Come Back To Me
Candice Terry
Copyright © 2013 by Candice Terry
This novel is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to peoples living or deceased is purely coincidental. Names, place and characters are figments of the author’s imagination. The author holds all rights to this work. It is illegal to reproduce this novel without written expressed consent from the author herself.
All writing comes by the grace of God.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Preface:
Jayse
I always thought true love was a myth. A fantasy. Something my mother use to ramble on about after reading one of her romance novels. She always said the moment you felt true love it would knock the breath out of you. That it was like a bolt of lightning that seared and warmed your skin to the bone, making your heart race. I didn't believe her until now. The moment I saw her I felt every bit of that plus more. I never caught my breath though. Every moment I saw her face was like the first time and I'd lose all my senses except sight. I'd watch her sway with each step and count down the seconds until she'd reach me then in one swoop I'd grab her up while she wrapped her legs around my waist squealing. We'd melt into each other. Not once did I ever think life would pull us apart so tragically. Maybe If I'd know I would have looked at her a little longer each day,held her a little closer and thanked God every second for giving her to me.
Chapter One: Jayse
We had just moved from sunny California where the weather was always hot no matter the month to Georgia which actually had four seasons. In a way I was looking forward to experiencing the cold months even though I’d missed the summers riding the waves . At that moment I thought the loss would be unbearable until a frizzy-haired ,young girl stepped in my path and changed everything .
Starting new schools was never really my thing. I wasn't a fan of being the fresh meat and having to make new friends, especially when my old ones were just fine.
Only plus side I found was the school year. In California we had to attend all year long with very few short breaks in between the long months but luckily Georgia had a different policy. I'd only have to attend March to September and get a much needed long winter break. The only thing I didn’t like? Uniforms but hey- eight hours a day wasn't too horrible.
After a very boring morning in class , I made my way to lunch with my backpack slung carelessly over my shoulder only to find a small framed dark haired girl pinned by the snack machines being shoved around by two older boys. When the younger of the two shoved one last time, she lost her footing and fell hard to the ground.
The older of the boys grabbed at the girl's bag while she tried to hold tight but she quickly let go when he kicked out at her leg with his boot foot. The girl's cry echoed around them.
Now even at twelve years old my temper was bad and my mother would say I was acting like my father but I didn't care. Pissed off, I shoved through the few kids making an audience and pulled the boys away from her.I punched the taller of the two in the stomach and elbowed the other in the nose. Before they could both scurry away, I grabbed the slowest moving around the shirt collar, yanking him to me.
"Never again. Don't even look at her." The boy nodded his head as he turned to run off,crying.
The girl sat crying on the floor. I reached down and held out my hand hoping she would take it. She quickly wiped her eyes then grasped my hand, letting me pull her upright.
I picked up her bag, dusting off small bits of dirt clinging to it and handed it to her.
Big blue sparkling eyes met mine and she smiled. “Thanks.”
I knew at that exact moment things would be different here in Georgia and maybe ..just maybe.. it wouldn't be so bad after all.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She nodded, kicking a rock with the toe of her shoe.
“Do they always treat you like that?”
She sniffled.” Only when my mom packs me peanut butter sandwiches. They usually take them and nobody helps me get them back.”
This made me wish I could punch the boys again. “Well they won’t mess with you anymore.What your name?"
She wiped another tear off her red cheek and pushed her long brown frizzy hair behind her ears before replying." AnaLee.What's yours?"
" I'm Jayse."
Her mouth spread into a bright full smile showing her white teeth. It was the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen.
As the years went by we became inseparable. We were always at each other's house or in the woods playing tag at our special place by the small creek. Sometimes she would play the princess locked away in a tower and I'd be the the brave prince coming to save her. I loved every minute I spent with AnaLee but things started to change once we hit highschool.
By tenth grade girls started to take interest in me and I could tell this bothered AnaLee but she never said anything. I wanted her to. Even hoped she would. I needed to know if she felt for me the way I did about her but I couldn’t ask knowing things would never be the same between us. When eleventh grade rolled around one girl in particular paid close attention to me. Stacy Holdenmich.
She was pretty with blonde hair and brown eyes, but of course she was nowhere near as beautiful as Ana. Walking to my locker one day I found Stacy waiting for me. She was a slender girl with the body of a cheerleader-well she actually was a cheerleader- and she bounced whenever she talked.
“Hi Jayse.” She said flipping her hair.
“Hey Stacy, what’s up?”
“Not much. Well actually. “Nervously biting her lip.” I was wondering if you wanted to go bowling sometime. It could be fun.” She smiled.
Putting my books away, I shut my locker and looked around for Ana.” Um…yea sure . Sounds fun.”
Little did I know that one night out would start a never ending feud.
“ Was that Stacy Holdenmich I saw walking away from your locker?” AnaLee asked at lunch.
“ Yeah ,she wants me to go bowling with her tonight.” I was too busy shoving food in my mouth to notice Ana’s expression.
