One million reads. It's just a number but I'm so shocked. 15 year old me would be shook right now. When I started the book one million reads was all I wanted, and I've finally made it.
How and why have so many people read this book. When I was little I wanted to be a writer, at nearly 20 I've ended up in a whole other career path. I don't read the way I once did, book after book.
But I can't just say thank you... So here's the first chapter from Elliott's pov.
Chapter 1 (Elliott pov) //"Dawson"
"He cannot just come back and expect to be allowed to rejoin in the middle of the year" My math teacher argues.
My principle rubs a hand over his face. "He took the test and got a 94 there's no way we can stop him from continuing the course"
I slouch in my chair, my arms crossed looking bored. Obviously they'll let me back, I put the school's math average up.
"NO" He slams his hands on the desk. "I refuse to teach this delinquent boy"
"Steven, you're being irrational" My headmaster tells my Math Teacher.
"Yeah Stevie" I snigger.
"ELLIOTT!" They both shout.
I put my arms up in surrender.
"Steven this is my decision, and anyway if we took it to the board he'd be allowed back, his mother's on the board"
Steven... I mean Mr Graham lets out a disgusted grunt and leave the room.
"Now Mr. Grayson..."
Before my Headmaster can continue I lift my bag off the floor "I know no pranks, no disruptions and no sex on school grounds" And I race out the classroom.
"That includes the car park" He shouts through the door.
I've been back a week now and most of my teacher's welcomed me back fine but that Math teacher is a right prick. I was only gone like 6 months.
A close friend of my dad's had been murdered and dad needed all the support he could get. Both Jack and I came together to help, dad needed someone he could trust.
It was only recently that I found out my cousin ordered the kill. By removing an important person my cousin thought he'd get a chance to become the person my dad confides all his secrets in.
I open the doors to the cafeteria, there are so many people but my gaze latches on to her.
She's not looking at me she's looking at someone else, her eyebrows frowning. She never looks at me not since I've come back.
You'd think previously making her life a living hell would make me unforgettable. Guess I was never important to her.
She's changed. When I left she was so small, yet now she's, well she's gorgeous. She's Crescent Dawson the twin of my best friend Daniel Dawson.
I've always had a thing for her since we were young. But she is the twin of my best friend, so when we were kids I thought by constantly annoying her, it would mean Dan thinks I hate her and I get to spend more time with her.
That didn't really go to plan and she ended up hating me, well I think she did, I'll never really understand chicks.
I might just go ahead and marry Daniel, there would be a lot less fuss.
I turn my head to see Snowball and A-pain-in-my-ass-abella fighting on the floor.
I raise an eyebrow, well that backs up my earlier thought.
I walk past them to my usual seat, Alec is giving me a wide eyed look, I give him a questioning glance. Surely this fight has nothing to do with me.
"Elliott, don't you have something to say for yourself" Her tone is cold. Calm yourself Freeze.
"No" I reply.
Fuck me, what have I done this time? Is it about the time I shoved her bag and all her tampons fell out. Or is it when we were like 10 and I ate her lunch... No wait she doesn't know I did that. No it's definitely the time I set rats on Icy and Crescent.
Speaking of Frost and Crescent, why are they no longer friends?
"God I can't believe you slept with this slut" Aldi-bella scoffs.
"Please at least I'm not a tramp"
Oh so I slept with them both, guess I did nothing wrong then.
"You know what, you were both a good fuck but I don't do relationships. If I need you again I have your numbers"
They both looked like I slapped them in the face. Did I say something wrong?
Ari-beast gives me a deadly glare, well guess who's never getting a call from me. Wait I never even called her in the first place, she bloody dragged me to her place.
Soon everything goes back to normal and those two finally take a seat.
I'm turned talking to Alec until I hear a loud splash.
Wow, who's water just broke?
I turn my head and Crescent Dawson is soaked in water.
I'm almost too shocked to be angry.
My eyes trace back to the hand that threw the water. Ari-fuckin-bella. How does she even have the audacity to do that.
So many people are laughing at her humiliation and all I can think about is that these people used to be her friends. Certain people aren't laughing. Like Alec, Carter and Conner, even Aidan who finds everything funny isn't smiling. I turn my head to look at Chilly, her expression is stone cold.
What the fuck has happened since I left.
Everyone here's a fucking two faced bastard.
Daniel takes his bloody time but soon goes to help his sister "Cress are you okay?" He whispers.
Mate why are you whispering?
He takes her away from the giant puddle, parts of her hair are dripping and then it happens.
Her glance turns to me.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
And soon enough her gaze is gone.
Why of all people would she look at me?
"Whoops sorry Cress, I hope you had a nice trip, see you next fall"
I have to cough at that point, it's funny but this is not the time to be laughing.
