Always You (Love Hurts 1)

My aunt and uncle have been wonderful. I have no idea how I would’ve gotten through the past year without their love and support. They took me into their home, no questions asked, trying their best to make me a part of their family. But I’ll never completely fit in. As much as I know they love me, nothing can replace my parents and my brother.

All I can do is try to move on with my life and be someone my family would have been proud of. Try not to forget the wonderful things they instilled in me as a person.

I so badly want to make them proud of me. I can’t bring them back. I can’t erase the past, but I can control my future.

Chapter Two

Wrenn

Gasping for breath, I sat bolt upright in bed. Another nightmare. This time I’d woken up just as the car was careering into the tree, the moment of impact broken by my body jolting awake. The screams of Mom still rang in my ears as I tried to calm my body down. I shivered, the chill in the air colliding with the layer of sweat that covered me as I glanced at the clock.

Almost seven. No point going back to sleep when I had to be up soon anyway.

Wandering downstairs, I wrapped the tie of my light pink robe tightly around my waist. The accident was still so real in my mind, even after almost a year. Every little detail was so vivid, like it’d happened only yesterday. The sound of the tires skidding; the metallic taste of blood on my tongue.

And the crying. Oh God, the crying.

I rounded the bottom of the staircase and entered the kitchen. Layna was already up and making coffee, which shouldn’t have surprised me. She slept less than I did. She raised her eyebrows, her brown eyes brimming with concern as she slowly stirred her drink.

“Up early,” she commented, raising her eyebrows.

I nodded, focusing on her white robe, with little pink flowers embroidered around the collar. “Yeah. Another nightmare.” I grabbed a cup and slid it down the black and white speckled marble counter to her.

She filled it and pushed it back. “Maybe talking to someone again might help?” she suggested.

I shrugged. Talkin

g didn’t help me sleep. Most nights I was lucky enough to get four broken hours, and I could function on that.

“I’ll be fine. So, you’ve got the whole school in a twist with this new teacher you’ve hired. What’s he like?” I asked, making the most of being related to the headmistress, and also changing the subject.

“Is it really that big a deal? He’s only here for eight weeks. So long as he can control you all, that’s all I care about,” she joked with a laugh.

“How old is he?” I asked, raking my fingers through my long dark hair and twirling it into a braid over my shoulder. Like every other girl in school, I was hoping for young and hot.

“I’m not having this conversation with you, Wrenn. You girls are ruthless.” She shook her head, her short blonde hair waving around her shoulders. I giggled and grabbed a granola bar, taking that and my coffee back upstairs to get ready.

Showered and dressed in my uniform—complete with black tights, considering it was freaking freezing outside—I went back downstairs and grabbed my backpack. It was just after eight thirty. With less than fifteen minutes until my first class, I made my way across campus. First up was History, and like every other student in the entire school, I was curious to see the replacement for Ms. Lucas. Rumor had it he was young and cute, and that had me excited. A cute teacher to fantasize over? Um, yes please!

Can you tell I didn’t get out much?

Kassia was waiting for me outside the classroom when I arrived. She smiled when she spotted me. She was my best, and only, friend in this place. We’d started hanging out mainly because we were both social outcasts. Me, because I was…well, me, and her because she was a lesbian. Seriously, who outcasts someone just because they’re gay? She was the one person in this place who I could actually have fun with. Without her, this place would have ruined me a long time ago. I’d learned quickly that personality didn’t matter for shit in this place; all that mattered was your social standing and how much money you had. I was pretty damn low on both counts.

“Did you see Paige Warner today? I swear her skirt is so short I can see her twat,” she mumbled under her breath.

I snorted.

“Ten bucks says she drops something in front of ‘Mr. New-and-Apparently-Hot Teacher’ just so she has to pick it up and give him a show. I wouldn’t put it past her to give him a freaking lap dance.”

“And you’ll be right there watching,” I smirked, nudging her in the side.

Paige was the definition of skank and the leader of the bitchy group that had taken it upon themselves to make mine and Kass’s life hell. At least I’d only had to suffer through the past semester. Poor Kass had been putting up with this shit for five years.

Still, Paige was (as Kass would say) Playboy Playmate kind of hot, and like I could appreciate how sexy Roger Federer was—or maybe even this new hot teacher, Kass insisted on doing the same with Paige. She said that Paige’s nasty personality meant she didn’t have to feel bad about objectifying her, which always made me giggle.

We walked inside and took the only two seats available, right down the back. I snorted. Paige turned around and glared at me, her eyes reducing to narrow slits. I rolled my eyes. There was a law against me snorting now?

I’m sorry, but it was freaking hysterical that in the presence of a potentially hot new teacher, the whole classroom landscape had changed. The cool girls now sat front row center, chests stuck out, shirts unbuttoned, and legs crossed, ready to launch an attack on the poor, unsuspecting guy. I was already feeling sorry for him. Kass glanced at me and shook her head while giving Paige the finger. That made me snort again.