Chapter 1
It was so much colder than usual- which was very unusual- in the place where I've spent my childhood and made my memories.
A quiet town that was not known by many but admired by those who have seen it.
The town of Richborough Falls.
Yes, Richborough Falls. A place where nothing unexpected, exciting or extraordinary ever happened.
Don't imagine your standard orthodox community with average people living their black and white lives. The town was small but the people weren't.
They were full of joy and energy and happiness and love. You didn't need much, it didn't matter whether you had money or not. They didn't care whether you drove an expensive car or not. They were a considerate group of people and nothing materialistic mattered to them.
Love and respect for all. We practically made it our town anthem.
I'm the college girl, Alex Hart and my story starts right here; Richborough College.
My friends and I were always a playful kind of group. Love wasn't one of those things that we really cared for, at least that's what we told each other.
I wasn't completely truthful because there was one person whose presence always made my heart flutter.
"Hey guys! You'll never guess what I just did."
Speak of the devil
Jesse, one of our friends, insisted as he came to our table at breakfast in the cafeteria.
"You're an alien and they found the last piece of your space ship in the area 51 raid and you're finally returning to your home world?" Denise, another one of my friends, replied quickly.
She spat the words out so quickly, in fact, that I was suprised that I caught a word she said. I snickered at her sarcastic tone as she flipped her green hair over her shoulder. Her exaggerated mock seriousness always made everyone at our table chuckle.
"I was kinda asking Alex, not you!" He gave a smug smile as he began ruffling Denise's curly hair.
"When you said guys, I thought you were addressing us as a group." She pushed him away and pouted. "Excuse my insolence."
Jesse gave a sigh and then turned to me. "Alex?"
"Just tell us." I said, blowing lightly on my steaming cup of coffee.
He sat down next to Denise, right opposite me, and leaned back in his seat while folding his arms triumphantly. "I'm taking Cassandra out tomorrow."
"Like. . . A fuck thing?" I blinked, taking a sip of my drink.
Jesse rolled his eyes and mocked my tone.
"No, like. . . I asked her to be my girlfriend."
One sip in and I immediately choked.
"What?!" I asked in complete shock.
I could not believe it.
Cassandra Chloë Camble was one of the most beautiful and most intellegent girl's in our college. Guys wanted her, heck even straight girls wanted her, everyone envied her and I, well, I- of course- I hated her.
"Lexi, there's no need to act so surprised, I mean it's not like I haven't told you about her." He said with a light laugh.
"Well, I didn't think that you were serious about it." I strained my eyes at him.
Jesse had just gotten over a break up.
He had just gotten over a break up that happened three days ago, to be exact.
He was really starting to build a reputation for himself and I couldn't understand why a guy like him did things like this.
We had been friends for years and it was only recently that he discovered that he had a little more on offer than your standard hot guy. He was known as a genuine nice guy and that made girls eat him up.
He was losing that one thing about him now, after deciding to try his hand at being a 'man hoe' and everything.
Jesse had been the skinny kid all his life but he began to hit the gym right before college and now he was a genuine heart breaker.
I continued to stare at him in thought and I could see his jaw set and eyes sadden.
"Great to see I have the support of my best friend!" He hissed and stormed off.
"Alex?!" Tamerin called my name. Her grey eyes were wide in shock and, next to her, Denise and Kyle - the other heart throb in our little group- exchanged an unreadable glance.
I didn't feel the need to justify my answers anymore so I just looked at her and shrugged.
"What? It's not like you guys don't know that I don't like her. I mean I've said it millions of times. . . sometimes even to her face."
"Go after him and apologise 'cause that was really mean, even for you." She whispered.
Tamerin was one of the most quite people I've ever met so her standing up for Jesse meant that I really struck a nerve.
Kyle swallowed next to me and then ran a hand over his face and through his black and blue spiked hair. "I don't want to get punched, dude, but Jesse didn't deserve that outburst."
I stared him down but sighed. "I hate it when you're right." I muttered and I walked away, hoping to find Jesse as soon as possible.
I walked through the halls, passed the science block and math classes and the art lab and finally saw him in the court yard, sitting on the bench that went around a giant apple tree and met itself again, forming a circle.
I sat beside him, looking straight ahead onto the field in front of us and then gave him a small nudge.
"I'm sorry, I know I should've been more supportive but-" I stopped, not sure if I should continue with my statement or not.
"But what? The only reason you shouldn't be happy for me is if you don't like her. I know that you don't but you're suposed to act like you do for me!" Anger and pain filled his eyes and I felt like crying- from feeling his pain and because I hated thinking of him being angry at me.
"You, of all people, should have realised that I don't like her and, frankly, I feel like you're making a big mistake and that you could do way better than her."
Hurt and anger flared in his eyes. "Alex!"
I know I shouldn't be talking this way about his new girlfriend but I couldn't help but got up and send him a cold look. "You wanted to know the reason and now you do."
The hurt and anger began to fade away and he blinked at me.
"Really?" He asked, softening more but I looked away. I couldn't imagine having to deal with his tantrums.
"I'm sorry but- actually, no. I'm not sorry at all because that's how I feel..." Jesse was looking down at his hands and I felt a greater pang of sadness scratch at my heart.
The truth was that I couldn't see my friend hurt. I wasn't that selfish.
"...but maybe my feelings toward her could change."
I felt completely broken at this point but he was my best friend and I knew that it would probably never work out between us so I did the one thing that I should have done from the instant he told me about her.
It was time for me to . . . be supportive.
I just puked in my mouth.
"That's what I like to hear!" He got up and wrapped his hands around me tightly and, annoyingly enough, a tear escaped my stinging eyes.
He let go and I turned to leave quickly, hoping not to give him a chance to see me cry.
I skipped my last class and got home, I did the homework I had and then went up to my room and curled up in a blanket on my bed- listening to every heart wretching love song I could find on my playlist.
