Both of us decided to wear our hair with bouncy, loose curls. I decided to wear my large hooped, silver earrings and my long silver chain, that had a cool looking blue stone on the end of it. Kendra wore her gold hooped earrings and a gold necklace with a cross on it. We sprinted down the stairs and met Aunt Jimena in the parlor. “Wow, you girls look great! I don’t think either one of you is going to have a hard time finding an interested boy.” We all laughed.
We filed in, one at a time, into Aunt Jimena’s SUV. We watched the backdrop of this little town pass by as we continued to drive. It was a cute town, with many old Victorian homes, time-worn brick stores, and several meticulously kept parks. There were many nice places to walk and to bike. Next, we drove to the local mall. It was smaller compared to ours at home, but it was nice inside. There were several stores inside that we did not have back at home. We walked around, looking at various places. Kendra bought a pretty brown and white polka dot dress for church this Sunday. She also bought a lovely pair of white heels. I needed a dress too. I found a dress with light blue and white print, and I chose a white pair of roman tie-up sandals to go with it. The dress had a decent split up the side; so, the shoes would become a nice compliment with the dress.
All three of us were hungry now; and decided to go to the third floor, where all of the food was. There was plenty to choose from, but we finally decided to eat at the Asian restaurant, and it was very good!
I noticed that there really wasn’t a lot to do here in Barboursville. They had the mall, movie theatre, bowling alley, and a skating rink. This town was small, and I wasn’t sure if there would be much to interest Kendra and me, for very long.
It was just after four o’clock, and Aunt Jimena wanted to drive us by the school and show us around. It just so happened that she was friends with the principal, and he invited her to bring us there.
We drove into the parking lot. Mr. Rothland was standing by the entrance doorway. It looked like he had just arrived, as well. He unlocked the door, and one by one, we followed him to his office. Aunt Jimena introduced us formerly. He seemed like a really nice guy, and he guided us around the mammoth school. I was feeling a little nervous because I wasn’t sure if I would be able to find my way around this place. The gym wasn’t going to be hard to find. It was closest to the entrance doors. The cafeteria was straight down the hallway, take a right and then a left, and you run right into it. That wouldn’t be a problem. It was all of the little hallways, for different studies, that would be hard to remember.
Mr. Rothland took us outside, and we viewed the tennis courts, soccer field, and football field. There were football players out there practicing while we were inspecting the area. Of course, every one of them looked our way when they saw their principal walking towards their assembly. ‘Oh, please, God, don’t let the principal introduce us!’ I could see Kendra tense up, as well. I was sure she was thinking the same thing that I was. The principal nodded his head to the coach, and we heard him say, “carry on, boys”; then he started to walk away. Of course, we followed quickly behind him. I could even sense a little nervousness in my aunt, too.
The tour was over, thank the Lord, and we thanked Mr. Rothland. I overheard him say to my aunt for her to bring us by his office tomorrow to start the paperwork for our admittance to the school. I then heard the door to the SUV unlock, and I hurriedly leaped inside the vehicle. My heart was still pounding from the face to face contact of all of those boys. Every one of them stopped what they were doing and talking about, in order to look at us. There were a few faces that were pretty heart-stopping. For sure, there were going to be some good-looking boys in this school. These guys were huge boys, too! Much bigger than most of the ones back home. I know they were football players, but many of them were built like giants. Several of them were extremely tall and muscled. I could see Kendra’s chest rise and fall quickly. She turned to look at me and gave me such a catty smile! She was thinking about the same thing!
“Ok, girls, tomorrow at eleven, we have to go and sign you up for classes at the school. There are two and a half weeks left before school starts; is there anything you need to shop for?”
Kendra spoke first. “How do the girls dress here?” My aunt was stumped by the question at first.
“Well, most of them that I see at the mall wear jeans or shorts with tank tops. I haven’t seen a lot of dressy outfits on these girls, to be honest.” Kendra and I smiled. We wanted to be a little different from the other girls. Our style was definitely to be posher than the others.
It was my turn for the questioning. “Where do the kids hang out around here?” My aunt was struggling to answer that question, too.
“Well, I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I know I see a lot of kids at the mall and the movies. I’ve heard some of the mothers at work mention a place called the Hinton‘s Barn. I guess it’s a place some of the kids hang out for bonfires and cookouts. It’s about a forty-five-minute drive or more from my house. I think there is a big lake on the property that the kids swim in too.” Bonfires were a nice way to get together, I guess. Kendra and I started wondering just how country was these kids?
