The Heartbreaker's Home

Chapter 1 - Trailer

Hoffman University.

It isn't exactly a place any of my old high-school mates strive to be in after graduation. Most of them work hard to get out of what they called 'this one horse town'. With a population of 250 people, secrets are close to nonexistent. After all, its quite difficult to when everyone knew each other.

The moment we graduated, most of my peers took off to Los Angeles. A large proportion of them were now attending UCLA. I know because my best friend, Megan is currently a freshman in Interior Design there right now. She provided me all the gossip on what all our old peers were up to now.

Me? I'm good.

"Dad, Seeley! You guys are going to be late if you're not down here for breakfast in one minute!" I hollered up the stairs of our cookie cutter, two storey suburban home.

It's always been in my life. But what hasn't? Nothing much has changed since the day I was born. We had always stayed in the same house, on the same street in Redwood Creek.

But then again, could you really say 'nothing's changed' when you lost your mother?

"Good morning pumpkin!" Dad's usual greeting pulled my thoughts from the edges. Flashing a smile as he emerged in his gray polo shirt and slacks, followed by my brother in his jeans and shirt.

"I sure am glad you didn't choose to go to UCLA like the rest of your friends, Kels!" Seeley grinned.

Dad's glare shut him up quickly, before he turned concerned eyes which I groaned when I saw. "Are you sure you would rather stay here, pumpkin?"

I flashed my brother a dirty look, scowling when the asshat looked suddenly very engrossed in his bacon. "I thought we've been through this, Dad." Leaning over, I pressed a kiss to his grisly cheek, "Besides, even if I want to go now, I would be 8 months late."

"But it you-"

"No, Dad. I'm happy here. I have you, and Seeley! Once I graduate, we can get that piano in Harrington House."

I allowed no room for argument, but I never did. It was a conversation we've had one too many times since I decided to stay in Redwood Creek as everyone left town. But I never told anyone why, not entirely anyway.

---

The moment I stepped on to the small campus grounds of our local Hoffman University in town, I knew something was different.

"Hey Ayah," I waved at a short haired brunette. Dressed in her knee length skater skirt and long sleeved jumper, Ayah had been my first friend upon orientation, and as I discovered how alike she was to Megan, we just stuck together like magnets. Despite growing up on a farm an hour away from Redwood Creek with 6 other siblings, Ayah always managed to look joyful, albeit a little dishevelled. One would never guess from her tough, happy-go-lucky exterior, that her only reason for not going to Los Angeles, was to help her single mother with the siblings.

I already can't wait for her to meet my best friend when Megan came back for the winter holidays.

"Morning Kelsey," Ayah waved, falling in step next to me as we headed to our first class together, Music Theory. "Apparently," she started, "There's a new transfer student to the Business School today. We may be getting him in Marketing 101. Came from UCLA."

What did I say about there being no secrets in this town?

My eyes blinked in surprise. "Why would anyone come back here from UCLA?"

Ayah shrugged, hitching her denim backpack higher on her shoulders. "Beats me. Heard he was on some football scholarship, but something happened."

"Did he come from-" my question died on my lips when the glass door to the enrolment office swung open, and a familiar figure limped out, helped by crutches.