Chapter 1

1 year ago

It was their one year anniversary today. James and Aurora, the school's 'it' couple were celebrating it with a surprise date planned by James.

She was flustered and nervous. The boy she loved would be knocking on her front door any moment.

Love. She really did love him but hadn't figured out how to tell him. She'd known for a few months but could never find the right words to say.

She was worried he wouldn't take it seriously and think she just meant love like how a twelve-year-old says it. No, she meant it for real; she was in love with James. She was completely in love with him and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. He was the one. She just knew it.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Shit," Aurora cursed, jumping in fright. She smoothened out her dress before walking towards the mahogany door that separated her and James.

She carefully opened it to reveal her handsome boyfriend with a bouquet of roses in his hands. He was just as dashing as ever, with his ash brown hair that could never be fully tamed and warm brown eyes that always lit up at the sight of her.

He smiled when he saw his gorgeous girlfriend, his features overcome with joy. "You look stunning, princess," James said in awe.

She blushed at his compliment. She always did but that didn't stop the smile on her face.

You could tell just by looking at the two that they were in love, both always smiled their biggest smiles around one another and always seemed to glow whenever they were together.

He had not told her he loved her as he too was worried that she wouldn't think he meant it but he did. He meant it with all his heart; she was his one and only and he wanted to be with her forever. Today was the day, the day he would finally man up and tell the stunning girl before him just how much he loved her.

Sure they were only sixteen but that didn't mean that they didn't know that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

Age was just a number and these two didn't care that they were young because they were in love.

~*~*~

Now

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Fuck me. It's the first day of school.

Just one more year of torture and I'm free. Just one more year.

With this thought in mind, I force my eyes open only to be welcomed by never-ending rays of sunlight, meaning I must have forgotten to close my curtains last night, great.

Begrudgingly, I lift my sheets off of me and place my feet on my carpeted floor. You can do this, Ari, just one more year.

"Aurora, breakfast's ready sweetie, come downstairs," my mother calls.

"Coming," I reply, groggily making my way to the kitchen.

"What's for breakfast?" I ask sitting opposite my younger brother and sister, Hugo and Alice; they're fraternal twins.

If you haven't noticed, my parents are slightly obsessed with Disney, naming me after Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty; my sister after Alice from Alice in Wonderland and my brother after the gargoyle from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Now although my name is the most flamboyant out of the three it is Hugo's that I find funny, I mean he was named after a gargoyle for god's sake. Who does that? My parents that's who.

"Pancakes," my mum says grinning. "Seeing as it's your first day back I thought I'd give you all a little treat."

I squeal in excitement, kissing my mum on the cheek. "Thanks, you're the best."

"I know. Now hurry up you need to leave in the next thirty minutes and you're not even dressed."

I swallow my food in just a few bites so I can get ready on time, I don't want to be late on my first day.

I need to look somewhat decent so I start rummaging through my wardrobe. I find a cute olive green crop top and some faded high wasted skinny jeans. I let my hair fall naturally and apply minimal makeup. I don't like to wear too much on a daily basis, just some mascara and concealer.

By the time I trudge down the stairs and slip into my black converse I hear my ride outside so I grab my backpack from next to the door and rush outside. "Bye mum, see you later."

"Bye sweetie enjoy your first day." Not a chance.

The car continues to honk. "I'm coming, I'm coming, sheesh woman," I snap at my best friend, Ava.

She just laughs. "Come on, Ari, we don't want to be late."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I mutter as I slam the car door behind me and we immediately we zoom off, only mere minutes away from hell's gates.

"From the way you're driving it seems like you actually want to go to school."

Ava looks at me weirdly from the corner of her eye, tapping her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel as she waits for the traffic light to change colour. "What? Nah. I just want to get my schedule before the line gets massive."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I hope we have some classes together this year, last year we only had one."

"I know, can you believe it but we did have classes with Max and Mason."

Max and Mason are the two others that make up our tight knit friendship group. We're actually all part of a bigger group but, in particular, us four are very close. We were all thrown into the same form room when I moved here year in nine and have been inseparable ever since.

"True. Speaking of which, have you spoken to either of them today?" I ask.

"Nope but we'll see them at lunch though so we can catch up then."

Since we're a little early Ava managed to get a parking spot near the front which means less walking, hell yeah.

The line wasn't too long, thank god, only about fifteen people in front of us but there's still no sign of the boys but after about ten minutes the aforementioned devils finally appear. "Hey girls," they say in unison in a way that's almost creepy.

"Hey," I grin at them. "How were your summers? I feel like haven't spoken to either of you since before I went on holiday."

