Chapter 1
I woke up to the sound of pots and pans banging around in the kitchen downstairs. Grumbling, I rolled onto my side to check what time it was.
I nearly jumped out of bed when I saw that I only had twenty minutes left before school started.
"Crap!" I yelled, sprinting into my closet to find something to wear for the day.
My mom and I had just moved here yesterday so all of my clothes were still in boxes in my closet. Shuffling through the boxes I decided on a pair of black skinny jeans and a grey sweatshirt that said 'GEEK' in bold letters across the chest.
Once I was dressed, I threw my strawberry blond hair into a messy ponytail, and applying a quick sweep of mascara and light pink lip gloss.
Shoving my feet into a pair of grey fats, I walked down stairs and into the kitchen. My mom was making some eggs, and I saw that she had already made me toast for breakfast so I didn't have to wait.
"You're cutting it close Maya," she said, her tone firm and reprimanding.
"I know, my alarm didn't go off. Is my computer in my bag?" I asked, while eating my toast, and scrolling through the picture of my schedule on my phone.
"Yeah, and you need to go now or else you are going to be late."
Finishing my toast, I grabbed my keys before heading out the door with my bag slung across my shoulder. I started the car and cursed when I realized I needed to be at school in eleven minutes and it took ten to get there.
I was gonna be pressed for time. Reversing out of my driveway, I admired the scenery as I drove past all the farm houses. Most of the houses, including mine, were surrounded in thick, dense forests.
My dad had left the house to us before he died, and in his will he had specifically stated that if anything were to happen to him, my mom and I were to move here. About a month ago my dad died in a strange hunting accident. Ever since then the woods made me nervous, and living in a house that was surrounded by them did nothing to assuage my fears.
Looking to my left I saw what had to be the biggest house there was in this small little town. It was four stories and seemed to be large enough to house everyone who lived in town.
The one thing that sucked most about this move was the new school. Mom didn't want me to isolate myself after what happened to dad so she wouldn't let me do online school, saying that I would love it here if I only gave it a chance.
Well for one it was the middle of the school year, meaning everyone already knew everyone, and I was bound to stick out like a sore thumb. And two, I didn't like new people. They always made me feel shy and awkward. Back home I had my two main friends, although I stopped talking to them after my dad died.
Now here I am, in a new town, a new school, and with no one by my side. But I new what I had to do, the same thing my dad used to tell me to do. Fake it till you make it.
I pulled up to the school parking lot just as the bell rang for first period to start. Shit, I was late.
Pulling out my map of the school, I parked my car before heading into the school. It took me five minutes, and several wrong classrooms later, but I finally made it to my biology class.
"Ah, you must be Miss Maya. I take it you got lost?" the teacher asked me, stopping the class and causing everyone to look at me.
I nodded,shuffling from foot to foot.
"Very well, please take a seat anywhere you would like." he said, excusing me.
I breathed a sigh of relief before I started walking down the isles to a seat in the back of the room. As I walked down the isle I saw people visibly cringe at me.
Suddenly self-conscious, I hugged my arms to my chest and quickly walked to the back of the room, taking a seat as far away from anyone else as possible.
The teacher resumes the lecture, and eventually turn back towards the front of the classroom. Class resumed like normal until about halfway through.
I was quickly copying down the notes when the door to the classroom slammed open and in walked a group of three boys.
They were all extremely good looking, but I was immediately drawn to the one in the middle.
He had a muscular build with chocolate brown hair and matching brown eyes. My breath stuck in my chest as I watched the teacher reprimand the boys.
"Late again?" the teacher questioned.
The boy in the middle just shrugged his shoulders before they all walked down the isle. The three of them stopped right in front of me.
"Move," the one in the middles said.
I blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend what he said. I mean obviously I knew what he said, but it just didn't click what he wanted me to do.
"I said move. You're in my seat." he said, with his glare hardening at me.
I was slightly nervous, but I definitely wanted to show that I couldn't be walked all over. "I didn't see your name written on it,"
As I said this, his face contorted into one of shock and disbelief.
"No fucking way," he said, sounding almost breathless. He inhaled sharply, and I watched enthralled as his entire body stiffened.
"Ryder, dude, what's going on with you?" the red head on his right asked him.
Ryder, so that was his name. It suited him.
"Nothing man, let's just find different seats." he said
I couldn't believe they had backed off that easily. Satisfied with myself, I sat back and continued to take notes, or attempt to, throughout the duration of the lecture, but it just wasn't going to happen. My mind kept straying to Ryder.
How he looked. How he sounded. The way he held themselves. Damn, I was screwed if I couldn't get him off my mind.
