Summary: Samantha Gray is best friends with Derek James. Son of major Rock Star Allen James. Derek is an aspiring rock star as well. Lead singer for his band Misery's Company. But Derek has a deep dark secret, and Samantha's begining to get suspicious.

Chapter 1:

The first thing I heard on this bright Monday morning, were the sounds of tires screeching against the asphalt. I groaned, looking at myself in the mirror. Approving of my attire for the day-a simple black t-shirt and a pair of jeans, along with my favorite pair of black and white checkered vans-I walked out of my front door, and into the car that would take me-and my best friend Derek James-to school.

I've lived in my home in sunny L.A. for exactly a year now. I decided to move down here from Canada away from my mother. All she and I ever did was fight and I couldn't handle it anymore. So since the year I've been here, my mother Catherine has sent me money so I could survive properlly on my own.

So, on this unusually bright Monday morning, I sat alongside Derek in the back seat of his older brother Carson's Ford Focus. It was black, Carson's favorite color. At first glance, you wound up only seeing his rough, body-builder exterior; a body guard and a big brother at most. But if you took a deeper look, you would be welcomed with a fresh breath of air. He had beautiful chocolate brown locks, silky smooth to the touch, and reaching to his shoulders. With enchanting hazel eyes to match. But like Derek, he had sickly pale skin. Or should I say, deathly pale, it was so white; like snow.

I shrugged it off most of the time, but nowadays I let my curiousity take me. Maybe it was some kind of skin condition that ran in their family. Well, whatever it was it hardly posed as an inconvience to me. I could really care less actually. I looked up at Carson in the front seat-the front driver's seat- I corrected myself. I was trying to figure out what was on his mind. He seemed to be drifting off into space or something, which I didn't recommend since He was supposed to be driving two teenagers-adults-to high school. Derek and I were in our final yeam with only a month to go.

I scrunched my eyebrows together in a thinking and concentrated expression.

"Sam?"

I broke away from my thoughts, looking up at Carson. He was looking at me with worried eyes through the rearveiw mirror.

"Yes?"

"What's the matter? You seem...off."

Off. He said it as if he couldn't find another term to describe me at the moment. I shook my head, "Nothing. I'm fine."To reassure him, I even looked over to Derek and gave him one of my better smiles. The more real ones. He seemed convinced since he didn't bother me about it anymore.

It didn't take much longer to get to Central High School. And when we pulled up by the curb, there was a big crowd outside waiting for us. For Derek, I mentally corrected. I forgot to mention that Derek was an aspiring rock star. He worked hard at what he did, and was good at it. His band wasn't very popular but they were known. And it was mostly because of Derek's father. Allen Greggory James. And I kind of hated to admit that he was still hot for a guy that was in his late fourties to early fifties. Pale blonde hair, and dark green eyes, great body to go along with it. Yeah, he was still up there with the Vogue magazine models.

Mr. Allen was great, another father-figure towards me. Which I was extremely greatful for. Since I've never-and probably never will- had a father during my childhood years. I sighed, looking out of the window at my fellow classmates; I groaned. Derek chuckled and was the first one to step out of the vehical; I was more reluctant. Carson smiled, "Run along young one. I'll see you both soon. Misery's Company has a rehearsal today."

"Not soon enough." I mumbled.

Carson heard me anyway since I could him laughing from my new place out of his Ford Focus. I groaned, waiting for Carson to drive away before looking for my friend Jason, who was somewhere conceled in the crowd of students. I didn't bother waiting for Derek since I know that he was being absorbed by his adroing fans. As I was looking around, I could swear I heard my name faintly being called in the distace,

"Sam! Sammy?! Where art thou ma cerie?!"I smiled. There was my little fruit cup! Yes, I called Jason a fruit cup because he was gay. But he was still a friend, regardless what his sexual prefrence was.

I could barely see red spikes in the crowd but I could see him. Even if it was just barely. My day was now brightened, even if it had barely even begun. I was glad to see Jason; his happy disposition made me smile. His smile was contagious.

Jason was short for the average red head, green eyed, pale skined male; but it wasn't like he had any problems so it was alright with him. It amazed me how hardly anything fazed Jason at all. It was unless he was passionate towards the subject of conflict or situation. I admired that about him, it showed great character.

He smiled, flashind me his pearly whites. Then, pulled me into a routinely embrace, "Good morning!!"

God, how can he be so cheerful on a Monday morning? Nothing bothered Jason, not even the only legal slave plantation called school. That's what I called it anyways. Well, they did keep us here for six hours, and they had us abide by their rules, and if we broke those rules we were punished, Hence the nickname, Slave Plantation.

I sighed, "Good morning Jay."

He furrowed his eyebrows close together in worry, "What's the matter ma cerie? You don't sound so pleasant."

I chewed my bottom lip in a nervous habit. I didn't really want to bring Jason down with my problems, So instead I looked into his eyes and smiled, "There's nothing wrong Jason. Just didn't sleep well."

Well that wasn't a total lie; I really didn't sleep well. I had too much on my mind to even think about getting some sleep. First, it was about my mother. She had the nerve to call my phone and keep me up half the night talking about her stupid boyfriend. Which, quite frankly, I could really care less what she did with her life. Secondly, I was thinking about what was going on with Derek's family. Something about them was just, different, That was the only appropriate to discribe what they were.

