2004

"Hey Mila! Don't forget to bring over some things for the sleep over at my house after school." A2 very young girl of fourteen said as she jogged up next to her.

"I know Selena, I won't forget. But I'm surprised that your parents are letting me stay the weekend with you while they're gone." Mila said to her as they walked to their last class of the day.

They were freshmen at Mickelson High School and the school year had barely started, being in their second week. Best friends since middle school, they had known each other since they were five years old. But ended up separating when Mila's parents decided to move to another district, causing her to transfer to a new school.

It wasn't until seventh grade that they found each other again and became fast friends. Eventually, they became best friends and made sure that they both ended up in the same high school. Luckily for them, they had required some of the same classes and that made things a whole lot better to start off the new high school year.

"Well, we won't be the only ones there. My brother is coming home today." She stated a little excitedly.

Mila stopped walking and stared after Selena as she just kept on going. Realizing that her friend wasn't with her anymore, she stopped and turned around to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot you have a brother, isn't he...well, you know...?"

Selena started laughing at the expression she was giving her. "Oh, come on Mila, those are just rumors that everyone likes to spread around to make him more interesting than he actually is, plus no one knows the truth about it."

She wasn't convinced at all and believed what was being said about Jared Cooper. Supposedly in his freshman year, two years ago, it was said that he had beat up a teacher so bad that he landed him in the hospital. It was rumored it was because the teacher got angry and embarrassed that Jared had showed him up about his own teachings.

He had called the teacher dumb and stupid, and that there was an easier way to solve the difficult problems he was giving to his own students. They got into a heated argument, which led to serious insults, and then Jared went into a rage and lost control. It was also rumored that he had completely vandalized the school's auditorium with graffiti. He had gotten expelled and then was sent to juvenile hall for the act. Selena just took it all in stride and even laughed about it.

"Then what is the truth?" she asked.

Selena looked at her for a moment in thought. "How about this, ask him yourself when we get to my house."

"Why can't you just tell me?" She asked, feeling a little nervous about asking the guy personally.

"Because, I have a feeling that you won't fully believe me if I was the one who told you."

She started walking again with a worried frown, biting her lower lip a bit. "I don't know Sel, even if they are only rumors about him being a delinquent, I don't think I can approach him about it."

She laughed again, making her feel a bit annoyed. "I don't think this is funny at all Sel."

"I know, but it makes me laugh when I think about my older brother in those terms." Selena locked her arm with hers as they reached their classroom. "Alright then, I will ask him with you, it will be like you didn't even want to know at all."

"Um Selena, you already know the truth, so you asking him in front of me will be obvious that I'm actually the one who really wants to know." She said to her pointedly.

Selena's face fell at realizing that. "Oh...that is true and believe me my brother is no dummy. In fact, in any way we try to do this he'll see right through it."

They went inside and moved around the other students to sit at their desks. She sat down and turned around where Selena sat behind her. Selena inched closer to her, seeing that the teacher walked in and was hushing everyone to listen.

"So, there is only one way to actually find out." She told her.

"What's that?"

"That you ask him yourself."

********************

The two girls arrived at Selena's house two and a half hours later. Her best friend walked up to her door and turned the knob to find it still locked.

"Well, I guess no one is here yet." She sighed dramatically.

She turned back around and went to the side of the house to the second window. Mila followed her with a frown, wondering what she was going to do. A pile of rocks laid in a flower bed just beneath the window and Selena bent down, turned a rock that looked like all the others, and pulled out a key.

"How did you know which rock it was?"

"Sorry sweetheart, but that's the whole point."

She rolled her eyes at her, turned to go back to the front door and wait for Selena to open it. When she did, they both walked in quickly, both sighing at the coolness in brought them. The sun was hot outside, since it was late August, and it brought them both relief to feel the air conditioner as they stepped inside.

"Go ahead and go put your belongings in my room. I'm going to get us something to munch on." Selena told her as she walked into the kitchen that was just off to the right of the front door.

