A five out of ten, that had been my score. Average, but he said I was more like 'slightly' below average. He claimed to pity me and that was the reason for my extra point. That had gotten a laugh from his friends. The whole school actually had a big laugh about it. Nessa Tyler scores a 5/10, one point for effort. Above only one of my fellow underclassmen, Sky Banks, in the little senior game.

The game?

Trick unknowing underclassmen into having sex, then humiliate them by publicly scoring them. Apparently, it had been a tradition at this new school I found myself forced to attend to please grandma, who wanted nothing but the best for me. Though, I realize looking back, that I should have known better.

Why would a guy like Luca Mato be interested in me? Handsome, a popular senior, a star athlete, with all the charisma one would think a guy with his face would have, that type of guy wouldn't be interested in an awkward, newly transferred junior. Did I mention I have the social skills of a hermit crab?

I was stupid, but worst than that, I was hopeful. I had learned a long time ago that hope was poison, but I had swallowed the pill anyway once again. Like I said, Luca is so charismatic he could talk a nun into becoming a prostitute or a fish into walking on land. He was that good. Or that was what I would keep telling myself to excuse how easily and stupidly I fell for the sweet words he spewed.

Though deep down I knew I could not blame it all on Luca. I had wanted to be hopeful again. I wanted something nice and just for me. I liked the way he looked at me, like I mattered. I had thought maybe new school, a new start? My grandma told me I have to trust people. She had told me that not everyone was bad or out to harm you. I had to be open to receive the good things I wanted. I wished I'd never listened to her, as well meaning as she was. Grandma couldn't even take her own advice, she was just as much of a hermit crab as me.

I was a strong girl. I had been hurt worse than what he had done to me, way worse. Luca Mato was not the first person to humiliate me and choke the life out of my self-worth. I should have been able to get over what he had done and bounce back like all the other times. Say screw you Luca Mato! While proudly scoring his lame pasty ass a 2/10, and actually I did. It didn't hurt him much because we both knew I was a virgin when he had so cruelly taken advantage of me. He knew I had no one to compare him too. I planned beyond it and forgetting it even happened and bouncing back like the strong girl I always claimed to be.

Though none of that worked out when all nine pregnancy tests I peed on following the incident came back positive.

It's funny really, in a hysterical sort of way. But when I first laid eyes on Luca, and our eyes met in the hall on my first day, I knew he would change my life. I obviously hadn't known what that had meant at the time. If I had, I may have turned right back around and ran as far away from Housman Prep as I could.

But I'm not clairvoyant, so I was screwed.

I told Luca as soon as I found out. I'm one of those people who can't sit on information for too long, especially when my nerves were already shot. It was after the whole 'game' fiasco had faded slightly from the fickle teenage minds at school, so much so that no one was even giving me looks in the hall anymore. He had given me this 'look' when I approached him. I had never been sure how to describe it, it just made me want to claw his eyes out.

I had to corner him outside his gym class just to get him to talk to me without the entourage. He didn't take the news well. Anyone could guess what a teenage boy with his life flashing before his eyes because of a stupid prank said to me.

We whispered and yelled back and forth for a while before I stormed away, refusing to cry in front of him.

I honestly didn't know what to do and I had nowhere to turn. I had never felt more lost before in my life.

Then, there was a knock on my grandmother's door the next day. Grandma was at work, but when she wasn't at work she was a recluse. No one visited her, especially not on a week day. Obviously, I don't have any friends either, so no one would be visiting me.

I thought it was the landlord or something and when I opened the door to find a man with salt and pepper hair standing there, I thought I was right. Though I did think he was a little over dressed to be coming to fix a pipe or something. That may have been an understatement considering the older, dignified man was decked out a crisp, gray suit.

"Are you Nessa Tyler?" He asked without any other greeting than that one.

I had frowned at him, eyed the fancy car sitting in our oil stained driveway before nodding. "Uh, yeah, that's me. How may I help you?"

He had seemed to scrutinize me for about a minute, so long it made me uncomfortable. He had then scoffed distastefully. "Of course," he continued talking before I could even think of being insulted, "My name is Giuseppe Mato, father of Luca. I think we have a few things to discuss."

So, this may have gone a way no one saw coming, certainly not me.

Giuseppe was invited in, because I did have manners. From there he proceeded to tell me how he was going to 'make' his son take responsibility. I had tried to tell him that wasn't necessary. After all, if Luca didn't want to be involved then so be it. But Mr. Giuseppe has this way of talking over you, making you do what he wants by attacking you with a wall of words and double speak.

That was my first time bending to Giuseppe Mato's will, and how I ended up sitting in the living room of a beautiful, but cold feeling mansion, and staring at a very unhappy Luca.