wonderful.

After practically taking a tour of the entire school before actually finding my first period class, I swiftly walked in, talked to the teacher quietly and quickly found my way to the back of the classroom, practically feeling my classmates' eyes following my every move, scrutinizing me from head to toe.

Why can't people ever just leave the new kid alone?

I yawned, lifting my head up off the couch and stretched.

Ugh. I hate it when you doze off on the couch by accident, then wake up and realize you just wasted your entire day. It makes you feel like crap. I looked at the clock; it was 7:30 p.m. So I had been out for approximately 3 hours? Wow. Today was a long day. First days are always the worst. You don't know anybody or anything and you feel completely lost and clueless. It sucks. (A.N: Believe me, I know. I've moved like a thousand times already, and I'm only fifteen. Moving really does suck :P)

Or at least for me it sucks, not for Ella though. She already made a new friend, Natalie Nudge, who goes by her last name because 'It sounds cooler and is way more unique'. Ella sat with her today for lunch while I went up to the library in hopes of just being able to lie low. I was right, there was only this one other guy there, and he kept to himself. I was used to it really, the library, I mean. That's usually what I do anyway; spend my lunches in the library.

Incase you haven't noticed, I'm not really a people's person.

My hair was all tangled and I bet I gave off that 'just woke up look,' but I didn't care. I took a few sips of water before throwing on a light cardigan over my cami, putting on my 'oh so comfortable Ugg boots and walked out the door. Again, a cold blast of wind hit me and I shivered in pleasure as I walked down the road. I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to clear my head and get a sense of where I'd be living for the next couple of years. After all, sleep wouldn't be finding me anytime soon.

The sky was a beautiful midnight blue and the stars shined silver in the moonlight, giving off the most stunning illusion. It was a gorgeous night, but nobody was outside. In fact, most of the houses seemed empty. Where was everybody?

I guess my question got answered when I saw 'The Clusters'. Judging by the looks of it, it was like a neighborhood country club sort of place positioned right in the center of our neighborhood.

Outside the Clusters was a sort of railing that went around the entire thing. There were couches, tables and rocking chairs all along the outside. People were splayed outside and you could see everything inside due to the windows that were placed along the entire wooden building.

Inside, there were tables and some of the people were sitting there eating and drinking; I could see a concession stand in the corner. Others were out on the dance floor placed in the middle of the place. But what really caught my attention was the nice big stage up at the front of the area.

The place was nice, there were people of all ages there: Grandparents, adults, teenagers, kids… It was obviously a place the families of the neighborhood gathered up. From the looks of it, tonight was open mic night. It looked like a cozy place and everyone looked like a big family, seeing as how everyone seemed to know each other.

As I climbed the steps approaching the place, I decided to read a paper that was attached to the door of the place, and I was right, Fridays were indeed open mic nights. The calendar showed other cool things planned like karaoke, talent shows, couples' night, teens' night, kids' night…and that sort of thing. I had to admit, it was rather cool. At least now I had somewhere to come to when I got bored.

I decided to sit down on a rocking chair outside and enjoy the fresh air instead of going indoors. I could still faintly hear the music being emanated from inside though. I put my feet up to my chest and rubbed my legs with my hands, trying to warm them up a little. They were looking pretty red, just like they always do in the cold. I was wearing my shorts that I normally just wore around the house, but I guess it didn't matter seeing as how nobody here looked as if they had gotten all dressed up or anything.

I was just about to head inside to get all cozied up when I heard somebody start to strum a guitar. My head shot up to the place right across from mine where I saw a guy my age sitting on top of the railing, leaning against a pole mindlessly strumming his guitar. He was clad in all black and had messy dark hair. His skin was the perfect dark tan. Not that I'm one to care about looks and all, but I had to admit, it just wasn't fair; people spend tons of money trying to get that perfect tan, and here he is with it all perfect and natural.

"Umm," I dumbfoundedly murmured under my breath in a senseless haze. I shouldn't have said that however, because the moment I did, the guitar cut off and his head shot up to find me staring at him.

Crap.

And to make matters worse, I didn't just look away. I sat there and kept on staring. And 'Why?' might you ask, 'didn't I just turn away?'

