Chapter 1


Chapter 1:

I, Nikki Taylor, a now fourteen-year-old girl was walking from biology when she caught sight of ???him???. Jared Hensen, a fifteen year old baseball player. He has brown hair, beautiful blue eyes and a perfect body. He is about six feet and has amazing arms. I have known Jared for six years and each day I continue to think of him. It???s like he was printed into my head. Its not that I don???t want to think of him because I do it???s the fact that he???s popular and I am not. I like him but he seems to completely ignore me. I pass by him everyday and have never gotten a single ???hi??? or ???hello???. Than if I see him staring at me I get all happy. How could a hot guy like him like a girl like me? I turned to my locker to retrieve my history textbook.
I looked up to see Jared and his baseball friends talking. He glanced up and his eyes locked on me. I stood there like an idiot for several minutes, his eyes never left me. Finally, I couldn???t stand the tension any longer. I grabbed my book and bag as I headed for the history room. History was the only class me and my best friend Rylee have together. Rylee has long blond hair and green eyes; she is rather short and has kind of a little kid look. I entered the class room and saw my friend sitting in the desk across from me. The class rooms were all arranged the same. The big, long tables were in a straight line so that the students faced forward. The teacher had a desk at the back of the class and at the front of the class. I went over to my friend to talk.
???Hey Rylee,??? I said but it sounded like an insult.
???What???s wrong,??? she asked obviously seeing the expression on my face. Just then Jared walked into the history room-we had every class together. I stared at him like an idiot as he took his seat.
???Oh,??? Rylee said as she watched me watch Jared.
I just nodded. Why do guys have to be so darn cute? I have never seen anyone like this one boy in my life. Jared doesn???t date. End of the story, he just doesn???t. Nobody has ever seen him alone with a girl, although all the girls in school drool over him. Mrs. Fleming started the class two minutes early.
???Alright class, turn your books to page 743. We are starting a new chapter on Ancient Egypt.??? The teacher gave the instructions and everyone???s books were flipping to the correct page. ???Mr. Daniels! I suggest you get your rest at home, not in this classroom.??? The teacher yelled.
Everyone turned to look at Tom Daniels, a decent looking black haired boy. He was just lifting his head from his desk. He rubbed his eyes and gave Mrs. Fleming an apologetic look. The teacher continued her lecture on Romans. The bell rang and everyone but Rylee, most of the baseball team and I rushed out of class. It was the end of the day and everyone was so eager to return home. I silently grabbed my books trying unsuccessfully not to look at Jared and when I did I saw that his gaze was on me.
???Nikki!??? Rylee said loudly while waving her hand in front of my face.
???Huh???? Was all I replied.
???Are you ready to go???? she asked.
???Yeah,??? I said.
We walked silently home. When we reached Rylee???s house she asked again if I was alright and I nodded. Rylee???s house was a big a small hut like enclosure. It is faded yellow in color and has screwed up trimming around the windows.
I was walking home by myself when I crossed the high school baseball field. Elameta High School was practicing. That was my high school. That means Jared is practicing! I looked over to the stands, there were a lot of people there they must be having a game.
I walked over to the stands and sat on the edge of the second row. I watched as Jared ran from the dugout to third base-that was his position. Jared???s friend Damon Bray was pitching, Erik Bear was playing first, and Daniel Zest was playing second. From the stands I could not recognize the other players. They were all wearing white pants with a long sleeved blue under shirt and a red vest. The game went on for two innings with at tie at zero, the other team hit a line drive right back at the pitcher. It hit him in the face. The watching crowd screamed in horror as Damon???s still body fell to the ground. His face was covered in blood and his eyes were closed. His shirt had blood splotches everywhere and the mound he was lying on looked like a blood pool. The first person to his aid was Jared. Then Coach Knox-our gym teacher-was there. They called in the paramedics. Damon???s whole face was covered in blood. As they removed the fainted boy, Coach Knox handed Jared the ball. Jared???s pitching! Yeah, Jared is pitching! I yelled mentally. I watched as Jared threw his first pitch, it was a strike. Jared pitching was like watching on angel on a small hill. Jared pitched a no hitter, which is extremely hard to do. Then as Jared was up to bat, he hit a homerun! Gawd! Could he get any more perfect? I doubted it. The game ended and Jared???s team won. Seventeen to four was their final score. All of the girls in the stands rushed over to wait for the team to exit. I got up and got ready to go home when I saw all of the guys on the team except Jared come out and have the girls praise them.
Jared snuck out without talking to any of the girls and started to walk to his house I guessed. His house was the exact same way as mine so I started toward my house and I was technically following him but it was the only way home. We got away from everyone and it was just me and him.
