Missing Piece [COMPLETED]

Chapter One

A/N: Updated/edited in 2016, written originally in 2015

Disclaimer:
Author @kazzyznk. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author.

2016

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Chapter 1

buzzzzzzzzz.....

Monday morning. I sleepily rolled over in my bed and slammed the alarm clock quiet.

I was not ready to start senior year.

My phone buzzed with texts from my friends, hoping that I would have a great day, and that we should meet up after school.

The sad part of my life is that I made friends with the wrong people, I always ended up with the drug-addicts, or the non-stop party-goers, the shoplifters, and any other sort of teen gone wrong. The weird part was I didn't do anything. I had never tasted liquor, or smoked a blunt, and I certainly never let a boy close enough to do anything.

All that, and all those friends had graduated last year. I was the baby of the group, 18 young, and still in high school.

School was going to be a lot harder considering I wouldn't be hanging with the older kids. I figured I should probably stop moping in bed and get ready.

I showered quickly, and threw on something 'cute' and decided to hurry out the door before my mom decided to snap a picture of me and start the waterworks.

But, alas, I was not sneaky enough.

"Oh Ellie!!! It's your first day of the last year of high school. You're growing up so fast..." She started sniffling.

"Mom...." I groaned. My little brother Benjamin smirked at me from the kitchen, covered in his breakfast as usual. He is only 8.

"I'm going to be late Mom," I squeaked as she squished me in a bear-hug.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," She smiled and slipped $5 into my pocket for my lunch.

"Be safe, and I love you Smooshy." My mother's awful nickname for me.

I sighed a disgruntled, teenage sigh and hurriedly left the house, grabbing my car keys on the way out.

The bell rang and I swiftly made it into first period. The day dragged on and finding no one to talk to made the day suck even more. By lunchtime I had found a quiet, secluded spot in the senior courtyard and took out a romance novel and starting reading.
Reading would help me not stick out as the awkward loner.
As my eyes scanned the pages the heroine was just about to kiss her hero when...

OUCH!

Sharp pain burst on the side of my head, through the throbbing I looked towards the direction the ball came from.
A tall, shaggy haired kid came scrambling up to me, half blushing.

"Sorry about that." He smirked. "You should put some ice on that, looks like it hurts."

And with that he jogged away. Shocked, I was going to go after him and show him a piece of my mind but I thought better of it. Stupid junior. I rubbed my temple and could already feel the headache setting in. Great.

By the end of the day I felt so sick from my headache I couldn't even drive, so I found a tree beside the parking lot and laid my bag under my head and closed my eyes.

At least I felt a little better, up until I felt something kick my foot, and I opened my eyes.

"You okay?" The shaggy kid from earlier spoke. I shifted my eyes around him, "Where's your gang of thugs," I said smugly.

"They live in the streets," He chuckled, taking me aback.

"I'm Cody." He said, still smiling.

His laugh was soft, for a guy with such a rugged looking appearance. This guy was muscular, like he'd been in a couple fights, I could tell from the scar above his right eyebrow. He had olive-colored eyes that reflected specks of yellow, and when he smiled he would bite the corner of his lip. The more I admired him, the more I realized I was staring.

I blinked away, "Sorry" I mumbled. "I have a headache, so please go away..."

He looked puzzled, and his face softened. "Was it from earlier?"

I nodded, giving him an annoyed look.

"Do you need a ride home? I'm done with soccer practice."

I looked at my phone, it was already 5:00. How long was I resting? I groaned and decided I should accept, knowing I was still feeling too sick to drive.

"Fine." I mouthed, trying to contain my irritation.

He loaded his gear in the back of his pick-up and unlocked the doors for me to hop in. As soon as he started the car my favorite song came on the radio, "Santeria" by Sublime came on. A little baffled, I casually sang a long, happy that we shared the same taste in music.

"Hey..." he cut in at the end of the song, "You're Ellie Riding aren't you?"

Puzzled that a junior knew my name, I nodded, "Yes, and yours is....Cody..right?"

Then it hit me. Cody Stanson. He was in my classes from 3rd grade up until he failed 8th grade and was held back. He was one of the boys in my grade that was always getting in trouble with other students, and was caught smoking behind the gym. I remembered this kid.

"Cody Stanson" he replied, confirming the name that I had just figured out in my head.

"Still making bad choices?" I chuckled, as we rounded a corner and I pointed to my neighborhood.

"Only when I feel like it," he retorted with a sly smile and a wink. My heart skipped a beat as he flashed his perfect-white smile at me.

Why was I attracted to this guy? I know better than that. Ellie, just this past summer you went through that horrible break up. There's no one else out there for you. You're going to be alone forever.

I shook my head, and the negative thoughts realizing I was off daydreaming and then saw my house and pointed, Cody slowly brought the truck to a stop and told me to not get hit by anymore balls. He chuckled obviously amused at his provocative joke.

'Thanks," I mumbled, and jumped out of the truck, looking back he gave me another wink and drove off.

My mother had to drive me back shortly after to rescue my car from the empty lot, but she gave me a sly smile and gave me the "you should bring this guy over look".
I just rolled my eyes at her.
Luckily my headache died down and after dinner I asked my mother if she knew where my old yearbooks were. "Bottom bookshelf in the cupboard in the basement."

I scurried downstairs and ransacked the cupboard and finally found what I was looking for.
My 8th grade yearbook.
I flipped quickly through the pictures and found my class, and saw my ugly school picture. Curly, unruly, blonde hair with my chestnut brown eyes hidden behind huge wired glasses.
Glad those days were over.
I flipped a few more pages to find Cody's picture. He looked a bit different now, but he still had the same gorgeous eyes, and a goofy, yet perfect smile. I scanned the page to reminisce and suddenly a photo caught my eye. It was him. Cody and him. Together, one arm over the other's shoulder.

What???

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So Cody must know something about Ellie! Cody's a real stud ;)

I hope you enjoy the first part, stay tuned to read more!

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