“Jenifer,” my mom said through the phone in a voice that worried and scarred me. “Honey you need to come home now. Someone is already on the way to get you from school so get your stuff ready.”

“Mom . . .” I hesitated wondering if I should ask. “What’s going on? What happened? Is dad okay?” Panic was starting to over take me now. What if something had happened to my dad?

“Honey just come home and we’ll talk,” I heard her sigh and then the phone went dead. I closed my eyes, saying a silent pray while waiting for the secretary to announce that I was needed in the office.

It was a full fifteen minutes before I heard the announcement overhead and I shot up off my seat and ran out of the classroom as if I were on fire. I pulled open the office door and ran straight into the body of someone – a guy. Suddenly, I was falling back and then I was floating mid-air.

I opened my eyes, not realizing when I had closed them. For a second I thought that maybe I was dreaming or I had hit my head falling and was dead, because inches from my face, was another face. One that was more beautiful than humanly possible, one that should not exist outside dreams or Heaven.

His warm golden brown eyes bored into my frozen ones and stunned me even more that I thought possible. He was warm and soft and yet strong and firm. His hair was dark and he had fair perfect skin that stood out against his hair. He seemed to be around my age or maybe a little older. I was so close to him that I could smell him as if I were in his clothes.

God, he smelled good - like sunshine and sea breeze. Well at least if the sunshine and sea breeze had a scent, they would smell the way he did. That was the image that came into my mind when I breathed him in – midday or early morning at a calm tropical, blue watered beach, with the breeze blowing gently at your face and through your hair.

I shook my head trying to overcome the confusion that was becoming so thick I would soon need a map to get out of it. Luckily, it worked and my first thoughts were to thank this kind and lovely stranger for saving me from the embarrassment of falling on my ass and never see him again.

“Um,” I smiled awkwardly “you can . . . let me go now.”

The most breath-taking and dazzling smile lit his face and eyes as he straightened both himself and me in one motion. “I think you mean ‘Thank you for saving me from dying of utter humiliation,” he smirked.

“Yes,” I began smoothening my clothes and taking a step away from him. “Well thanks . . . and bye.” I began to walk pass him. When I was a few steps away from him, something soft and warm yet firm wrapped around my wrist, preventing me from going any further. Immediately I turned around suddenly pissed at him. “What?” I snapped.

Because he was hot, didn't mean he could go around grabbing people. He was probably one of those idiot guys that went around thinking they could have anything because they looked like a God. I hated people like that. I bet he was rich too. I didn't have time for this right now, I needed to get home.

“I didn’t get your name,” he smiled and released my wrist letting it drop to my side.

“That’s because I didn’t give it,” I replied sending him daggers.

“Why?” he questioned.

“I don’t see the point of you knowing my name since we’re never going to see each other after today, but considering the fact that you saved me from ‘utter humiliation’ and all that, my name is Jen.”

A frowned suddenly appeared on his face and the smile died instantly. He was abruptly confused and taken back. He looked like he was staring at a ghost. Before I could ask anything, he opened his perfectly sculpted lips, but nothing came out. Finally after a full minute of him standing there, silently gapping at me and my wondering if he was crazy he said “You – you’re Jen? Your name is Jenifer Lawrence?”

“No,” I lied technically. “My name is Jenifer K. Lawrence.”

“Wow,” he muttered at the edge of laughter now. “Certainly didn’t expect that. This is guaranteed to be interesting.”

“Wow,” I muttered back loud enough for him to hear. “Someone call crazy.” Then without waiting for him to say something insane again, I turned away from him on my heels and went to the secretary. I didn't have the time or wasn't in the mood to deal with crazy, hot guys right now.

Miss Despot was a short, chubby lady. She was around fifty-five and smelled strongly of cinnamon. She was also a very nice and loving lady and if she did have any children I was sure she would have spoiled them rotten. I walked up to her smiling in spite of the fear of why my mom was making me leave school early. I couldn't deal with anymore death or pain - I had had enough of that to last a lifetime.

“Hello Miss Jenifer. It’s nice to see that you’re not in trouble this time.”

“Um . . . did my mom say why she wanted me home?” I asked.

“No, but she did say that it was an emergency. And she sent a lovely young man - he's right there, in the corner," she smiled pointing at somewhere behind me. I nodded and turned around already knowing exactly who the ‘lovely young man’ was but hoping otherwise.

“My name is Eric Wilson,” he smiled. “Shall we?” he asked gesturing outside.

The walk to the car park was a silent one. He – Eric never said anything to me and neither did I to him. As we walked through the hallway he seemed to be in a world of his own.

