Chapter 1 Prologue

Ethan Miller stared at me with his eyes full of disgust. Those baby blue eyes that I love so much were now cold and hard. He hated me with all of his beings and was never afraid to let me know.

"Faggot," he hissed. He wasn't too creative when it came to name calling that's for sure.

"What did I do this time, Ethan?" I tried to keep my composure as his eyes bored into mine. His handsome face was twisted into a frown. A few students walked by and saw us but didn't say anything. Instead, they stood there and watched from a distance.

Brian Green stepped in. He was one of Ethan's current best friends who enjoyed tormenting me on his behalf. Behind him were Allen and James.

"I'll tell you what you did, asshole. I saw you staring at our dicks in the locker room. And this wasn't the first time you did that. Fucking pervert," Brian spit on the floor.

"You guys flatter yourselves too much. There wasn't much to stare at," I shrugged and tried to wiggle myself out of Ethan's grasp, but he was too strong.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Corey. I've seen you stare at me several times in the past, fucking homo. And I'm sick of it. It's time I teach you a lesson," Ethan snarled.

It wasn't like he was wrong. I did have a crush on Ethan since we were in middle school. He had a nicely built body with chiseled abs, gorgeous blue eyes, and a sharp jaw. He was beautiful, like a Greek statue. Too bad, he was so ugly on the inside now.

He wasn't always like this. In fact, we grew up together as friends. Our mothers grew up with each other back when there were in high school, so we became playmates as kids. I thought we'd be best friends forever.

Everything changed when we started high school, and he became taller and better looking. He joined the football team and changed completely. He didn't want to associate with me...the pale, skinny average looking Corey Price.

Girls at our school loved him, and he earned the reputation of a player. Soon, we stopped talking, but by that time, it was too late for me. I had already developed feelings for him and had to settle admiring him from a distance. I thought I was doing a great job hiding it, but his friends noticed me pining over him and turned him against me. So guess what? Now I'm their favorite punching bag.

Lucky me.

"Are you listening to me? Hellooo anyone home?" Ethan barked and knocked on my forehead.

"So what if I did? I've always liked you, and I'm not ashamed," I said determinedly. I don't know where I was getting my courage from, but I regretted it instantly. I could already anticipate the pain as I imagined his fist on my face.

"You like me," his question sounded more like a statement. I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes for a split second. Something other than hatred. Maybe he liked me too and was too afraid to admit it.

But it was only for a second, and his eyes turned cold again.

"Yes, Ethan. I've never tried to keep it a secret, nor did I asked you to return my feelings, so what's the point of doing this? Just let me go," I said desperately.

"Beat his ass, Ethan," Brian encouraged him.

"I don't like the way you look at me, Corey. I don't like it one bit. It makes me angry. So angry that I feel like pounding you to the ground. So I'm gonna give you one last chance to take back what you just said, and I'll consider letting you off the hook this time," Ethan paused and looked at me.

Take it back? Deny that I liked him? Why should I? I did nothing wrong, I thought.

"I won't," I said.

"You won't?" Ethan said through his gritted teeth.

"I think he hasn't had enough beatings, Ethan. Show him what it means to fuck with you," Brian said encouragingly, egging him on as usual.

Ethan leaned closer and grabbed my throat. "Say you made a mistake. Say you have no feelings for me, and I'll let you go," Ethan said. He almost sounded desperate. Why is it such a big deal to him? If he doesn't like boys, why not just ignore me?

"I like you. I've had feelings for you since we were kids. My heart beats faster every time you're near, and I wish you'd kiss me even if it's just for once," I declared, pouring my heart out to him right in front of all of his friends. I must have a death wish.

I honestly didn't know what came over me. I felt a surge of emotions and blurted out my confession. His eyes turned gentle for a moment and his grip on my throat loosened.

"I don't believe this. That bitch just confessed his love to you!" James roared. "Isn't this sweet? Why don't you give your new boyfriend a little kiss, Ethan?" I heard Brian and Allen laugh at his expanse. Ethan's hand on my throat felt tighter.

"Fuck you! I am not gay," Ethan snarled at James then turned his attention back to me. "One last chance, Price. Take it back and promise me you won't look at me again, let alone come near me," he said slowly. The gentleness from his eyes was gone completely and once again, replaced with fury.

Nope. I won't shut my feelings off... the young, stupid, and stubborn me decided.

I smiled. "I still like you, and you can't stop me."

That was the last thing I remembered before I woke up at the hospital with bruised ribs and a broken nose. And that was the day I realized it wasn't just my nose that was broken. He broke my heart into a million pieces. And it hurt much more than my battered body.

Luckily my parents decided to move out of town, and I was forced to leave school. Not that I wanted to stay anyway. My love for him was replaced by intense loathing, and I decided to forget about him. Ethan Miller finally succeeded in making me go away.

That was until that dreaded day I had to face him again.

Fuck my life...