“Oh.”
Hearing her tone ,I dropped my fork and looked at her. “What’s wrong, An?”
She tried to smile but it didn’t work.” Nothing . ”
“An.”
“Really , it’s nothing. I just- I just remembered I was supposed to stop by study hall.” Ana quickly gathered her things and walked off before I could question her again.
Chapter Two: AnaLee
It's strange how life can deal a completely different hand when you least expect it. I'm not sure when it happened or if it was even a decision on my part. All I knew was at some point in our friendship my heart changed and I wanted more.Maybe it was how Jayse's shoulders had broadened over the summer or how his green eyes sparkled when he laughed. It could even be how he pushed his hands through his dark hair when he was frustrated. I didn't want to just be the girl that lived next door to him, the girl every guy knew not to mess with in school because they would get their ass kicked. I just wanted to be his.
Jayse Broadson.
I hadn’t expected him to be my savior from the brothers who stalked me every Tuesday to get my lunch. Just like I hadn’t expected for Stacy Holdenmich to get her claws into him.
I didn’t hate her exactly but I didn’t particularly like her either. She was a bitch- plain and simple. She tortured girls that didn’t look like she thought they should. Too fat . Too skinny. Wasn’t a cheerleader. Didn’t buy name brand clothes. Basically if you weren’t her you were nothing. Even though my hair wasn't as frizzy as it once was,now falling in long brown curly locks and my eyes were a sparkly blue, I knew I didn't compete with Stacy.
As I quickly gathered
my stuff to make my non-existent stop by study hall I glanced at Jayse over my shoulder. When I saw him still looking at me confused, I tried giving him another smile. It felt awkward on my face though and I knew I failed when his frown deepened. I'd never been good at hiding when I was upset. At least not from Jayse. I wondered sometimes if he knew how I really felt about him and he just chose to ignore it. His friendship meant too much to me though to voice how I felt.
I knew he was out of my league. I was his friend and that’s more than likely all he’d ever see me as. I prayed his date with Stacy would end quickly, as horrible as that sounded. I wanted him to be with someone that would treat him good. Not her.
Chapter Three: Jayse
AnaLee acted strange the rest of the week. She didn’t speak much to me but then again around Stacy no one could speak much. She talked non-stop. After our night of bowling she stayed at my side, along with her gang of cheerleaders that followed her everywhere. It was tiring. Over the past few years, I had gotten use to just having Ana around. That’s how I liked it.
Stacy was a nice girl but she just wasn’t the one I wanted. In an odd way I hoped seeing me with another girl would make AnaLee jealous, maybe even bring out her true feelings for me but instead it made her stay away. If Stacy was anywhere around, Ana found reasons to leave early or stay later in class. I hated it and with Stacy's voice echoing around me all the time, I was being to hate the sound of her too.
A few weeks went by with Stacy being glued to my side and Ana disappearing all the time but that changed the morning I walked into school early. After AnaLee got her license and got a small white Honda accord. she started driving herself to school; before I had been picking her up in the mornings since I was able to drive two months earlier than she did. Sleeping in was my thing so I’d only give myself enough time to get to my locker and make it to class before the late bell.However ,this particular morning I decided to get there early to talk to AnaLee knowing she’d already be there.
A few kids stood on the sidewalks with their group of friends discussing parties or who was dating who, while I walked by. I reached the doors and stopped. I could hear students laughing uncontrollably but couldn’t really see what was going on so I eased the door open finding the hall packed. I stood to the side waiting to see what was going on. When a path finally cleared for me to see through the crowd, I was beyond furious.
Chapter Four: AnaLee
I knew Stacy hated me I could see it on her face every time Jayse wasn’t looking. I stayed away from them as much as possible but I knew avoiding her was over the day I walked into the restroom to find her waiting for me.
She stood at the mirror in front of the sink dabbing her makeup on.
“Bet you think you’re special huh?” She turned, leaning against the ceramic while snapping her compact shut.
I faced her, narrowing my eyes. “Excuse me?”
“ Jayse. You have him following you around like a little puppy.” She turns facing the mirror again fluffing her hair. “Thought I would give you a heads up.” She runs her finger over her glossy lips then smiles at herself.
I could have vomited.
“Things are about to change. Jayse will be all mine and you’ll be out of the picture.” She pauses for effect.” For good.” Then she walked out leaving her threats in my head.
My heart literally felt like it would evaporate from my body. What if Stacy could get Jayse to drop me? He wouldn’t do that …would he?”
As the weeks went on I received even more sneers from the bitch herself, but guess her threats weren’t enough. She felt she had to bump it up a level.
I arrived to school early one morning to find several students standing around my locker, I immediately felt sick to my stomach. Not sure what was going on I shoved my way through wishing I hadn’t.
There, on my locker in big black letters was the words “THE VIRGIN BITCH.”
