.Chapter 2.

I’ll tell you now that I look nothing like my old self.

My beautiful, past-shoulder length, brunette hair, had been chopped to shoulder length, dyed black, and my side-swept bangs had light blond streaks in them. I’d given up on hiding my gorgeous hazel eyes with contacts, and just let them shine beautifully. I no longer wore my Aeropostale, and American Eagle clothes. I now despised stores similar to those, they had never really been my thing. I was no longer a popularity queen, I was sort of the girl that no one paid attention to, besides my friends, unless I messed up. I was just the girl that wore casual, or clothes from Hot Topic. Most likely a band t-shirt, and a pair of jeans, with my Converse, or Adidas, during the warmer days. I was different. My music was still the same, my intelligence, and values were still the same, but my taste in men was different. Peyton was always sweet, and the jock was adorable, but he was never really my type. I had always fell for the skater/rocker boys back home in Seattle, but I’d have never admit it. I was now free to hang up my band posters in my room, (I lived with Amanda, she was like my sister.) and bring my band t-shirts to the front of my closet, without being afraid that my popular friends would find them when they came to my house.

I was walking to lunch when I spotted him.

He was so… Familiar looking. He had chin length, blond hair, with abnormally bright green eyes, and his hair was streaked with black. He was wearing what looked like an AE long-sleeve, with a Boys Like Girls band tee over it, and jeans, with a pair of white Vans.

I noticed his face, his eyes. Everything else about him was completely different, but I knew him. And I knew that he knew me.

He had been talking to a few of the other guys, hockey jocks, and he was flipping his hair out of his face, when he spotted someone. Not just someone, me.

He knew that he knew me.

Sam and Ashlee looked up, and didn’t understand at first. They must’ve noticed the way that I’d been staring at them with a blank expression, when they finally understood.

That was Peyton Jackson, and they knew it, too.

They quickly hurried me out of the hall, and into the crowded lunch room. We were too slow, he was already making his way over to us.

“Hey, I’m Gregory Jackson.” He said, staring intensely at me.

“Hello… I’m Sam Hector, and this is Ashlee Lane…” Sam said.

“And I’m Chaotica.” I said shortly.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch your last name.”

“Because she didn’t say it, smart stuff.” Ashlee retorted.

He pretended to look taken aback, “Oh. I’m sorry. Is it not a custom for women to speak their last names, here in America?”

“Oh shut up Peyton.” I hissed. “You’re from Seattle, Washington, and you know darn well that women can speak their last names!”

“Peyton Jackson? Oh, hah! You must be mistaken.” He said rudely.

“You think I’m stupid, don’t you? I can see right through your plans, Peyton. I know who you are, and why you’re here, don’t think you’re fooling me for a second. It won’t happen again, I’ll tell you that now. I have friends, I have family, and they’ll never let you hurt me, ever again. That’s right, Peyton. They know. They know everything, right down to the running away. Right down to the last slap you gave me!” I said, keeping a straight face. I was angry, and he wouldn’t see me cry!