Chapter 1

STELLA

My day starts like any other, I wake up early, shower and get dressed ready for the school day. I make my way into the kitchen where I make breakfast for myself and some quick toast for my dad, I then make lunch for both of us. Sorry let me introduce myself, my name is Stella and I am seventeen years old, I'll be eighteen in three months. I have long curly amber hair, sapphire blue eyes, I am quite small at only five ft but I make up for that with my attitude. It's just me and my Dad Max now as my mother Marie was killed four years ago in a hostage situation at the local grocery store, she was trying to protect a young mum with her baby when the shooter shot her in the back. My Dad didn't take it well and as far as I know he was still going to work but he was a shadowed shell of himself, my mum was teaching me how to cook before she was killed so I took over when all Dad wanted to do was sleep and order takeout when not at work. I guess I grew up much quicker then I would have if Mum was still around.

Once our lunch is made I leave it on the kitchen counter as I go to my dad's room, I open the door and over to the window. I open the curtains and then as I walk past the bottom of his bed I tap his feet saying

"Come on dad, Time to get up..." I wait for a minute and then when he doesn't move I slap my hand on his feet once more saying louder "Dad.. Come on, you will be late for work.."

"Aww.. Just five more minutes..."

I laugh at him as I pull a little on his blanket "Dad you sound worse then me... Come on get up! Lunch is done and on the kitchen counter, I have to go or I will be late for school. Now get up.."

He groans again but sits up and moves over to the side of the bed, I give him a quick hugs as I leave his room, grab my backpack, head out the door and walk to school. It doesn't take me long to get to school, where I meet up with my best friends Whytt and Macy. I walk up to Macy and give her a hug as Whytt moves from leaning on the fence to give me a hug and a quick kiss once I pull away from Macy. Whytt has always given me a quick kiss ever since we met five years ago, I have had a secret crush on him for the last two years but he like all the boys at our school has his eyes on the school's slut Savannah, but that has only been for the last year or so because before that he didn't like her, he didn't like how she used me to make her look better and help her get guys to sleep with her and if the guy showed much more interest in me instead of her she always tried harder until he didn't look at me again. I was surprised that I had managed to keep my boyfriend at the time to myself for as long as I did. I'm fairly sure in the last year alone Savannah has been with nearly every boy twice except for Whytt as far as I know and I am sure a lot of that is because he is my friend and she thinks he might be gay, not that, that has stopped her before.

We make our way into the school and to our lockers, Whytt is walking next to my with his arm around my shoulders, I wrap my arm around his waist but wrap it around Macy so that it doesn't look like we are actually a couple, even though I would like that more then anything. Once we get to my locker I reluctantly pull away from Whytt, open my locker and sort through the text books and folders that I will need for classes before lunch.

As I put the final text book into my backpack the bell goes off for the start of first class, I give Whytt our traditional quick kiss and give Macy a hug, unfortunately we don't have any classes together so I wont see either of them until lunch. My classes are quite boring as I have done most of the work already so as all the other students sit pondering their assignments I am working on my college applications, not that we can afford for me to go to any of the big colleges unless I can get a scholarship which I am also working on filling out.

I meet up with Whytt and Macy for lunch by our normal tree and watch all the other students mingling around, I wasn't listening to whatever Macy was talking about I was too busy watching Whytt until I did another scan of the people around us and saw Savannah and her posse walking in our direction. Savannah and I use to be friends but I caught her having sex with my boyfriend at my 16th birthday party, after I told him I still wasn't ready to have sex with anyone yet but I was reconsidering it when I walked in on them. I dumped him and stopped talking to her, that is when I met Macy and she became my friend as Savannah had started rumours about me, she more or less gave me her reputation of getting with as many guys as possible and as often as possible.

She walks up and stops in front of Whytt and says "Whytt! There's a party on this weekend at Max's, did you want to go with me?"

"I.. I.. I.." Whytt stuttered but he was saved from answering as the bell goes off to return to our lockers and then head to class.

After we got to our lockers Macy was the first one to finish picking up her books, Whytt was next but before he could walk away I put my hand on his arm and say

"I know you now like her Whytt but please don't get fooled into thinking she likes you for anymore then just some fun and laughs with her friends later..."

