Crash and Burn

She's the virgin of virgins. Never been kissed, Jamie has stayed far away from the mention of boys. Now her friends are making a game of trying to figure out who can take her first kiss.
She fights it as much as she can but things start going against her as he shows up. Lucas McGraw. The one boy she had ever come close to
liking, to getting close to, to letting them into her world... And he was just as arrogant as every other guy.

Chapter One -

-

Jamie O'Neal rolled off her bed, almost losing her footing as she ungracefully got out of her bed. The sheets, pale gray silk, slid to the floor in a heap. Stretching her arms above her head, she felt the cool air caress her skin. She could not help suppress the shiver that raced down her. How I hate Mondays, she thought tiredly as she walked out of her room to the bathroom. Her hair, a mess of darkened red locks, strayed over her shoulders. Her bangs brushed over her left eye, only leaving her right eye to view. Standing in front of the mirror of the bathroom, she glanced at her appearance. Her tired eyes flashed their emerald hues before going back to their restless gray. Tired looking, she scrunched her nose and went about her usual morning routine; shower, brush teeth, dress, and grab school things.

-

Stepping out of her worn down white pickup truck, she pushed her sunglasses off her head and tossed them onto the passenger seat. First week of school and she was already hating the thought of homework. Her converse shoes scuffed across the asphalt as she grabbed her things from the bed of the truck. Pushing her messenger bag strap over her head, she turned to head toward the campus. Pushing her hair back from her face, her steps made quiet noise as she walked. Half way to the door of the old gym, she heard her name called,

"Jamie!" Spinning on her heels, she turned. A smile lit her face as her eyes caught sight of one of her best friends.

"Hey Faith," she greeted to the brunette. Jamie took in her appearance; a dark blue shirt wrapped around her torso with her usual long chained locked bouncing against her midsection as she walked, skinny jeans the shade of a faded black and converse like shoes that went a few inches from her knees. "You put the teal in your hair." Jamie squealed excitedly as she looked at her friend's hair.

Faith laughed at the excitement Jamie showed for the simple lock that hung near her temple. "Leave it to you to take happiness from something so random." Faith looped her arm through Jamie's as they began their walk toward the front of the building.

"Well, what can I say? It's fantastic. I love that color and I like it on you." Jamie grinned.

"Thank you, my dear."

"Anytime, love."

Faith glanced down at Jamie's short height. "So, what are the plans for after school?"

Jamie snorted. "We haven't even been in our first class and you are planning after school? Go figure," she scoffed. "OH! What are your classes? I forgot to ask you last night." Faith took her arm from Jamie and reached into her back pocket, taking out a worn down folded piece of paper.

"Umm, first hour is chemistry. Eww. Second hour is journalism. Third hour is English. Yay!" Faith grinned happily but frowned as she came about her next class. "Math? That sucks, right after lunch too. Fifth hour is aerobics. And sixth is government."

"That sucks." Jamie commented, nodding her head in agreement. "But just think I get to have government with you! Oh, and English." She opened the door of the school entrance. Pushing herself through the door with Faith on her heels, she glanced around at the bustle of students already there. "I really hate the first day of school," she sighed coming close to a whine. Faith patted her head with a grin on her face.

"Don't worry, Jamie. This year we are seniors. You shouldn't worry too much. Senior year is supposed to be easy."

"Supposed to be and actually being easy are two different things, Faith Mathew." Jamie groaned, heading toward the commons. The commons was really the cafeteria but when cleaned up, it doubled as a stage area for the drama team. Inside the commons at the early hours of the morning, tables sat amongst its floors where several students sat for breakfast. Taking a seat at one near one of the windows, she rested her heavily filled backpack on the seat to her left.

"Hey, where is your brother?" faith asked, after taking a seat across from her.

"He woke up late so grandpa told me he'd take the twit," she smiled teasingly. "I can't believe he is a freshman already. Gawd, it seems like yesterday I was still walking him to first grade and to his classroom in middle school." Faith watched as the smile grew wider as she spoke adoringly of her younger brother. It had always been clear to Faith and people who knew Jamie well that her little brother, Jace, held a special place in her heart.

"You spoil him, James," she ragged, shaking her head in mock sadness.

"What can I say, he's special." Jamie shrugged, pushing herself up and resting her head into the palms of her hands as her elbows rested on the table.

"I know. I hate to admit it, but that kid is going to be a heartbreaker."

"You're telling me." They continued with small talk as they waited for their class to begin.

-

Jamie turned down the south wing of the school and let a pleased sigh escape from her smooth lips as she made her way toward her photography class. After being in it for the past two years, she welcomed it with open arms. Her own camera carefully packed away in her backpack begging to be used as she walked through the doorway. A smile came to her face as she went to one of the computers situated on the far door near the teacher's desk; her favorite teacher in the whole school. Mrs. Blackwell had the darkest shade of raven hair Jamie had ever seen. Though it was short, it was usually kept in a small pony tail at the base of her neck.

