Love Conquers All

Chapter 1 

California, 1988

I sat on the streets of San Diego, my home, for the past sixteen years of my life. Actually, I am sixteen, I lived here all my life. "Zoey Matthews, come in here and finish packing. We have five hours to get to Hanford and meet with the realtor!" My mom, Hannah, said. I got up, brushed the gravel off my pants and walked inside my home, well use to be home. My mom has Van Halen blaring out of the stereo, which I love them, but I am sick and tired of hearing them! I went to my bedroom and began taking my clothes out of the closet and put them in suitcases. All my books and bed things are in boxes and the mover guys already has my major furniture. My room looks very empty. I am going to miss looking out the window and see the Pacific ocean. My mom yelled for me again and I just put the last piece of clothing in my suitcase and the mover guys came in and took my stuff. My mom is waiting by the car and when I got in, I stared at the house and I sighed. Goodbye city life, hello town life...

We made it to Hanford, California, population 20,000. San Diego was the population of little over a million people, so this is a major difference. I looked out at the town and it has a Wal Mart, several grocery stores, a lot of little bitty stores and a park. There is no mall though. Where do they go for the mall? My mom pulled into a little street in town and I looked out and I seen several kids my age. I seen a very chubby and pretty brunette girl, a dark and pale girl I know that is a immigrant, and a very sexy guy. He has blonde hair, I think baby blue eyes, and he look straight at me. I am slightly overweight, blonde wavy hair and green eyes. My mom pulled into the driveway and my dad, which is waiting on the porch, smiled at us. It is just the three of us. My mom had a hard time conceiving, so when she got pregnant with me and had me, they just quit. I am their blessing, you can say that. I am not spoiled, but I do have a lot of nice things. I got out of the car and looked at my new house and I am impressed. It is a dark red brick house with some nice trees and flower bushes. It has a porch swing and a pretty big front porch. "So, Zoey, do you like this place or not?" My dad, Jack, asked.

"Yeah, I guess I like it, I just ready to settle in," I said and I walked into the house. I heard mom ask about the realtor and the mover guys has put in my chest of drawers and my bed. They came behind me and they are carrying my other things in.

"Baby, go ahead and set up your room. I am starting on the living room," Mom said and I closed the door behind me. My bedroom is a little bigger than the one in San Diego. I opened the box and began with my bed. Then, I set up my dresser and put my things where I wanted them to go. My posters of Motley Crue, Winger, Poison and Alice Cooper went on my walls, then the hard part, my closet. It took me little over two hours to finish my room and I ended by turning on my radio. I looked outside and the two girls are standing in front of my yard, talking and the guy that is hot is talking to another girl that looks identical to him. I decided, what the hell, I might as well get to know the neighborhood kids. I walked outside and went to the other girls. "Hi, I'm Zoey Matthews, I just moved in," I said and the overweight girl smiled at me.

"I'm Katrina Sparks, I live across the way from you," Katrina, the overweight one, said. Her hair is so gorgeous with natural curls in it and the color of chocolate. Her eyes are light brown and she has an olive complexion. The other girl smiled at me and introduced herself with a Eastern European accent.

"I am Daphnia Koreskova and I am from the Ukraine," Daphnia said and I smiled. Awesome, two friends down, now go to that guy.

"Who's that hunk over there?" I asked pointed at the guy.

"That's Ethan Noblitt, he is a major hunk, but he has not been with a girl in a while. You can go talk to him, he is very nice," Katrina said and I nodded. I walked over there and I heard his voice, which is very deep and slow and sexy. I stood behind him and cleared my throat. He turned around and he smiled at me. My heart skipped a beat and I couldn't spit out what I wanted to say. "May I help you?" Ethan asked me.

"I...um...I'm Zoey Matthews. I...um, just moved into that house over there," I said and nervously smiled.

"Honey, are you normally this nervous around guys?" The girl asked.

"Actually, yeah, but who might you be?"

"Sorry, I'm Jessica, his twin sister," Jessica said and she walked off. She acted very bitchy around me and Ethan rolled his eyes.

"You have to excuse Jessica, she hates people that are not like her. She despises Daphnia over there because she is not American," Ethan said and I nodded. "You seem like you would be very cool, do you want to hang out sometime?"

"Um, sure that sounds nice," I said and he smiled.

"Well, hopefully by then you won't be so nervous around me. I am actually a very nice guy underneath this jock look!" I smiled and I went back to the house and my mom and dad is on the couch sharing a drink. I still see some boxes but they are mainly done.

"We still have to finish the kitchen, our bedroom and our bathroom. I done the living room, the other bathroom, dining room and laundry room," Mom said and I nodded.

"I met some friends already," I said and my dad smiled.

"Good for you baby girl. The realtor said this neighborhood is family-oriented. I seen those girls in the street..." Dad said and I smiled.

"Katrina and Daphnia and there is also a guy and girl twin name Ethan and Jessica."

"Now Zoey, don't get all heavy with this boy until he meets us!"

"DADDY! We are just going to hang out, as friends, not a date!" My dad sighed and he changed the channel on the television. I went to my bedroom and turned on my radio. I looked out the window and watched Katrina and Daphnia talk and laugh and Ethan walking around throwing a football in the air. Why would a guy like Ethan be interested in a girl like me? He would be interested in a skinny cheerleader, not a overweight girl that loves to read ooey gooey romance novels and dream. Well, a girl can dream all she wants. I do get to hang out with him. If I have a chance with him, I better use all my powers of girl-atude whenever we get to hang out. I will put on some makeup, my best smelling body spray and wear the nicest clothes. If I don't have a chance with him, well, I now have one of the hottest friends in Hanford, California!