CHAPTER 1

GABRIELLA

I once heard that if you believe in love, you'll have your own perfect love story.

That's a big fat lie.

I've been believing in love since middle school... scratch that, since Darren Lachlan drove away some bullies who had wanted to beat me up when I was five.

********

I had just moved into his neighbourhood at the end of the summer.

On the first day of school, I was walking home when some knuckleheads from my class started following me and taunting me just because our teacher had made a big deal about me skipping the second grade.

It's not my fault that I'm so intelligent.

Never one to back down from a fight, I had thrown down my back pack and put up my fists, knowing I was outmatched and outnumbered but not caring.

Just as the ring leader shoved me, Darren had appeared materializing out of nowhere, it seemed.

Even then, he was tall, towering over me and the other kids.

His dark eyes flashed with fire as he stepped between me and my adversary.

"Uh, you wanna fight a girl?" He asked,his voice filled with disgust. "What a punk"

"I'm not a punk." The ring leader protested.His comrades had grown silent, watching the exchange from a safe distance.

"Then fight me," Darren challenged, leaning down until his nose nearly touched the boy's.

"What's the problem? You scared?"

"No!" The bully insisted, the denial contradicted by the tremor in his voice. "This is none of your business"

"It is now"

The boy hesitated, casting a furtive glance to his friends for support.

They shuffled uncomfortably, regarding Darren with wide, fearful eyes.

"Come on.Let's just go. He's in the fifth grade!"

The ringleader frowned, torn with indecision. He was afraid to look cowardly in front of his friends but even more afraid of getting beaten up by an upperclass boy.

Finally, he relented, shoving his hands into his pockets and backing away with a mumble."She's just a dumb girl anyway"

"Who are you calling dumb?"I demanded, starting after him as he and his friends crossed the street.

Halted by Darren's hand on my arm... I yanked myself away and scowled up at him.

"What did you do that for? You don't even know me!"He seemed taken aback by my reaction.

While he stood there gaping at me. I snatched my back pack from the ground and stomped off.

He caught up to me.

"You're welcome"He grumbled, irritably.

I whirled on him."For what? I didn't need your help"

"Sure looked like it to me"He retorted."That fat kid would have whipped your butt, little girl"

"What's it to you?"

"Nothing, except I didn't want to see you get blood on your pretty dress"

I instantly melted.Because even though,I had resented my mother for making me wear a dress to school and even though I had a reputation as tomboy to protect, I secretly enjoyed girly things.

The frillier,the better.

"You think it's pretty?"

"Sure"He shrugged,as if it were of no consequence to him and then he added."So are you."

********

And that was how I started liking Darren.

It increased when we became neighbours and also when I got double promoted to his class.

Yeah... I'm a nerd.

Reading books is pretty much everything I'm good at.

It's Saturday and I'm trying to do my physics homework but thinking about how much I like Darren romantically is making it really hard to focus on calculating the velocity of a car.

A tap on my window drew my attention.

I smiled when I saw Darren's face appear on the other side of the glass.

His shaggy blond hair dipped down over his eyes as he grinned and pointed toward the lock.

I waved as I walked over and let him in.

"Hey,Ella."He began, pushing his hair from his forehead.

I narrowed my eyes."Aren't you too big to be sneaking in through my window?"

At eighteen,he was so tall and hot as heck.

I stared at his lips, wondering if I would kiss him someday.

Darren waved his hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I glanced over at him to see his lips tipped up in an amused smile.

"What?" I asked, pushing past him and collapsing on my desk chair.

He shrugged, taking that moment to dive-bomb into my bed.

After throwing a few of my stuff animals onto the floor,he propped himself up on one elbow and studied me.

I spun a few times in my desk chair and when I picked up my pen,he groaned.

"Ella, it's Saturday,you have all day tomorrow to do homework"

"What would you rather have me do now? I asked.I wouldn't hate getting away from my physics book for a while.

He shifted on my bed until he had a few pillows under him.

"Olivia is throwing a party"

I stuck my pen into my mouth and pretended to throw up."No,thank you,I'd rather do my homework instead."

Darren laughed."Okay"

I shook my head.There was no way I wanted to spend my Saturday night staring at Miss popular and her cheerleading crew. I have had enough of that at school, I didn't need it in my personal life.

"I'm so glad to hear that you aren't interested in the party. So you must be available to help me plan her birthday!"

I frowned."Who's her? I don't want..."

"Of course it's my girlfriend Tasha! Her birthday is on Wednesday,that is this coming Wednesday! You know girls do like surprise, right? I want to do something...to make her feel extremely special,so what do you have in mind?"

I've known that he had a girlfriend for so long, but it still made me feel pained when I heard the name came out of his mouth. To say I feel pained is an understatement.

He doesn't make a fuss like this when it's my birthday. He knew girls like surprise, but why didn't he surprise me on my birthday? He didn't even treat me like a girl?

Yes.. I'm jealous, and truly upset. If I had known he wanted to discuss with me about his girlfriend's birthday, I’d rather spend my whole weekend with those strangers on the fucking party.

But I didn't want to show my jealousy and depression in front of him.

"I don't know,you can browse through the internet.

"I just thought since you're a girl,you might have a perfect idea.C'mon help me out.What are friends for?"

Alright, he knew I'm a girl, but just a friend. My heart bled.

You aren't just a friend,Darren. Why couldn't you see that?

I almost yelled at him in my heart.