Chapter One

It was a dark and stormy night. My so called buff and hot brother, Benny, was dressing up for a date with my ex-best friend, Laurice. Everybody said Benny was good at everything, but I so disagree. I mean he was tall and everything, but hot? I think all the girls in the city have the wrong idea. I think Benny is stupid, dumb, creepy, and mostly, ugly.

But of course, he has to be most popular person at our school. At least I'm almost as popular as he is.

The doorbell rang. I knew it was Laurice, so like always, I ignored it. The doorbell rang for another one millionth time. I finally got fed up, ran to the door, and opened it angrily.

"What do you want?!" I yelled. Only it wasn't Laurice, it was some of my girl friends. "Oh sorry guys, I thought you were Laurice. Why are you all here?" I asked. My friends, who I'm proud to say don't like Laurice either, started giggling. "What?!" I asked. "Why are you all giggling?!" I eyed them suspiciously. "Oh, I get it. You wanna see Benny huh? Oh my gosh, I almost forgot that you guys"-except Vanessa-"like that ugly highness. Fine, whatever. Just to tell you, Benny has a girlfriend. He's getting ready for a date." Like always, nobody seemed to notice. They all went in, dropping their coats to the carpet.

"Where's Benny?" they all asked at the same time.

"I already told you! Weren't you listening?" I cried in exasperation. "He's getting ready for a date with his girlfriend, Laurice!"

A dead silence grew over the 46 people in the room.

"Oh," Tia said quietly. I knew she wasn't really competitive. On the other hand, most of my other girl friends were competitive.

I heard another ring from the doorbell. Now I knew it was Laurice. Benny, holding a rose almost in full bloom, started to run down the stairs. Most of my friends started to blush. While Benny opened the door, all of my friends scrambled out of the living room and into the kitchen, hiding near the door to peek out of the kitchen.

"Oh my gosh!" squealed Anne quietly while peering at the scene unfolding before our eyes. "He's so cute! I so wish I was Laurice for like, only when she's on a date with Benny." She glared at Laurice then said jealously, "She's so lucky. You're so lucky too, for having such a hot and sensitive brother."

I felt like I was going to choke. Hot? Sensitive? What were my friends thinking? The doorbell rang again, and Benny had to open the door one more time.

"Oh my gosh," Lynn cooed. "Look who's at the door. Alex."

"Alex AND Andrew," Vanessa corrected. "Benny's closest friends." Vanessa was the correcting champ. Also, she was the only girl (other than me) in the school who didn't like Benny and/or Andrew. Nobody except Lynn liked Alex. He just wasn't….

He was just ugly.

I strolled into the room as confidently and casually as I could. I knew I looked hot, because I was the hottest girl in the school. Benny was the supposedly hottest guy in the city. Though I had a lot of friends that were boys, I figured out that it wasn't just because I was hot, so I'm glad. Right now I was wearing tight faded skinny jeans with a hole on the knee, a fitted graphic t-shirt, and a bunch of bangles. Simple yet cool.

"Hi, Emily," said Laurice. "I'm so glad you're here," she said sarcastically.

"Whatever," I shot back. "So, Benny, you didn't do the garbage. It's your turn. AND you didn't do your homework. You already have all F minuses, by the way. How stupid can you get?"

Benny looked kinda angry after I said that. Then his face turned annoyed.

"Why do you have to be such a goody goody, Emmy?" he finally said in a disgusted voice. Everybody knew I hated it when people called me Emmy. "And you can do all of my homework and chores too. Aren't you in college math and everything? Yeah, I'm a senior, just like you, if you didn't know. Jeez, you act like you're so great and nice. Not doing anybody's homework, I mean. You're acting like getting all F minuses and not doing chores is a crime." Then, to his friends he said, "Come on guys, Laurice. Let's leave the idiot I have for a sister." They left while snickering/chanting, "What a goody goody. Goody goody! Goody goody!" Well, except for Alex, since he was so nice. He just stood there.

My face grew red. I slammed the door shut when they left.

"Ugh!" I heard Angie say in a disgusted voice while the whole mob of people walked toward me. "Andrew is so rude. I can't believe Karla likes him better than Benny." All heads turned to Karla.

"Sorry," she said. "Andrew's just hotter than Benny. It's a fact." Everybody (except Vanessa and me) looked really shocked.

"No way!" Lynn said dreamily. "Alex is WAY hotter. He's like a prince in a shining armor."

"Uh-uh," I said. "Alex is SO ugly. Kavan"-another hottie, except he doesn't hang around Benny, thank goodness-"is way hotter. I can't believe you guys. Vanessa's the only one who knows that Kavan is so hot that when you touch him, you get a burn. At least SHE has good taste."

"Sorry Em." Vanessa said. "Now I think Kavan's ugly and weird." This time instead of thinking Karla was stupid, everybody agreed that Vanessa was stupid.

"'Nessa!" Alicia exclaimed. "How can you be so cruel?"

"I'm not being cruel," Vanessa tried to explain. "I just have the right to think that Kavan's ugly. Because he is." Everyone gasped again.

"Okay Van'," I choked out. "You ARE being cruel. Kavan is a super hottie!"

Vanessa looked sickened. "Disgusting," she said in a mean tone of voice. "You guys have bad taste. Kavan is just weird! And ugly! Did I mention weird and ugly?"

Lynnette, Lynn (did I mention that almost the whole school population thought that she was cute. But not Alex. Big bummer for her, since he's the only one that she dreams about.), and Geri Lynn looked like they were gonna barf. They were triplets.

"You're kidding me," Anne said.

"Nope," Vanessa said calmly. "I'm not kidding you."

"Okay, we're leaving, now that Benny's not here. Plus, Vanessa thinks Kavan's ugly. I don't want to talk to her right now," Anne said. They all nodded their heads. I stared blankly at them while they (with the exception of Vanessa) left. I knew it was all Vanessa's fault.

The door slammed as my head started spinning with angry thoughts. Why was Vanessa trying to ruin my life? No, she's just trying to tell us how she feels. I sighed. Nobody understood me. Not even my friends. I sighed again. Nothing is good in this world, I thought. Nothing.

I slumped up the stairs and into my room. Humph. I don't need those stupid fat heads, I assured myself. I slipped into my bed and yawned. I never told anyone, but I liked someone named Benjamin. It's weird right? I like someone with the same name as my horrible brother.

"Emily?" Vanessa knocked on the door. Oops, I forgot she was here.

"Just leave," I groaned. "I'll catch you later, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Her voice was quiet and scared, like a child's.

With that, I fell into a dreamless sleep.