Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Couple

I patted Shadow, my cat, on the head.
"Be a good cat while I'm at school!" I said to him and stood up.
"Oh, stop talking to something that doesn't understand you and hurry up!" Frankito said. I smirked.
"C'mon, hurry up, Frankie! Oh, wait... I should stop wasting my time talking to something that doesn't understand me!" I joked.
"Yeah, not a lot of people can understand you, Samy!" he said to me. I smiled.
"You're funny! You should be a comedian, or something!" I said sarcastically.
"Same with you," Frankie said as I pushed him.
"C'mon, school starts in 15 minutes. It takes about 5 minutes to get there," he said.
"What are you going to do in those 10 minutes you're there for?" I asked, suspicious.
"Hang out with my friends..." he said.
"Or make out with Lisa Wall?" I said as a joke.
"You have a seedy mind. Seriously, do you spend all night thinking of gross things to say to me?" I laughed. Lisa Wall is probably the sluttiest girl in the school. If you were caught with her your reputation would go straight down the bin. She's a massive slime ball. A disgusting one, too...
"Yes. And they're all true! I have figured you out, Frankie!" I started running and he chased me. I checked no cars were coming and crossed the road until...

"OW!!!!!!" I lay on the floor, holding my right arm.
"Watch where you're going you loser!" shouted a kid of about 10 on a bike. I stood up in disbelief.
"Shouldn't you be at pre-school?" I shouted back and he stuck his finger up at me and kept riding. Frankie came over cracking himself laughing.
"Shut up," I said, pushing him. He pushed me back, on the right arm. I held in my pain. I didn't want to seem like a pussy.
"Samy... There’s something I've been wanting to tell you for a while..." I stopped. He held his breath.
"Well, go on! We don't have that much time... oh, crap!" I looked ahead of us. The school bell was going. I started running, "Tell me later!"

I walked into Chemistry by myself, literally a minute later. I had lost Frankie on my running spree. I was a pretty fast runner, well... compared to Frankie I was.

He came in and sat down next to me. I watched as Lisa Wall 'strutted' in. Frankie punched me on my right arm.
"Checking out Lisa Wall, ay?" he said.
"Will you please stop punching my fracking right arm?" I said... Well, shouted. Frankito looked at me with a confused look.
"I-" he started to say but Lisa interrupted him.
"The Goth can stand up for herself!" she shouted out. Her followers all laughed. Lisa and I went way back, to when we were in grade five. We used to be best friends... but then we took different paths. I went down the more... "Musically involved" path and she went straight down Slutville. I stuck my finger up at her and started to explain it to Frankie.
"Frankie, I'm sorry.. The bike that hit me this morning really hurt my arm. I think it might be broken. I'm sorry for shouting at-" then I got interrupted by Lisa.
"Do that to my face you little jerk!" she shouted at me. I stood up and went over to her and stuck my rude finger up right in her face.
"Bet you're glad your daddy isn't here now, aren't you? My, he'd be ashamed of you!"
"My dad wouldn't give a rat’s @$$. And neither would he if I did this..." I slapped her in her face. She deserved more, really, but I was in class. So that's all I could do.
"Miss Pritchard! To the principal’s office NOW!" Mr. Mitchells shouted and pointed to the door. I picked up my bag and shuffled out the door. Mr. Mitchells came in at the perfect moment. Now i can miss out on Chemistry!

I was in the principal’s office for about half an hour. When I got out Lisa Wall was there. She was glaring at me with her blue eyes.
"Oh, hello," I said and started walking off then turned around, "And thanks for getting me out of chemistry. By the way, I didn't finish what I was going to do!" I went to punch her in the face but she moved out of the way. I swung around in circles a few times then turned back around to see Lisa's arm moving towards my right arm. She hit it with all her power. I screamed.

