One

~Genevieve~

You won't know when your life is about to flip upside down. It all happens suddenly. It could be a year

Six months

Days

Minutes

Or even seconds 

But mine didn't take any of these. It only took a binding agreement. A "yes I do" and "Till death do us apart" agreement. A marriage. 

Then I'm trapped. Maybe If I had known, it wouldn't have ended up this way.

Maybe I would have run away when I had the chance to. Maybe I shouldn't have met him. But the thing about maybe's is that they don't exist. They are useless.

It's only a year more. Just a year and I'll be off to Harvard. Where I'll be free from the wrath of Ryder Saint. Where I'll change my lifestyle and be more of myself. Like the life I envisioned when I just moved into this city. The beautiful and serene life without a Ryder in it. A year more and I'll say goodbye to all of this.

I took in a deep breath when mum pulled into the school driveway. It's a little bit empty but that's expected seeing it's the first day of school after the long summer holidays. Not everyone's boring like me who spent the whole summer inside her bedroom and making occasional trips to the kitchen to make ice cream. Aside from that, I like to be early. Something I inherited from my mum. She would say Early is on time and on time is late. 

"You didn't have to drive me mum. I could have taken the bus" I managed to say "You might miss your appointment" 

"Family first Genie, family first" she smiled and I did the same. Mum has high cheekbones and a tall, slender, model-like figure that makes my awkward, seventeen-year-old body look like a potato in comparison. I strive to be her when I grow up. Not only in the looks department but also the hard work and the personality. 

"Perhaps it's time I get a driving lesson so I could use my car" I say 

"Baby, are you sure you're okay with this? You don't have to do this, you know. James totally understands he won't be mad if…" 

James the guy mom's currently seeing. Wait, aren't they too old for the girlfriend and boyfriend's title? He got me a car for my seventeenth birthday, while I consider it too much. I mean, who gets a sports car for their girlfriend's daughter's birthday. He's as busy as hell but from the few times we've met I could tell he's a good guy. And from the way my mom looks up at him I can tell he's the one.

"Mum" I interrupted her before she goes on any further

"I won't have you driving me around if I go off to college" 

"I could if you choose a school closer" she smiled. " You don't have to do this soon you know" 

I nodded. I've been afraid of being behind the wheels since I had that accident ten years back. The details of that day are a bit hazy but I remember that it was raining. I was dressed in my best dress and on our way to Nana's birthday. 

"I just think it's time I let go of my fears, it's been ten years" 

"Genevieve," She said, then pulled me into a warm hug. When she pulls back her eyes shine with unshed tears. 

"You have no idea how happy I am right now" 

"It's Genie in school mum. Just Genie" And before she could say anything "That's what everyone calls me" I quickly added. 

"I won't want to hurt James dumping his present in the garage for long"

"He will be thrilled to hear this" She smiled again and that's when the tears started falling. She made no effort to wipe them now.

"Speaking of James" She continued "I'll be meeting up with him this night and might be late so don't wait up and lock all the windows" 

I nodded. "Tell him I said hi" And for the first time since we've arrived I looked around me. More cars are arriving by now. 

"I should probably go in now and get settled" I pull my backpack from the backseat. 

"Call me when you get home and don't forget your medications" she called as I stepped out of the car clutching the straps of my backpack.

"Bye" I waved at her as she pulled out and drove off. I watched as her car faded into the distance. 

Now, I'm on my own. I resisted the urge to call her back and take me away from here. My fears are coming back to me. Ryder Saint. I stare into the massive building of Evergreen High School before me. Rich influential people sent their children to this school so they could get a good start early in their lives. For all I know my mum is rich enough to afford it. The building which holds one of my greatest fears. 

Avoid Ryder Saint  

I told myself one last time. I always recite the word each morning like it's some psalm to save me from him. But it never did work. Nothing has ever prevented Ryder from his prey which I unfortunately happen to be one. Since the first day I set my eyes on him he decided to hate me and had my name down in his book. My mere sight infuriates him and he uses every minute to point this out.

"Genevieve, the worst name I'll ever be hearing," he once said. That day, I hated myself and hated my name. 

I stride through the huge walls of Evergreen High mimicking other student's confidence. It's hard enough when I already fall out of place. They chat amongst each other like old friends reuniting after the

summer. Like how Zara Thompson and Fred James split after dating each other since elementary class. Once again I'm reminded love doesn't take it all. Or Charlotte Lynch who got pregnant during over the summer. 

Yet, I stand out as a loner. 

Again.

Usually I would walk these halls with my best friend Lexi beside me but she just came back from Brazil last night with her family. I'm not sure she'll be making it to school today. In the meantime, I'm all on my own surrounded by people who hate me and probably pretend I don't exist. No one wants to go near Ryder's prey. That's the thing there, Once Ryder adds you to his hate list, the whole school goes against you. If not the whole world. He's their god and they play to his tune. The tune he's playing now is a hate campaign against Genevieve McConnell. 

I heard their little whispers as I walked past them.

"Thinks she's all pretty now"

"Bet Ryder's pleased to see her" I tried not to let those words get to me. Not today, those words won't get to me. It's a new session and I won't let their little talk ruin the first day for me.

"Can't wait for him to see her" My skin prickles the more their voice sink deep under my skin but I shut it 

all out. The voice around me starts blurring into the air and I lift my head high as I put one foot in front of the other. 

They are nothing. N-O-T-H-I-N-G

"Rocks" I froze instantly.