???I know you???re there!??? Jared yelled.
I did not say anything. I froze in place as panic and shock went through me. How the heck did he know I was here? He turned around swiftly until he was facing directly toward me. ???Why are you following me???? he asked.
I still said nothing. He started walking toward me; he did this slowly watching my reaction. He and I were now four feet apart when he lifted his foot to take the next step I took five steps away from him. ???What are you doing???? he asked. Again, I could not reply. He took another step toward me. I staggered back getting ready to run if he still advanced. ???Answer me!??? he yelled then took another step toward me. That was it; I staggered back and started to run. Where I was running I had no clue. ???Wait!??? Jared yelled and I could hear him getting closer to me.
I kept running, to afraid to do anything else. I heard his footsteps getting closer to me and I sped up. I kept on running as if a murderer with and chain-saw was behind me, but so did he. I saw a corner-which I do not know how I did, it was pitch black-and rounded it. ???Wait!??? he was still yelling but I did not stop. Why would I? He would just get mad. I kept running until I could not hear him any longer. I saw a bench, it was in the park and the park was lit. I went and sat, I was panting. I had to of ran at least two miles. My house was now at least six or seven miles back. I was all alone in a park it was around six and had no idea where I had come. I was sitting and breathing when I heard a noise coming from the bushes in front of me. At first it sounded like an animal, but then I could see his slim figure and his sparkly blue eyes. I got up and stepped back. ???Wait!??? I recognized Jared???s voice. I moaned I staggered getting ready once again to run, but when I turned Jared launched himself at me. When he hit me we both fell onto the wet, grassy ground. It was as if my whole body had been hit by a truck, but the truck was still on me. I panicked and tried to free myself. I struggled with him and screamed. His wait was making it very difficult for me to get my lungs to function and when I took a deep breath to steady myself it hurt.
???Ow!??? I yelled.
???Sorry!??? Jared yelled to.
I tried to free myself; I tried to get his gorgeous body off of me so that I could breathe properly. He was not having that.
???Stop??? Jared whispered.
???Let go of me!??? I yelled.
???Tell me why you were following me.??? He said.
???Let go of me!??? I yelled again.
I struggled with him, trying to push him off of me. He grabbed my hands in ones of his-which was surprisingly warm-to keep me from struggling with him. I kept going, not yet willing to give in. I was now trying to kick him. ???Stop??? he whispered. I didn???t I tried to pull all the strength I had left and put it into my attacks, but now I was crying. My lungs hurt, my limbs hurt there wasn???t anything that didn???t hurt. ???Stop, all you half to do is answer my question. Then I will let you go.??? Jared whispered. I opened my mouth and tried to scream. His free hand clamped down on my mouth and my scream was muffled. ???Stop it!??? he said loudly. I kept struggling, knowing that I was going to be defeated, but not wanting t accept it.
I finally gave up, falling limply into Jared???s arms. ???Are you alright???? he asked, panic clear in his voice. I still did not answer, I was breathless and sore. He started shaking me. ???Hey! Are you okay???? he said louder than the first time. I did not answer I wasn???t really there anymore, my mind was off somewhere else. He shook me harder; he shook me so hard my shoulders hit the ground. He stopped when he heard the crack of my body and the ground connecting. He cursed. I started to feel numbness spread through my arms. ???Hey!??? Jared yelled, ???Are you okay???? I let out a moan. He lifted my head and ran his hand through my hair. He grabbed me by the shoulders and my whole body tightened to the pain. I gasped painfully. All I could feel was pain, every good feeling had left my body. ???Can you hear me???? he asked. I nodded but it hurt. ???All you have to do is answer my question, why were you following me????
???I was not following you, I live over by the creek and that is the only way to get home. I started walking home after the crazed fans rushed to the dugout. I was just going home. Now, let me go.??? I said. Even though I could not feel my limbs I brought my hand back and it flew toward his nose. He cursed again. My hand felt heavy with pain. I pushed him off of me and started to run back to the baseball field to get home. ???Wait!??? Jared yelled. I kept running, staggering and stumbling as I fled. I did not slow to a walk until I was on the porch of my family???s farm. I entered and my mother was waiting in the hall.
???Hi mom, hi Jacson.??? I said.
???Where have you been???? they asked not even saying hi back.
???I stayed and watched the baseball game. I am sorry I got home so late.???
???Just go to your room Nikki??? I started up my room when my little brother Jacson jumped in front of me. Jacson was thirteen; only one year younger-he looked older though.
???Where have you been???? he asked. I shoved him out of the way, entered my room and locked the door. I lied on my bed and drifted into sleep.