She walked down to her room and turned to the left when the hallway made a dividing section. She walked all the way to the end towards Selena's room. She stopped shortly before reaching it. There, hanging on the wall, was a picture of a young boy and a very young Selena. She assumed that was Selena's brother Jared.

She studied the picture for a moment. He had the same black hair and same blue eyes as Selena did, both had light copper colored skin. The only difference between the two was their ages. Selena looked no older than eight years old, while he looked roughly about ten.

At this age, he seemed like a good-looking kid, which was to say he most likely would grow to be quite the looker. She blushed at thinking that, becoming a little nervous all over again. She turned to the door, opened it, and went inside.

Selena's room was decorated with cherry wood furniture, which just happened to be both of their favorite type of wood. There was a long dresser that held nine drawers and a full-sized mirror sitting on top of it. There was one nightstand table that matched just on the side of the full-size bed that was covered with different shaped sized pillows. The walls were decorated with Selena's favorite things; posters of her favorite band, a collage of pictures of her family and friends, a pin up board that had notes, flyers, and drawings that a child had did.

She dropped her bag on the bed and quickly returned to the living room.

"Took you long enough." Sel said, who was on the couch eating a tray of different kinds of fruit.

She was watching their favorite T.V. series called, Bones. Selena's mother thought it was odd that they would be interested in a show like that and wondered about it, remembering what she had said,

"Why aren't you interested in something like, A Teenage Life of an American Teenager or Glee or something like that?" she had asked them and all they did was look at each other and busted up laughing.

For only being fourteen years old, they both liked to think that they were mature for their ages. Silly little things like writing in your diary or gushing over which boy was cute in their school did not appeal to them in the least. Mila sat down on the other couch.

"I've never seen that picture of you and your brother on the wall before." She stated with a little frown as she took a grape and popped it into her mouth.

Selena stopped moving a blueberry halfway to her mouth and thought for a moment. It took about thirty seconds for her to understand what she was talking about.

"Oh! Of course not, my mom just found it in a box in the attic about two days ago. She framed it and put it in the hallway." She shrugged and resumed her eating and attention to the T.V.

Within the ten minutes of silence as they watched the show, they heard voices outside the front door. She looked to her friend in question. Selena jumped up and ran to the door, while she turned around on the couch facing the entryway. She heard the doorknob rattling as if whoever was on the other side was trying to unlock it, but before they could, Selena unlocked it herself and swung it wide open.

"Jared!"

The young man stumbled a little, completely unprepared of his little sister opening the door so quickly. When he righted himself, he barely had time to prepare his stance when Selena threw herself into his arms.

"Whoa! Selena!" he laughed at her enthusiasm at seeing him. "I missed you too, but next time a little warning."

She couldn't get a good look at Selena's brother, but she did see the boy behind him. A good looking one at that. He looked no older than sixteen. He had short blond hair that was slightly tamed and had on a plain black shirt with blue jeans with really worn out white Nike's.

"Hey, aren't you glad to see me too?" he asked Selena looking falsely offended.

She let go of her brother and replied, "Not really, but...hi Evan." No throwing herself at him or even a simple hug.

He dropped his arms with a sigh. "I didn't really think so." Then he chuckled.

"Oh Jared, Evan, I want you to meet my best friend Mila!" She turned towards her with a beaming smile.

She slowly got up from the couch and started to feel really shy all the sudden and her heart started pounding within her chest, meeting new people always made her nervous.

"In a minute sis, I got to go and pay the driver and get our bags." Jared said as he turned away in a hurry to do just that.

Evan on the other hand just walked right in and stood right in front of her. He then thrust out a hand for her to shake. "Hi, I'm Evan." He said smoothly.

"Hello...I'm Mila." She shyly stated in her nervousness.

He gave her a slow smile. He just stared at her as he held her hand in his, barely even shaking it.

Selena scowled and slapped his arm. "Stop that!" she hissed, not liking the way he was looking at her friend. Not that she liked him or anything, it was just she didn't want Mila associating with someone like Evan, regardless of him being her brother's best friend.

"What? I wasn't doing anything." He scooted back quickly laughing as she tried to hit him again.

