Love Story...

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EMMA

As I was about to get up, my alarm went off. Great! The first day of my senior year. Here I come, I thought sarcastically. I soon got up to get ready. I pulled out a simple black t-shirt with 'Project Pink' written on it in pink colour and white capris. Then I headed towards washroom to do my regular morning activities. After getting ready, I went downstairs to see my mom cooking breakfast for all of us.

Oh sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. Well, not my mistake completely. You guys didn't ask. OK OK, I am Emma Parker. I'm seventeen, eighteen in two months, and about to begin my senior year. I'm 5'7, tall enough for a girl. My dark brown hair falls to my waist and I look quite decent.

I have a very loving family and I couldn't be more grateful. My mom and dad are great parents and raised me well if I do say so myself. I also have a little brother, Michael, who is such a fun ball that I absolutely don't need any other entertainment in my life. I have got my hands full with him. Who wouldn't when he's only 5? My tiny munchkin!  

I forgot to mention one significant detail- I am a nerd. Or rather I prefer to be called studious or smart. Intelligent works too.

After finishing my breakfast, I bid goodbye to my parents and Michael and was off to school, Jefferson High. The only thing I liked about Jefferson High was that there was no discrimination. Anyone can attend it and you don't need to fit into particular criteria to be able to go to this school. It's barely a ten-minute walk so I don't bother driving. Also, a little walk just gets me ready to start my day.

As I stepped in the hallway, I saw a blurred figure running towards me with a force that only she can pull off. I laughed and hugged Jenny, my best friend, back with the same force. We have known each other for seven years and not a day goes by when I don't wonder how such a beautiful and kind person chose to befriend a stubborn idiot like me.

"How are you? It feels like ages since I have seen you!", she gushed pulling away from me. "I missed you so much!" she again hugged me and I laughed squeezing her back. 

"I am good Jen, you tell me. The holidays have done wonders to your skin" I pulled away when I was sure she was ready to let go of me. I wasn't lying. She was positively glowing. She blushed at my comment and I almost laughed at her. She's so adorable. I have always been a practical person while her, let's say she's a bouncing ball of energy. The ray of sunshine that I need to brighten up my dull life.

We started towards our lockers while talking about what all we did during the holidays. Her locker was right beside mine. We checked our time table and were happy to discover that we share half the classes. I don't know what I'd do if she weren't in any of my classes.

As I was putting away my books, an annoying screech came from behind me. Well, it was surely a girl's voice but sounded more like a screech to me. And I was pretty sure who that voice belonged to. I turned around with a sigh only to face Ashley Moore, the Queen Bee. Yeah, more like Queen Bitch. Apparently, she hasn't realized that we don't live in movies and considers herself to be superior above all.  

"What do you want?", I questioned in a bored tone. I really don't want to have to do this but she chose to mess with the wrong person today.

She gasped, so overdramatic, I thought. She really didn't need to do all of this to prove her superiority. No one wants to talk to her anyway. We all know she comes from money, there's no need to go around shoving that fact in everyone's faces. 

I don't know why she came to talk to me but I have had enough of her belittling everyone all the time. I might be just another target for her but I'll make sure that she won't get her usual fun out of it. I don't talk to all that many people so no one probably knows but behind this calm facade, there's a really angry and feisty girl.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" She screeched again in her annoying voice.

I visibly winced, in turn, agitating her more. I smirked and turned to leave before I did something I might regret or maybe not. But a strong grasp on my arm was obstructing me from doing that. I looked at my arm and saw Ashley's manicured hand gripping me. If she doesn't take her hand off of me, she might lose her freshly manicured and fake nails soon.

By now, a commotion was happening in the hallway. Everyone wanted to know when I'd cower away. HA! As if I'll do that. 

I took one look towards the people and then back at the fingers that were digging my arm and spoke in a low, firm and cold tone "Remove your hand from my arm or else I might do something which I won't regret," She looked stunned for a second and her hand faltered but the glint in her eyes was back and so was the determination on her face, and she once again tightened her fingers around my arm. 

"Don't tell that I didn't warn you." In a single flip, I turned the hand that was gripping me behind her back with a force that she groaned in pain.

"Let me go," she still had the audacity to order while crying in pain. Her face was getting red from all the humiliation as people were pointing at her and laughing.

"What's the magic word?" I asked in her ear. She doubled her efforts to pull away from me but I had her in such a tight grip that she wasn't able to free herself away. Thanks to all the self-defence classes my dad had forced me to go to when I was 7.

"Please?" she said after some time when she knew there was no other way to get out of my hold.

"Nuh-uh" I smirked and she looked confused for a second before realisation dawned on her. She gritted her teeth and gave her everything to get out of my hold.

"Sorry" she muttered when she had tired herself enough.

"I didn't hear you. What'd you say?" I smirked.

Giving me an evil eye, she yelled, "I said I'm sorry. Now let me go."

And with that, I released her, "See, wasn't that simple?"

Everyone was staring at us with their mouths open. Most probably because Ashley was not the one to apologise. But that's because these people let her have too much liberty that the money and all that attitude had gotten to her head. But there's a first time for everything and I was glad that I was the one to introduce her to the first step of 'Having Manners'. Hmmm, maybe I should do this for a living! 

She stumbled a few steps when I suddenly let go of her,  and then without a backward glance she stomped out of the hallway with her minions not far behind her trailing like lost puppies. Everyone went back to doing what they were before the drama happened but the murmurs never stopped and everyone kept looking at me with strange but relieved look on their faces. Weird!

I was about to walk away when again second time today, I was tackled in a hug by Jenny.

"You are a firecracker, Emma." she squealed in my ear.

"Geez, Jenny, calm down, I don't wanna be deaf anytime soon." She laughed and released me from her hug.

My eyes did a quick sweep of the hallways only to connect with the icy blue eyes of none other than Ashton Mcrae. By the looks of it, he had watched the whole spectacle along with his best friend, Jake beside him. 

And the reason I know about them is because not a day goes by when Jenny doesn't blast my ear off by talking about them. Even if she didn't, it would be hard to miss the male version of Ashley. The only difference is he doesn't bother anyone. He likes girls and girls like him and everyone worships the ground he walks on including my best friend who is squealing in my ear now about how hot he is. I don't have time for this and I walked past them without a single glance.

I don't have a problem with him besides the fact that he takes girls for granted. He uses them and just throws them away when he's done with them. But to be honest, it's not like the girls don't know what they are getting into. They are all well aware of his reputation. They know he don't do girlfriends and relationships. He just sleeps with them once before he's onto another girl. It's the same thing all over again. Again, you might be thinking how do I know so much about him but it's possible when you have chatterbox for a friend. We reached our class just in time and made our way somewhere in the middle and took a seat for the lecture to begin.