Gem | Daniel Desario

Prologue

William McKinley High School
Michigan
1980

Layla Evans was considered a burnout by many of the students in Willian McKinley High School.

Sure, she got in trouble almost every school day and always had detention, but she didn't have many friends.

She was a loner and a burnout. That's why students usually called her a freak. She didn't let anyone get to close to her.

Layla was underneath the metal bleachers, her brown hair tied up in a messy bun, leaning her head against the metal bars, hoping it would calm down her colossal headache.

She felt like her head was gonna explode and it didn't help that four guys not to far from her were messing around and making a ruckus.

She was sure that they were all stoned to the max. Daniel Desario was the loudest, laughing and joking around with his friends, talking about a shirt and church.

"Hey, I believe in God, man. I've seen him. I've felt his power. He plays drums for Led Zeppelin, and his name is John Bonham, baby!" Nick Andopolis said.

To Layla, Nick was probably the best guy in his group of friends, which consisted of him and his burnout friends, Daniel Desario, Ken Miller, and Kim Kelly.

Nick was the sweetest but he smoked too much weed for Layla's liking.

Nick and Layla have talked a few times, over school project's or just talking in general in the hallways. Saying a few 'Hey' 'here and there.

Layla felt like rolling her eyes because they all laughed loudly. "Can you guys shut the fuck up?" Layla said without even realizing She opened her mouth.

The laughings and jokes stopped for a while before She heard a few muttered words.

The sun that was somewhat shinning on her olive skin was blocked. She squinted her eyes open to see Daniel kneeling in front of her with his friends right behind him.

"Are we too loud for you, sweetheart?" Daniel said with a sickeningly sweet voice. He titled his head to the side as his eyes studied her.

Layla opened her eyes and once again, Daniel felt memorized by her bright green eyes that held a spark of gold in them, like he has been for the last four years since he first saw the girl in his freshman homeroom class.

She had walked in the class with nothing but a pencil in her right hand. She sat behind the Desario boy and tapped on his shoulder asking for a piece of paper but he didn't have anything with him either.

One look in Evans eyes and Daniel was hooked.

"As a matter of fact, yes. You are too loud." Layla grabbed her bag that was beside her and stood up, not wanting to be near the boy who she keeps denying feelings for.

"If I stay any longer I might kill one of you assholes." She pulled her hair down from her messy bun and it flowed down her shoulders.

She ran her fingers through her hair and gave one more glance to the boy who was lost in thought as he looked at the girl. 

"I would go first to you, Daniel." Daniel snapped back to reality.

"You would go first to me for anything, baby. You can't stay away." He winked at the girl who held a disgusted face.

"You wish, Desario." She turned around and sped walked away from the bleachers, turning around the corner of the school ready for her long walk home.

"I do, Evans," Daniel muttered and walked away, his friends following closely, laughing about his little crush.

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