Hey everyone,

I've just started with this story. If you can, please please please (xinfinity) read and review! I would love to get opinions, suggestions and some feedback on it. I'd like to know if you guys find it interesting enough and would like more. I've kind of just started so I thought I'd give it a trial run. Please R/R! It would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and enjoy (hopefully).

-Tears of Autumn-

PostScript;/ This title is temporary although I may make it permanent. Let me know what you think, thanks! Also, I think some re-editing, moving and writing more would be in order so I may do that soon. Just to warn you in case you get about a dozen or so extra alerts about this chapter. If you add me. If you like the story.

Right, sorry about the rambling, moving on...

Written by; Tears of Autumn

Date; Monday 9th October 2006, 05:29 pm

Summary;
Norah Parker is a smart, sarcastic kind of girl. The type of girl so low on the social ladder, in fact, she's practically off it. All because of her attitude and the way she is.
Dante Nichols is the popular good-looking kind of guy. And he knows it. He's so high on the social ladder he practically owns it with his best friend.
Norah thinks Dante's immature, arrogant, spoilt and an egoistical jerk.
Dante thinks Norah's naïve, annoying, a classified ice-bitch and an all-around huge pain in the ass nobody.
Norah's a romantic, hopelessly in love with Dante's best mate and waiting for her own love story to start.
Little does she know, it already has.

Norah;

I yawned tiredly, shifting in my seat. God, could this class be any more boring? I was all too ready to take this damn pencil sitting right here in my hand and shove it through my eye. That way, at least it would be less painful than listening to this torture.

Maybe I'd stick it through my teacher's eye instead. Yeah, that would be way better. 'Cause then I would be ridding the world of an evil being who goes by the name of Herr Schweiser. I groaned quietly as he started in on more German words, the dull aching in my head steadily increasing. I gritted my teeth angrily as I glowered at him, willing my eyes (which I had thankfully decided not to poke out) to burn a hole in the back of his big fat head. That did not happen. Unfortunately.

My gaze roamed to the clock, my eyes widening when I realized it was only a few seconds till lunchtime. Yes! I cheered silently on in my head, a huge grin finding it's way onto my face.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1...Yes!" I shouted loudly, jumping up from my seat and quickly stuffing all my books into my bag. I ignored the looks my fellow classmates gave me and Herr Schweiser who looked quite confused, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at me over his bifocals. I gave him a quick smile and dashed out of the room just as everyone was coming to their senses that the lesson was over.

I ran down the corridor, pushing past people and ignoring their cries of "Hey!" or "Watch it, freak!".

Like I could care less.

I arrived at my locker, turning the dial to put in my combination. My hyper-activeness and joy was all due to leftover adrenalin from finally getting out of the ever so slow torture chamber.

"Wired much?" I heard a voice say to the right of me and I leant backwards to peer at my best friend over the locker door. I raised my eyebrow at her and then turned back to my locker. I shoved everything into it and slammed it shut, turning back to her.

"Hey, Jenna." I greeted her properly while she just rolled her perfectly lined baby blue eyes at me.

"You could've answered me first you know!" she said in mock offensiveness.

"Oh yeah, about that. Sorry." I apologized, not really meaning it. She smiled widely at me and tossed her strawberry blonde bouncy hair over her shoulder.

I know, first impression, ditz. Jenna's not like that at all. Not in the slightest. A lot of people thinks she's some air-headed bimbo who jumps up and down waving godforsaken balls of stringy paper bunched and glued together pretending it actually means something. (Pom-poms as they are commonly referred/known to other low life-forms who don't even have a brain).

And people think I have no life? Hah, think again, losers.

