CHAPTER 1

It truly is amazing that the person you love more than anything can break your heart into pieces, and you still love them anyway.

I couldn’t believe how much I loved him, even after he broke my heart. He cheated on me. Him and my best friend.

Yeah, I know. Some best friend right?

But I know better than to blame her. I am a pretty forgiving person, and I know how pushy he can be, so trust me, it wasn’t her fault. Another thing to add there, is that he really is not that bad looking. In fact, he is considered one of the hottest guys in the school.

He is the varsity quarterback, and every girl’s dream man. I was the luckiest girl in the world to be dating him.

You ever hear the term “California Surfer Hot”? Well, a lot of girls look for that here at West California High School, also known as WCHS.

The term refers to what a surfer hunk in California would look like. The tan body, sandy brown hair with the hot blonde highlights, perfect white-toothed smile, hot abs, killer muscles, traditional shell necklace; (some sort of white color), all around hot; in other words, the most unrealistic hottie in the history of a girl’s world. So, to have one here at WCHS is a privilege, and trust me, the girls are all totally living it up.

His name is Henry Caliber, I know it’s kind of nerdy, but trust me, when you see him, you look past the nerdiness of his name. He is pretty smart, I mean, he is in all of the same classes in me, and most of mine are Honors. Plus, on top of all of that, he is filthy rich. His father is some big time actor in Hollywood, so I’d definitely say he is living the easy life.

Anyway, let’s get back to the whole break-up.

So once I found out about him and my best friend (Cameron), I had to actually really think hard about breaking up with him. I mean, I couldn’t just break up with the school hottie, that would be social suicide, so I really thought about it and pretended I had no idea it happened in the meantime, but eventually, Cam, being happy that she made out with the hottest guy in school, had of course wanted to tell some people. Okay, she told about the whole school, and since it isn’t that big of a school, word got to Henry pretty fast, and so we were faced with the awkwardness of the talk.

It could have been worse, but it was still pretty bad. It ended quick though; he came in to the class and calmly sat next to me and gave the famous, “we need to talk” line, and pretty much broke up with me.

Yeah, you heard right. He broke up with me.

I know, I couldn’t believe it either. It absolutely broke my heart, but yet, I still loved him.

Life is just weird like that you know? I mean one minute you can’t believe what happened, the next you hate them, but inside you, you know you still love them. Weird right? Well, that’s life for ya.



The break-up happened Monday, which is yesterday now. What a way to start the week. I wasn’t looking forward to school tomorrow in the least bit either. I couldn’t even imagine all the rumors that would be going around the school.









Did you hear that Cam and Henry hooked up?

Oh my god! She is so lucky!

Yeah but him and Amber are like, over now.

Wow, that’s rough.


Hey did you hear Cam and Amber totally fought this weekend?

No way!

Yeah! I know!

Over what?!

I guess Amber found out Henry and Cam made-out and was pissed at Cam for it.

Yeah, I would be too.


I knew how the school was, so there was no doubt in my mind that everyone knew about it.

I was right.

The only thing anyone cared to talk about at school was what happened over the weekend with Amber, Cam, and Henry.

I had almost every girl in the whole school come up and ask me if I was okay, then as soon as I said yes, run over to Henry and explain how sorry they were and that they were free this weekend in case he wanted to hang out and talk about it.

He politely declined every invitation, but it still made me mad.


I walked into first period Honors Biology without even a glance at him as I took my seat. I didn’t want him to think I was fine with the whole thing, I wanted him to know I was pissed and would stay that way until he got up the nerve to come apologize to me.

Mr. Olsen walked into the class and suddenly everyone was in school mode. Everyone except me that is.

I was still thinking about yesterday, trying to figure out why I couldn’t get over it. I mean, I have never been broken up with before. Not once. So I guess it was just weird to not be able to say that anymore. It couldn’t be that I like him still. I wouldn’t let it be. I shook the thoughts from my mind so I could pay attention to the lecture.

