Hope you enjoy....here goes!
FOOL ME ONCE
Jayda Daniels glanced out of the
plane window. They were meant to arrive at the airport in Charlotte, North
Carolina in about twenty minutes. Seven years was a long time, and she could
have used a few more years to prepare before coming back to this place. She
didn’t have that kind of time, though.
The disturbing call about her father’s
failing health had shaken her resolve to never go back to Charlotte. In less
than twenty-four hours after that call, she’d had a flight booked for the
blasted place, and a hotel room reserved. She could have just stayed at her
parent’s home, but Jayda refused to stay in that place. Seventeen years under a
roof with her overbearing mother and sister had been enough.
For the past seven years, she and her
father had pitched in money to fly him, and only him, to Italy, where she’d
been living, for the holidays. He never asked her to come home, and she never
mentioned going home. They had both agreed on this course of action, though
they’d never discussed it.
God she still couldn’t believe he’d been
sick for months and hadn’t told her. She’d had to hear about it from her
mother, who’d called to inform Jayda that her father had been admitted into the
hospital. The doctors were still unsure as to what the problem was. She was
hoping that they pin-pointed whatever was causing her father to be ill and that
it was nothing too serious. She couldn’t imagine losing him
“Are you thinking about him?”
The voice broke through Jayda’s
thoughts, and she turned to her friend, Brock. When she had told him she was
heading back to the states because of her father, he’d informed her that he
would be coming with her. He wouldn’t discuss it with her. He’d just booked a
plane ticket when she had. Honestly, Jayda was glad that Brock was coming. He’d
become her best friend after arriving in Florence seven years ago.
They’d both been accepted into the Giotto
Academy of the Arts Institute in Florence, Italy as juniors in high school. It
had been a special jump start program offered to only the most talented,
aspiring artists. The students who had gotten accepted had been granted the
opportunity to move to Florence where they would finish out their remaining
high school courses, while jumping right into the art program at the
prestigious school. Scholarships were granted as well as housing programs,
where these select students would live, learn, and work together until they
went their separate ways after graduating with degrees. Except, she and Brock
had never left Florence, but had stayed there rooming and working together.
Brock nudged her arm, making Jayda
realize she still hadn’t answered. She knew that the him in question wasn’t her father, it was Cade Walker. Brock was
the only person, outside of Charlotte that knew all about that humiliating part
of her life and a one of the reasons why she’d ended up in Florence.
“No, I wasn’t thinking of him.” At least
she hadn’t been at that particular moment. However, he’d already crossed her
mind about a billion times before then.
“I know we’ve already discussed this”,
Brock said, as he shuffled to get a little more comfortable in the seat. “But
I’m just going to remind you again; he probably doesn’t even live there
anymore”.
Jayda nodded. They’d discussed it before
ever leaving Italy, so she knew that. However, there was still a fifty percent
chance that he was still there. Plus, it wasn’t like he was the only one she
was trying to avoid. She would be trying to avoid every student from Bradbury
High, as well as her mother and sister, though she knew that avoiding either category
of people would be impossible.
“I know. I’m good.” She lied. She wasn’t good at liar. She and
Brock both knew that, which was probably why he gave her a little grin before
dropping the subject altogether.
Looking back out the window, Jayda’s
mind went straight to that hazardous topic. Cade Walker. He’d been from an old
money family, who prioritized by putting image at the top and people somewhere
near the bottom. Cade had been every girl’s dream in Bradbury High. Everyone’s
except hers. The two people couldn’t have been any farther apart on the high
school spectrum if they’d tried, and who would have thought that she would fall
for a guy not her type at all? A guy who had done whatever he liked, no matter
whose feelings he was stepping all over.
Cade had been a rich, bad-boy jock, who
cared more for his car than he did his girlfriend, which at the time had been
her sister. He’d liked girls in general, parties, sports, and throwing his
popularity around. At least that had been one side of him. He’d had a
completely different side, and one that no one but herself had seen. Too bad
the other side had won out in the end.
She, on the other hand, had been
nerdy, timid, and overweight; polar opposite of her beauty queen sister, Jaslyn.
To this day she could still hear her mother pleading with her to be more like
her sister. In other words, she’d been an embarrassment to her mother. While Jaslyn
had thrived on attention, Jayda had enjoyed being invisible. Of course, she
hadn’t been too invisible, because she’d still had plenty of friends. She had
just preferred staying in the background instead of the forefront. Of course,
staying in the background had been nearly impossible after the makeover she’d
let her sister perform on her. She still remembered the first time Cade had
commented on her new look…
Seven
Years Earlier
Seventeen year old, Jayda, stepped out of the car,
pulling hopelessly at the fitted shorts her sister had made her wear. How she’d let her sister talk her into
wearing these shorts with this v-neck t-shirt was beyond her. But then her best
friend, Kate, had always called her a pushover.