Selena glared at him. Mila heard the door shut and turned to the sound. She couldn't help but stare at Jared as he came in dropping the suitcases to the floor with a grunt. She just couldn't help it at all. She had never seen anyone who looked so handsome or so beautiful. Her heart did funny things and her breath became shallow and a little hard to breathe.

She just stood there staring at him. He had short wavy jet-black hair that looked soft to the touch, his skin looked so smooth and tanned that was slightly more golden from the summer's sun. He was finely built as if he jogged daily and maybe even did pushups. He was slim waisted with fine defined muscles, like a swimmer's body. He stood around six foot one and by looking at him he wasn't done growing. He was going to be tall that was for sure. She didn't realize that while she was checking him out that he was doing the exact same thing to her.

He just stood there in front of the door, staring at her as if in a daze. She was the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen. With her chestnut hair in glossy waves cascading down her back, her green eyes expressive like bright emeralds and her peach colored skin slightly glowed from the near perfection of it. She was young, he could tell that much, and the older she got the more goddess like she was going to be. He hadn't moved since he dropped the bags and Selena looked back and forth between the two of them and smiled hugely.

Evan on the other hand didn't look pleased at all.

"What is this, a staring contest or something?" he asked much too loudly and with an edge to his tone.

She snapped out of her trance and went beet red with embarrassment. She quickly looked away and sat down on the couch without saying a word, staring straight at the T.V. Jared just kept looking at her and slowly started moving towards his sister and Evan. Selena couldn't help but keep smiling.

"Jared, this is my best friend Mila." She said sweetly walking with him to the other side of the couch standing in Mila's way.

"Hello." He put out his hand making Mila look up at him. She slid her hand into his gently.

"Hello." She whispered.

As soon as their hands touched an electric wave hit her and she almost jerked back. He took a hold on it and held on, almost as if he didn't want to let go of her. She snatched her hand back quickly and tried to slow the hammering of her heart. What was wrong with her? She was acting like a dumb fool. Some first impression she made; they must think she was a complete dimwit. She took her attention back to the T.V. and tried to ignore everyone as best as she could.

"Jared, your room is ready for you, mom spent all last weekend getting it prepared." Selena rolled her eyes at that.

He looked at his sister for the first time in two years. "Look at you, last time I seen you, you were only this high." He put his hand to his mid chest to empathize what he was referring too. "Now you're up to my neck."

She just smiled at him. Evan sat down hard on the couch right next to Mila, then put his arm around the edge behind her. "So, what's there to eat in this place?" he asked as he leaned forward and took a few grapes then popped them all into his mouth.

"Shouldn't you be going home? I'm sure your mother might want to see her son after a two-year absence." Selena commented irritably.

Jared frowned at Evan's arm that was behind Mila but didn't say anything about it. Mila was oblivious to everything as she couldn't seem to keep her mind off how stupid she was being.

"Naw, I'm good, she doesn't really care that I'm back." he said nonchalantly.

Mila looked at him with that statement with a frown. "Why is that?" she asked.

He looked at her and smiled. "Oh hello, thought you forgot about me there for a moment."

She went beet red again and refused to look up at Jared.

"Let's just say I'm not what she wants in a son." he said sarcastically making Jared burst out laughing with that. Selena looked away trying hard not to laugh herself.

Jared's laugh was a wonderful sound she thought, and she couldn't help but look back at him with wonder. Evan started laughing too and she couldn't help but smile at his. It was soothing and yet almost infectious.

"Why are you all laughing? Is there a joke that I don't know about?" she asked a bit wary of their behavior.

"Do you remember what we were talking about before the end of school today?" Selena asked her.

She thought on that for a moment and then her eyes widen in dread. Selena nodded her head at her with a wicked little smile. "Well, now is the perfect chance to ask him."

She was going to kill her. She had no intention of ever asking Jared about the rumors and just by looking at him she whole heartedly had faith that he didn't do any such thing to a teacher. Even though it didn't explain where he had been for the past two years. Mila swallowed as her face seemed to be in permanent red from her embarrassment.