Without thinking too much, I pushed open the doors and the blinding sunlight bathed me. Instantly I felt a headache coming on and my eyes threatened to burst into flames. Instinctively I got my sun glasses and flipped it on.

My eyesight was better than averaged humans. In fact all my senses were and this was scientifically proven. Doctors were stunned when they did the tests and this wasn’t the only time that I have baffled them either. When I was born, I was sick and weak. I was given only days to live, but somehow I survived.

I was brought back to the present when the front of my body connected with something – no someone. “Do you do that often? Walk into people?” Eric asked amused. I wanted to slap the foolish grin from his face.

“No,” I scowled instead remembering that without him I would be walking home. He walked up to the most amazing and expensive car in the car park and like an idiot, I stood there gawking at it. Another one of his amused smile lit up his face when he saw my face. He walked over to the passenger’s side and opened the door for me. I got in and then seconds later he did the same and pulled out of the school's car park.

Immediately I turned to him wondering. My first impression of him was that he was full of himself. But now he seemed to completely change. He was weird and unique and then there was his reaction when he’d heard my name. Maybe he wasn’t expecting me to be like I was. Maybe my mom told him stories about me. I could imagine that conversation in my head and it wasn't a good one. Questions began to arise about him. How did he know my parents? Why had my mom sent him and not my dad?

“You’re staring at me,” he noted without so much as glancing my way.

“No,” I shook my head. “I’m looking at you . . . continuously.”

“Well please stop. It’s freaking me out. Soon I’ll start to think that you want me dead and is secretly plotting out your master plan on my demise,” he laughed and so did I beyond my wanting not to.

“Eric . . .” I hesitated suddenly. “When I get home . . . I won’t find police cars or an ambulance, would I?” I asked seriously now.

He didn’t answer right away and in my head I began to imagine the worse. Panic flooded through me and I felt my heart pick up. My throat tightened. “Relax Jen,” Eric said in a calm, soothing voice. “No you won’t find anything like that. Your parents are find, I assure you.”

I nodded and then said “So why do they want me home?”

Another long silent moment passed and then he said “I can’t tell you. You’re mother and father would want to tell you.”

“I’m sorry I was mean to you before,” I whispered. He turned to me confused looking at me as if I was telling him I was a guy. “What?” I blinked.

“I never thought of you as the person that says ‘sorry’” he shrugged.

“”You’ve known me for five minutes and you think you’ve got me figured out?” My eyebrows shot up at once.

“It’s just what I thought” he shrugged again.

“Well you’re wrong. I hate when I’m being mean to someone that doesn’t deserve it. I’m not a total b*tch, okay?”

“Noted,” he nodded and pulled into my drive way, right beside a black, slick limo. Who exactly was this strange guy?

“What are you exactly, royalty or something?” I asked gaping at the shiny limo. Eric didn’t say anything, instead his head shook slightly and a smiled played at the corners of his lips as if he were holding back laughter.

Even though I was still in the car with Eric, I could hear my mother’s voice coming from the inside the house. I heard my name and automatically, I zoned into the conversation, straining my ear to hear what she was saying.

The conversation was between two people – my mother and a woman with a glassy, Barbie – like voice. They were talking about me and Eric getting along together. My mom was saying something about something being easier on me.

“It’s not polite to eavesdrop,” Eric said at my side. I turned to face him, wondering how he knew. “You might hear something not to your liking.”

“Well its better than being in the dark,” I sighed and opened the car door. Just as I was about to step out a hand shot in front of me and closed the door. I looked to Eric and found that once again his face was inches from my own.

Dry static suddenly filled the car and my breathing became uneasy. My throat went dry and in my chest, my heart was ripping apart my rib cage. I swallowed and blinked a few times, but it had no affect on what was going on inside me. Something stronger was taking control of me.

“I need to tell you something.” He paused for only a second, deliberating whether he should continue or not. “I need to tell you this before you go in there because I’m sure that once you do you . . . you’ll understand soon, I promise,” he sighed troubled.

“Jen,” he said and took a deep breath. I could tell that this was hard for him to get out so I sat there breathing in his addictive scent and waited. “I don’t know how to say this . . . but I care for you deeply already, more that you would know . . . and you are going to hear something soon that would make you . . . hate me. Please remember that . . . however horrible things would seem, I’m doing it all for you.” His eyes held mine and even though most of what he’d just said made no sense to me, I believed him.

I was abruptly gripped by the urge to touch him. I wanted to feel his skin, to run my hands through his dark hair and become caught up in the feeling, like I knew I would. Butterflies sprouted in my stomach and my heart hampered away, even louder than before. I was sure that Eric could hear it just as vivid as I could feel it beating.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered and placed a gentle hand on my check. One touch – that was all it took for my body to melt into a puddle and my brain to completely shut down. I felt myself lean into his hands and my eyes closed instantly.