“I think we’ll go to the mall and see how the other girls dress first. We’ll look around; and see if there is anything we want to buy, then.” Kendra agreed. My aunt seemed satisfied with that answer. Aunt Jimena stopped at a local food mart; so we could buy some food that Kendra and I liked. Aunt Jimena made a comment, that she didn’t keep a lot of food because she worked and ate out a lot.
The store was nice. We filled the cart with fruit, wraps, turkey, ham, salami, and cheese to make pinwheel sandwiches. We bought some kettle chips, rotisserie chicken, and steak for our salads. We also purchased chicken, onions, green peppers, skewers, and pineapple chunks to make chicken kabobs. Kendra and I loved them. I bought a few sweet potatoes and fresh green beans. Kendra and I ate healthily most of the time, but we were teenagers and loved fast food every so often. Aunt Jimena let us buy a few seasonings that we liked to cook our food in, too. The store wasn’t very busy; so, we were able to check out quickly.
By the time we reached Aunt Jimena’s home, it was six-thirty. We helped my aunt with the groceries and put them away. Aunt Jimena had a friend she was going to go and see. She wanted to give us some private time to adjust. She was very thoughtful. My aunt said that she would be back around eleven. We were ok with that; because we were going to do a spa night, prepare for tomorrow's adventure to the mall.
My aunt left, and we were careful to lock the door behind her. She had an alarm system, and we turned that on, as well. Kendra called her parents, and I called mine. That took a good thirty minutes or more. When we got off the phone, we went upstairs to remove our makeup. Our first conversation to take place was about the fabulous looking guys on the football field.
“Oh my gosh, Brynley; there were three guys out of that group that made my knees shake because they were so good looking!” I giggled at her. Kendra was usually very cool acting when it came to guys. She was seriously giddy talking about these boys, though.
“I know! I’m not sure which one you liked the most, but I stopped breathing when I saw the guy with the dark hair and dark brown eyes. When he looked at me, I thought I would melt right into the ground.” I started flushing when I remembered how he looked.
“Yes, you couldn’t miss him out of that crowd for sure, but he looked too unapproachable to me. He was kind of formidable acting. I bet he’s a bad boy, somebody for you to stay far away from girl! You are way too sweet and innocent for someone like that! He’d eat you alive on the first date. I thought the guy next to him, with the blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes, was a dream! He looked so big and strong in his uniform. Even with the dirt on his face, he was gorgeous! What about the guy with the light brown hair, standing close to those two others? He looked sweet! Did you see those dimples he had when he was smiling at us? I bet he would worship the ground you walked on.” Kendra was right. The dark-headed guy was very intimida
ting, and that would make her a terrible wreck. I remembered the light brown hair guy, though. He was very appealing. I saw those dimples she was talking about; they were charming. I couldn’t wait to go to the mall tomorrow. Hopefully, there will be some kids there that we can meet and start making some friends.
“Kendra, I can’t even begin to tell you how thankful I am that you are here with me. I don’t think I could have done this without you.” I gave my best friend a big hug.
“I’m glad I’m here with you too. I would have hated being in school without you. So far, everything looks like it’s going to be alright for us. I think we are going to have a great year, Bryn; I’m seriously excited for us!”
After I brushed my teeth, I let Kendra use the soaking tub in our joined bathroom. I decided to take mine in my aunt’s bedroom. She had a nice tub, as well. There were a few candles spread out, and I lit two of them. They had a lavender scent. The water was so warm, and I felt so relaxed. I could feel my muscles loosen up. I didn’t even realize that they had been tense. I soaked in the tub for about an hour. I jumped into the shower to wash my hair, and rinse my body from the bubble bath and oils. I placed my nightgown on, and then my robe and slippers. I went to my room and pulled out my blow dryer. I had a diffuser on it. I sprayed some hair protectant and then some mouse in my hair before I started drying it. I scrunched the natural waves that I had. I dried my hair just enough; so that it wouldn’t soak my sheets. I heard Kendra slip into my room. “Good night Bryn. I’ll see you in the morning. Big day tomorrow; so, we’ll get up early to get the rest of our stuff unpacked, get our school assignment, and start scouting out the teen scene!” We both laughed.
