Brakenwood Academy. That’s the new school she was going to. Brakenwood. That sounded so lame. A prep school, no doubt. She was the farthest thing from prep. She liked punk music, black lace clothes and guys who wore skinny jeans and eye liner. Her favorite band was Kingdom Love. A German punk-glam, whatever group with the most beautiful man singer in the world. He had long black hair, was 6’2 and wore skinny jeans. Yummy.
Right now she was on her way to the cities upper-east side and she was listening to Paramores’ song “ Decode” she knew that if she listened to her headphones too loud, that she’d have hearing problems when she got older. She never really did listen to really loud music.

She looked out the car window and saw the fancy houses, the expensive cars. Ugh! How she hated rich people! Throwing away their money like just to be “happy”. Living like Kings and Queens, while kids are starving in the streets,. She guessed no one cares or even wants to share. Life is so unfair.

As Michael pulled up to a large old looking building, Amber took off her headphones. No music or cellular devices. Oh well. She lived by rules anyway. She had just moved in with her Grand’Mere Helene and her second husband Scott. They had only been married longer than Amber had been alive, but they still acted like newly weds. Kissing and holding hands. Gross. Old people love.

Michael got the door and opened it for her. He was so nice to her. And young. Maybe four or five years older, Take or leave a few years. He was told to do anything for her but she made sure he didn’t and wouldn’t let him do anything for her, besides let him drive her to school. When she got out she scolded him and said “Michael, what have I told you? I am not a princess! No matter what my Grand’Mere says, I will still do things for myself, okay?” she looked up into his chocolate brown eyes and he nodded. Just what he was really thinking was a mystery to her.

She took a step and tripped on the gutter. Before she actually fell, she felt strong hands catch her around the waist. She felt hot breath on her ear and she shivered. “ Jeez! Watch where you’re going! You should open you’re eyes more often!” the hands pushed her away roughly. That smell. It was so sexy. It smelled of grass and woods, with a hint of peppermint. It was musky, making her want to melt.

She stumbled again and Michael caught her. She looked back to the boy who had just been so blunt with her. He had platinum blonde hair and was tall. Skinny yet muscular. Her dream guy. Yet her dream guy was not a jerk. He was gentle and kind. Caring and compassionate. Sexy and handsome, but she didn’t know him. Maybe she caught him at a bad time. That seemed more likely.

She looked at Michael with an look of apology and nodded for him to go. She was ready to go and join the popular girls and the nerds. The athletes and the off-beats. Where would she fit? She didn’t know. Not yet anyway. She put her hand in her coat pocket and picked out her class schedule, needing to find her way. She was walking toward the school when she saw a boy walking her way. She kept on walking, hoping he did not want to talk to her, but he kept coming. “Hey! You! The girl with the black hair! Yeah, you!”

