Love Is A Battlefield

TEXAS, HERE I COME

 [Prologue]

Arabella Leah Thorne has a tough life. Her dad has a busy job, so now she has to move from one school to the next. She doesn't have many friends—or she would if she could.

Until she attends Carpenter High School.

But when she meets James (the most popular kid at school and every girls' dream crush), she becomes deeply in love with him. Raquel "Rocky" Blue (her best—temporary—friend) warns her not to fall for his charms and good looks, but she completely ignores her when "Mister Dream-Crush" suddenly asks her out!

Bella thinks she's finally accepted...until their relationship starts creating enemies, rivals, and betrayal?

And what's this: Bella actually wants to leave?

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 [CHAPTER ONE]  Bubblegum Boy

"Bellz, you ready?"

"Yes, dad!" I called back halfheartedly. I had packed all of my clothes, gathered all of my supplies, and got dressed in the clothes that my dad had bought for me earlier. Just a little bit more of lipstick. Gently, I applied a quick layer of light pink lipstick. Then I turned--just to find my dad leaning on the side of my bathroom door with his arms crossed.

"Bellz, you don't need lipstick," he said. I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. "You look beautiful without it," he added, grabbing the lipstick from my hand. "It's not like you're going to a wedding."

I stared him in the eyes, trying to show him how mature I was. But he just smiled and ruffled my hair. "Dad!" I yelled, pushing him out of the bathroom. "Now look what you've done!"

Before he walked away, he said, "That's the Bellz I remembered."

Again, I rolled my eyes. I always wondered when my dad would ever treat me like an adult. I mean, there's only one month till I'm sixteen. Hopefully by then, Dad will finally learn how to see me for who I really am. "BELLZ!" It was my dad.

Hurriedly, I brushed my hair back to its original look. Then I ran downstairs. Until I realized I had forgotten my briefcase. "You ready yet?" Dad asked. He had already started putting all our stuff in the back of the van. "Or does my wittle pwincess need to redo her makeup?"

"Dad!" I shouted. "How many times do I have to--?"

Dad waved his hand dismissively. "I know, I know. You forgot your stuff didn't you?" I nodded. "Well, go get it. Because I'm leavin' in one minute." Before I could reply on how "unfair" that was, Dad walked into the van, and revved the engine. One, he mouthed, but I was already gone.

I sprinted up the stairs. My dad always played around like this. I had no clue why, but I knew not to joke around about it.

Quickly, I grabbed my briefcases. Why do I have so much stuff? I thought after picking up my briefcase. It was so heavy. But I pushed away the pain. Even though I didn't want to go to Texas, it was better than being left behind at New York.

I turned and opened my bedroom door. Instead of running down the stairs, I just slid down the railing. I had been doing that every since I was little. Since my family wasn't rich enough to pay for a trip to an amusement park, I just pretended as if that was my rollercoaster.

Landing lightly on the tiled floor, I bounded through the front door--right into Dad. "Whoa there, pumpkin," he said, catching me in his arms. "For a second, I was doubting you'd make it."

I raised an eyebrow. "Dad," I said. "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm Arabella, the Silent Ninja." I emphasized that with a karate-chop.

Dad laughed. "Whatever," he said, and opened the door. "Hop in. We have a long journey ahead of us."

I walked into the car and sat beside my dad. As we drove, I couldn't help but whisper good-bye to all the friends I had made in New York. Good-bye Sammi. Good-bye Charlene.

Soon, the bright lights of New York City became the flatlands of the Wild West. Texas, here I come.