Chapter Two

The sun was barely making its appearance when Zach threw on his white t-shite, dark blue button-down to go over it, and a pair of faded jeans.

First day of senior year. Exciting, right. Not.

Zach walked down to Jacob's room, knowing he would sleep in until the last possible moment. There were eight bedrooms in the house, and most nights there were only two people sleeping there. Jacob took the room farthest from Zach's, stating, 'I like to have guests over, and at times they may be a little noisy.' Zach knew he wasn't talking about playing monopoly with Will and Anthony. It was more like Jacob and the cheer squad going horizontal.

Zach knocked loudly three times on the door. Of course, he wasn't going to answer. Jacob was probably dead to the world after getting home late. He decided to go in, not knowing what or whom he might find. The room was a mess, but that was to be expected.

And Jacob's bed was empty.

A smack hit Zach on the back of the head, and he lost his footing.

"You suck," Jacob walked past Zach and fell face forward on his bed. He rolled over with a wicked grin. "How'd you know I didn't have someone in here with me or what kind of scene you could have walked into." He jumped up from the bed and grabbed a black T-shirt out of his closet.

"Are those clothes clean? You never do laundry." Zach maneuvered toward the door to let himself out after finding Jacob awake.

Jacob pulled up the front of his shirt to his nose and took a long sniff. "I think Rachel or Heather came over and did up my clothes for me the other day. So, it's clean. Don't worry, Zach, if I put in a good word for you, maybe they can wash your clothes too." He nudged Zach out into the hallway.

"I think I'll pass on those three doing my clothes for me. I don't wanna have to owe them anything in return." Zach turned towards the staircase. "Those are the last girls I would want to owe anything to," he muttered his last comment to himself.

Zach went downstairs to wait for Danny. They had this habit of riding to school together. Plus, Danny didn't have a car. Zach always told him to go ahead and take one of his. He and Jacob had three cars each, sort of the same ones to be exact. A brand new black Chevy 4x4, a 1968 yellow and black Mustang, and a silver and red Hayabusa. But Danny said he would rather be the passenger, less work on his part.

Jacob came bounding down the stairs about five minutes later and grabbed a soda out of the fridge.

"Is that what you're having for breakfast?" Zach snatched up the orange juice bottle.

"Nah, Brindle was stopping at Krispy Kreme for me."

"You really have them wrapped around your finger. You say get, and they deliver." Zach checked his cell to see if Danny had texted back yet.

"Actually, they ask if they can do anything for me, and I give them suggestions. Not my fault I am who I am. They give, so I take," Jacob was nonchalant with his words.

Zach didn't know how to respond. The doorbell ringing saved him.

"I'll get it." Jacob jogged out of the kitchen.

Zach heard Jacob open the door, then automatically close it. He walked back into the kitchen and sat down at the bar. About three seconds later, the front door opened and shut again. Zach turned around from looking out the window and saw Danny coming through the doorway.

"Your brother's a dick," Danny glared at Jacob.

"You've been coming here for years. Why does he have to always to knock?" Jacob looked to Zach for an answer.

Zach shrugged. He always told Danny to just c'mon in whenever he got to their house.

"Fuck you." Danny took an apple from the fruit bowl and took a big bite.

Jacob decided to play along with Danny's sexual innuendo. He slowly licked his lips as he looked at Danny from head to toe. "It might be a long shot, but I think we could probably make it work. Do you have time after football practice today?"

Danny rolled his eyes and threw the core of the apple at Jacob. "You're an ass. I'm starting to question your sexuality the way you're looking at me."

Jacob leaped off the stool and started to hump Danny's leg. "Oh yeah, I'm so hot for you. Oh please, Danny, make me yours."

"You're sick." All three boys were laughing as Danny pushed Jacob away.

"I'm taking my bike. Later." Jacob grabbed his keys off the key rack and left out the front door.

"I guess we'll take the Mustang today," Zach nodded for Danny to follow the same way Jacob had just exited.

***

Emily woke up and looked at the clock. It was almost seven. She threw her blanket off and silently cursed at her auntie for letting her sleep in late.

This isn't good. I have to get ready for my first day at West Lakes, and now I'm rushed.

She grabbed the new outfit they'd bought last night at the mall and ran to the shower. She had thirty minutes to get showered and ready. High school at West Lakes didn't start until nine, and they got out at three in the afternoon. Which kind of worked out since those were the hours Aunt Maureen usually worked. She would be able to drop off and pick up, which meant no bus riding.

YAY.

With her stomach flip-flopping around, Emily tried the deep breathing techniques she learned at some yoga place she had gone to once or twice with her aunt But, after about two minutes, she gave up.

I know it's just nerves, and I should be used to the new school feeling, especially after having to do this twice a year because Auntie's work is constantly changing. But every time the first day rolls around, I still have butterflies in the belly.

She put on the clothes that were picked out the night before, blow-dried her hair, and then styled it. She never knew what to do with her hair or the latest style at a new school, so she let it go naturally into its waves. Makeup was easy. A tad of mascara made her brown eyes a little darker, some lip gloss to have some shine, and that was about it on getting ready. After looking in the mirror for the hundredth time, she went downstairs to find Aunt Maureen in the kitchen.

"Oh, let me get you something to eat before we head out to the school," Auntie took down the cereal box.

As much as Emily loved cinnamon toast crunch, if she were to eat right now, she'd probably puke everywhere. "Nah. I'm still full from our dinner yesterday." They'd gone to an extensive buffet after the mall trip, and Emily was surprised she could still fit into her clothes after how much she had eaten.

Auntie put the cereal box away and gushed over Em's appearance. "Oh my gosh! Those new clothes look wonderful, Em."

Aunt Maureen has a great sense of style when it came to clothes. No, let's change that; she has a superb sense of style when it came to everything. I, on the other hand, couldn't match something to save my life.

Thanks to her aunt's taste in clothing, Emily was dressed in an outfit that she didn't feel too self-conscious. It was basic skinny jeans and a tight cream-colored shirt with a bit of lace at the neckline.

"That color makes your eyes and hair appear so much darker. So mysterious," Auntie told Emily as she fixed the tiny bow on the front of the shirt.

"Well, I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Emily finished putting on her outfit's matching sandals.

Aunt Maureen sighed. "I know you think this will be difficult, but West Lakes is an excellent school. We have you already signed up for almost all the honors courses they have to offer."

"Yeah, but sometimes starting over is difficult" Emily picked her backpack and headed toward the front door.

"I'm really sorry, Em. Work has me moving around so much. I do this to make things better for us and to keep you safe," Aunt Maureen mumbled the last part, so Emily wasn't sure if she heard her right or what her aunt could have actually meant.