"Jamie, I was wondering when I'd see you," she greeted happily. Jamie waved with a small grin as she took out her camera.

"Hello, Mrs. Blackwell." Jamie greeted in turn.

"How was your summer, Jamie?" Mrs. Blackwell asked, glancing away from the door that had new students and older students trailing through its midst. Jamie could name most of the faces but didn't bother greeting most of them as she turned back to Mrs. Blackwell.

"Good actually. My family and I went to the coast for a few weeks. It was amazing. I got some of the best shots of the ocean I could ever imagine."

"That's great, dear." A bright smile graced Jamie as Mrs. Blackwell spoke. Just then, the bell rang, cutting off the conversation quickly.

"Well duty awaits," and she pushed herself from behind the desk and made her way to the center of the room. Jamie chuckled to herself as she brought her camera to her lap as she half listened to the introduction going about. After a few times of hearing it, she was able to recite it back almost perfectly. Instead of being bored, she went over some of the recent pictures in her camera until the end of class.

-

As she walked the halls toward the math cut off, she came upon her other best friend. And like usual, Destiny Shea was surrounded by a mass of people, most of them being the male population of the school. But unlike the usual cliché, she didn't ignore her friend when she saw her.

"Jamie!" She shouted, pushing past the people and returning the hug wrapped around her. Jamie laughed at her blonde friend. Destiny Shea was known to be a flirt and she was the first to admit it, but what others didn't know was Destiny was loyal to a fault. Those she considered friends remained protected by the control she was with her place amongst the hierarchy of the school.

"Hey Destiny." Jamie laughed as she looked into the ever-glowing green eyes of her friend.

"What class you heading to?" Destiny asked, waving to the people behind her and walking with Jamie down the hall.

"Math, you?"

"Me too! Who's your teacher?"
"Mr. Sharaton."

"Oh, mine is Ms. Mead."

"Well go figure, you were always good at math..." Jamie mumbled, enviously. Destiny laughed softly, patting her friend on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, James. You'll get better," she reassured her. "Oh, have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"There is a new kid this year and he is supposed to be downright sexy as hell."

Jamie rolled her eyes at her friend, "Leave it to you to describe the new kid by his looks."

"Honey, everyone is gossiping about him, and it's not even second hour." Destiny remarked casting a serious look toward Jamie. She had a point there but Jamie still didn't bother to worry about the new kid. Just another guy, she thought bitterly.

"James, I know you don't like guys all that much and all but don't you think it's time to get over your little ... fetish and get a boyfriend?" Destiny asked. Jamie's head snapped in her direction as her eyes widened.

"Ummm, NO!" She snapped, freaking out. Destiny sighed.

"I thought as much..." She shrugged. Flipping her blonde locks over her shoulder, she smirked. "Can't say I didn't try. Well, I'll see you at lunch. Have fun in math!" And down the hall she went, a whirlwind in the midst the sea of students. Jamie couldn't help but be partially envious of the cool, confidence she showed to everyone she met. Try as she might, Jamie had never been able to emanate the type of calm serenity her friend possessed.

Shaking her thoughts, she headed into her classroom and sat in one of the desks near the middle to back row but still close to the door. Pulling out a notebook, she began to scribble a list of things to do when she got home as she waited for the bell to ring. Students trickled in and a few said hello, which she returned cheerfully, before taking seats amongst the rows of desks. Her pencil moved furiously even as the bell rang but as she came to finish her list, her pencil paused in midair at a deep voice talking from the front of the room. Her eyes slowly moved up to see who was arguing or trying to convince the teacher, he was not tardy. Her breath hitched as she took in the sight of the new person. However, he was not new to her. Not even, close. Lucas McGraw was standing in the center of the room. His hair was still the same dark shade of chocolate brown but instead of short, now it trailed in slight curls past his ears. The same cobalt blue eyes that seemed to glance into the dark secrets of a person's soul looked out his beautifully carved face. Even as a child, Jamie had known he would be a force to be reckoned with; not only in looks, but in his demeanor as well. She watched as his eyes swept across the other students in the classroom but as his eyes met hers, a sudden chill went down her spine. He was looking at her and he remembered her. Whether that was good or bad did not matter to her at that time. She only knew she's screwed.

Ah, hell.

A/N:

Okay, I shouldn't even be posting this. I shouldn't have even of written this. But the thoughts plagued my mind and i couldn't seem to help it. My fingers have a mind of their own! They do, they really do!

Anyway, this is going to be my attempt at a high school Teen story. Besides that cruel attempt Love Is Fatal. That one doesn't count. Winces. There is something more I want out of this story though. I don't want it to just be a story of romance. I want this to show the true bond of friendship and the hardships that some teenagers go through. Who knows what will happen really. We'll just wait and see.

Oh. Do not expect regular updates on this. I have tooooo much typing as it is to do. I have to finish A Bite to Live and CIA? Can I Abort?. I keep telling myself that and now it's a mantra in my head.... Kind of crazy, but true.

Review, possibly?