Chapter 1

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*Yes... I see the typos.*

As I sit in my bed watching reruns of Spongebob, I quietly think to myself how pathetic, a 17 year old girl sitting in bed all alone watching cartoons. I mean don't get me wrong, Spongebob is the greatest show of all time, but I should be spending my last day of summer with friends.

Deciding against sitting in bed all day, I quickly pick up my phone and call Karlie (also known as the best friend to ever exist).

"What do you want?!" She screams as she answers the phone

"Geez, at least I know I'm loved."

"Do you know what time it is?"

"It's 3 in the afternoon" I deadpan

"It is way too early for this." She groans into the phone

"We need to do something spectacular, it's the last day of summer break"

"Spencer, is throwing a party, we could go to that if you're down, but it starts at 9."

"Great! Come to my house at 7 so that we can get ready."

"Yup, sure thing, see you there" She indistinctly mumbles as she hangs up

I set my phone down on my table, and deciding to do something productive with my life, I go over to my endless "to be read" pile. Grabbing the first book I see, I pick up a book called The Cruel Prince. I quickly grab my glasses off of my night stand and head to my backyard.

I pick the perfect spot in the grass and settle down. Before I can even open my book, I am tackled to the ground by a big shaggy body. I slowly peel my eyes open to find a large golden retriever panting over me.

"Bad girl!" A deep voice with a lulling accent says as the dog is pulled off of me, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, though I can't say the same for my book" I reply as I slowly get to my feet. 

I look up to find a handsome boy with black hair and dark green eyes and a leather  jacket staring at me.  I adjust my glasses as I bend to pick up my book.

"I'm your new neighbor by the way" he says as I stand up and look him in the eyes

"I'm Melody Parker, nice to meet you"

He nods in response and turns away. I settle down in the grass once more and continue reading my book. After a few hours the sun begins to set making it impossible for me to read. I head inside to find my uncle passed out drunk surrounded by beer bottles. I quickly run up stares to set down my bookpick up the bottles and throw them in the trash, once all of the bottles are gone I quickly wake him up.

"Celia, is that you?" He slurs

"No, it's me, Melody, your niece for the past 17 years."

"Have I ever told you that you look exactly like your mother."

"Yes, many times actually." I reply in annoyance

"Don't use that tone with me." He says as he grabs my arm hard enough to leave a mark

I wince inwardly as I guide him to his room and lay him down in his bed. I pull the blanket over him and walk to the door.

"Melody."

"Yeah?" I ask as I turn around to face him

"I'm really sorry, you know how I get when I drink."

"It's fine Pops, I'm used to it by now."

"Goodnight Melody."

"Goodnight" I say as I leave and shut the door.

I quickly run to the fridge and grab an ice pack for my hand. Once the pain slightly decreases, I head upstairs and grab my phone to check the time. It's already 7, and Karlie isn't even here yet. Just when I am about to call her the doorbell rings. I rush down stairs and swing the door open assuming that Karlie is here.

"You're l—" I stop dead in my tracks when instead of Karlie, standing there I see the boy from earlier

"My parents would like to invite your family to dinner tomorrow night."

"Umm... actually I-"

"It would be extremely rude to decline our oh so gracious offer." He says with a smirk as he cuts me off.

"Yeah... we'll be there." I reply defeated

He flashes me a small smile, and quickly leaves just as Karlie's car pulls up in my driveway. She jumps out the car quickly and runs over to me, I loudly groan as I prepare for a game of twenty questions.

"Who's that?" She asks with a smirk on her face as I shut the door

"He's my new neighbor, and nothing else."

"Well, then what's his name."

"I don't know, he never told me."

"He's a man of mystery, I like that, and not to mention that he's hot." She says as she bats her eyes dreamily

"I wouldn't say hot, more like handsome"

"But you gotta admit that he would be—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" I yell "why are we even talking about this,we need to go get ready"

I grab her arm and tug her upstairs. I sit on my bed while she goes into the closet and begins to look for the perfect outfit.

"So how is Diego doing?" I ask trying to stir up a new conversation

"Great actually we spent most of the summer together, before he went back to college. Mom and Dad were pretty bummed"

"And how do you feel about it?"

"Well, he's my boyfriend of course I miss him, but I feel like asking him to stay longer would be selfish, and I don't want to hold him back." She says as she continues to shuffle through the closet "Anyways how is your uncle doing"

"Well, aside from drinking himself into a drunken stupor every night, I'd say he's just fine" I sigh and add "Its been years since they died, I miss them everyday, but I've come to terms with it already, he needs to get his life together"

"He's grieving, it takes time to get over such a huge loss."

"I completely agree with you, but that doesn't excuse his behavior, he's supposed to be the adult in the house"

"I guess you're right" she says as she walks out of the closet with a short dress in her hand.

"I am most definitely not wearing that"

"C'mon didn't you say you want to have fun?"

"SINCE WHEN DID FUN MEAN WEARING TINY DRESSES." I say sternly

"Awww, your no fun! Please!" She whines as she just out her bottom lip

I take the dress and head into my bathroom and quickly tug it on unable to resist stupid Karlie and her stupid adorable face. As soon as I put it on I hate it, for one thing it's to short, and on the other hand it's really itchy. I open the bathroom door to find Karlie standing there with her mouth wide open.

"Woah, you look great!" She screams as I pout "Not that you don't always look great."

"But it's really itchy"

"Well then suck it up, 'cause you need to look hot, this is your first high school party."

"Fine, just 'make me up,' then let's get going."

***

"Woah, we look great!" I shout as we look at ourselves in the mirror

"What can I say, I'm a miracle worker."

"Hey only I can make self deprecating jokes." I say as I elbow her and add "Let's just go it already nine."

"We'll be fine it's called being fashionably late."

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