Jenna and I have been best friends since we were eight. She moved from England all the way here, right next door to me. I had been playing on an old swing, which my dad had made for me with his bare hands, when I saw their car pull up next to a moving van. I was curious as I watched them through my little peephole in the fence. They were getting out and I was sitting there, watching what they were doing. I could have ran right over and introduced myself but I didn't because, let's face it, I was shy. I'm not so much now but back then I was really shy. Anyway, I knew the house had before belonged to an old lady called Mrs Creston. She was moved into a nursing home the minute the hospital found out she was no longer able to take care of herself. I liked her a lot and was sad to see her go, she would always give me some treat, usually one of her freshly baked cookies or muffins, whenever she saw me and was the sweetest lady ever.

As I was watching them, what I hadn't counted on was being spotted. I hadn't even realized that I had spaced out. One minute I was watching them, the next, I was looking right into a baby blue eye which was staring right back into my hazel one that was watching them from through the hole in the fence. I jumped with a small yelp and ran away as quickly as I could into my house, the eye following me.

One hour later, the doorbell was ringing and my mom answered. I didn't know who it was because I was busy reading my latest favorite book and when my mom called for me I ignored her.

Nice eh?

Anyway, I was so absorbed I hadn't noticed anyone coming in so I was immediately startled by the sound of a loud thump. I jumped up (I was a very…unstable person back then), my gaze landing on the small figure lying on the ground. It lifted it's head up and I recognized the baby blue eye of the person who was staring at me before through the peephole. Or more like the two baby blue eyes.

She was wearing braces which glinted as she moved, catching the light of the sun. Her eyes were big and wide and she had such a friendly smile.

"I'm Jenna!" she said loudly, extending her hand. I grasped it and shook it tentatively while she righted herself into a sitting position, crossing her legs.

"I'm Norah." I said quietly, staring at her with a slight nervousness enshrouding me.

"What are you reading?" she asked me, crawling over to get a look at the book. I picked it up and held it out to her.

"The Magic Finger, by Roald Dahl…" she read out the title of the book then looked at me, a grin on her face.

"I love this book!"

And we hit it off. We were both book-worms. Nerds of you want to call us that but you know what?

We don't give.

We headed over to our usual table where we normally sit for lunch. I slumped down into my seat, pulling my baggy black hoodie around me, tighter.

"Hey, Nors!" a loud cheerful voice to the right of me exploded suddenly in my ears. I winced and turned to look at the person.

"Could you like, not?" I asked him, rolling my eyes. Him, being the most annoying yet lovable guy who is completely adorable in his own whacked-out way. I swear, that kid's high. Even though he insists he isn't. I turned to him, taking in his looks. That's Wesley Cason but he hates being called Wesley so it's been shortened to Wes. My other best friend. He's the guy I've known for years and years. My mom and his mom are best friends, he and I are just carrying on the tradition. We are so close, I'm closer to him than I am with Jenna. We are…like two halves that make up one whole of a pie, separated we stand alone, together we are one…I'm starting to sound really cheesy aren't I?

He ran a hand through his dark blue spiked up hair (I know! Dark blue? Apparently he's going for his own 'style' but me and Jenna just think of it as a phase of immaturity and idiocy), his dark brown eyes staring at me cheekily.

"Not what?" he asked childishly.

"Shout in my ear. It's already dead thanks to Herr Schweiser and his mumbo-jumbo of god-knows-what German words." I said, reaching over and snatching a few chips from the chip bag that hung limply in his pale hands.

"Hey!" he pouted. I stuck my tongue out at him revealing half-masticated chips lodged in my mouth.

"Ew!" he shrieked and scooted his chair as far away from me as he could. I smirked at him and took a sip from my soda.

"Stop being such a girl, Wes." Jenna rolled her eyes and shook her head at him, a hint of a smile on her lips. She pretends to be annoyed at a lot of things when really she's just plain amused.

"I am not a girl." Wes sat up straighter, looking Jenna in the eye, his own narrowed. I watched them with interest. This was going to be fun. They always banter around a lot and whenever Wes gets accused of being like a girl, he actually acts more feminine than ever during those little banters than he realizes.

"You sound like one. 'I am not a girl'" Jenna mimicked him, putting her hands on her hips and fluttering her eyes, sticking out her lips into a kissing pout which made me laugh out loud.

