Pleasure

Chapter One

"I would really rather stay home," I groaned, swiping a pancake off the middle of the table. I look up at my mother and I see her staring back at me with that same non-empathetic look she always gives me.

"And I would rather have a million dollars each week for the rest of my life, but we don't get what we want, princess." She smirked and handed me the butter and a knife. "After school, I need you to run to the store and pick up a few things though."

"Mhm," I wave her off, stuffing a pancake bite into my mouth. Today's my first day of senior year and I'm, once again, the new girl. At this stage in life I've accepted the fact that my family will never stay in one place for long periods of time. My father's in the military and my mom's very loyal to him. If she wasn't, she'd practically have nothing. I know what you're thinking. Oh, Aria, she would have you. Yeah, no. My mother's need for my father is almost scary. Of course she cares for me, but my father's money is what gets us by. We are by no means rich (and I know, that's what a lot of rich people say), but we do get a couple of benefits from the government since, quote, my father is overseas being a hero.

So now I'm here, in Georgia, awaiting my last year of high school. My mom wants me to stay, but I already know once they hand me that fucking diploma, I'm so out of here. I want to settle down in a not-too-cold state and just read books and drink coffee with a cute scarf around my neck and a fat cat on the edge of my couch. 

After eating, I shower and get dressed, putting my hair in a bun. Living in the south sucks ass. It's always hot and you can never wear what you want without worrying about sweating under your damn armpits. The agony.

I drive to school and park in the student parking lot. Over the summer, my mom made me come and get everything worked out so I wouldn't get "lost" this time (I used to skip classes at my old schools and just say I got lost. I hate high school). I take my keys out of the ignition and look at the sweaty, hormonal students walking into the school. 

Once I'm in the office, I tell them my name and ask for my schedule. The bulky woman behind the desk tells me to take a seat and wait. I do as I'm told and sit in the last chair of the room. I look around and see a lot of nervous looking students. Then there's the smart looking students. Athletic students, death-embracing looking students, etc. I smirk to myself, high school is such the works. 

Suddenly, a tall boy comes out of a door with a gold "principal" emblem on it. His fists are clenched and his face is red. He throws his backpack over his shoulder and marches away with hard eyes. 

"Jacob, you need to come back to my office."

"Not a fucking chance," he mumbles. His eyes catch mine and for a moment he stops. I'm an unfamiliar being and he knows it. I stare directly at him. I can smell the aroma of his mature cologne from across the room as he stares through me. His eyes harden once more as he pushes the door and storms out.

"Ms. Winter?" The woman behind the desk calls out. I jerk my head her way and look at her, almost as if she interrupted me. "I have your schedule. Do you need help finding your classes?"

"No. No, thank you." I stutter. I pull my bag straps over my shoulder and walk out of the office, following after the tall and good-smelling boy in the office. When I turn the corner, I see his tall figure sauntering down towards the end of the hall. Without thinking, my feet scurry faster ignoring everything including my own surroundings. His demeanor was so dark, but I'm so magnetized to him. It's like I'm gravitated or something.

As I'm lost in my thoughts, I wind up bumping into another figure. This one, not so Jacob-like. A skinny boy with glasses stands in front of me with his shoulders slightly hunched over.

"Today must be my lucky day, bumping into a pretty girl like you." He smiles as I bend down to get my stuff. I look up at him and the girl he stands next to. 

"Is that really your best pick-up line?" I ask with a hint of sarcasm. "You'll get nowhere with that one." I mumble. The girl next to him bends down and helps me pick up my things while giggling. Once I'm to my feet, the tall mysterious figure from the end of the hall, is gone.