I went to Barcelona for two weeks at the end of August so I haven't spoken to the boys since then and I only caught up with Ava yesterday.

"Great," they both say in unison yet again.

"You guys need to stop doing that it's plain weird," Ava says, voicing my thoughts.

Neither of them bother to reply and instead pull us both into a tight hug. "I missed you both. We haven't all got together as a group since the beginning of August," Mason says, breaking the silence as he pulls away from the hug.

Mason is the more academic of the two boys. He has chestnut brown hair with amber eyes. I know, it's quite unusual. It's not every day you meet someone with such a different eye colour. He's the smartest in our group, only by a little bit but he never lets us forget it. As well as being smart, Mason is also athletic but nowhere near as athletic as Max.

Max is the sportiest in our group. He has dark brown hair and mesmerising grey eyes. He's still smart but he spends most of his time focused on sports instead of books. Being a sports player comes with perks and for Max, it's his body. It's very well toned and as a result he has most of the girls and a few guys in our school fawning over him. To top it all off, he's let all the attention go to his head and by that I mean he has an enormous ego. Although that can be very annoying I know he means well and most of the time he's just kidding around.

You already know Ava. She has honey blonde hair and warm brown eyes. She's the most social and outgoing out of all us, closely rivalled by Max and is also an amazing cheerleader with gymnastics skills and flexibility second to none.

Finally, there's me. I'm a brunette with green eyes — I know, nothing like princess Aurora, my parents probably should've thought that through better. I don't know what I'd be classed as in my group of friends. I'm the second smartest and quite athletic; you'd have to ask them.

I'm not the most social person out there, I know that. I've always been a bit shy. I don't have crippling anxiety or anything but I'm not the most comfortable around new people. If I know someone I'm myself but if I don't I'm a bit closed off. It's not intentional but I can't help it., it's just the way I am I suppose.

"Yeah, this is not acceptable," Max pipes in. "We're having a movie night at Ari's tonight, no excuses."

"Why my house?"

"Because you're the reason we haven't all hung out in ages," Ava points out. Curse logic.

"Fine," I grumble, giving in.

"Awesome," all three of them say together.

By the time our conversation is over it's our turn to get our timetables.

"Ava Williams, Aurora Kelly, Maxwell Rivers and Mason Lewis," Ava chirps to the lady behind the desk who merely grunts in response.

She hands us our schedules and then barks at us to move, rude bitch.

After moving my eyes scan my schedule but as I'm studying it, Ava snatches it from my hands. "Hey, what was that for?"

She doesn't respond and instead glances from my timetable to hers. "We only have religious studies and biology together," she pouts.

"It's still one more than last year," I point out, trying to lighten her mood.

"I guess."

"Mase, Max what about you guys?"

Before they can reply Ava grabs their schedules too.

"Let's see, I've got maths with you Mase and I've got English with you Max," I tell them both as I look over Ava's shoulder to see their timetables.

On top of my four subjects, I also do art after school but only recreationally because there was no room in my timetable for it and five subjects would have killed me but I still love it to bits. It is one of my favourite subjects because you can just relax and de-stress and it's very therapeutic.

I finally get my timetable back from Ava's clutches and we're about to start walking to RS together when I hear a familiar voice speak from behind me. "Hey Ari, can I speak to you?"

I snap my head around to see the soft brown eyes of my boyfriend, James. I haven't seen him for two weeks, due to me being on holiday, but he's just as handsome as ever. His eyes have this stunning shine to them that just makes me melt and I can happily say I've fallen in love with those eyes as well as the rest of him.

I know it's crazy to say that you love someone so young but it's true. I've known since I was sixteen and I'll never forget the day I told him. It was our one year anniversary, I knew I had to tell him, I'd been putting it off for months because I was scared of his reaction but I did it and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions of my life.

*FLASHBACK*

The two were having a lovely candlelit dinner together in a secluded area of Aurora's favourite restaurant.

The night had gone perfectly, every aspect of it was just magical but the most important part about it for both of them was the fact that the person they loved was sitting in front of them, eyes shining and smiling like there was no tomorrow.

Nothing could ruin this night. WW3 could have started right then and they'd still be smiling, that's how perfect everything was for these two.

The only problem was neither of them had the courage to tell the other just how they felt about them. They wanted to desperately but fear had taken over, stopping them from speaking those three words that they meant with every fibre of their beings.

Enough was enough, they'd hidden how they felt for too long. No matter what they were going to tell each other the feelings that were screaming to be displayed.

"Princess, there's something I need to tell you," James said in his softest voice. He always called her princess, it was his special name just for her, considering she was named after a princess it just fit.