"You dog!" I kicked her in her shins and she fell over, "Don't you know not to mess with me!? I could beat you up so easily!"
I bent down and punched her in the face and walked off to where my group hung out on the oval.
“Hey, where have you been?” Johnny asked looking at the red mark on my arm from Lisa.
“Nowhere…” I said avoiding eye contact, “Frankie, can I have a word?”
He stood up and walked over to me.
“I’m sorry, if I’d have known then I wouldn’t have-“
“It was my fault. I didn’t tell you… I thought it would make me seem like a woos. So I just left it. I thought it would get better but… I’m sorry,” I hugged him. He hugged me back. 
“Get a room!” Jo said, laughing. I laughed.
“Hah. Yeah, right! We’re just friends!” Frankie said. My heart dropped. Just friends? I knew we were best friends but I … Stop it. I’m being silly. I don’t have feelings for Frankie.
“Where have you been, anyway?” Frankie asked me. I looked at him.
“What?” I was too caught up in my thoughts that I didn’t realize he was speaking to me.
“Where have you been?... Are you feeling okay?” He looked at me.
“Lisa was waiting for me outside the principal’s office so I started punching her because she’s the biggest jerk in the whole world. I, um… have to go… bye,” I picked up my bag and started walking towards the school gate when I saw my dad’s car pulling up. I walked over to him.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him.
“As if you don’t know!” he grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the principal’s office.
“Dad… What are you doing!?” we sat outside the principal’s office and saw Lisa Wall come out with tears in her eyes. She pointed at me.
“She’s here, sir…” the principal indicated for me and Lisa to come in. He wanted a word with us before he spoke to my dad.
“Miss Pritchard-“
“Dirnt-“ I interrupted.
“Don’t interrupt me. Anyway, Miss Pritchard, did you say to Miss Wall ‘If you don’t buy any of my pot I’ll beat you up’… Miss Pritchard!” I stopped looking out the window.
“Are you fu-“ I started to say then was interrupted my Frankie, Johnny and Jo knocking on the window laughing at me. I stared at Frankie and indicated for them to go away.
“Sir. I’m not even 18. I don’t smoke that crap, let alone sell it to people. Do you seriously think I would?” he fiddled with his beard and stared at the both of us.
“Sir, when she said it she…” she started crying. Fake crying, might I add, “she.. She looked like she was going to kill me! It was terrifying!”
I started laughing.
“Do you seriously believe that!?” I said, laughing more. The principal shot me a look.
“Miss Pritchard, this is no laughing matter!” he sighed and looked at us both again, “you beat her up after she said no didn’t’ you?” he inquired.
“Yes.” I said, “Wait! No! I beat her up but I didn’t beat her up because she said no! I beat her up because she’s and asshole to me during school, calls me names, get’s all her ‘followers’ to laugh at me and worst of all she’s a slut and sleeps around!” I shouted. Lisa stared at me.
“How dare you!” she screamed.
“You started it yourself by doing all of those things!” the principal stared at me.
“1 week suspension, that’s all. Please leave, your dad came to pick you up,” I stared.
“Are you serious?” I said.
“Yes,” he started typing onto his computer.
“But sir I-“ he interrupted me.
“Go!” his voice was raising. I held all my anger inside of me and started walking out. My dad was standing there, waiting for me. I walked out and headed towards the car without saying a word to him.
“Silence isn’t going to help,” he said as he started the car up.
“Oh, like you believe me! You practically dragged me into that!” his eyes were red from stress. I sighed, “Do you believe me?” I asked him.
“Of course I-“
“Dad. Do you really believe me? Look me in the eyes and tell me that you believe me!” I stared at him. He sighed and kept driving, “thanks.” I muttered under my breath.

