• Chapter 1

    Tears pooled at the edges of my eyes.

    “No!” I screeched, running towards the casket being pushed over the edge of the bluff into the abyss of the midnight blue ocean below.

    “Isabella!” My father’s voice yelled from somewhere behind me in the distance.

    “Miss Isabella!” My maid –Renie- screamed.

    I ignored all the yelling and screaming as I continued to run towards the edge, tears staining my cheeks.

    I tripped over a root of a tree falling to my knees as the casket plummeted into the depths of the water.

    …

    “Max!” I screamed, shooting up straight from my bed- eyes open and alert- tears falling heavily.

    I was covered in cold sweat. My sun blonde hair was sticking to my forehead.

    Sobs ripped through my chest as I remembered the death of my younger brother max 10 years ago.

    “Izzy?” My mother’s voice asked, startling me.

    “I can’t stay here!” I sobbed holding my heart through my chest with my hands.

    “Then leave sweetheart.” My mother told me, a sympathetic tone seeping out with her
    sincere words.

    “You’ll let me?” I blubbered.

    “Take Renie and Carlos with you, and you can sweetheart.” She whispered, smiling lightly.

    “Thank you.” I whispered before falling back onto my bed- still crying as I fell into a deep slumber.


    Later that morning- after I had gotten dressed- I left with Renie and Carlos left towards the airport to fly to my father and mother’s summer home- my new home.



    I stepped out of the airport- purse slung over my shoulder- as my suitcases were being tugged by some of the airport staff towards the car.



    “Renie?” I whispered – looking out of the side of the cars’ window at the lush green scenery passing by quickly on the way to the house- did I mention it as in a private lot 1 mile back in the small town of-

    “Yes Miss Isabella?” Renie interrupted my thoughts.

    She turned around in the passenger seat next to Carlos to look at me.

    “Where exactly is the summer home?”

    “That’s simple…you do know that we are in California if I am correct?” She leaned
    forward in her seat.

    “Of course.” I commented.

    “Well, we are a few miles North of Mexico. We live next to a family- The Mason’s I believe?: She pondered silently in her head.

    “Wait…you mean the Masons’ with their snobby son Alex?” I questioned rudely.

    “Alex has grown into quite a gentleman Isabella…will you at least TRY to be nice to him?Renie scolded me.

    “I’ll try Renie- but I’m not making any promises though. Okay?”

    “It’s fine with us Izzy.” Carlos replied kindly- cutting off Renie.

    “How can you both stand living with each other!” I mumbled quietly.

    “Because we love each other- you’ll understand when you fall in love sweetheart.” Renie cooed motherly- holding Carlos’s free hand on the armrest in her own.

    “I know…but it’s a lot like how me and Max were though, wasn’t it?” I sighed, a lone tear falling onto my skinny jeans.

    “Very much so… Oh look Izzy! We’re here!” Renie squealed, clapping her hands together, as she tried to change the subject.

    “Wow.” I breathed.

    The house was roughly the length of 1 football field, it was 4 stories high, had 4 balconies, a pure-white paint job, cobble stone siding underneath the 1st story window’s flower box, “Its…gorgeous, amazing, huge, and …I don’t know!”

    Renie reached over and wiped the tear off my left cheek, “It is…just like you- not the huge part: your as skinny as a stick!” She laughed, opening her door and stepping gout of the car.

    I quickly unbuckled my seat belt and swung the car door open- hitting something on the way.
    “Hey!” A male’s voice began, “Watch where you-“ He turned around and quickly shut his mouth.
    “Watch where I’m what?” I asked rudely.
    “Nothing.” He said running off out of my eyesight.
    “Idiot.” I mumbled.
    I slammed the car door shut and ran off towards the house while I tried to fix my hair from getting anymore knots then I did from the car ride or the clan ride over here- which by the way were very horrible, uncomfortable, and painful.
    Without noticing I started to sing the chorus to: You Belong With Me- By Taylor Swift:

