1 Chapter 1: The New Kid

"Have you heard about the new kid?"

I mentally rolled my eyes. Of course, you would expect everyone to be talking about the new kid who moved here over the summer. No one knew much about him, but there were stories about how he had gotten kicked out of his old school because he started a fire that burnt half of the school. But that was a little too hard to believe. And knowing how students at Coldwater High liked making up stories, I highly doubted any of it was true.

"I've been dying to see him," the other girl continued talking to her friend. "Odette said he is so hot."

"OMG, now I want to see him again," the first girl who started the conversation replied and there was so much joy in her voice.

Poor girl, I'm sure she was signing herself up for heartache but the last time I tried telling someone to be careful with who they gave their heart to, I ended up losing a friend. I was not going down that road again. Once was enough for me to learn my lesson to keep my mouth shut.

"As a student body we need to meet this new kid and officially welcome him to our school,"

Patience said as we walked to our lockers. "We need to make sure that he feels welcomed and not having all these thirsty girls throwing themselves at him."

I sighed because as student body president, it was my responsibility to make sure that all the students felt like they belonged even when they didn't. But I loved my job, I loved being there for everyone and having Patience by my side the whole time was a relief. I don't know what I would do without her.

I wrapped my arm around Patience and pulled her closer. She smelled like caramel and had become my favourite smell. "Yeah, let's do it after the last class before lunch and maybe invite him to join us," I said as we reached our lockers and I let go of Patience. I opened my locker and swapped out my Physics textbook for the Algebra and English Lit, then shut it.

Patience was leaning against her locker staring at me weirdly.

"What? Do I look funny?"

She rolled her eyes and moved closer, stood on her toes and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

"Can't I stare at my very hot boyfriend?" she asked as she pulled back and wrapped her arms around my neck.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her even closer to me. Her body felt so small but at the same time it was a perfect match.

"Break it up love birds," a very familiar voice said and turned my attention from Patience at Neil who had a grossed-out expression. "Not all of us are lucky to have such a hot girlfriend you know."

"That's not my fault, now, is it?" I smirked at him but didn't let go of Patience.Patience giggled and pulled away from me to give Neil a hug. "But you know that it's really all your fault Mr. Player," she said laughing as Neil scowled.

"Why are you both ganging up on me? I'm a sad heartbroken guy whose only problem is that I love too much," Neil said.

There was a pause and we all just stared at each other before we burst out laughing. I loved Neil, he and I had been friends ever since we were five and he was like a brother to me but the guy changed girls every week that I was pretty sure he had dated almost all the girls in our class, the seniors as well as the sophomore and possibly the freshman too. For such a smart guy, he sure was dumb when it came to dating and love in general. But that is what happens when you grew up having a bad view of what love is and that was what made me understand him more than anyone. I knew his story.

We started for our next class, Physics, my favourite class. "It's not my fault that these girls fall for me so easily and hard. It honestly gets annoying when all they do is treat me as if I'm their whole world," Neil said as we entered the classroom.

"Isn't that a good thing?" I arched an eyebrow at him in question as he tossed his bag on the floor and sat down. I sat down next to him and Patience walked over to Lynn, her best friend and sat down next to her.

Neil leaned closer just so I was the only one who could hear him. "I don't want to end up like my parents. I have seen what love can do to someone and I don't want that for myself. I don't want to have to live with the guilt of hurting someone so much to the point that they lose themselves in the process," he said and a sadness flashed across his face. "You have seen my mum; she buried herself in her work so much that she had lost herself all because dad cheated and then left her for a woman who should be his daughter."

"I know but just because it happened to your parents doesn't mean that you are destined to go through that as well." I knew convincing him was hard because such situations leave a kid scarred and traumatised for life but that was all I could. Reassure him that it didn't have to be like that. That he can find happiness. "But dating one girl after the other isn't right either. You know those girls really like you and you just dump them like that without so much as a second thought."

An emotion flashed on his face but was gone just as soon as it had appeared. Neil racked his fingers through his hair tossing it. "I know, but I think it's better than having me break them so much later on. Why prolong the inevitable when you can simply just rip the band aid off soon and forget all about it?"

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair trying to come up with something to say but nothing was coming to mind. As much as I wanted to tell him that he would never turn out like his father, I didn't want to lie or give him false hope and make him hate me when it didn't work out and he turned out to be like his father. There was so much confusion swimming through me but I didn't have much time to think much about it because Ms. Celestrial entered the room with a guy who looked to be about my age. He had the darkest hair I had ever seen with some blue highlights and his blue eyes were mesmerising.