I let my superstitions get to me and started to fade away in my thoughts. The James family had white skin, and were amazingly beautiful. Not that there was anything wrong with unusually pale skin. It;s just that Derek was outside every single day in LOS ANGELES weather. I was just thinking that if he was outside everyday in the sun, then he should have been sporting a dark tan by now.

Not to mention it looked to be genetic. Mr. Allen, Mrs. Jane, Carson, and Derek all had the same skin condtion and were amazingly gorgeous, plus they all had some weird glare in their eyes. I had this weird suspicion that they wore contacts. Not the perscription contacts but the colored contacts. Well, whatever was going on with them, I was determinded to figure it out.

Jason looked at me then grabbed above my elbow and dragged me towards the closest empty area, that so happened to by where my other friends were, along with a couple of stone tables and benches. Looking up, I raised an eyebrow at Jason, "What are you doing?"

Without saying a word, he pushed me forward towards an empy seat, sitting me next to my friend Andy Coal. Andy was the kind of girl that blindly picked out some random outfit out of her closet, but still happened to look good, style her hair, and put on make-up. Why she did that, was beyond me. But she was a great friend none the less.

I looked around, my eyes scanning through my small group of friends; Andy sat on the bench sitting next to me with one leg resting on the other, Ryile messing with a piece of her recently dyed pink and blonde hair, barely interested in what's going on, and Lilly who was staring at me intently waiting for Jason to speak.

I, like everyone else, was waiting for Jason to say why I was over here in the first place instead of in the school building along with all of the other students. Well, entering the school building, like everyone else. As Jason was about to speak, Derek appeared along side him. But Derek wasn't there a moment ago, he wasn't even in the same area; not even close. It was like he appeared out of thin air.

Derek looked at me before he turned to face all of us, "Shouldn't you guys be inside? What's going on."

Jason crossed his arms over his chest, "Something's wrong with Sam."

After he said that, I tuned everything else, and drifted through my thoughts. What the heck was going on? How did Derek get here so quickly? I could have sworn I saw Derek walk into Central High, his fans tagging along behind him. But there he was, standing side by side with Jason. Derek was not human; that much I already knew. When I looked up from the stone table, everyone's eyes were on me, and Andy looked worried. Which would definately be a first for her. I blinked, "What's everyone staring at?"

When no one answered me, I let my eyes wonder to where Derek was standing. Ah Derek; he was too beautiful for words. He had chin length, emo styled, blonde and black hair, pale skin, honey brown, great body, and two snake bite piercings on his bottom lip. He was staring at me as well, almost in a suspicious fashion. I blinked, turning my attention towards Jason. I shot him a death glare, "There's nothing wrong with me. There has just been a lot on my mind."

Jason was persistant, "Like what?! Sam, we're your friends! We need to know, you seem really upset."

I glanced over to Derek from the corner of my eye and saw that he looked irritated. It's like he was trying to read my facial expressions...or trying to see what I'm thinking. Which would be rediculous. I don't believe in all that magic mumbo jumbo. I shrugged my shoulders, "It's just about my mother Jason. The usual you know?"

My miniscule group of friends stared at me for a moment before shrugging, and walking towards our Slave Plantation to homeroom. Derek, Jason, and I were still at the stone table, me sitting and them standing and looking at me. I raised an eyebrow, "What are you two staring at me?"

Derek had his arms crossed over his broad chest, glaring daggers at my head. I returned the glare, "What the hell is wrong with you? Is there something on my face? Did I do something to piss you off?"

He shook his head, still not verbally answering me. I glanced over to Jason for a split second then back to Derek. I stood up, finally being tired of being looked down upon, "Then what is it? I'm starting to think that you don't like me anymore because you have been sending me death glares all morning."

He looked down at the grass, his foot idly messing with a browning blade of over grown grass. Then, after a few moments, he looked back up to me, "Just family issues Sam. Nothing major."

I sighed, and began walking towards my homeroom class. Glancing at my wrist watch, I saw that it was almost past seven and near the end of first block. Crap. So I stopped myself from entering the school, and sat back down on the stone bench by Jason and Derek. Jason sat next to me, rubbing my back soothingly, "It's alright honey, I'm sure sexy Carson can help you with your problems. He was always good at that."

Carson...I swear I thought he was gay or something. I figured that I should tell Jason, but in case that Carson wasn't I didn't want to get Jason's hopes up. So instead, I looked over to Derek with tired eyes, "Do you think Carson would mind if I walked home?"

Derek was bristling I just knew it. He sighed, "I don't think that would be best Sam."

"Please?"

He shook his head, "Carson would have my head if I didn't keep you here safe. School is the safest place you know."

As soon as he said that, something clicked in realization in my mind. Derek wasn't human. The white skin, the glazed over looks in his eyes, being increadably good looking...something wasn't right. What was he? I sighed, "Fine. Then what do you propose we do? We can't just sit here, Mr, Klouse won't let us. As soon as he sees us we'll have detention and you won't be on time with your rehearsals and recordings."

"I know...fine. We can all go to your house. You don't have any guardians so we'll be safe from parentals."

I smiled triumphedly as we all began walking towards my humble abode on Pine Wood road.