I was copying notes when out of the corner of my eye I saw Henry and Elizabeth exchanging notes.

I kept my gaze forward, but got a deep feeling of jealousy in my stomach.


We were in Bio for what seemed like forever. The bell finally rang, and I gathered all of my books and walked out the door.

Henry’s locker is right next to mine, go figure that one. Our last names are right next to each other in alphabetical order, so of course out lockers are right next to each other as well.

Hoping not to run into Henry, I grabbed the books I needed out of my locker quick and about sprinted to Advanced English.



I should probably tell you a little bit about myself before I go on. My name is Amber Cardon. I am a Freshman here at WCHS. I have long, blonde hair, and icy blue eyes. I am pretty smart for my age, as I am in all honors classes. My house is miles away from Hollywood along with Cam’s. Our houses are in the same neighborhood as Henry’s.

Cam is my best friend. Her name is Cameron McMulpy. We do everything together, but she is the complete opposite of me. She is not that smart, and is in all remedial classes. She is brunette and has fierce green eyes.

All me Henry and Cam have famous parents, along with most of the other kids at WCHS. My mom is a singer, Henry’s dad is an actor, and Cam’s dad is a director. We all come from pretty rich families, and get a lot of what we want. The bad thing is, our parents think we do not live a normal enough life, so they make us go to school. It stinks, but then again, I do feel a bit more normal while I am at school.


There is one more thing about me I didn’t mention. I am a cheerleader. I have been in cheerleading since second grade and it is probably the only thing me and Cam both like to do. (Well, that and shopping).

So today in second period when announcements go off, I was almost blown away when I heard tryout for it were today.

I totally forgot with everything else going on!

I haven’t stretched in the longest time, and my jumps weren’t near high enough to get captain.



Okay, you know how football players are all about being a certain position on a team, like quarterback or whatever else there is? Well, that’s how cheerleaders are. Except, instead of quarterback, they want captain.

Cheerleading captain. I have wanted it for so long. The problem with it now is, it will be ten times harder to get. The former cheer captain picks the new one, a lot like the movie Bring it On, except she isn’t mean. Her name is Kelley Patorski. She is one of the nicest people I will ever meet, and I know she will give it to someone who really deserves it.

Yet, I was still nervous. I am a freshman, and everyone knows the position will go to a Senior unless you are really, really good.

So, I was nervous.


The rest of the day went by pretty fast, but not fast enough.

I was so excited for tryouts that I probably got none of the lessons down in class and therefore would have a hard time later. But, I didn’t care at the moment. All I cared about was tryouts. It was all that was on my mind, and I knew if I wasn’t completely focused, there was no way on earth that Kelley would consider picking me for captain.


The final bell rang and I was off to my locker. I didn’t stop to talk to anyone, and didn’t even hear Henry yelling my name as I walked to my locker.

Finally he caught up to me as I was grabbing my cheer shorts out of my locker.

“Hey. You trying out for cheerleading?”

It took me a minute to realize he was talking to me, and then I gave him a nod and continued packing my duffel with anything I may need. (My mom dropped everything off when I frantically called in eighth hour).

He, obviously not realizing I was in no mood to talk, said, “listen, I’m sorry about yesterday, but I couldn’t have you break up with me. I mean, I really like you and stuff and I knew you would after what happened with me and Cam. I am really sorry about that, but I don’t know what else I can say. So, I was wondering if you would want to maybe come over later today and talk about it or something. Whatever you want to do. I just don’t want to lose you as a friend. You mean everything to me.”

I was so annoyed that I didn’t have any other way of replying than to snap on him.

So I did.

“Okay listen. One: I am in no mood to talk to you at all. Two: I have to go before I am late to tryouts. Three: If you really cared about me you would have thought before you did anything with Cam. And four: don’t bother apologizing if you know you don’t mean it.”

And with that I slammed my locker shut and walked to tryouts without a glance back at a mortified Henry.