"That wasn't funny Aria" Daniel's face is stern.
"I'm sorry baby it was just a mistake" She strokes his arm. Oh for fucks sakes I hope they're not dating again. I don't think I can take another round of that, I mean they used to date but don't people who date always snog and shit. I've never dated so I don't know.
And why the hell is she stroking his arm. Daniel you are getting a black eye when we're alone.
"Bullshit" Crescent rolls her eyes.
That's my girl. Well not my girl yet but we'll get there.
"You can let go of me" Cress thrashes her arm away from Daniel. Serves you right Daniel my man.
Soon Cress has left the room leaving an eerie silence behind.
Assholebella's hand is still on Daniel, I can't help myself, I grab her wrist and pull it away from my best friend. How dare she try and manipulate him like that.
I scrape my seat back.
"You're a fucking bastard " I slap the back of Daniel's head before walking away.
Adrenaline is pumping through me, I casually walk out towards the exit doors when actually I want to run and catch up with her... but to say what?
I'm here to destroy you're life. I'm back to ruin you. I might have fallen for you while we were kids heck I might still be falling for you but I have to steal from you.
My dad is the owner of a huge company alongside Daniels father.
But Daniels father actually has a extra piece of property that's worth a ridicules amount of money. It was given to him in his inheritance from his father.
Cress is also his child and she believes her father hates her.
But in actual fact I've come to know the property is signed on only Crescent's name. Very few people know about this, it would make Crescent a target. Either it's a tactical move making sure it's safe with Crescent or maybe a way for her father feeling like a less shitty parent.
In comes my shitty cousin, Aaron, who I worshipped growing up. He was my idol, all his violent acts were an inspiration to me.
That was until I heard about Conner's sister.
I haven't had the guts to tell Conner yet, I just can't. It was Aaron who tipped off Conner's sister's location, and that Conner was going to visit her the day she died. It was Aaron's way to get Conner to trust him and join Aaron's men, making Conner cold and lifeless.
I wanted to leave Aaron there and then but my boys are so invested in the gang. And that's Aarons way to manipulate me.
He has the ability and contacts to make my fathers empire crumble as well as kill the boys in the process.
Aaron can give simple orders and anyone I care about can be dead. And right now Cress especially, so by using her I am also protecting her.
Everything is safe if I get that special property given to Aaron.
And then came that night two weeks ago. Carter and I were on a night out, drunk out our minds. We were celebrating my return, and the other boys had ended up in another club.
And then I saw her, in that little black dress, Emily was standing next to her laughing. In front of the girl and Emily was a tall guy, nothing special about him in my opinion but he was far too close to the girl for my liking.
One second the three of them were there and then they were gone. When I was in New York I tried not to think about home. But in that moment I resented Aaron for taking me away from my boys. And turning the only girl I've ever liked in to a weapon.
The girl was Cress, happily living her life and I'm back to ruin it, and I wasn't excited about her hanging out with that guy. What if he was her boyfriend?
Carter had been obsessed with this one girl all night, Taylor or something like that and every time he asked me if she was hot, I just nodded my head and went with it. He was already stalking her on facebook.
So I made a bet. A stupid, irresponsible and cruel bet.
First one to get with the virgin, Crescent Dawson can sleep with that older women.
This bet caught Carter's attention. He loved the chase. Him and I are very different. I've slept with a majority of the chicks in our school, as Carter has made them fall for him and then slept with them. See I'm obviously the better of the two.
In my drunken haze, I thought it would give me a reason to become close to Cress and keep my boys safe.
The next morning I was hungover as fuck, totally forgetting about the bet, but of course Carter bloody remembers. Stupid prick.
It's one girl, how hard is it to make her fall for me, win her heart and use her.
All of a sudden the cold sunlight pours in to the hall highlighting everything, that's when I see her standing at her locker, tears dropping down her cheeks.
Fuck, how am I meant to use her.
At that moment she slams her locker shut.
She turns around, her half damp hair soaking through her shirt.
And this girl who I'm meant to manipulate, use and destroy, I know I'm only going to protect her.
"Elliott" Her breath comes out shallow like she's in shock.
I tilt my head slightly I can't help but smile, I try and hide it but only for it to come out as a sort of half smirk.
Will I ruin her life or will she fall for me the way I've already fallen for her?
"Dawson" I reply the thought of her that night in that black dress comes to my mind. How can I make her fall for me and then just steal everything from her. Memories of our childhood fly through my mind, but all I can wonder is how this story will end.
I actually cried reading this. They were so naive and innocent at the start. Would Elliott have ever known he's have to leave again. Or that it would all end the way it did.