He just looked at me shrugged, gave me our friends kiss and then walked away. I sigh and make my way to the last of my classes, I am a little worried that Whytt will fall into Savannah's trap and she will break his heart after taking him to bed. I can't concentrate and like with all my other classes I am way in front so I put my hand up and the teacher comes over

"Sir may I be excused?"

"Of course, Stella. See you in class on Monday!"

"Thank you Sir!"

I put all my things back into my backpack, get up and leave the room, I call past my next class and knock softly on the door, "Sorry to disturb you miss..."

"Come on in Stella, everyone is working, what can I do for you?"

I reach into my backpack and pull out the latest assignment she had given us and pass it to her, "I have finished this and I wanted to let you know that I am going home early."

"Of course Stella, this assignment wasn't due until next week anyway.."

"I know I just like to keep in front of everything. So I will see you on Monday!"

"See you then, Stella!"

I give her a small quick wave and then leave the room, I quickly go to my locker and place all my books inside, I then send Macy a text telling her that I have left early so she doesn't wait for me as I slowly walk home.

I am not really paying attention until I go to walk up my driveway and realise that my dad's car is still here. Confused as to why he would be home so early I make my way to the front door but as I open the door I hear voices coming from the kitchen

"Does it have to be now? I haven't had the chance to tell her yet"

"Yes its not my fault you left it so late to tell her, Max she starts Monday morning! Its the only time she can be shown what to do without the big boss being there."

"But she has school! I thought we agreed that she could finish school?"

"And she can we have a school that she can finish the year at.. Max are you going back on...."

I don't want to interrupt but they must have heard me shut the front door, as they both turn towards me as I reach the kitchen door

"Hi sweetheart! What are you doing home?"

"Hi dad, I couldn't concentrate and I am in front of everyone with my work so when I asked my teachers if I could come home early they had not argument. What are you doing home so early? You did go to work this morning didn't you? You haven't lost your job?"

"Yes I went to work and No I didn't lose my job... But there is..."

I hear someone clear their throat, so I then turn my attention to them as my dad makes the introductions

"Sorry! Stella this is my boss, Benjamin. Benjamin this is my daughter Stella."

"It's nice to finally meet you Stella! Your dad has had only good things to say about you!"

He holds out his hand, I hesitate just a little before extending my hand and shaking his. I then look back at dad

"Sooo, Dad what is going on?"

"Um.. Can I have a moment with my daughter please Benjamin?"

"Sure, I have to make a phone call anyway, give me a yell when you are done."

I watch as he walks out of the kitchen and once I hear the front door close I turn back to Dad, I just wait for my dad to explain, he seems to pale as he says

"Stella sweetheart, come sit.." we move to the kitchen table and I sit as he continues

"I.. Um.. I..."

"Dad? It's okay you can tell me.."

"I got a promotion at work but we will have to move over the weekend so I can start work on Monday.."

"MOVE....? WHERE?"

"It's a small town about a day and a half's travel, everything is supplied.."

"Dad we can't move.. What about school? I am filling out all the scholarships and applications for collage."

"Benjamin says that there is a high school there and even a small collage for next year.."

"What about my friends?"

"You will make more, I'm sorry Stella but we have to do this and another thing I kind of made it so you will be working too..."

I stand and yell "WHAT??"

"Stella calm down... I had no choice, it was either take the promotion and the work for you or lose my job completely..."

"YOU DID WHAT??.... I'M NOT GOING.."

I yell at him and storm off to my room, I slam my door and throw myself onto my bed. I cry because I know that even though I don't want to go I will end up going as it is what needs to be done. I dry my eyes and start my packing, putting my clothes into a bag. There is a soft knock on the door, I stop take a deep breath and say

"Come in!"

I turn as the door opens to face the person that enters "I'm sorry Stella but I really didn't have a choice.."

"I know dad, how long have you know we would have to move?"

"I knew about the promotion last week but Benjamin only told me today that we had to be there for you to start Monday morning..."

"Wait!!.. Me start?? Don't you mean you start Monday morning and I start school after school?"

"I'm sorry again, your work starts at 5am till 8:30am Monday morning and then you have school from 9am till 3pm and then back to work from 4pm till 10pm and I will be working from 9am till 7pm"

"But when am I meant to have time to myself? Time for friends? Time to do my homework?"

He looks at me but doesn't answer my question as he turns and leaves my room saying "You need to be packed, we leave in the morning at 7am."

I groan but continue to pack, I think it was about 1am when I passed out on my bed