    She wears short skirts
    I wear t-shirts
    She’s cheer captain
    and I’m on the bleachers-

    “You have an amazing voice.” Someone said from behind me- cutting me off.
    I turned around quickly and saw the guy that I had hit earlier, “Did you remember what you were going to say?”
    “No…were you always like this Isabella?” He asked walking closer to me.
    As he stepped out of the shade and into the sunlight I realized that he was shirtless and only head jeans on, that I could see at least.
    “How the hell do I know you? Wait, I mean, how the hell do you know me?”
    “You don’t remember.” He paused. “I’m Alex…welcome back by the way.”
    “Alex?” I screamed walking backwards back into the lawn.
    “Yeah…I knew I should have just let you see me when you were ready. Sorry Izzy.” He breathed turning around.
    “Wait,” I sighed, grabbing his wrist, “I’m sorry.”
    “For what?” He asked slowly- genuine surprise in his voice.
    “For being so rude.”
    “It’s alright.”
    I was really mean to him. I should have-
    I fell into the pond mid-thought and came up gasping for air- floating in the center moving my hands across my face ferociously ripping my hair off of my face.
    “I told you so.” Alex called- his hands around his mouth like a homophone.
    “No you didn’t.” I reprimanded.
    “Yes, I did.” He called coming closer.
    I started swimming towards the edge of the pond and automatically called out towards him, “Hey Alex!” He looked at me from the edge. “Help me out? Please?”
    “Alright.”
    He reached his hand out for me to grab- instead I grabbed his forearm and pulled him into the pond also, “Gotcha!” I whipped at him adorably.
    “Damn…your good.” He smiled, tugging me out of the water, along with himself.
    “Thank you.” I laughed.
    At that moment I looked at him fully. He had dark, long brown hair dazzling green emerald eyes, perfect muscles, chest & abs, tanned skin, skinny, maybe 6’2’’, and gorgeous lips.
    I sucked in a shaky breath losing at him longingly.
    “So what’s up? I know you just moved in and I was wondering maybe you wanted to hang out sometimes or maybe I could-“
    I put my hand over his mouth to shush him, “I would love that.”
    “Isabella! Come inside! Carlos and I have dinner ready on the table!” Renie called from the house.
    I stood up quickly- by accident pulling Ale’s hand and arm up.
    “Ow.” Alex grunted.
    “Oh… I’m sorry, but I have to go- maybe some other time-“ I began.
    “It’s alright…tomorrow maybe.” He sighed cutting me off.
    “Thank you!” I yelled over my shoulder as I ran towards the house to go through the opened door in front from earlier.


    “So what were you and Alex doing by the pond in the backyard, Isabella?” Renie asked me as I slipped off my dark skinny jeans, pale blue baby doll tee, my black shawl, my black and white checkered scarf and my black 3.5 in. heels.

    “Nothing really- I fell in and he laughed at me so when he was about to help me out,” I paused as I slipped on my white ribbed tank top, “I pulled him in.”

    Renie laughed softly as I pulled on my pink plaid short shorts from my bathroom bag that was sitting right beside me on the counter.

    “Done Izzy?”

    “Yeah…you can come in now.” I replied sweetly with a soft genuine smile.

    “I haven’t seen you this happy since…never mind. Well goodnight Izzy. Sweet dreams.”

    My eyes were already shut and I was already half way asleep as Renie left my room.


    I woke up screaming at the top of my lungs into my pillow.

    The door slammed into the wall with a loud smash.

    “What happened!” Carlos yelled angrily.

    “Nothing… just the nightmare Carlos. Its alright.” I breathed, turning around to face him.

    “It’s going to get better Izzy. That’s why you, Renie, and I moved. I promise,” He whispered with a solemn look on his face.

    “I know. Thank you…you can go back to bad, Carlos. I’m just going to take a hot shower.” I told him.

    “Alright…just…remember what I said to you.” He replied, walking out the door and closing it behind him softly.

    This is going to be a long, long day.