.Phoenix.

Chapter 1

Dalton

"Dalton! Catch-" My brother grimaced as the basketball he had passed me hit me hard in the gut. I glare at my brother and throw the basketball back.

"Oh, come on Dalt," Tyler whined. Tyler was one of Ren's only friends- and, yes, I kind of hate him.

"Ah, leave him be. He's trying to get into a good college and make someone proud, eh Groundbreaker?" Ren tussled my hair. He does that to annoy me- like now, but it also meant he loved me and, I hate to admit it, I sometimes needed it.

With a roll of my eyes and a steely glare at the two of them, I headed back into the ho- the place where I liv- slept in. Now, I won't go into details about it, it was nothing most would be proud of. I said most.

My brother had worked hard to get the small apartment. Not that he lived with me, though. No, he had much bigger problems than checking on me every day, and honestly, I rathered it stay that way. He reminded me too much of home- something I was trying hard to forget.

...

Ren didn't return the next day, and I didn't expect him to. Didn't blame him, either. I wish I could, though. Maybe all of this would've been easier if I did.

The trees rustled in the wind as I walked toward the bus stop early in the morning, and the breeze finally reached me, I instantly regretted not wearing a sweater before leaving the apartment.

I snack on my cereal bar while I wait for the bus.

"Hey, Dalton!" Felix says behind me. Felix is Tyler's little brother. We don't hang out often, but he lives a building away from me and is the same age too.

"Hey, how are you doing? Heard you were sick a couple of days ago."

"Oh, it was just a cold, anyway how are you doing?" He asked with a hint of a smirk.

"What do you mean?"

"You know," He said, frowning. "How could you not tell me?"

"Tell you what? Seriously dude, I don't know what you're talking about"

"You got rejected by Stella! I didn't even know you liked her, and worse I heard it from Grace"

"Grace said what? I didn't get rejected, I rejected Stella. Oh my gosh, she is so full of crap,"

Felix sighed, "That makes sense, of course, that's something Stella would say," He laughed. "I wish I would've been there to see someone put her in her place. She is so snobby- as if we needed a constant reminder of who her dad was." I almost wanted to laugh; I didn't even smile. It was too true to the point where it wasn't funny.

The bus came around the corner and Felix and I sat down. Unfortunately, our high school would've been closed if it wasn't for a few rich kids, including Stella. In case it wasn't obvious, that meant they were bringing in hefty donations, ergo, got away with everything and made favoritism a very real thing.

Once we were inside the school, Feliz started elbowing me.

"Hey! Quit-"

Crap. Look away, look away. Too late she saw me. Stella's cheeks went bright red to the point where she resembled a tomato then she glared at me and walked past me tossing her hair. Felix snickered behind me and I could see Stella's ears become red.

"Dude that was awesome," He said as his eyes watered up. I rolled my eyes and shut my locker.

"Come on let's go we'll be late,"

I looked for Felix after class- wasn't too hard after all he was the only one sleeping with his earbuds on and hoodie pulled up. I flicked his glasses and his eyes fluttered open.

"Leave me alone," He said with a dry voice.

"Here drink this" I pulled a water bottle from my backpack.

"Thanks," He said- finally awake. He drank the whole thing.

I nodded, eyes drifting towards the window. There was something different about it.

Shrugging it off, I started walking away. "Hey!" Felix bellowed miserably, stumbling up. I waved back dismissively, forcing myself not to pick up pace and to let Felix catch up. I needed to be outside. I needed to forget about everything. And everyone.