What Once Was

The loud beats from my twin brother's sound system resonated through my thin bedroom walls. I groaned before falling backwards onto my bed. Ryan being Mr Popularity had to through a party to celebrate our summer holidays before senior year.

Ryan and I may be twins but we couldn't be more different. I chose to focus on my art more than anything else, most lunch breaks I would spend it in the art rooms. I also have a rare disease of social awkwardness, which would only end up with me being the joke of the school. Luckily I had my outgoing, crazy best friend Max on my side.

As for Ryan, well he is the life of any party, with his laid back attitude and charming personality and who can forget his amazing basketball skills which landed him as the vice-captain on the school's basketball team. And the captain of the basketball team, yeah that's Ryan's best friend Jace.

Jace Matthews... I remember when I first met him, how I had accidently bumped into him on the second week of high school, spilling my grape soda all over him. And let me tell you, grape soda stains really well. I stood there apologising profusely, my cheeks were burning red as I glanced at his now drenched shirt.

A soft chuckle broke my nervous quivering; I glanced up to see the face of my poor victim only to send my heart into frenzy. He had brown tousled hair, a mixture of blue and green colour for his eyes. And that pearly white smile he was flashing at me. I was in awe.

"It's alright, accidents happen! You're lucky I happen to like grape soda!" he chuckled before walking away, not minding that for the rest of the day he would smell like grape soda. After that, I couldn't stop thinking about grape soda guy, would I ever see him again? Was he even in my grade?

That afternoon I discovered fate had a grudge against me because when I had arrived home, there sitting in the living room was grape soda guy. My mouth gaped open before I quickly shut it close, was I imagining it?

"Here's the change of clothes, so who's the crazy girl who spilt soda all over you?" a new voice had entered the room, my eyes flickered to the boy with dark hair spiked up, Ryan. I prayed that he wouldn't see me and I could escape through the side door.

"Oh hey sis, have you met Jace –he's in our grade!" Ryan spoke just as I was retreating; mustering a fake smile I turned around, "Hey..."

I watch as Jace's mouth dropped open and he glanced between Ryan and me. Any second now and Ryan would have figured this out. 1...2...- "Bells... please don't tell me you were the one who spilt soda on him..."

I let out a nervous laugh, "It was an accident!" I squeaked. Ryan shot me look which was quickly cut off as Jace walked over to me and ruffled my hair, "You heard her, just an accident. Besides it's nice to finally meet my best friend's sister. At first I thought the world of Jace noticing me, until the title of best friend's sister stuck.

So began my crush on Jace, as the years past Jace and me had became closer until the incident in year 10 that changed everything. I had made friends with the wrong people who discovered my crush on Jace and decided to tell the whole school.

After that Jace was never that friendly anymore, he wouldn't greet me, he never ruffled my hair again –he basically ignored me. Yet 2 years later, I still have a stupid crush over him. I let out a sigh before burying myself into my pillows, out of the corner of my eye I glanced at my clock.

"SHIT!" I was out of bed within a second, it was 8 O'clock and I was supposed to call Max to get her out of her monthly family dinner. I wildly glanced around my room, tearing apart the place trying to find my phone. I paused, already out of breath as my room was now a mess. I froze as the horrible thought occurred to me, I was in the game room before the party started...I must have left my phone there.

I cringed as I glanced at myself in the reflection, hair messily tied up, no makeup, just dressed in sweats. How I would compare to the girls downstairs with their tight dresses, straightened hair and makeup. Next to them I would look like shrek.

Gathering all the courage I had, I put on a hoodie – hoping to disguise myself, with that I slipped out of my bedroom and headed towards the staircase where the music grew louder.

As I descended down the stairs I could see that the living room was already trashed, no bet while Ryan was nursing a hangover I'd be cleaning up the aftermath of this party. Weaving in between the couples heavily making out I finally made it to the game room.

I tiptoed into the room of boys hoping they wouldn't turn around, I watched them hunched over – staring at the big screen tv in anticipation. As I glanced around the room, my eyes drifted towards a white phone case sitting on the table behind the couch.

I quickly ran to the table and pocketed the phone in my pocket, now I just had to make my escape which was interrupted when I heard his voice. "You still with that girl on the swim team?" Jace teased as he bumped Blake's shoulder.

"Yeah, surprised we've actually made it for 3 months," Blake replied, I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I was frozen in my place. "Your so whipped dude!" a deep voice added into the conversation. Blake just laughed, "Well what about your girl Jace?"

My heart clenched, Jace had a girl? I always knew Jace was a ladies' man but it still hurt every time I found out about his new girl. "What girl?"

"Uhh, you know Ryan's sister – what's her name again?" Blake had met me heaps of times yet he never remembered my name.

"Oh yeah, Bella – hasn't she been in love with you forever?"

I could feel my heart beginning to explode; my palms were suddenly sweating as I tried to calm myself down. The voice that had suddenly gone quiet spoke, "Guys, cut it out. She's just some stupid girl who has a crush on me. She's clumsy, weird, she dresses like a boy! Not to mention she's always got her head in the clouds. She's just Ryan's annoying sister to me. She needs to grow up and get over her pathetic little crush on me."

The vision of the boys slouched on the couch began to blur, I could feel my head spin as I glanced around the room suddenly feeling claustrophobic. My ears were numb from the harsh words that had escaped Jace's mouth. My chest began to tighten, I quickly backed away towards the door – I had to get out of here.

I whipped around only to bump into a solid chest. "Sorry – excuse me," my voice cracked as I tried to sidestep the boy I had just run into. Strong hands clamped on my shoulders and I let out squeak as they took my hoodie off.

"Bells? – hey, are you crying?" my brother attempted to wipe away my tears as I struggled in his grasp. I could hear the noise from the game suddenly become muted, I wouldn't dare turn around because I knew all the boy's eyes were on me.

"Bells? Who did this to you?" my brother forcefully turned me around causing me to face the boys I had just been eaves dropping on. "I swear to god, one of you idiots answer me!" my brother roared. My eyes found the face I had become to love and hate, my heart now shattering because of his hurtful words.

I let out a shaky breathe before I spoke, "It doesn't matter, I'm just Ryan's annoying sister..." I watched as his eyes widened before he quickly regained composure and turned around to continue the game. I broke away from my brother's grasp, ignoring the stares from people as I ran to my room. I could still hear my brother's calls as I slammed my bedroom shut.

I tucked myself into my bed, letting the tears streak down my cheeks and onto the pillow. That night I fell asleep to sound of my heart breaking.