1

                                    

                                          
I stared into my reflection in the small mirror in my bedroom, looking at the sorry attempt to cover up the bruised cheek bone I had.  
It was the first day of school in Beacon Hills.  
We moved here from Wisconsin at the beginning of summer.  
When I say 'we', I meant me and my father.   
My mother ran out on us about six months back and we haven't heard a word from her since, but who could blame her.  
My father an angry alcoholic, was the reason I was covering up my bruised face.  
He only got worse when she left.  
I gathered my back pack and slipped my shoes on, and I quietly crept through the house.  
He had one of those long nights at the bar last night, and he was still passed out on the living room floor from it.  
Though we were fairly new to town, my father already made his presence known with the police department.  
As I made my walk to school, I stopped at a gas station.  
Using my last few dollars I had, I bought a coffee.  
I figured I would treat myself, hopefully it would give me some good luck with the new school.  
As I was in the checkout like, a boy stood behind me in line.  
I turned back for a moment, as I payed.  
He was tall, dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, muscular.  
His eyes seemed to wander up and down by body, as I left.  
As I continued my walk to school, a silver Porsche revved its engine loudly as it pulled up next to me.  
The dark tinted window rolled down on the passenger side.  
I leaned down to see the boy from the gas station in the driver's seat.  
"If you're trying to get to school, you're going the wrong way." He chuckled, as he rested his wrist on the steering wheel.  
"Oh, shit.  Really?" I asked.  
He chuckled again.  
"Yes, get in. I'll give you a ride." He smiled.  
I opened the door slowly as I sat down in the passenger side.  
I made sure to shut the door softly, before I buckled my seat belt.  
"You don't have to be so careful.  You aren't going to break it." The boy said, as he picked up on my careful demeanor.  
"Well, this thing costs more than my life. I don't want to scuff the paint or anything." I nervously said back.  
"Good thing I didn't pay for it." He then floored it.  
"Holy shit, this thing is fast!" I laughed as I felt like I was being thrown back into my seat.  
"You have no idea." The boy replied back, as he sped around corners so the tires would squeal and the back end would kick out at every turn.  
"So, why'd you decide to give me a ride?" I asked him, as we pulled into the school parking lot.  
It was filled with cars and teenagers talking in groups.  
"Well, I never show up on the first day without a girl in my passenger seat." He raised his eyebrows at me, as he turned the engine off.  
"Well, thank you..." I seemed to trail off a bit, as I got out of the car.  
"Jackson." He smiled, telling me his name as he stepped out of the driver's side.