Deadly Obsessions

Chapter 1: Collisions

Chapter 1: Collisions

Nathan. His name was Nathan. He was so beautiful, so amazing, and so perfect. But so... mysterious. There was just something about him that had me intrigued from the first time I laid eyes on him.

I was in year 9 at Townsville High School. It was the first day of the second term and I, late as usual, had to catch up on all the early morning gossip.

Everyone was talking about the hot new guy, my best friend Paige informed me. She pointed towards a single table in the corner. There was the cutest guy I'd ever seen, writing swiftly in his book. He looked up and smiled at me, his teeth glistening. My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Paige told me his name was Nathan.

Suddenly, there was a sharp noise in my ear. I swung around to look up at my history teacher, Mrs Patts. Her clapping brought me back down to Earth with a bump. Then I realized that everyone else had quietened and Mrs Patts was glaring at me.

"Pay attention, Audrey!" she screeched. "Do you want to spend your first lunch of the term in detention?"

I felt my cheeks burn as they turned a bright shade of red. "No, Mrs Patts," I gulped.

She gave me a stern look, and then continued talking to the class about something uninteresting. I sighed with relief and opened my book. I started taking notes on what the teacher was saying, but I couldn't concentrate. I kept thinking of Nathan. I couldn't get him off my mind, but I didn't want to turn around to look at him in case I did get detention.

Normally, in this situation, I would've rolled my eyes and told the old hag I really didn't care if she put me on detention. But with the hot, god-like guy sitting there in that corner, I didn't want to act like that, especially on the first day of term.

With my wavy, fiery red hair and big, dark brown eyes, I was the rebel of the school. I had lots of friends and was considered pretty and popular. But I was definitely not the most popular girl in year 9. No way.

Miss Popularity, head of grade 9, the girl that every other girl looked up to (except me), was Bianca Roberts. Perfect in every way (or so she thought), with her blond, wavy hair, deep blue eyes and clear, flawless skin (okay maybe she's perfect on the outside, but on the inside she's evil!).

Finally the bell rang, and we grabbed our bags and headed for the door.

"So what do you think of the new guy?" questioned Paige. She hadn't seemed that interested in him, but she probably figured I would be.

"Hot, hot, hot," I replied, fanning my face with my hand for effect.

Paige shrugged. "He's alright," she said, looking around the hallway. I immediately knew what she was searching for.

I laughed. "He's over there," I pointed and Paige quickly turned to the direction of my hand. Her eyes lit up as she ran towards her boyfriend, Matthew, throwing her arms around him.

I turned to walk the other way, down the hall, when I was suddenly knocked to the ground. My head spun as I glanced up to see who

"Oh. Sorry Audrey!"My friend Krystal thrust her hand out, and I grabbed it. A grin spread across her face as she helped me up off the ground. "Sorry," she repeated.

"Don't worry about it," I said, brushing myself off."Why are you in such a hurry?" Then I frowned as I realised that that was a stupid question. Krystal was always running around.

"I'm meeting Jimmy at the oval," she replied. I laughed. Krystal and her boyfriend, Jimmy, were always playing footy together.

"I'll come with you," I said.

As we turned the corner of the building, I crashed into a tall, shadowy figure. I dropped my books as I realized who it was. Nathan was standing in front of me.

"Oh crap. Sorry," I apologised. "I wasn't watching where I was going." I bent to pick up my books, but Nathan was quicker. He gathered them into a pile and handed them to me.

"No, it was my fault. I was daydreaming." He laughed and there was a brilliant twinkle in his eyes. I was mesmerized for a second, and I couldn't help but smile. "What were you daydreaming about?" I blurted. I instantly regretted it, but I didn't have to worry.

"Just about a cute girl in my history class," he told me.

I looked down at my feet. "Oh," I mumbled.

Nathan just laughed again and shook his head as he walked away. I stared after him until I remembered my manners. "Thanks," I called. "About the books, I mean"

He stopped and turned around slowly. "No problem," he replied, and grinned, showing his dazzling, white teeth. "See you round."

My gaze followed him as he walked away. "See you round," I mumbled too late.

Krystal punched me in the arm. "You idiot!" she cried.

I was surprised. "What was that for?" I asked her. "You heard him. He already likes someone."

Her hand flew up and whacked me in the head.

"Stop it!" I yelled. "Why do you keep hitting me?"

Krystal sighed. "Because," she began slowly, making sure I heard and understood every word. "The girl he likes is you!"

"Huh?" I was still confused. Then it clicked. The way he shook his head and laughed when I looked so disappointed about him liking someone. His beautiful grin as he turned around to say goodbye. I nodded and a small smile slowly spread across my face.

Krystal sighed. "Finally," she said. I laughed, and then groaned as I realized how obvious it was and how stupid I must've looked and sounded.

"What?" Now it was Krystal's turn to be confused. "You just found out the new hottie likes you and you're groaning. You're unbelievable."

I laughed again. "No. I just made a complete idiot out of myself. There's no way he would still like me after that."

"You're crazy," she told me - like I didn't know that before. "He does still like you."

"Yeah right," I grumbled.

"Look," she said. "I'll talk to him, okay?"

I looked up at her horrified. "No," I begged. "Don't do that."

Krystal ran off, her long, blond hair trailing behind her. "Too bad," she called over her shoulder. I sighed.

I started walking, dazed. I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I wanted to be alone. So I went to my tree.

My tree is a big maple tree behind the school. No one even knows it's there, except me and my closest friends. I always go there when I want to be alone.

It has a big, thick sturdy trunk and green, star-shaped leaves. In autumn the leaves turn red and orange, brown and yellow, purple and mauve. It's beautiful and so relaxing.

I sat down on the lush, green grass and leaned against the trunk of the tree. I closed my eyes and the first thing I saw was his face.

His beautiful, blond hair fell over his eyes, which were a really bright, light blue. And the way they sparkled and twinkled when he smiled. Oh my god. He was really muscular too. He was wearing a tight blue shirt that emphasized his muscles.

I must have fallen asleep, because my eyes shot open as I heard the shrill ringing of the bell. I checked my timetable to see what class I had next. It was English.

I jumped up and started walking to class, hoping Nathan would be there.