Chapter 1 - Devastation

Diane

"Di, I'm sorry... We're just not going to work out." Jarred said head down he couldn't even look me in the eye. Somewhere there was a big mistake we've been dating since forever and now he wants to dump me a week before school starts. 

"You are joking right? Some prank? This is not funny!" I start laughing hysterically tears burning under my lashes. 

He burried his face in his hands. "I'm sorry it's not a joke Di, look we've had great times together, I will always have a place in my heart for you, you will always be a part of me."

I felt like I was falling apart, my whole being ripping at the seams. Tears were flowing freely over my cheeks falling like waterfalls to the ground. 

"Why?" The question escapes my throat in a broken sob.

"Something happened this summer... While I was at that camp... I'm sorry it's just that I can't do this anymore, I hate pretending that I love you more than a brother would his sister." His voice is flat, he sounds like a stranger. My heart twisted at his words. I couldn't believe what he was doing to me. 

I didn't want him near me ever again "Get the hell away from me, don't come near me ever again... Don't come crawling back to me when she doesn't want you anymore!" I yell at him and get up to leave. 

He reaches for my wrist, "Don't you dare touch me." 

I walk out into the rain, heading down the driveway toward my car parked in the street, the rain muffles the sobs wracking through my body as I just stood feeling as miserable as the weather.

Jared broke my heart. 

It felt like my heart was physically shattering in my chest, the pain felt unbearable. 

I stopped to take off my now sodden platforms holding them in my left hand I unlock my car and start driving in the direction of the woods on Cotton Hill road. I just needed to be alone. 

Shielded under the canopy of the trees, I sit on a fallen log and the memories start flooding me. 

I remember when he first told me he liked me, we were freshmen. Some of the boys were teasing me because I spilled yoghurt on my dress. Jared was the cutest boy in our class. He told them to back off. That afternoon he walked me home and we talked and played Xbox (my older brother's) and did homework together, it went on for about a month like that. Then one afternoon we were in the backyard studying under the willow tree at his request, he looked so cute all flushed and nervous. "Di... I think you're the coolest girl ever and I like you. I was wondering if you want to you know be my girlfriend" the words had come out in a rush.

I smiled and fresh tears sprung from my eyes. 

The first time we kissed was underneath that same willow tree, it wasn't really our first kiss but it was a first real kiss, the kind that makes your toes curl and butterfles flutter in your stomach. 

I always imagined him proposing to me under that willow tree. 

Some part of me wondered if he left me because I wouldn't put out, even though we've been dating for three years I never wanted to rush it. Call me a prude, but I believed I would marry this guy. I was planning to give him that part of me after the homecoming dance, then he would have had everything I was. 

I'm a seventeen year old virgin. Oh God. All my friends lost theirs in junior year everyone assumed I was the first to lose mine with Jared. 

The woods have gone eerily silent and I wipe my tears with the back of my hand, startled I look around, it was starting to get dark and there was no birds song, which was odd... I c**k my head to the side and listen intently, nothing except the cars rushing by the highway nearby. I get up to start walking back to my car so I can go home.

Suddenly I hear a crunch behind me I spin around to face a large black cat with blue eyes. 

I scream. I start running toward where I had parked my car, willing myself to not glance over my shoulder, this girl has seen way too many horror movies. 

I pant as I reach where I parked, I start the car in a hurry and pull away at a speed. I had forgotten about the body they found little over a week ago in that exact same woods, the man was mauled by an animal, everyone put it down on mountain lions and wolves.

The rain starts to lift a little bit as I turn into our driveway, I see a moving truck in the Lightwood driveway. Maybe they decided to sell the place, I think. The Lightwoods moved to Europe 6 years ago, because Mrs. Lightwood fell ill and the best doctors Mr. Lightwood could find for her disease was there. 

Aaron Lightwood was not only my neighbor and best friend but became my biggest crush in middle school. 

I wonder who was going to live there now. I switch off my car and run into our kitchen where my mother is busy preparing dinner, I check my watch and notice it's 6 o'clock already. 

Mom looks up from the pasta sauce she was busy stirring.

"Hi, honey what's wrong? You look like you've been crying." My mother says concerned.

I sit down on the stool by the breakfast counter and rest my chin on my hands. "Jared broke up with me, mom. I think he cheated. He said he loves me like a brother loves his sister, we were together for three years. Couldn't he have figured that out sooner?" I say the tears threatening to come to the surface again.

"Honey, maybe he didn't realize it sooner. Like you say you think he cheated, perhaps it's better. Imagine if he didn't tell you and continued doing it all for the sake of trying not to hurt your feelings and you found out, you would be more devastated than you are now. Go wash your face and freshen up. We have guests for dinner, your brother is going to spend the week at home." She says her voice sympathetic.

I can barely contain my excitement I haven't seen my brother in a few months.

I run upstairs to my purple and white bedroom