Well, because I'm an idiot and he was unbelievably gorgeous. I mean most people just don't get blessed with perfect genes but…there was not a single thing wrong with this boy's structure. And his eyes-Well, his eyes looked as if they had created an eclipse of their own, they were so dark.

Goodness, he looked good. The only thing that caused me to finally look away was that faint voice on the microphone coming from inside calling for 'any last person who would like to wrap up the final show'. I turned my head and walked straight into the building. Call it a sixth sense, but I could still feel the kid's eyes on me as I walked inside.

Greeted by warm and comfortable air, I walked straight onto the stage. I really hadn't been planning on singing, but for some odd reason, I did. Not knowing what I was doing, I was drawn to the stage.

"I could wrap it up," I told the guy. He looked about thirty with short brown hair, a crinkling smile and a twinkle in his eyes; a funny guy by the looks of it.

"Okay, are you the new neighbor? I don't think we've seen you around," He asked cracking me a smile. The crowd nodded and murmured in agreement.

"That's me. I'm Max," I hope I didn't sound shy or timid, but I think my voice came out a little small. It's the nerves. I've never really sang in front of people I didn't know before.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Max. I'm Phil, I own this place. I hope you and your family don't follow in all the other newcomers' footsteps and move back out the day after you actually meet us." The crowd laughed and so did I. "Take it away," he said.

So I did. I got behind the keyboard, and as soon as the music started, the nerves went away and I sang as if I was in my closet back home where no one could hear me. I sang "The Last Song" by Tim Halperin; the song I'd had on repeat for the past few days. (AN: PLEASE do yourself a favor and go check out this song. Better yet, go watch the music video. It's amazing. It's sad that not many people know this dude. He's incredible. 3)

By the time I had gotten to the chorus and finally looked up, I saw that with the exception of one guy, everybody inside had gotten up and was currently on the dance floor, swaying to the music, having a good time. Even the people that were outside had come in. Well…all but one other guy. I saw the guy with the guitar still sitting out on the railing watching me from a distance. Why hadn't he come in like everyone else? I couldn't help but feel a little rejected; does he not like me already? Was it my singing? Did he think I was bad?

I didn't have much time to look into it because I had to keep singing. I looked down at all the people; my new neighbors.

I spotted an old couple dancing in the corner of the dance floor and they were both gazing at each other with nothing but love and happiness in their eyes. I couldn't control my widening smile or the warmth that had unknowingly seeped into my voice.

Then I looked down below me, and saw a girl around the age of seventeen sadly glancing at the guy who had kept seated at a nearby table. I immediately got the sense that she loved this guy who looked so sad and lonely sitting by himself.

When she looked up and saw me looking at her, I gave her a smile of encouragement telling her with my eyes to 'go for it.' She walked up to him from behind and took his hand resting on the table in front of them. His look of surprise rapidly turned into one of warmth when he saw who it was.

As he stood up and led her to the dance floor, she let go of his hand only to wrap her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She looked up at me and gave me a look of sincere gratitude and since I couldn't help but feel thrilled for them, I gave the girl a secretive wink.

Little kids were dancing together in circles and couples were swaying to the music. People everywhere were looking up at me and smiling. I couldn't help but reminisce in the fact that I felt truly happy.

And as my eyes kept roaming, for some reason I found that they kept straying back to the guy in black outside. He nevertheless was perfectly fine by sitting out there watching everything being played out from the inside out. I did however take note in the guitar that he had set down.

By the time I finished the song, I felt exhilarated. It felt amazing to have everyone cheering, smiling and clapping for you. "Thanks everyone," I said into the mic as I walked off stage.

On my way to the concession stand, countless people stopped me to welcome me to the neighborhood. Everyone was so nice, it made me wonder what they would think if they ever found out about my relation to the president of the United States.

By the time I was finally able to get my drink of water, I followed everybody out the door. I had just come to my decision to go sit down on the same rocking chair as before, when someone accidently pushed me to the right. Unfortunately I stumbled, therefore losing my grip on the water, causing it to drench on none other than the guy with the guitar.

He looked up and his eyebrows quirked upwards questioningly. "Oh my, I'm SO sorry. I didn't mean to do that," I said quickly as I automatically and reflexively tried to wipe the water off the front of his shirt.