I just stared. My vision became blurry with tears as some of my classmates started to laugh. Fact being, I was a virgin and even though I was proud I hadn’t slept with half the school, I also didn’t want everyone to know my personal status.
“Maybe that’s how you’ve held onto him for so long.” I turn at hearing Stacy’s voice. She stood with her small designer purse hanging from her wrist, her hair perfect as usual and a big wicked grin on her face. In her other hand she held a super-sized black paint marker.
Not waiting for me to comment she went on.” All this time I’ve wondered how it is a poor, trashy girl like you can attract a guy like Jayse to hang on your every word. Well now we all know." Motioning around the room." AnaLee, the little virgin,won’t give it up.” The laughter echoed down the hallway. “Oh.” She walked closer to me.” I can guarantee you if you ever gave him a little taste, he would drop you like the filth you are. Then you know whose arms he’ll run in to? Mine.” Tears were openly running down my face now. “And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Yes the hell there is.” The voice came out a growl. I knew that voice. I heard it years ago, though not quite as deep, after he pummeled two boys for messing with me.
“Jayse!” Stacy said surprised.
Jayse stood by my locker looking none too happy. His face was red and his eyes were in slits.
“So this is what has been wrong with you? This is what she’s been doing?”
I looked down, ashamed of being so weak. He walked closer and took my hand.” You should have told me.” I nodded.
He started pulling me toward the exit. “Jayse wait! Where are you going?” Stacy yelled in a whiney tone.
Jayse dropped my hand for a moment turning to fully face her. “To get the hell away from you, stupid bitch!”
Stacy wasn’t much of a problem after that.
Chapter Five: Jayse
Seeing AnaLee crying in the middle of the hall while being laughed at was infuriating. I couldn’t have gotten out of the building fast enough. I pulled her rapidly to my car. I was tempted to pick her up and place her in the seat myself but refrained. I gently shut the door while she buckled herself and went around to my side. I turned the ignition and peel out of the parking lot not looking back. Coming upon an abandoned convenient store I swerved in and cut the car off.
AnaLee still had tears running down her cheeks and was wiping them as they fell. “Why did we stop?”
When I continued to sit there without answering she put her hands in her lap and looked straight ahead. “I’m sorry.” She whispered.
Jarring me into action I leaned over and grabbed her face with both hands, smashing my lips against hers. I needed this like I needed air. Her lips felt smooth against mine making me want more. I ran my thumb across her cheek and slowed my pace, wanting to soak up as much of this moment as I could before she shoved me away. Only she never did. Ana’s lip met mine movement after movement until I felt her hand reach up and sort through my hair. I’d always dreamed of her doing just that. Always wondered what her skin would feel like against mine. She pressed her mouth closer to mine, parting her lips. Taking it as an invitation, I snaked my tongue out slightly touching hers. Surprising me, she shoved hers completely in my mouth.
Breaking away we sat facing each other with nothing but the echo of our breath bouncing around the car. I waited.
“What was that?” AnaLee asked still taking short breaths. Her eyes were wide.
Letting out a sigh I answered the best way I knew how. “I kissed you…I kissed you like I’ve been wanting to do since we were twelve.” I paused. “Well maybe not exactly like I wanted to. This was a lot better than what any twelve year old brain could imagine but I kissed you.”
“You’ve wanted to kiss me since you moved here ?”
“Yes.” I said my breathing finally under control.
“Why didn’t you say anything? Before now? “
“AnaLee." Running a hand through my hair." I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. Especially if you didn’t-don’t feel the same way. I couldn’t do that.
” I faced the window. “ You know when I first saw you standing there with your side ponytail and pink flip flops, I knew then that you would forever hold a place in my heart that no other girl could touch. And they haven’t. Nobody has been able to compare to you.” I look over at her but I don’t expect to see the tears.
Ana doesn’t bother to wipe them away. She wants me to see them. “Then why were you with Stacy if you wanted me so bad? “
“I wasn’t really with Stacy. She asked me to go bowling and then assumed we were a couple afterward and honestly…. “I sighed.”...honestly I wanted to know if you were jealous. I wanted to see if you felt anything more than friendship toward me.”
She started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
Holding her stomach,she doubled over in laugther.
“Ana?"
“I’m sorry. “ She sobers.” I just can’t believe I’ve actually got to hear you say things like that to me. I’d always hoped to…. I’m in love with you." She paused,biting her lip." Always have been and I thought you didn’t see me that way so I didn’t bother trying to show it.”
We stare at each other a moment in silence then as if gravity is pulling at us we end up in a tangle of limbs and lips.
Chapter Six: Jayse
I never could catch my breath when I was with her. My heart doesn’t feel as heavy as it did when AnaLee wasn’t mine. As she lies in my arms, I can’t help but think I haven’t seen anything more beautiful. Her chest rises slowly and falls with each passing breath and a stray hair lies across her rosey cheek. I reached across and brushed it gently off her face then lean down kissing her sleeping lips.
Come Back to me:Short Story Page 1