He stopped at a coffee shop and bought us both a coffee and kept driving towards home.
“Dad, you’re 10 over the speed limit,” he slowed down.
“Thanks,” he kept looking at the road.
“DAD!” I shouted.
“What!?” He looked taken aback.
“Can you at least pretend to be interested!? You’re acting like an asshole! I didn’t sell any pot, nor will I ever! I only beat her up because she bullies me! Why can’t you believe that!?” he stopped the car to speak to me.
“Honey I-“ I interrupted him.
“Don’t you ‘honey’ me! This is probably one of my worst days! I was blamed for something I didn’t do and this morning on my way to school some asshole of a kid hit me with his bike then rode off leaving me there! I think my arms broken and Frankie kept hitting it as a joke today and I went off at him so I nearly lost him as a friend! How do you think I feel!? And don’t say sorry unless you mean it!” I shouted at him. He stared me in the eyes.
“I’m sorry…” he said it without blinking or anything. I looked away.
“You’re forgiven. Can we go home now?” he started the car.
“No. We’re going to get your arm checked,” he took a right and headed towards the doctors.
“Dad… Don’t worry about it.. It’s probably just badly bruised…” I tried to convince him.
“Quit your whining and get out!” I stood out of the car, “If I ever see Frankie hit your arm, you’ll know how annoyed I’ll get! I’ll ban you from seeing that boy soon. He causes nothing but trouble!” he said. I stopped dead in my tracks.
“Dad! He’s my best friend and I… Never mind! But you can’t ban me from seeing him! That’ll make you and Tre fight!” I said. I couldn’t bare lose Frankito as a friend. He had been with me ever since we were little. We’d always done everything together. I’ve always had a little spot of jealousy when other girls went out with Frankie. But I’ve always just let them go as a ‘he’s my good friend, I just care for him’ sort of thing. Now I’ve come to my senses. I have a crush on him… again. I remember being 10 and having a crush on him and me and Eliza, my dad’s secretary, went down to the park one time and carved S.D + F.C into a tree. I wonder if it’s still there…
“You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?” my dad asked, sighing. I shook my head.
“No. I like him as a friend. That’s all he likes me as. He said so today…” I sighed and continued walking into the doctors.
“Samantha Jane Pritchard,” my dad told the secretary.
“And what do you need help with?” she asked. Her voice was polite and she smiled at us both.
“We think she might have a broken arm,” he told her. She nodded.
“Dr. Fletcher will be with you in five minutes,” she gave us a couple of magazines and we sat down and read in silence until our names were called.
“Samantha Pritchard?” Dr. Fletcher called out. My dad and I both stood up and entered the X-ray room. As we left I could feel people watching my dad. Because he’s famous.
My arm turned out to be broken, badly. Bloody bike kid! If I ever see him again…

I received a cast from my shoulder down to my wrist. So I couldn’t bend my arm at all.
“Two daughters sick now!” I said to my dad as we left. Estelle, Esi for short, had a cold. She’s my older sister. She’s 21 (22 tomorrow) and she still lives at home.
“I’ll keep you well. C’mon, let’s get home before she, most likely, blows up the house,” I laughed and jumped into the car. My arm was throbbing with pain from the bike boy hitting it and Lisa Wall hitting it. Estelle had grown up breaking things, on her body and in the house. She probably got that ‘talent’ from my dad. When my dad was on stage he would basically always break something. It runs in the family, I suppose. Because now I’m starting to pick up that ‘talent’.