Aurora smiled when she heard the nickname she loved hearing from his lips. "And there's something I need to tell you, James," she said, her voice also soft and gentle.

Both were terrified of this moment but held themselves together, the presence of each other seemed to calm them down greatly.

"How about we both say it together on the count of three?" James suggested.

She nodded so they counted down together.

"1"

"2"

"3"

"I love you," they both said in unison.

Nothing in the entire world could even begin to describe the happiness those two felt in that moment. Everything was just perfect and nothing could change that.

*FLASHBACK OVER*

(Play song now)

I smile at him. "I'll catch up with you guys later," I tell my friends.

They nod and begin to walk off and I hear Ava say "see you in RS" before she goes out of earshot.

James motions me over to follow him down the corridor.

"Hey you," I say as we begin walking.

"Hi Ari," he replies, stiffly. He's being quite quiet and a little hostile and that's pretty unusual for him.

"So it's our two year anniversary two weeks today," I remind him, trying to start a conversation.

He scratches the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah."

"Are you alright? You're not being your bubbly self. Did something happen, oh my god s-"

"Nothing happened," he starts quickly, effectively cutting me off as he carries on walking down the narrow corridor, his pace quickening.

"James," my voice is sharp, gaining his attention, making him slow down. "What's wrong, why are you barely talking and not looking at me?" Usually, he's one of the most outgoing and chatty people I know, he never shuts up. He's also not stealing glances at me, he always does that; he thinks that I don't notice but I do.

He's normally so lively and energetic, it's something I really admire about him. He can always brighten my mood or just make me feel better because he just has that positive aura. But right now I don't feel happy like I usually do when he's around, instead, I feel anxious and worried, something's up.

He sighs. "I've been debating how to tell you something Ari but I'm not sure how," he confesses. Something about the way he says that makes my stomach twist uncomfortably but I try to ignore it; I'm sure it's nothing.

"Just come out and say it."

He pauses to think for a moment. "Alright. I want to break up."

Huh?

What?

No... I must've heard wrong but my stomach continues to flip violently, almost as if telling me that I didn't.

A nervous laugh escapes my lips. "Sorry, James, could you repeat that. I think I misheard you." Please say I did.

He runs his fingers through his ash brown locks, "Ari, I'm afraid to say you didn't. I'm breaking up with you."

So it wasn't me being deaf, he did say that.

It felt as though I forgot how to function for a few moments, like my world just flipped — and not in a good way. I knew something was wrong but I could have never imagined this.

James, someone I care about so deeply just shattered my heart. Someone I let get close to me after building my walls so high just destroyed a part of me.

I broke my golden rule for him: never let people close enough to hurt you. I should have listened to my head not my heart. I was so stupid, how could I let feelings cloud my better judgment?

However, one question ringed throughout my mind, "Why?" I reply meekly.

"Well," he starts, continuing to avoid eye contact, "It's just... you're a bit boring." Ouch.

Boring.

He doesn't stop there "Things don't feel the same as they used to. There's no passion between us anymore; I feel too safe. It's like we're old and stale. I'm too young for that. I need adventure and fun. I'm so sorry Aurora but you're just not daring and reckless enough for me." Way to rub salt into open wounds.

Is that how he feels? I'm too safe? Too boring? Not fun?

"Why did you take so long to realise this? Why couldn't you tell me sooner? It's been almost two years for god's sake," I say, unintentionally raising my voice. That bastard. He let himself get close to me when he knew he wasn't happy with me!

His face holds a pained expression. "I don't know. I guess I've been thinking about this for a while but I thought that I could get over it, turns out I can't. You don't understand how awful I feel, Ari, but I can't be with you. I hope you can understand." After saying this he begins to walk away but before he can I grab onto his wrist.

"So that's it. Did I really mean so little to you?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper as I concentrate on keeping the tears from falling. I will not cry in front of him. I'm stronger than that.

He turns to face me. "No Aurora," his tells me, sounding deadly serious. "Don't you dare even think that. You meant more to me than you'll ever know. I loved you and a part of me always will. You were and always will be my first love. I cared about you so much, I still do, but you just don't make me happy anymore. I'm sorry," his voice cracks a little at the end as he jerks his wrist out of my hold and walks away.

I just got dumped by my boyfriend for being too plain and boring.

James just broke up with me.

I'm not in a relationship anymore.

I keep repeating similar phrases to help it sink in. Once it finally does my heart sinks before shattering into a million pieces.

Without caring about being late for class, I hurry to the girls' toilets to cry my eyes out. I cry and cry and cry...