“Will
you stop fidgeting with those stupid shorts.”, Kate said, walking around from
the driver’s side of the car. “You look fantastic. Good genes and softball have
done you proud and given you great legs”.
Great
legs her behind. Her mother and sister had used the words “big” and “boned” too
many times for Jayda to think now that she had great legs.
“I
don’t feel like I have great legs.” Jayda replied, giving one more tug to her
new clothes. “I feel ridiculous. Why did I agree to this makeover thing again?”
Kate
smiled over at her. “Because you are a sucker, oh and you wanted a date for
prom. So you figured it was time to stop wearing your trash bag clothes.”
Jayda
shot her friend a mock, indignant scowl, not really upset, but still slightly
defensive. “They were not trash bag clothes. They were comfortable.”
“And
they totally did nothing for you. As your best friend, I’m allowed to say
that.”
Kate
had been super supportive since she’d allowed her sister to perform her little
experiment. She’d forced her to go
shopping, and had taught her to do her makeup and hair. Usually it she sported
a bare face and a curly pony-tail. No longer, though. Jaslyn had come at her
with a flat iron and a tube of gunk called mascara. Now her hair fell straight
and sleek down her back, while her eyelashes looked long and thick. Jayda
couldn’t deny that the appearance in the mirror was improved. However, she felt
so out of place as this “new and improved, work in progress”. Her sister’s
words, not hers.
“Come
on, it’s getting close to game time.” Kate said, motioning for her to get her
feet in gear.
The
Varsity baseball team at Bradbury had a winning streak, and with this being a championship
game, everyone in town wanted to be here to support the team. Jayda and Kate
made their way up to the field, and were just about to start up the stairs of
the stadium seating to find a seat when her name was called. Jayda turned,
finding Will Rodderick on the other side of the fence smiling at her.
“Go on,” Kate said, “I’ll go find us a seat.”
Jayda made her way to
the fence that separated the field from the stadium. Will’s eyes actually
traveled down her body and back up, making Jayda feel as if she was more naked
than clothed.
“Jayda you look great, and those legs….” Will remarked,
his eyes going back over her legs. Jayda blushed, unsure of how to respond to
such a remark.
Jaslyn appeared beside her in full gloating
mode as she shot will a big flirty smile. “Doesn’t she look good? I mean, she
still needs work, and losing a few pounds would do wonders, but she is still
much better than she was.”, Jaslyn
stated as she was giving her younger sister a contemplative look.
Jayda
knew her face had turned red, cheeks burning in mortification. Especially as a
fourth party, Cade Walker, came up to the fence as well.
“What
do you think of my project, Cade? I know, I’m a miracle worker.” Jaslyn beamed,
as she tried to lean over the fence to kiss her boyfriend. Cade pulled back,
though, not allowing her lips to even make contact, and basically ignored
Jaslyn.
“I
hate when you do that, Cade. All I was trying to do was kiss you.” Jaslyn
whined, shooting Cade a glare.
Cade
didn’t even look at Jaslyn, but at Jayda. His eyes done the same thing that
Will’s had done, as he completely ignored Jaslyn’s whining. “You didn’t give
her those legs, Jas.”
Jayda
hadn’t thought she could be any more uncomfortable than she’d been a minute
ago, but she’d been proven wrong. Cade’s lips tilted up at the side, giving a
smile that said he knew exactly what his words had done, while Jaslyn frowned.
Will
had started talking then, something about going with him to the usual hangout
that everyone went to after a game. Before she knew it, she was agreeing to go
with him, though she wasn’t sure why. Will had not really given her much
attention until after her transformation. Now he was asking her out?
Jasyln
began gushing over the fact that her baby sister was growing up and getting a
date, finally. Cade had remained silent.
Present Day
The pilot’s voice came through the
intercom, pulling Jayda from the past. Obviously he’d mentioned something about
landing, because everyone began putting things away and buckling.
Jayda did the same, putting her sketch
pad back in her satchel, and buckled. Finished, she stared ahead. Seven years,
twenty pounds down, and a career later, and she still felt after effects of all
that had happened with Cade. Someone who’d always had good morals and
principles concerning all things, had given it all up for a boy who’d only
ended up humiliating her.
That old cliché by Tennyson came to mind
“Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”. Usually
she agreed with the greats. However, she’d wondered for a long time now, how it
would feel to not have such a mortifying piece of your past always present with
you.
The plane landed on the ground, giving
the passengers a little jostle and Brock shot her a smile. She forced one back,
and then took a deep breath.
“Charlotte, North Carolina, here we
come.” Brock said with a smirk.
What did you think of chapter 1? Please let me know! Thank you so much for reading!
What did you think of chapter 1? Please let me know! Thank you so much for reading!