We drove back to number 21, our house. Frankie lived on number 22 next to us and Joey and Jakob lived on the other side of us on number 20.
We walked into our house.
“Dad!” Esi called out, “Can you please get me some soup!?”
He got out a tin of soup, put it on a bowl and plopped it in the microwave.
“Quick and easy,” he smiled. I laughed and went upstairs.
“Maybe you should learn to make your own food!” I said as I put my bag down in my room along with all my other junk.
“What happened to your arm?” she said, staring at my blue cast.
“I know. It’s a horrible colour. Do you think I should’ve got pink?” I smiled and sat down on her armchair. I explained to her my whole day and she sat there blowing her nose and coughing.
“What a loser!” she said, about Lisa, “Would you like to hear my day?” she laughed. I quickly walked out and back into my room.
“Samy!” Esi said to me, “Mum’s here! Put your guitar down and get down here!”
Great. One thing to put the cherry on top of a wonderful day; my mum. She’s the most horrible thing that ever reached this earth, apart from Lisa Wall. Estelle and mum got on really well, though. Ever since I was little mum had hated me. I’d always spent more time with my dad… and Frankie. I walked downstairs.
“Hi,” I said staring at her. She said hi back and went to sit down, giving Estelle presents from all around the world. She plopped a small bracelet down on the table.
“This is for you,” she said, turning back to Esi and giving her billions of presents. I said thanks and said I was going for a walk and left. I hated being around her, so I walked over to Frankie’s.
We walked over to a café and ordered some coffee then we got into a conversation about Lisa.
“I mean, does she have anything better to do then ruin my life?” I sighed and looked at my half-drunken cup of coffee. I was battling with myself over whether to tell Frankie I liked him.
“I swear that’s her life goal,” he laughed. I smiled and took a sip of my coffee. Lisa walked in and sat down on a table near us. I took one last sip of my coffee then walked out, without even asking Frankie if he wanted to leave.
“Where are you going?” I pointed towards the park. He walked next to me… unusually close. My stomach was doing back flips; it felt so good to be walking with him just one on one.
“So, is your mum over again?” he asked, sitting down on one of the swings. I nodded and sat on the other one.
“How’d you know?” I asked looking at my feet.
“Well, you’re always sad when she’s over and you always drink a lot of coffee. Oh, and I saw her car outside your house,” he said, laughing. I laughed with him. He stared at me.
“Hey, what was it that you wanted to tell me this morning?” I asked him, just remembering.
“Oh…” he looked at his feet and he suddenly turned all embarrassed, “it doesn’t matter, now. I’m sure it’ll just… Don’t worry, please.”
I sighed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked me.
“I like this guy… But I don’t know whether to tell him or not. Because if I do then it might ruin our friendship…” I said. Looking at the sky, which was slowly turning dark.
“Well, that’s the same with me. I like this girl but I don’t want to ruin our friendship by telling her…” I sighed. He liked someone else.
“I have to go, now. I just remembered we are having dinner early back at home…” I hated lying to Frankie, but I couldn’t bare this. He liked someone else. Probably someone much prettier. He held my arm, stopping me from leaving.
“Why don’t you have dinner with me?” he said it really quickly.
“Oh… Um, yeah sure,” we walked over to the closest restaurant, which happened to be Thai. One of my favourites. We both ordered and waited for our food.
“Where do you want to sit with the food?” he asked, as the man handed us our food. I shrugged.
“How about our old tree house?” I suggested. He laughed.
“Sure! How about I sneak some booze in?” he asked. I nodded. Maybe it would be easier to tell him that I liked him with a bit of booze in my system.

“Hand me the bottle,” I took a big gulp out of the wine bottle then handed it back to Frankie.
“How romantic is this?” I asked, laughing. He smiled and took another big gulp of his drink.
“Who was it that you liked?” I asked, with a tiny bit of hope in my system.
“Uh… I said if I told the person I liked that I liked them then it could ruin our friendship, so I can’t tell you!” he said, a little bit drunk.
“You like me?” I questioned him.
“…yes” he avoided my eye contact. I leaned over all the food and pulled him into a passionate kiss. After we kissed he kept staring at me.
“How long have you liked me for?” I asked, staring back at him.
“A long time… More than 5 years, probably…” he said. My stomach did more back flips.
“Are you serious? Even though you went out with heaps of other girls?” he blushed.
“Doesn’t mean I couldn’t have a special spot for you, does it? Does this mean we’re going out?” he looked at me. My stomach did, yet, more back flips.
“I don’t know… I want to. I’ve liked you for a long time,” I confessed. He smiled, and pulled me into a long, passionate kiss. I rolled him over and we lay down, holding each other and kissing. I took off his top and we made out in the treehouse.

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