Who Said I Didn't Know You?

Chapter 1

Cold Alaskan air fanned my skin as my feet pounded the smooth pavement. I'd been jogging for the last hour and found myself a good 15 minute drive from home.

5 am in the morning… the only time when I felt truly like me. Every morning I would sneak out of my house silently,  dreading waking up any of my family members. I lived in a house that thrived on control but every morning when I came out here I felt the one thing I rarely ever got to feel in my life; free.

Closing my eyes I focused on my surroundings, the weightlessness of my body, the crispness of the air, the light glow of dawn and the wind blowing through my hair. The only sounds were that of birds, the blood pumping in my ears and my shallow breathing as I became completely unaware of myself.

"Woah!" I heard someone exclaim, I felt a hard body slam into mine with maximum impact. Warm droplets of liquid splashed around me, some landing on my skin and making me shiver due to the contrast of the hot liquid against my cold skin.

Ripping my earphones out and prying my eyes open I found myself face to face with a guy. His mouth sat in a small "o", an empty cup of coffee in his hands; the contents dripping all down his body. No way Isabella, no way did you just spill coffee all over the most amazing guy in school.

Parker... oh great. His light brown hair was swept to the side over his forehead covered by a soft woolly grey hat. The darker colour of his hair contrasted against his light greeny-grey eyes, his gently tanned skin tinged a soft pink from the cold air. His straight strong nose led down to his soft pink lips, still set in a look of surprise. His height towered over me, body clad in his Eagles hockey jacket.

"Oh my god!" I gasped pulling my hands up to my face "I'm so sorry!"

He looked at me for a while the shock evident on his face before he chuckled lightly.

"Don't worry about it" He grinned brushing the liquid off his water proof hockey jacket "I was hoping on drinking it but wearing it's good too" He chuckled. Great, he didn't even recognise me. Of course he doesn't Issy you're basically a recluse and a complete bore at school, why would he recognise you?

"I'm really, really sorry" I babbled looking up at Parker "Um I have some money on me so you can get a new one" I continued rummaging in the pockets of my jogging pants.

"It's cool, I'll be late for early hockey practice" He smiled smacking his hockey bag which was slung over his shoulder.

"Wait, Issy is that you?" He asked his brow furrowing slightly.

"Um..."

"Yea it is!" He exclaimed with a massive grin on his face as if he'd discovered the meaning of life "I haven't seen you in ages, not since Gabe and Hunters graduation party!" That was two years ago. I've been invisible to him for two years?!

"Yea..." I replied quietly. "I'm in your History class"

"Oh my bad" He smiled sheepishly after and awkward pause "I'm pretty much in my own world most of the time so..."

"It's fine" I whispered.

"Anyway... see you around Issy!" He said happily after another silent pause before walking away with a slight wave.

"I'm sorry about the coffee" I said as he walked away.

"No worries!"

Typical I thought as I jogged back to my house. Only I would manage to make a complete fool of myself in front of Parker. Despite the fact that Parker couldn't even remember me, he and I go way back. My brother Gabe and his brother Hunter were basically inseparable since birth. Parker's Mom and mine had been best friends since high school. They'd gone to the same college and even got pregnant with Gabe and Hunter at the same time. Therefore the two boys had always been together; through kindergarten, elementary, high school, hockey team, you name it; they did everything together. So the second time Dawn and my mother got pregnant they were both thinking their kids would be the same, but that soon changed when they realised Parker and I were too different to get along. When it came to me awkward was an understatement. As a child I hated being away from my parents and pretty much never went out to play. And nothing had changed now; I was still as shy and as awkward as ever. Parker on the other hand was loud and outgoing, he had a huge temper when he suited him and could charm the pants off of anything; I'd seen both of those before. Despite the fact he's a really nice guy, the two of us had never really gelled and although Hunter was always in my house or Gabe in his, Parker never came round because there was really no point.