Still Falling (A Hunter Hayes FanFic)

Chapter 1

*FLASHBACK TO BREAUX BRIDGE, LOUISIANA, 2008*

"Antoinette! Get down here this instant!" My mother yells from the bottom of the staircase. "You can't be late for school- again!" Ugh. "Coming, mom!" I shout in reply. I look in the mirror to make sure my outift is okay.

I'm wearing my Coldplay t-shirt that my sister, Caroline, got me when we went to their concert last year, blue jeans, my black and white converse, and the heart-shaped necklace my mom gave me on my 16th birthday. It was a locket without any pictures. I remember asking her why she didn't put a picture in it, and she said, "Because, it's your heart. Fill it with what you love." So cheesy, but sweet.

I smiled at the memory as I stroke the necklace, but I am soon pulled from the thought by my mother's raging voice.

"Antoinette Lynn Grazen! If you don't get down here in the next 5 seconds, I'm walking out that door and leaving you here to walk your sorry butt to school!" As soon as she says my last name, I rush down the stairs to the front door, where she's waiting for me. She never says my full name, but when she does, that is a sign that today is not the day to mess with her. She has a tense look on her face, because today is the day that her boss is promoting someone at her job, and she has worked her ass off in this hospital so she definitely deserves it. I kiss her forehead, hoping it would calm her down. It does. "Come on, sweetie. Let's go."

We rush out the front door, and before I know it, we are at Lincolndale high school, or Hell, in other words. I'm so lost in my phone, I pay no attention to where we're going. I'm texting my best friend, Vivian, about going to the CD store because she wants to pick up the new Rihanna album.

Viv: Hey Toni! Let's hit Roman's CD store at lunch!

Toni: Alright, as long as you promise to get me some Chick-Fil-A...

Viv: And maybe a Mocha Frapp from Starbucks?

Toni: God, you know me so well.

Viv: Duh! I'm your BFF, I'm supposed to know this stuff! TTYL.

Vivian and I have been best friends since we were four years old. Her short black hair that ended sharply at her collarbones and her beautiful emerald green eyes could pierced into your very core. I break from my thought of Viv when we reach school. My mom pulls up to the curb as I realize it's 7:03 and I have to be in class by 7:05. I shout back towards the car, "BYEMOMGOTTAGOLOVEYOUGOODLUCK!" Thank god I make it to class on time, I really didn't want to hear a long lecture from my history teacher about how 'being late for an important meeting or event is rude and disrespectful and won't be tolerated in the real world'. Yeah, whatever. The day flys by, and it's finally lunch. I grab Viv and run out of school. "Woah! You're more excited than I am!" Vivian chuckles. "Come on, let's just get out of here."

We stop at Chick-Fil-A and Starbucks, then head to Roman's. Viv is like a kid in a candy store, hopping through the aisles, looking for her favorite singer, Rihanna. I let my fingers lightly skim over the CD's, looking at all the pretty faces and creative covers. This is what I want to do, I think to myself. I want to make music, I want to make people smile and laugh. I want to sing and follow my dream. I've wanted to be a singer ever since I can remember, it's my passion. I'm still daydreaming about my future career when a CD catches my eye. "'Songs About Nothing'." I chuckle at the title, cute. I look at the picture of the artist.

Wow.

"Hunter Hayes..." I keep saying his name over and over in my mind. Hunter Hayes. Hunter Hayes. Hunter Hayes. Roman, the owner of the store sneaks up behind me. "Oh yeah, my friend Oscar works with the guy who edited that CD and he sent me like 3 dozen copies. I didn't want them, so I just thought I'd-" I cut him off. "How much?" I look back down at the CD, mesmerized by his eyes. He looks familiar, but I brush it off. "Oh, you want a copy?" "Obviously, Roman." I hand him a $10 and grab Viv to go to the car. "I gotta listen to this", I say to her, motioning for her to start the engine and pop out Now That's What I Call Music! 24. "Ooh, someone's in loooove". Viv says in return. I place it into the car stereo and lean back in the passenger seat as we make our way out of the parking lot.

I close my eyes and smile. I can feel every note and every chord he's playing on the guitar. I hear every key on the piano and all the background vocalists. "Hey, is that Hunter Hayes?" I shoot up from my seat. Vivian is startled but keeps driving. "DO YOU KNOW HIM?" I shout, nearly deafening my best friend. "No," she scoffs, rubbing her ear, "But my dad knows his dad and Hunter's father, Leo, has told my dad stories about how they were planning to move to Nashville to help his music career take off. He used to live right here in Breaux Bridge, but they moved to Nashville a few months ago. He went to Lincolndale with us. I can't believe you didn't recognize his face on the CD."

That's when it hit me. I knew that I recognized him. He was a grade above Viv and I, a senior. He was really quiet and we never spoke, that's why it took so long for it to click. "Oh", I say, feeling stupid. How could I have missed that? Better yet, how could I have let a perfectly amazing and talented guy slip away? Why didn't I just walk up to him and say hi? I had plenty of chances. So why didn't I? Because you're dumb, Toni, my subconscious tells me. We keep listening to 'Songs About Nothing' the whole car ride back to school. "Wow, he's really good!" Viv chimes. I smile and say, "No, he's amazing".