The Only Exception (on hold)

Chapter 1

Aurora

We glanced at each other simultaneously. In that one moment, the past few months of hating him dissolved into nothing. I didn't care anymore that he'd stolen my crayons and wouldn't admit to loosing whenever we raced each other. I didn't even care that he'd lifted up my dress in front of the whole class, and he no longer appeared mad at me for getting him back by pulling down his pants in front of the whole school. All that mattered was right here, right now.

"Now!" He ordered, and we both lunged forward in perfect harmony, pushing Adam Smithson into the sandbox. He twisted in the air, landing face first, his wide, loud mouth spitting more dirt than usual as he surfaced with a gurgling cry.

We were sentenced to a whole hour of brutal kindergarten detention together to pay for our crimes, but we decided we'd spend the rest of our lives wreaking havoc as best friends.

Eleven years later

"Hey Hastings, still breaking hearts?"

I turned towards the source of the sound just in time to be enveloped in a crushing bear hug. Kassidy Axel, six-foot-four, build like a tank, sense of humour: legendary, but then again I mostly say that because he applauds all my bad jokes. His position in the group? Surprisingly, he's the peacekeeper. Don't get too excited, he's the peacekeeper in the way a bouncer is. He kinda just gets in the way and scares the crap out of people. "No more than you're breaking faces, Axel." I grinned.

A hand clamped down on my shoulder and ripped me out of Kas's grasp, spinning me into another hug that threatened to deflate my lungs. Though my face was crushed against his chest, I immediately determined who it was by docking a few physical details. Long-sleeved shirt, lean build, tall build. I smiled against fabric. "Good to see you too, Patch."

Patrick O'Connor released me from his relentless grip, grinning down from his lofty height of six-two at my barely five-four frame. And when I say barely, I mean I'm a total short-ass next to these guys. It didn't bother me though, it wouldn't feel right looking anything but up at Patch's smiling face framed in black hair. The recollection that I'd helped put that smile there made me smile, too.

"Oh Ms. Gilmoooore."

I rolled my eyes and turned around, a hand on my hip, to face Dallas Dalton, a.k.a Double-Dee. Upon accidentally stumbling across a Gilmore Girls episode one day and discovering that I had the same name as a TV character, Dallas had dubbed me Ms. Gilmore, claiming I would be a 'Miss' if he didn't intend to marry me, which he apparently did.

"Double-Dee, how you doing baby?" I laughed, prepared for the hug that was about to come my way this time. He simply wrapped an arm around my shoulders and took me with him. He stopped before the other two boys and made a mess of my hair, which was layered, brushed just past my shoulders and was something of a licorice black in colour.

"I'm good, Easy A. How you been? We have to get together and watch the Girls again sometime." He winked at me and I rolled my eyes. Though he joked around, he was secretly and utterly addicted to the show, which I found hilarious.

"I've been good," I began, only to be interrupted once more by the arrival of two more guys out of our gang. Bishop and Carter Gemini, twins with green eyes and red curly hair. Though all the guys in our group are harassed constantly by desperate schoolgirls, these two have become the centres of some particularly intense fantasies. I should know, I've had to listen to it all in the girl's locker room. Sexual deprivation has a way of making some people's imaginations go a little too wild. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for creativity, just the harmless kind... the kind where fingers are used for painting.

"Boys," I nodded.

Though they were identical, I could pick them apart at first glance. Bishop had wider shoulders, Carter's eyes were an almost unnoticeable shade darker. The twins flashed identical blinding grins, reminding me of yet another difference - Bishop's lips tilted upwards on the right side, Carter's on the left. "Rory." They said in unison.