Ella Alicia Montgomery. Yes, that’s my name. Funky, huh? Ella Alicia. It has a smooth ring to it. Riiiiight. Apparently, Mum wanted Ella, and Dad wanted Alicia. Since they wanted to be fair, they threw a die to see who’d get to choose my first name. An even number meant Mum won, and an odd number meant Dad won. Sounds stupid, yeah?

But that’s how my parents have always been, serious and mature with a touch of humour and childishness. I don’t have anything against that; I pretty much love them the way they are. But I have something against my twin brother, Jared Michael Montgomery. He’s just too over-protective sometimes, and although I’m already seventeen, I’ve never had a boyfriend or a first real kiss.

I don’t think the peck on the cheek Shawn Dermott gave me in third grade counted as a real kiss. He’d gotten beaten up by Jared and his best friend Chris, and the last I heard of Shawn was that he had moved to Ohio five days later. See how over-protective my brother is? And to think he ropes in his football mates as my protection too! They’re evil scheming people.

Oh yes, football. Jared’s THS’ (more formally known as Trident High School) varsity football team's captain, which basically means he is popular, has plenty of girls fawning over him and can easily date-and-dump any girl he likes. It really sucks, seeing a girl’s heart broken by him. I keep telling him not to be so evil, and get a steady girlfriend, but he keeps insisting that none of the girls interest him to last past a week or so. Right, and in that week he can get in their pants already.

I personally think that he simply wants the girls for the sex they give. He lost his virginity when he was fifteen, can you believe that? Yeah, I went mad at him and totally ignored him for two weeks. I mean, he was only fifteen! He’s four minutes older than me, but not any more sensible.

Anyway, that makes me the twin sister of SHS’ golden boy. Social status, check. So that means a free ticket to seating at the varsity football team’s lunch table (not that I care, really; I don’t go drooling after boy toys), as well as popularity (not all that nice, let me tell you first) and a “backstage pass” to football practice. Quit glaring at me like that already, I’ve had enough from the cheerleaders! The worse part of being the golden boy’s twin sister is that people think I’m stuck-up (although most of the time, I’m just hated for being with the guys).

Speak of the devil, here comes the golden boy and his gang. Well, the five of them - brother included - are the five guys I’m closest to amongst the football team players. Wesley, Jack, Kieran and Chris. Great guys they are, if you ignore the friendly flirting the egoistical four give me. And they’re egoistic people, did I mention that? Very egoistic. “Ella, baby! Miss me?” Jack joked, leaning against the locker beside mine. See, egoistic!

“Ha ha, Mr Jackass. More like you missed me, right?” I smirked, slamming my locker shut. Jared walked alongside me, the four guys following, to the cafeteria. Today, I was sandwiched between Wesley and Jack. “Grilled cheese sandwiches? Shouldn’t you be watching your diet, Ella?” Wes asked, his lips twitching up at the corners. I poked his arm - and of course, he didn’t feel the pain. Damn those muscles that football gives them! (Cue screaming fangirls again.)

“Yeah, right, Wes. So you actually keep track of how I look? I’m too flattered.” I mocked, taking a bite out of my sandwich. “Well, it really is something to look at...” Wes muttered, leaning back to take a look at me. For that, he got whacked on the head by Jared. “Hey, watch your mouth, dude! And your eyes!” Everyone burst into laughter. Now you get how over-protective Jer can get?

I managed to successfully block out all the noise of the guys around me (this is the football team’s table, after all) and finished my sandwich. I was just staring out into space, not really paying attention to anyone in particular, when Jack snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Ella! You there, Ella?”

I scowled at him. “Yeah, I’m very well and a hundred percent here, Jack!” I said sarcastically. “Oooo, looks like someone is PMS-ing.” Kieran whispered, loud enough for me to hear. I swat him on the arm, and he clutched a hand to his heart. “Oh, my heart is broken… Ella has just turned violent to me! Oh, pity thee, will you?” he mocked me.

Before I had time to react, the bell rang. Great, nice timing, bell! I absolutely needed that. Not.

A/N: I've been procrastinating this since I started TPL, and now here it is! It was actually done already much earlier, but I reread and decided to give it a heavy rewrite, so I've procrastinated that until now. :)
Hope you enjoy this story! Meanwhile, go check out The Perfect Life and The Way Things Are too. Thanks