"I so do not!" He replied, his eyes narrowing even further as he stood up to address Jenna sitting opposite us, not realizing as he did exactly what Jenna was doing. I laughed harder.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

I yawned loudly and got up, whacking the back of Wes' head and getting their attention.

"Okay, you gotta stop, now." I advised them, pulling my boring light brown long straight hair tighter in its limp ponytail. I folded my arms across my chest, looking at Jenna pointedly.

She sniffed in, again, mock-offensiveness.

"Sorry Wes." she mumbled and Wes nodded, sitting back down. Too late. He was on the floor already, groaning. Me and Jenna just laughed at him, ignoring the looks we were getting from the different people on their tables. He got up, clutching the edge of the cafeteria table.

"Oh, god. Thanks a lot, Norah. Jeez, my ass is sore like hell." he hissed at me whilst trying to push himself up.

Poor, unsuspecting Wes had attempted to sit down and had missed his chair by just a few centimetres as it was quite a way away from the table…

I had nothing to do with that. See, those horns are just there to hold up my perfect little halo. Cue the innocent look.

"What did I do?" I asked, faking innocence. He rolled his eyes, seating himself in his chair again whilst I plopped down into mine. Jenna was still giggling slightly and wouldn't shut up even though Wes shot her his meanest look.

I couldn't help it. Her laughs are infectious as are her smiles. I started giggling too and soon, all three of us were snickering together and snorting.

"You should have seen your face!" Jenna sniggered.

"If only I had a camera, a perfect Kodak moment." I sighed, staring off dreamily into space.

"Uh, spacing out again, Nors?" Wes' voice brought me back down to Earth before I had even entered my own world.

"I was not spacing out. I am a very down-to-earth person."

"Riiiiiight…sure you are, Nors, I'm very sure." Jenna looked at me with both eyebrows raised. Wes just stared at me as if I was crazy.

Perhaps I am.

Suddenly, a loud burst of high-pitched, fake laughter reached my ears and I winced immediately, knowing already full well who it was. I looked up from our table at the entrance of the cafeteria, seeing them.

Them meaning those air-headed bimbos who I was talking about earlier whilst defending my dear sweet friend. (Who is completely evil underneath, I guarantee).

They were hanging off the arms of all those popular jocks who think they're all that and own the entire world. Reality check, you don't.

I sighed in annoyance as I saw the little 'leaders' of that clique. Braden Saunders. A tall boy with that whole 'surfer' look going for him. The beautiful sun kissed skin, killer abs, perfect form of finely toned with not too much muscle and not too little muscle, blonde shaggy hair, pacific blue eyes…the kind of look that has everyone going for him, girls swooning over him, boys wanting to be him, so on and so forth. And I, well, I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I am one of those girls.

How can anyone not resist him? Sure, I admit that I do get annoyed because of the whole 'clichéd' and 'stereotypical' looks but I do know that inside, he's all heart.

And, I'm serious. He's one of the most amazing guys you'll ever meet. He's sweet, kind, funny and all-in-all perfect in one perfect little package.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the front and taking a sip out of my soda can. I am convinced he's the love of my life and oh, what I would give to just be his for a day or two. Maybe a year or more. No, it's not him I'm so annoyed at, it's the thing right next to him. Yep, be as it may, they are best friends and complete opposites. Braden is kind, sweet and caring. His best friend is…a jerk.

Dante Nichols, that ass.

I cannot believe how anyone can stand him, he just stands next to Braden with his trademark smirk and girls flock to him. He's an arrogant playboy who'll make out with any one with a pulse and a large chest. Oh, and he's the most egoistical jerk I have ever had the misfortune to come across. He thinks he's IT and that sickens me to the depths of my stomach I tell you. He thinks he's so good-looking and isn't the least bit shy about flaunting it.

