Strings Attached

Chapter One

If I were to tell you, word by word, what I said the first time that I saw him, then it would be something like: "Is this the troublemaker who is going to sleep on my bed for the next six months?"

Of course, my mother did not take that very well, for she frowned and cleared her throat.

"This is Theodore, sweetheart. He is the boy we talked about," she said, giving Theodore a warm and welcoming smile.

"Theodore Harper," he said, extending his hand so that I could shake it. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

I scanned him. He had grey eyes, pale skin, and green hair.

I rolled my eyes. Typical troublemakers. They thought they owned the world with their unnaturally dyed hair.

I did not have anything against people with blue, green, pink, purple, or any other unnatural hair color for that matter, but I did have something against people like Theodore Harper. He was handsome, yes, but he looked kind of dangerous.

I figured he had to be a troublemaker because, from what Mom had told me, he had to stay with us because his parents made him leave the house or something like that.

Theodore's mother was my mom's stepsister, Brittany. That was all I knew about his family background. My mother and Brittany never got along, so we rarely heard about her. I had no idea of why she was helping Brittany's son, but I guessed it had something to do with my mother's never-ending desire to help those in need.

Theodore Harper, though, was not in need of anything, or at least not from what I could tell. He did not seem to be a desperate teenager in need of a welcoming home. He only looked like he had been kicked out of his old house and his old school, kicked out of his old life.

Just seeing him standing there with an idiotic smile on his face made me despise him even more. Perhaps I had no right to despise him. I did not even have a reason to do so. I hated his mother, not him, but maybe he was just like her. Maybe he was the kind of person who only talked to you when he needed something, just like his mom was.

Brittany only talked to my mom whenever she needed a favor, and my mom, being the kind woman she was, always helped her.

"Christina." My mother glared at me. "He is talking to you."

I did not have time for cordial greetings and formalities. I just wanted Theodore to know that he had no right to stay in my house, let alone my room. I just could not say it with my mom there. She would probably become angry and start a speech about how it was the right thing to do and I was being selfish by just telling him how unwelcome he was, so I decided to tell him as soon as my mother left. Then, maybe he would get the cue and leave.

I sound like a very mean girl, I know, and the thing is I kind of was. I feel bad now that I look back and realize how stupid and selfish I was being, but looking back does not change anything. We all have made mistakes, and we all have regrets. We all have done something that we wish we had not done, and I was no exception. I was not Miss Perfect. I still am not. But I kind of had a reason to be as bitter and irritable as I was. Theodore had nothing to do with it, but I still did not feel like being nice to him.

"Nice to meet you, too, Theodore," I said, gritting my teeth. "I hope you enjoy having my room."

"Christina!" my mom scolded.

"It's fine, Ms. Walker," said Theodore, smiling brightly. "I could sleep on the couch, if you want."

"Oh, no. There's no need, dear," said my mom. "Christina is sleeping with her sister."