Was he the one everyone was talking about?

I could see why the girls had been fawning over him earlier. He wasn't bad looking, if I had to be honest, he was one of the handsome guys I had seen but it wasn't like I was gay or anything. I just knew how to appreciate when someone looked nice; girl or guy it didn't matter.

"Good morning class," Ms. Celestrial said as she pushed her hair behind her ear. Ms. Celestrial was one of the younger teachers that we had and she was really good when it came to Physics and ensuring that everyone understood what she was saying which was one of the reasons that she was my favourite teacher and added more to why I loved Physics over the other subjects. "This is Elliot, he will be joining us from now on and expect everyone of you to be nice and," she looked straight at me and I felt my breath catch in my throat. I didn't like the look that she was giving me but I couldn't say anything. "Luke, I want you to help him catch up with my class before the next quiz," and Elliot looked at me. His expression was blank and I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"You can have a seat anywhere you feel most comfortable." Ms. Celestrial gestured for him to find a seat and he walked over to where Neil and I were sitting which caused a lot of murmurs to erupt from everyone in the class.

Elliot passed by me and I could almost swear it felt as if we were the only ones in the entire class. Something about him made me uneasy and I didn't like it. He walked to the back and took his seat.

Ms. Celestrial started saying something but I couldn't hear what she was saying. My mind kept bringing me back to Elliot, the look he gave me and I couldn't think straight. I had no idea what was going on with me. This wasn't like me, I always paid attention in all of my classes and never let anything distract me, but now, I didn't know what was happening. I couldn't stop thinking about him or his eyes. They were the bluest of eyes I had seen apart from my dad.

The bell ringing snapped me out of my thoughts and when I looked at the white board, there was so much that had been written and then looked down at my notebook which was empty, save for the word blue. I looked at Neil but he was busy packing his things and I immediately closed my notebook. Whatever was happening with me had to stop. I didn't like it one bit.

I packed up my things and turned to Neil. "Should we?" I asked but Neil already knew what I was talking about because he grinned mischievously which had me shaking my head. Of course, he was onboard.

He got up and walked over to Elliot just as Patience and Lynn walked over to my desk. I stood up and Patience wrapped her arm around my waist as she moved closer.

"Hey Lynn," I said as I wrapped an arm over my girlfriend's shoulders and placed a soft kiss on my forehead.

"You guys are so adorable, I wish someone would treat me the way that you treat Patience,"

Lynn said with a sigh as she threw a glimpse in Neil's direction who was walking over with Elliot by his side. "But I guess it just has to be like this. Me pinning for someone who will never like me back."

"Who are you pinning for?" Neil said and Lynn almost jumped in freight. "Who's the arsehole that can't see what an amazing girl you are and is making you so sad? Tell me who he is and I will have a chat with him."

Patience and I exchanged a knowing look but didn't say anything. We had talked about this and agreed that we were not going to get involved. This was between Lynn and Neil and if he was still blind to see that there was someone who was practically in love with him standing in front of him, then that was all on him.

Lynn looked down and fidgeted with her fingers nervously. "It's nothing," she said quietly and then practically ran out of the classroom leaving Neil looking confused.

Patience took a step back from me. "I'll go check up on her," she said and then turned to Elliot. "Welcome to Coldwater High, I'm Patience, vice president of the student council." She smiled at him but Elliot just nodded his head without saying anything. "If you need anything, then feel free to ask anyone of these two or me or the girl that just ran out." She was still smiling which made me remember why I fell in love with her. She was a great person who went above and beyond to make people happy. Patience turned to me and placed a kiss on my cheek. "I'll see you in the cafeteria." And then she was walking out of the class leaving Elliot, Neil and I alone.

Neil shook his head and slung an arm around my shoulder. "Girls are so weird," he said to no one in particular. "Come on you two, I'm hungry and could use something to eat right about now."

We left the classroom and as we walked to the cafeteria, I risked a look behind Elliot and he was already looking at me. I instantly looked away and swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.

Snap out of it, Luke. What the hell is wrong with you? You have a girlfriend and don't forget that this guy has a history which means you shouldn't get involved with him no matter what.

I said to myself as we stood in the lunch line to get our food. All I had to do was make sure that he was all caught up with Physics and then he and I were done. That's right, I could do that.

We ordered our food and walked over to our lunch table. I took my usual seat and Neil took his but then Elliot chose the seat right next to mine. His knee brushed against mine as he sat down. I immediately pulled my knee to myself as if I had been burnt and that seemed to make him scowl but then the scowl was gone just as soon as it appeared and I wondered if I was now just seeing things.