"Ask who what?" Evan asked curiously.

"Nope, I'm not saying anything, Mila has too." Selena made it worse.

She looked at all three of them as they were all waiting for her to say something. She sighed regrettably and looked straight at Jared with a grim look. "Is it true that for the past two years you were in juvenile boot camp because you beat up one of your teachers and vandalize the school's auditorium in your freshman year?" she quickly asked him, feeling uncomfortable now.

No one spoke for a moment. Then out of nowhere Evan burst out laughing with gusto. Selena couldn't contain it any longer as she too started laughing. Jared on the other hand looked quite stunned.

"Jared? Juvenile boot camp?" Evan asked incredulously and started a whole new bout of laughter. He laughed so hard that he doubled over, and tears came to his eyes.

She looked over to him wondering why he thought this was so funny. Was she missing something here? Were the rumors just that, rumors?

"Go ahead Jared, answer her question." Selena said to him still laughing.

He looked at both of them with annoyance and irritation. He looked over to Mila and crossed his arms over his chest. "Um...no that isn't true at all...in fact I...was at a school that is for exceptionally gifted kids with the IQ over 140."

She stared at him with shock. IQ that was over 140? The delinquent rumors would be more believable. Holy crap he was a genius?! She didn't know what to say to all that and she felt completely foolish to believe something that had no real proof before it was proven. He must think she was a dope of a girl.

"In fact," he continued, "I'm done with high school all together. I should graduate this year." He looked very uncomfortable admitting that to her.

"Yep! And we couldn't be prouder! He starts looking for colleges this fall." Selena threw an arm around his waist and beams up at him with pride and joy. He couldn't help but smile back at her as he draped an arm over her shoulders.

"How old are you?" She asked looking a bit crestfallen.

"Sixteen this past June." He kept looking at her as if he was trying to read her thoughts.

"Sixteen?! And you're already applying for colleges? Will they let you?" she asked incredulously hardly believing that he was only two years older than she was and yet was done with high school before he even hit eleventh grade. He smiled at her.

"Yes, they will, and I don't know just yet if I'm going to apply at this moment or any time soon." He admitted and looked down to his sister who had a slight frown on her face.

"Well, whatever you want to do is fine by me just don't let dad hear you say that." She walked away and headed for the kitchen. "I'm going to get something to drink anybody want some?"

Evan raised his hand. "Right here Sel, anything you got."

"Okay sure, anybody else?"

"No, I'm good." Jared and Mila said at the same time. She blushed even more while he put his hands in his front pockets making a smiling Selena leave the room.

"So, Mila, how old are you?" Evan asked leaning a bit close to her.

"Fourteen, but my birthday is in two months."

"Oh, really? In what, late October?"

"No, November 4th." She smiled at him weakly.

"Oh, you're a Scorpio nice." he said with a grin on his face. "I'm a Libra and Jared is a Gemini and yes we're awesome too."

She didn't know much about the Zodiac signs. She was never really interested in them before but maybe now she would look them up later.

"So, when did you and Sel become friends?" he asked her next seeming to be highly interested.

"About two years ago, actually it was the same day that you left." she said to Jared wondering why he was still just standing there and being awfully quiet.

"Really?" he asked as he went to his suitcase that was left by the door and rummaged through it and pulled out a folder.

He went through the old letters and found what he was looking for. He walked back over and sat down on the other couch well away from them both. She felt a little deflated now that he wasn't so near, but she shook herself mentally and looked at what he was doing.

"This is the first letter I got from Selena while I was away. She did mention here that she met a girl who she took a liking too real fast and that she can see them becoming really good friends." He looked up at her then.

"I'm going to guess she was talking about you but in another letter, she said she actually knew you from before?"

"Yeah, in kindergarten we were friends until my parents had to move and I had to go to another school." she told him.

He gave her a smile. "Well, I'm glad you guys found each other again and stayed friends." he said softly.

Suddenly they heard somethingbreaking in the kitchen and Selena yelling out, "Shit!" Jared quickly got upand ran in the kitchen as he heard her cry followed by Mila and Evan.