Prologue

"I've had enough," he said to me before grabbing his coat off the rack. "You're always too busy to do anything. You never have time for me anymore."

I sat on my comfortable couch licking off the rest of the ice cream on the large spoon. I thought he was leaving. Didn't he say so? Then why was he pacing the floor instead of walking out the door? Didn't he know my favorite show was coming up? He was blocking the T.V.

"Could you move please? You're blocking the screen."

He stopped suddenly and looked at me. His face was a mix of fury and incredulity. Why, what did I say?

"That's all you can say?!" he asked in disbelief. "Aria! Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Yeah," I said, having no idea what he was talking about. "I'm not deaf. I heard you. Now could you please move? You're blocking the T.V."

"What the hell?!" he rushed at me and grabbed me by the shoulders.

"Hey--! That hurts!"

"I said I'm leaving you!" he shook me slightly and glared into my face. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"What do you want me to say?" I was finally getting angry. If I had to miss my favorite afternoon program because the guy was being too childish, I was going to get really angry. "If you want to leave, then leave! Who am I to stop you?"

"You're supposed to be my girlfriend!" he bellowed.

I covered my ears. "No need to shout. I'm right in front of you. Gosh!"

"That's it!" he said, shoving me back roughly into the couch. The spoon and tub of ice cream clattered noisily to the ground.

"I am the most popular guy in school; I don't have to put up with this! I'm quarterback and I was voted Prom King!"

"Dude. I know. I go to the same school you do, remember? You don't have to tell me." I rubbed my shoulders. He'd been holding me so tight, I was betting major bruises the next morning.

"What the heck is wrong with you?!" he yelled. "Don't you care that I'm breaking up with you?"

I didn't answer immediately. I mean, what was I supposed to say, that I didn't? It was the truth, yeah, but I couldn't say that to his face. Who knows what he might do?

Because I really could care less if Jadeite Simpson broke up with me. He was the stereotypical jock. All he wanted to do was parade me around when we were out in public and then get into my pants when we were in private. And he wasn't that smart up in the noggin either.

Sure, he was pretty and all. That silky blonde head of hair, broad shoulders meant for someone twice his age and bright blue eyes that made you melt when they looked at you could turn any girl's head. But there was no guarantee that you could keep it there. And I wasn't like most girls who only cared about how hot a guy is and how popular. I actually liked to talk when going on dates; not just make out.

So you could say that after the novelty of having a gorgeous boyfriend wore off, I was pretty bored. Besides, Jadeite wasn't really that great a kisser anyways.

I shrugged in answer to his loudly spoken question. "I don't think there's anything wrong with me. I'm just kind of bored that's all."

"Bored!?" he shouted in disbelief. Really, the guy was getting irritating. "You're bored?"

"You know what; I'm starting to think you're deaf."

"How could you be bored?" he said, still shouting. At this rate, the whole apartment building would know I had an idiot for a boyfriend.

"God!" I said, irritated. "Could you keep your voice down? The neighbors will hear." I picked up the fallen spoon and ice cream. Fortunately, there wasn't a stain on my mother's plush carpeting. Thank God for frozen treats.

"Why is it that you never care?" he yelled again, ignoring what I just said.

"You're being childish. Talk to me when you grow up." I flipped through the channels, ignoring the fact that he was turning a seriously odd shade of purple.

"DON'T I MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?!" He blocked the whole T.V. now and I could hear the opening music to my favorite afternoon program. The guy was looking for a death sentence.

"What the hell is you're problem?!" I yelled right back. "NO. I don't care about you. GET IT? Now LEAVE. I can't see the T.V."

He was speechless with fury. His face is really funny. I tried not to laugh, already forgetting my anger from just moments ago. If I laughed out loud now, he might have hit me. Not that Jadeite was the hitting type, but he certainly looked angry enough.

"FINE!" he yelled finally. He stormed out the door, slamming the door behind him.

I barely had time to think good riddance when the phone rang. I answered it sluggishly, deeply depressed that I missed the opening credits of my favorite show. "Hello?"

"Another one, eh?" Mikhail said into the phone.

"Was it that loud?" I asked sheepishly.

"What do you think? I live two apartments away."

"That's a truly depressing thought." And it really was. I was going to be the talk of the building again. Great. My mother was sooo going to kill me.

"Want me to come over?" Mikhail asked.

The thought perked me up. "Have I told you lately what a truly wonderful friend you are? Sometimes I feel like you're the only one who gets me."

"If you really want to show me how thankful you are, you'd better save me some of that ice cream."

"Eh?!" I gasped. "How did you know?"

"I know you better than you think," he said vaguely. "I'll be there in ten minutes." Click.

I stared at the cordless phone in bewilderment. Really, there was no hello, and still there was no goodbye. Mikhail was lucky he was my friend, or else I wouldn't have let him treat my like that.

-----

Well, this is the prologue. i hope you enjoy. but i am warning you now. there will be a lot of BACKSTABBING, JEALOUSY, AND maybe A LOT OF MAKING OUT.

anyways, F.Y.I., i am discontinuing my other story: ROULETTE. it just got too complicated. maybe i'll start it up again someday. but yeahh. keep reading this one, mmkay??

reviews would be GREAAATly appreciated.

--Enigmatic Empress