Then seconds after, I felt his lips brush against mine. I kissed him back, gentle and soft at first, but then something stirred in me and the kiss became angry and urgent – like a monster demanding to be fed. My hands released the sides of the seat that I was clenching on to so tightly and wormed their way around his neck and then through his hair.

Eric pulled away from me and a foreign moan of disappointment and protest escaped my throat. Then I felt his lips, hot on my skin trailing down my neck. Another moan, one of pure pleasure this time rose from my throat as I threw my head back. My hands pulled him closer to me, wanting to discard any existing space between us. His lips were hot on my neck. Everywhere he touched he left a fiery trail that only got more heated as time went on. I pulled him back up to my lips and felt his hands run along my sides.

“Jen!” I heard my dad call, “we need to talk.” His voice was gentle but yet stern. Immediately my eyes shot open and I shoved Eric off me. I leaned back panting. It was then that I caught a glance in the mirror and was shocked at the emo girl staring back at me.

There was no way that could be me, I thought. Her eyes were shinning and alive with joy. She seemed confident and I got the feeling that if anyone told her something she didn’t like, she would tell them off instantly. Her face was flushed.

I was stunned, literally. I felt like I hadn't seen this girl in years. She was the me of a past life - one that I had given up completely. It was strange that one kiss from a complete stranger could make her live again. This scared me.

“Jen!” my dad called again. I quickly rolled down the window and poked my head out.

“I’m coming!” I called back and watched as he turned away and slumped back into the house. I leaned back on the seat again and turned to Eric, who was smiling from ear to ear at my side.

“That was . . . interesting,” he said still smiling.

“That’s a great way to put it,” I said dryly and opened the door and headed for the house. From now on, I was going to stay away from Eric - I didn't want this.

I took a seat opposite Eric’s mother – the woman that owned the Barbie voice. Everything about her screamed Barbie. She had long, blonde hair, bright blue eyes, light flawless skin and she was above all beautiful - almost like an angel. She sat next to her husband, who Eric had gotten everything from expect his skin.

They all looked out of place sitting in my mom’s stuffy old living room – like an innocent child crying, in the cross fires of a raging, bloody war.

“So what’s going on?” I asked looking to my mom at my side.

“Well Jen . . . you’re . . . engaged to Eric,” my mom said choosing her word carefully. I couldn’t speak – literally. I felt my stomach tighten and my jaw dropped to the floor. A lump rose in my throat as my eyebrows went up.

“What?” I shouted surprising myself.

“It’s been so ever since your birth.” This time it was my father that spoke. I got up at once turning to both of them.

“I’m not engaged. I’m not getting married – I’m seventeen for God’s sake!” I pleaded with them. “Why are you doing this?”

“Remember the story of your birth Jen?” my mom asked reaching out to touch me. I took a step back and she let her hand fall to her side. “Remember how back then you were – ”

“Yes, yes, yes,” I cut her off. “Doctors gave me days to live, but I survived,” I said confused now. “But what does that have to do with getting married at seventeen to a complete stranger?” I asked pointing to Eric.

“Well Mr. Wilson – he helped you on the condition that when you’re seventeen, you would marry his son, should Eric decide to. He has been giving us your medication since you were born. . . . It was our only choice Jen.”

“So it was die at birth or be married off to a stranger that I might end up hating for the rest of my life,” I sighed feeling angry and pissed at them now. I wanted to hurt them all. “Wow, I wonder which would be ideal. Somehow to die literally, than to wish to die seems more appealing,” I snapped with as much hate and anger that I could muster. Both my mom and Eric flinched.

“We didn’t have a choice,” my mom pleaded.

“No!” I shouted surprising myself at how steady and venom coated my voice was. “You kept me in the dark mom. You lied to me . . . my entire life you all lied to me. How could you?”

“We weren’t sure what Eric would decide,” my dad explained now. I turned to Eric now. All his words in the car now made sense.

“You knew,” I said but it came out as a question rather than a realized statement.

“Yes,” he nodded. “I knew since you were born.”

“It seems that everyone knew about my wedding but me.” I replied to all of them. I turned to my mom and dad “You both lied to me. You kept me in the dark all my life when you could have told me I was already engaged. Instead you choose to lie to me and now I hate you. But fine,” I smiled without any humor turning back to Eric “have me if you will, but you’re a fool to do so, because I promise that I will make our married life Hell,” I threatened and began to walk out of the room. Just when I was at the doorframe I remembered something that Eric had said to me in the car.

I turned back to him and our eyes met for a second before he lowered his head. “By the way Eric you were right – I do hate you. Congrats on your engagement.”