Nice way to get someone’s attention right? She stopped walking and turned slightly to the left. “ What?” she asked, surprised people were already saying “hey you” and school hadn’t even started yet, and she was already bored. The boy stopped too and said “ You know your supposed to wear a uniform?” She looked down then back up. She was confused. She was wearing the uniform Eliza had put out for her that morning. Then she caught on.
“What are you getting at?” It came out a bit annoyed sounding and she didn’t really mean for it to be that way. The boys dark hazel eyes narrowed. “What are YOU getting at? Why are you here? Aren’t you a Vanderwoodsen? They aren’t welcome here and I think you should leave.” He pointed to the gates of the school. She looked at the boy with his hazel eyes and nasty face. The boy looked like a rat, and was mean just like one.
That was the type of people she normally stayed away from. She could tell he was from the popular crowd. Nasty people they were. She just ignored him, turned around and kept walking. The boy was shouting profanities and said
“ That girl better watch her back! No body walks away from me!” Wow. That guy is a control freak. She could tell that because she had gone out with two people like that. Sick people.
So she continued walking and saw someone stick out their foot at the bench to her right. She looked at the person and it was the boy who had caught her and was so rude to her. Guess he really is mean. she stopped in front of him and began to confront him. “What is your problem? I’ve been on school grounds for only five minutes and already you’re making my life a living HELL! What is the point of that? Seriously! Grow the hell up!
He looked taken aback and started to get up. By the time he was fully standing she was walking away. The boy with platinum blonde hair just watched her walk away, with a slight smirk on her face. He turned to his friend with black greasy hair and said “ That girl is getting on my nerves. Wait until my father hears.” he laughed one time. “Watch this.” He started walking towards the girl with black hair, that he would later come to know as Amber Guelzow. Not Vanderwoodsen.
He quickened his pace to catch up with her and grabbed her arm. She spun around and raised her hand to slap him. She swung but he caught her wrist. He pushed her against one of the building walls and molded her body to his. She was very short, he noted, but very attractive. He noticed that she had bright green eyes and her right eyes was half blue-grey, like his own. Strange. He had never seen that before.
“ What do you want, boy? You are really annoying me. And also, will you let me go?” He looked at her strangely. “ Boy? I’m a lot bigger than you, little girl. How old are you anyway? Twelve? Thirteen?” She scoffed. “ No I am Seventeen going on eighteen”. He looked shocked, then looked down. The first thing he saw was her chest. Her very large chest. How could he have not noticed THAT?
‘Oh my God. He smells so good. And look at his hair! It looks so silky! I just want to touch it.’ Without realizing it, she did. She touched his hair. It was softer than you could’ve imagined. Like hers. All of a sudden his eyes narrowed. His eyes were on fire. With what, she didn’t know. “ What is your name? I already know you’re a Vanderwoodsen.”
“ No I’m not. My last name is Guelzow. Scott Vanderwoodsen is my step-grandfather. I have no Vanderwoodsen blood in me.” He looked at her like he didn’t believe her. But why would he, anyway? He didn’t know her. “ So you’re not a Vanderwoodsen. So, I’ll make sure everyone knows that. No one will haze you or put your head in a toilet.”
She looked at him. “ Sure, yeah right. And I’m supposed to believe Mr. I’m-going-to-trip-you? No. I’m not that stupid. And I’m not gong to grovel over you just because you are extremely attractive.” he arched a perfect eyebrow and smiled a bit. “ You think I’m extremely attractive.” He stated it like a fact. She looked a little wigged out and annoyed, making her face slightly pink. “ I didn’t say that. I just figured many girls have thought that. Besides, you’re not my type. I like guys that are totally the opposite of you.”
This time both of his eyebrows went up. “ You like nerds? Oh. Well, you have terrible taste then. I’m making an effort here and you don’t want anything to do with me because you like dudes with no muscle and glasses. That’s not what I thought girls like.” she really started turning red when he said that. “ Dude, you’re not even close. That’s not the type I like either. I like emo-scene guys. You know, the guys that wear skinny jeans and have crazy hair. Your not that type so I don’t like you. Plus you’re a jack ass. So that’s another reason not to enjoy your company.”
He leaned in closer until their noses were touching. “ You’ll be a challenge. I like that.” he stated simply. He moved fast and he kissed her. He had perfect lips and boy did he know how to kiss. The kiss went on for what felt like forever, when they both came up for air. He looked down at her swollen lips and thought to himself that he had never felt that much passion during a kiss. That was strange.
When she opened her eyes, she looked sad. He looked at her curiously. “ What? What’s wrong?” She pushed him roughly and he fell to the ground, strait on his back. “ What the hell?” he said “ I thought you wanted me? For God’s sake, I’m giving my self to you!” She looked down at him with his ragged breathing and messed up hair. “ I’m sorry, I just- I can’t”
She ran away and almost ran into several people, causing quite a commotion. This time he didn’t follow. ‘ wow. I wonder what’s up… hmm. Something bad must have happened some time ago.’ but then he thought. There is no one that Chuck Oleander can’t get. He got up and dusted off his clothes, cleaning them to their original black state.
He looked down and saw that there was something on the ground. A picture.