Chapter 1
The sound of my alarm clock beeping pulls me from my slumber, however since I haven't slept for the better part of the night it makes me less upset about being woken up, it also means I don't have to dream but than I remember most of my nightmares happens while I'm awake anyway.
I push the thoughts away however they still linger close in my mind. I shower and dress casually in some jeans and a fitted top, I purposely pick clothes that will make me go unnoticed, not that it ever works they still find me. He still finds me.
I brush my hair to the side, but end up just running my hand through it a couple of times. I stand in front of my full-length mirror and stare at myself I look pale, my blue-green eyes look dull.
I lift my top and stare at the bruise on my side, it's a nasty blue color with some yellow at the edges. I hate it but it's not my first and it won't be my last. "Ethan are you up yet?" My mother hollers from downstairs .
"Yeah I'll be right down!" with one final glance in the mirror I make my way downstairs. My mother looks tired when I arrive in the kitchen she has bags under her eyes and her normally vibrant eyes are dull, just like mine, but I suppose hers has to do with the constant double shifts at the restaurant and not because someone likes to suck the life out of her.
When she sees me, she kisses my cheek and smiles at me "Well, are you excited honey? senior year is a big deal. Just think next year is college than you'll be all grown up" her eyes fill with tears and my gut clenches.
I do wanna go to college but I'm seriously dreading the start of senior year instead of voicing my thought I smile back and say, " Yeah I'm super excited for this year to get started and even though I'm gonna be away at college I'll still come home a lot."
She sighs and says "I know honey but I want you to live a little and have fun, I know you have been having trouble at school with some of the kids but I want you to know that you can come to me if they start bothering you again or if not me than a teacher or the principal, please sweetheart you know how much I worry over you."
My stomach churns at the reminder of what the past years of my life have been like, my mom thinks it's some of the popular kids just calling me names and shoving me around in hallways but it's so much worst than that much much worst. I can't tell her that, neither can I tell a teacher or the principal. The price I'll pay will be too great to bare, I can't do that to myself. I won't.
Instead, I respond "I promise" she looks relieved by my answer and goes about preparing a breakfast plate for me, she made chocolate chip pancakes because it's my favorite and she knows I'm nervous about today I thank her for the food and finish my plate in record time "Wow kiddo you must have been starved" instead of answering I shrug and take a gulp of orange juice.
"Okay mom I gotta head out okay" I go around and kiss her cheek before grabbing my bag and heading toward the door just before I reach it I hear her call out "Honey have a good day" not likely my inner voice says but I call back "I will" with my heart pounding in my ears I swing open the front door and make my way over to my car ready for the first day of school to begin.
20 minutes in and my inner voice was spot on as soon as I arrived at school kids were giving me the stare the one that says make way for the freak and to top it off my first trip to my locker resulted in me needing to either dry clean my t-shirt or throw it in the trash I chose the latter and thanked my lucky stars I kept a change of clothes in my gym bag at school after I got that sorted out I headed for my first class which was biology luckily it was one of the classes he and I would not be sharing this year. The class itself was a breeze but I suppose being an honor roll student made things a little easier for me but the best parts were there was no one to trip me as I walked to my seat or make up some ridiculous name in the middle of my self-introduction speech and convince others to partake in said name-calling too.
My next class was english and unfortunately I was not lucky because as soon as I entered Mr Ritz english class I saw a familiar dark headed boy with his back turned to me but calling Callan Ford a boy is an understatement. He is made of muscles and is over 6 feet tall and out weighs me by 40 pounds, but being a star football player will do that for you as if sensing my presents Callan turns in his seat and stares straight at me a douse of panic clogs my throat but I swallow it down and move to my seat at the front of the class I resist the urge to look over my shoulder to see if he's still watching me so instead I level my gaze on the board in front of me but my body is so alert that I instantly become aware when a hard body leans over mine and a hand is placed on my desk I swallow hard and look up to find callan's dark eyes gazing into mine he leans down and I feel his breath on my neck and a shudder passes through me.
"Hey Ethan I hope you had a good break because I really missed spending time with you" he whispers low in my ear. I don't know what to say so I remain silent, Callan leans into me to say something again but he gets cut off by Mr. Ritz when he announces class is about to start and everyone should take their seats. I wait for Callan to move away from me but he takes the hand he placed on my desk and slowly trails it down my side he stops when his hand is placed on my bruise, he presses down on it and I wince from the contact, Callan's eyes gleam when they meet mine and he whispers "later" in my ear and goes to take his seat.
The rest of the class passes in a blur and I'm so fucking nervous it feels like I'm chewing nails but by the time the bell rings I all but flee out of the class. My next classes are uneventful but I keep my eyes peeled for any sign of Callan or his minions. When lunch comes around I'm wound so tight the slightest sound can set me off but I tell my self to man the fuck up and go get some lunch and if Callan wanted to do something to me he would've already done it but of course, the day has just begun so I'm not ruling anything out. When someone tapes my shoulder I jump and whip around so fast I get dizzy but instead of dark unforgiving eyes I see soft green ones belonging to my friend Ryan I'm so relieved I nearly sag against my locker.
"Wow dude you look like you've seen a ghost, you okay man?" Ryan asks me like the rest of the school Ryan knows me and Callan arents best friends or even you know friends but like everyone else, he does not know how bad things can get. "Sorry man just a little stressed, I'm cool don't worry about it" I respond "You sure?" he places his hand on my shoulder and gazes into my eyes I open my mouth to respond but something pushes into me and I jerk forward nearly toppling over but Ryan steadies me by gripping my waist and pulling my upright "Watch where you standing loser" came a voice I know all too well, it belongs to Callan's right-hand man Cade Wilson also known as the asshole that takes pleasure in humiliating me for no apparent reason my gaze falls to the right and I lock eyes with Callan his eyes falls to Ryan's hands on my waist and I see his jaw tick and his nostrils flare I immediately steady myself and remove Ryan's hold from my body and I turn back around to look at Callan but he's shooting daggers at Ryan he notices me watching and stares at me once again and I see a promise in those dark eyes one I know I'm not going to like.
"Let's go" Callan hollers at his followers and starts walking off not waiting for anyone to follow but they do it's only Cade that sends me a glare before he too saunters off after Callan. "That was fucked man, so is Callan still out to get you?" A laugh bubbles out my thoughts and I shake my head and start heading down the hallway all the while thinking how seriously fucked I am.