Meant to Be Yours

Chapter 1

Neal's P.O.V.

School was school. There was never much to look forward when I got there. It was the same thing. I drove to the "oh so wonderful" Benjamin Banneker High School in Washington, D.C., parked my car in my assigned spot, went to class, did the homework I am given, and repeat the next day. That was all people thought went on in my life. People like to imagine how my life really goes.

There are a lot of things that people think I do which aren't true. For example, I don't do drugs like most people would think a popular punk, such as me, would do. I frown upon it actually. I'm not one to miss school unless it's needed. There are some classes that I can't get what I want, so I leave them.  

There are also a lot of things that people think I am incapable of. I can't hold a job; I work at the pool as a lifeguard over the summer. I can't think of others; I always consider people in what I do. I can't maintain a healthy relationship with my parents; we are pretty close. I can't get into college; I have a low A/ high B average in my classes. I can't feel; I feel all the time and I do feel love and I do love someone. 

I am in love and I can't even begin to say how deep in love I am. It's like I fell down a hole and there is no way out. I might sound so girly and all that stuff for saying this, but I truly am in love. It's that feeling in your gut that you get when you are near that person and you know it feels right. The only part that kind sucks of loving someone isn't even that they don't know that they love you yet, that can be easily changed. What hurts is that they think they hate you.

Every time I have tried to talk to her, she glares at me with her shining, ocean blue eyes and just responds back to me with some kind of nasty comment about how much she thinks she hates me. She doesn't hate me; she just doesn't know that she loves me.

She and I don't come from the same "world", so to say. I am a stereotype. I'm a punk. I'm popular. I'm literally the guy that most girls would hurl themselves at; no joke. I'm the one everyone wants either as a friend, a fling, or a fight. You either love me or you hate me. Clearly my parents love me because they have yet to kick me out of the house; that has to mean something. But staying at home won't be a concern soon. 

She isn't like that at all. She is a nerd. She isn't close to popular. Has her few really close friends and that was it. She is a great musician. She plays any string instrument. She is an incredible artist. She works with kids down at the local children specialized hospital over the weekends. She loves to spend time with her older half brother, Dylan and younger half brother, Ruben. They all have the same mother but different fathers. She works at her one father’s bakery from Monday through Thursday as a decorator and works the register.

I know so much about Joana Christine Todd. Like that she was born on October 23rd of 1998. She is Canadian on her mother’s side and British on Charles side; Charles is her biological father. She is 5ft6. She has blue eyes and brown eyes. She wears glasses all the time because she finds contacts uncomfortable. Her favorite band is Fall Out Boy. She lives with her gay dads, Charles and Derek, and Dylan, who is 18, in a nice studio apartment. Her mother lives a few towns over in Virginia with Ruben, who is 3. Her biological dad, Charles, is a forensic anthropologist in D.C.; and her other dad, Derek, like I said, owns a bakery that she works at. What can I say? I do my homework.

I could get into so much more detail, but that would take up too much time. I watch her. I'll follow her around and take pictures of her, do my research. I have a few files on her back at my house in my room just full of pictures and information on her. I don't do this because I'm a stalker; because I'm not. I do this because I keep her safe. That's what you do for people you love. You watch over them like a guardian angel because if you don't, then who will?

I'm not a stalker. I'm not creepy. I love Joana. I need Joana. I watch Joana. I protect Joana.