And the sad part is, it's true. The good-looking part I mean.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't like him. Hell, I loathe him, abhor him, hate him. I'm just stating a completely unbiased fact (and yes, I can be unbiased when I want to be).

Unlike Braden, Dante has that 'bad boy', 'rebel-like', 'bad ass' thing going for him. The total opposite. But Dante is the most wanted guy in school, the guy all the girls chase, the mysterious boy with that whole appealing charm, the most secretive boy.

The only reason everyone thinks he's so 'bad ass' is because of his looks. He has floppy jet-black locks which hide his dark, shrouded green eyes most of the time. His skin is a fair natural tan. What I do know about him though, is the fact that he doesn't go out of his way to get a tan. It just comes naturally. His skin's natural, in fact, in reality, there's hardly a tan there. Only a tinge. And, the other thing that makes him such a 'bad boy' is the fact that he has a piercing. I kid you not. He has one in his tongue. His tongue, honestly. He also wears a lot of black and from what I've heard, not seen, he has a very lithe and athletic build with a finely toned body to match Braden's.

Gag me.

Please. Inside, he's just like any fucked-up kid at this damn school. I really do hate this place. It's all pretend happy-go-lucky. Please, the only reason that the people here are in this school is all because of Daddy dearest's money.

I did mention that we're in a boarding school didn't I?

No?

Oh well, here we go.

Ocean Vista High Boarding School.

Okay, so for the past two years Wes, Jenna and I have been attending this same boarding school with the same student body. How we all abhor them. They're all stuffed up, posh, snobby and practically live off Daddy's money by buying the latest Dolce sunglasses, Gabbana shoes and whatever other fucked up shit there is to buy.

Us three, we're real. We got into this school because of our grades and smarts. We used our brains. They used the money. We hate them all and they easily return the favour. Apart from one or two who used their smarts and not their little green notes.

They're all about the latest in Prada and whatnot. Who even gives a damn?

Oh, that's right, even more ditzes who are alike to them in every way apart from when it comes down to the jealously and boyfriend thing.

I rolled my eyes once more and snaffled more crisps off from Wes who just looked annoyed at me.

"What?" I looked at him with wide eyes, an annoyed look to match his own.

"You're a pig, Nors."

"Thank you very much."

"No, really."

"Again, thank you very much."

Wes rolled his eyes while I just sniggered at him.

"Uh-oh, blonde bimbo alert at 12:00." I heard Jenna mumble so I ever-so casually turned my head around to see a petite blonde girl with huge breasts (I am so sure they are silicone-enhanced) throw herself at Braden. Literally. She came skipping up and tried to leap into his arms. Note the word 'tried'. She tripped though and fell onto the hard floor. Ouch. I don't like these bimbos usually but I do know what it's like to feel pain, especially falling on hard floor. I can sympathize.

I turned back to the front and shook my head as Braden bent down to help her up whilst the girls all glared at her, envious looks on their faces. I may love Braden but that doesn't mean I'm going to glare at the girl. No, I just scream profanities in my head.

"Jeez, when will these people ever learn? Crazy, I tell you." I muttered with annoyance laced in my voice. Jenna raised an eyebrow at me.

She knows I'm completely in love with Braden except she just calls it a minor blip in my brain saying that one day my brain's going to wake up and realize I don't love Braden.

Hah.

"What?" I asked her.

"Honey, you've got to get over yourself."

"Yeah." Wes jumped in. I rolled my head to look at him with one eyebrow raised. Needless to say, Wes knows it too. Der, like I can keep anything from him, he always wriggles it out of me one way or another.

"Pfft. I don't care. What I do care about though is they way all these blonde bimbos here, act. They're all throwing themselves at guys, I mean, honestly. It's really degrading to our gender, a total embarrassment. I mean sure, you like the guy but have some dignity for god's sake!" I ranted, making gestures with my hands.

Jenna rolled her eyes, knowing full well that I was about to start one of my very infamous rants. Then, she suddenly let out a squeak, eyes wide as she saw something behind me.

