EMILY

The First Meeting

*Four years ago*

Emily's POV

Wearing my black denim jeans and pink oversized hoodie, I applied some makeup under my eyes to hide the dark circles and puffy eyes. Nobody needs to know how I spent the whole night crying after what Chloe did to me at Mom's business party.

I hated my reflection in the mirror. The outfit looked hideous on me. No, it wasn't the outfit that was hideous. It was me. Plain, ugly, fat Emily.

Chloe is right, I'm a loser.

I was lost in these thoughts when the door to my room knocked.

"Sweetie, are you ready for your first day in high school?" Dad entered inside my room and when he noticed my expressions, he continued, "Aren't you excited honey?"

The corners of my lips turned downwards. "Chloe is going to ruin high school for me. She is going to torment me just like she did in middle school Dad." A sigh left my mouth as I remembered all the times she bullied me.

"She is your sister Emily. She would never do anything to hurt you." Dad said and sat down beside me.

"You don't know her Dad." I whispered, resting my head on her shoulder.

"She loves you Em. She's just upset because of the divorce." Dad said to me and I bit the insides of my lips to stop myself from crying.

I was suffering too. I lost my Mom too. Why can't she understand?

Nodding, I stood up and followed him to his car. After he dropped me in front of Redwood High, I entered inside the school's ground and looked around to search for any familiar face.

"Sorry." someone pushed me and the next moment, I was on the ground with my limbs spread apart and a sharp pain in my ankle.

I heard voices of laughter behind me. Rotating my neck, I looked at my sister who was smirking down at me, a group of her friends from our middle school standing behind her.

"You should stop being so clumsy Em. You are in High School now." she chuckled and the students behind her imitated her action and laughed at me.

After she walked past me, I tried to get up but the pain in my ankle was too much. When I took my first step, I winced and then stumbled backwards, this time yelping a little louder.

"Are you okay barbie?" I heard a voice and my eyes flicked towards the most handsome guy I have ever seen standing in front of me. He was wearing black leather jacket, his dark hair gelled back to perfection and his brown eyes looking down at me from his towering height.

"D.. Don't call me barbie." I said sharply. All my life, I have been called Barbie because of my blonde hair and my blue eyes and I liked this nickname but that was before Chloe scared me by sending giving me a barbie on my thirteenth birthday. Not an ordinary barbie but one whose eyes were scooped out of her eyeballs and her head was shaved. She had written Emily on her pink shirt. I was so scared that I didn't even tell Dad about it.

"Okay Pink." he said, referring to my hoodie this time. "Come on. Give me your hands."

At first, I hesitated.

What if he was one of Chloe's friends and he's here to embarrass me more?

But when he didn't back away, I finally gripped his hands and stood up.

"Ouch." sharp pain arose in my feet and I winced again. "I can't.. I can't walk."

I was still wincing when I felt him picking me up in his arms in bridal style.

"Wh.. What are you doing?" I almost shrieked, afraid that my weight might hurt his back.

"Ssshhh." he said and I silenced down.

While he took me to the nearest bench, I observed his strong jaw, his plump lips and his crooked nose. He was handsome. No, he was beautiful.

He lay me down on a bench and stooped down in front of me. He first checked my ankle, his touch creating sparks on my skin. Then he suddenly rotated my feet, causing me to scream in pain.

But the next moment, the pain was gone.

"H.. How did you do it?" I asked in surprise, moving my foot to and fro.

"My mom is a physical therapist. I saw her do this once." he said and smiled, showing his perfect set of teeth.

"What's your name?" I asked shyly, biting my lips.

"Justin Reed." he said and sat down beside me, his scent invading my nostrils, urging me inhale deeply.

"Are you new in this town Justin?" I asked, unable to look directly into his eyes.

"Yep." he said.

Oh. That's why he is behaving so nicely with me. Once he gets to know about me, he would bully me just like everyone else did.

"What's your name Pink?" he said, assessing my face and I blushed under his intense gaze.

"Em... Emily." I said, pushing my hair behind my ear.

"Ememily?" he asked, an amused smile on his face.

"Emily." I cleared, lowering my gaze to the ground.

He chuckled at me and then leaning towards me, he pushed another one of my blonde hair away from my face. His touch was so gentle, so smooth that I almost fainted.

"I'll see you around Ememily." he said and what he did the next moment made my heart jump out of my chest.

He kissed my cheeks.

Like really kissed.

With his lips.

W... Wow.

Oh God!

But before I could make sure that he was not a figment of my imagination, he was gone.

Oh shoot!

____________________________

OK so that's how they met.