Now rewind what I just said. Wipe the water…off the front of his shirt? Do you realize how stupid that looks?

Oh my God, I'm an idiot! How do you wipe off water? Oh yeah, YOU DON'T! Oh God, I must look mentally handicapped. He must think I'm a dumbass. As my arms froze on his chest and my face flushed red in a record .5 seconds, I slowly looked up, only to realize how close we were.

His eyes were like silver stars entwined with the midnight black of a clear, night sky. Believe it or not, that's perhaps the most precise description one could use to describe his eyes because scattered across his irises were silver iotas of light. It was the most peculiar, yet also the most spectacular thing I'd ever seen. Actually, I'd never actually seen anything quite like it in my entire life. I could literally pinpoint the individual silver lights in his eyes and decipher their movements as they drifted around in the pitch dark sky.

The sudden realization of just how close we were getting came to me when his cold breath washed over my face, knocking me out of my trance. I quickly stumbled back, shaking my head. Unfortunately though, I slipped on the water I had accidentally spilled. And just as I was waiting to plummet to my death, the boy's reflexively quick arms came out to greet me.

He lifted me up and I took a deep breath before he let go. Did I mention he smelled really good? You know how everyone has their own scent. Well, his was like that of nature, completely and utterly natural; refreshing. He smelled like the wind, or better yet, the rain. Nice, and cool and fresh.

So basically, I just stood there looking like the imbecile I was, with this fine specimen of stranger right beside me.

"It's okay, let's just sit down first," he said. We walked over to the stairs and sat down next to each other, our sides nearly touching. By this time, everyone else had gone home and we were the only two left.

"I really am sorry about drenching an entire cup of water all over the front of your shirt," I felt bad.

"It's okay, really. It's no problem, I'll be fine." Mmm, he had the voice of an angel; it was like silk.

My eyebrows scrunched together as I eyed him doubtfully and replied, "You'll probably wake up sick tomorrow. It is pretty windy outside, you know?"

"I know that." He rolled his eyes. You would have to be an idiot to not realize what he was really saying was, 'I know that, but do you?' You could just see it in his eyes. He was talking about my attire. After all, shorts aren't something you normally wear when it's cold. But before I could even say something back, he says, "I'm Fang by the way."

"Max," I say just as nonchalant.

"I know," he says coolly.

Huh?

"How do you know me? I just moved in yesterday."

"Well…let's see…" and he started counting things off on his fingers, "You introduced yourself on stage not five minutes ago, then there's the fact that you're the new kid at our school, and everyone's talking about you. Then let's see…oh yeah, you're in my P.E. class, but you didn't notice me…obviously."

"Oh." Honestly, sometimes I truly believe that I am an idiot. He says all that, and I respond with an oh? And as what he said begins to sink in, I find myself feeling so awkward you'd of thought I just peed my self or something.

"Wait, what did you mean by everyone's been talking about me?" Not that I cared what people thought about me, but honestly, I like to think of myself as keeping a low profile.

For some crazy, mysterious reason, his cheeks took on a trace of a light red, and he started to look a little uncomfortable. Now that makes two of us.

Perfect.

So I decided to clear my throat and change the subject, "So, do you not like my singing or something. I mean, you were the only one out here when everyone else was on their feet." I couldn't deny the fact that I was a little embarrassed, my cheeks warming up even more than before. There was no way I could even pretend I didn't see him out here watching me.

Surprisingly, he laughs. At my discomfort? I don't know. "No, it wasn't that, you were fantastic. Really, really fantastic actually." Then he quietly adds, "I just don't like crowds."

There was no pretending that I wasn't shocked. I mean, he's shy?

Hmm…perhaps I could learn a few things from this kid.

Besides, did he say I was fantastic?

I think he did. Oh God, now my entire face feels like it's on fire in the seventh pit of Hades' lair in the Underworld. Yeah…I'm a nerd.

Magnificent.

He laughed a little at my expression, then reached behind him, and brought over his guitar.

"You were great on the piano, now let me show you a little something."

AN: Bad? Good? Continue? Stop? Drop a review telling me what I should do ;D