I mentally sighed and continued, thinking she just happened to see something behind me.

She did, oh boy did she ever.

Just not the thing I thought she was looking at.

Okay, I thought she was looking at the clock, how was I to know what she was looking at? Or, should I say, who?

"And the guys! God, they're just as bad! Sure, they can be sweet but at times they can be such jerks! Like, for example, take Dante Nichols. That ass! He's so arrogant and what a jerk. He has such a big ego I really don't understand what people see in him!" I ignored the look Jenna was giving me. Wide eyes and a slightly gaping mouth. She shut her mouth and started nodding her head at me, her eyes still wide. She gave me a few nudges with her feet. I just looked at her as if she was crazy. She certainly did look it anyway what with all those weirdo crazed gesture things. I rolled my eyes upon seeing this, I'd deal with her later. Right now, I'm on a roll!

"He's the biggest egoistical ass I've ever seen. He probably didn't even get into this school using his brains. Just Daddy darling's money, I honestly-ow! Hell, Jenna. What the heck did you kick me for?" I stopped my little tirade to reach down and rub my leg at the spot where she had kicked me. Hard. That's going to bruise tomorrow, that's for sure.

Jenna widened her eyes even more and nodded her head very subtly so it was barely noticeable.

Shit.

"They're right behind me, aren't they?" I closed my eyes then opened them again, taking a deep breath before turning around and putting on a sickly sweet smile.

"Yes?" I asked them in the most nicest and polite way possible.

All the girls hanging off the arms of the "Popular Crowd" glared at me. Seriously, if looks could kill, I'd be nothing but a small pile of ash. And let me tell you one thing, although I despise them all, those glares and looks they give you are scary. Honestly, scary. I quickly looked away from them, trying to ignore their fuming expressions and calmly looking up at the love of my life. (Even though he doesn't know it yet).

Braden looked down at me, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his face blank and expressionless. Then, a small smile graced those amazing lips of his and he threw back his head, laughing loudly. I just stared at him with one raised eyebrow.

Is he on crack?

Then, he stopped and shook his head whilst looking at me the whole time. I swallowed, hard as I stared at him.

Hey, you would be staring too if the love of your life laughed at your rant that included insulting your best friend which was not meant to come out as funny but serious.

"Oh my god, did you hear that, Dante? Hell! I like this girl already!" he chuckled, slapping Dante on the back. I refused to meet his eyes and instead, continued to stare at Braden who held out his hand to me.

"Sorry, maybe I should introduce myself. I'm Braden Saunders." he said as I shook his hand.

"Yeah, I know. I mean, my name's Norah Parker." I quickly corrected myself as he grinned at me.

"Figures, eh? Everyone would know." he said, giving me a friendly wink.

Can anyone hear my heart thumping loudly in my chest?

"Uh-huh." I nodded. Oh yeah. Smart answer, Norah. Go me. Please note the sarcasm.

"Anyway, Norah. I just wanted to introduce myself and my best mate here." Braden turned his head away from me to look at Dante and I slowly followed his gaze, meeting angry dark green eyes half-hidden by strands of long jet-black hair. He was wearing his usual smirk so I just rolled my eyes at him out of habit.

Not good.

If it was possible, he looked even more angrier. I mentally cringed.

"This is Dante Nichols. You're tutoring partners this year. So, is 5 alright for you? Tonight?" he announced and I snapped my head away from Dante to Braden, looking at him with wide eyes.

"What?" I asked him although I knew full well what he was talking about. Tutoring partners, one of the most lamest things ever. It's this whole damned school's idea. You get partnered up, boy/girl and tutor each other in the subjects the teachers feel you need to improve upon. Stupid, isn't it? I don't think I need to improve but the teachers here are ever so thorough. And annoying. Whenever they feel something isn't right, whoops! Tutoring partner!

Why oh why, couldn't I have gotten Braden Saunders?

Why Dante Nichols?

Why me?