ElizaJH

Behind him, Grady's father followed him into the kitchen; his footsteps slow, uneven, and sloppy. He reeked of stale beer.Grady noticed his temper shortening… he just snapped, striking Grady across the face.

“That will teach you not to disrespect me,” he told him with a sneer…

Without any thought, Grady reached over into the drawer of his desk. He pulled out a pair of scissors, placing the cold point against the side of his wrist.

The next morning the pain was unimaginable.

“What did you do?” Harley asked.“Just being clumsy at my house,” Grady said with a laugh. She stared at him strangely.

“You’re really clumsy,” she said, and he bit his tongue so that everything wouldn’t spill out.

“What has he done to you?” she whispered.

“Nothing,” Grady tried to smile reassuringly, but all that showed was a grimace. “I just had a little accident last night.”

At the age of nine, after suffering his mothers tragic death, Grady suddenly goes into a silence, the pain of that night always unforgotten. His friends are lost to him, as is his father, who he can never seem to come to terms with. 

Harley lives in an uptown neighborhood, with an wealthy, well-known family. After the crushing defeat she constantly takes from her twin sister, who always seems to one up her, Harley decides to switch to a new school. Rather then continue on at the prestigious private school, she goes to the local public school. Though her parents are afraid of the effect it will have, they let her go anyway. 

 Sitting in the back row on the first day, she is introduced to the quiet boy, who she learns is off limits to everyone, by his own making. Still she finds that he is capable of opening up, with just a little work. Still, she finds herself caught up in the need to be popular and agree with their crowd, so she throws herself into the mists of that, dragging him in with her. 

Here is the first chapter. Hope that it is cool. Leave comments on my guestbook page, and tell me what you think about it.