“Ok, Kendra, I’ll see you in the morning.” I watched my best friend leave to go to her room, and felt so grateful that she was with me through all of this.
I turned off my light; and fell asleep dreaming of being liked, popular, and having a special someone.
Chapter Four:
Reed, Skylar, and Jamison had been friends since they were children. Their families grew up together and had remained friends throughout their adulthood. All three families ended up living in Barboursville; so, their sons became like brothers. All three boys were seniors this year and on the football team, and all three of them were working on college scholarships. Reed was preparing to become a corporate lawyer, like his father. Skylar wanted to study architecture, and Jamison wanted to be a professional football coach. All three boys had excellent grades, and their football skills were phenomenal. Several colleges were going to be looking at them this year. All three boys were focused on football and school. They wanted to get into the colleges that offered them the best opportunities in their field. Last year, all three boys had determined not to date seriously, so their focus wasn’t taken away from their goals. They didn’t need girls demanding their attention, nor did they want to be involved with any ridiculous drama, which in their opinion, followed every girl they met.
Most girls were attracted to Reed. He was the untouchable of the three. He wasn’t interested in any of the girls in his town. There were some pretty ones, but they were either petty, high drama, or too demanding. Reed was considered the bad boy of the bunch, and he looked his part too. So, he played up to the reputation. This allowed him to keep the girls at a distance, mostly because they were overwhelmed by his daunting scowl, harsh vocabulary, and lack of interest. He only wanted to date casually and have a good time. Reed was the flame, and the girls were the moths. They knew that they would get burned with him. The girls still couldn’t help to swoon over his dark chocolate brown hair that almost appeared black and his even darker eyes, which suggested a warning if you angered or aggravated him. His generous lips made the girls constantly dream of being kissed by him. His chiseled features usually displayed a stony and cold face. His body put fear in most guys. He clearly, was the most well-built of all the guys in his school. Everyone admired his strength and physical beauty. Every muscle was well defined, thanks to personal trainers preparing him for a college football career.
Then, there was Skylar. He was the complete opposite of Reed; Skylar was more of the Californian looking Dude. He had blondish hair, with streaks of light brown. His eyes were a deep-sea blue, and girls melted when they looked at them. His skin was slightly more tanned than Reed, but both of them had a nice golden glow. Juxtaposed from Reed, Skylar always had a laid back and jovial disposition about himself. He never acted like he had a care in the world. He was funny, kind, and very sweet. Girls fought for his attention because they believed him to be so nice and obtainable. He casually dated many girls, unlike Reed, but he never committed himself to one girl. Skylar was almost as muscular as Reed, but not quite the same size. He just couldn’t push himself to the same limit that Reed did. Reed was highly driven, and Skylar just wasn’t that devoted. He was only two inches shorter than Reed; Reed was six-four, and Skylar was six-two.
Every guy in the school wanted to be their friend because every guy wanted to be like them. They had no enemies, mostly because everyone else was too scared to upset them.
Lastly, there was Jamison. Jamison was six-two, like Skylar. Jamison was not as tanned as the other two, but his skin was lightly tanned. His hair was a light brown, and he had dark green eyes. You could tell he was of Scottish descent, with those eyes and slight brogue accent. His eyes and dimples were his best features. Jamison was strong but not as defined as Skylar or Reed. His lips were not as ample and full as the other two boys, but they weren’t thin either. Jamison’s temperament was a happy medium between the three of them. He wasn’t as icy as Reed, but he also wasn’t as laid back as Skylar. He was friendly unless you messed with his family or friends. He actually didn’t mind having a girlfriend; he just couldn’t find a girl that he liked that much.
All three boys came from wealthy backgrounds. Reed’s father was a corporate lawyer for a large hospital in that area. Skylar’s father was an engineer for a local chemical plant, and Jamison’s dad worked for the FBI for homeland security. He mostly worked on his computer, with the dark web stuff.
The boys had been at football practice that day. The practice was ending, and the boys talked about taking a shower and then going out for some hotdogs. Before they were released from training, they noticed the principal and three gorgeous women. One of the women was older, but she was attractive, none the less. The older woman and the blonde girl looked like they were angels from Sweden. The other girl, she was just simply hot! That long red hair of hers would simply set your soul on fire! The principal never introduced the girls; so, no one knew what to think. The whole team watched the girls walk away silently. Suddenly, there was a buzz among all the guys. You could hear most of them saying, “Please, God, let those girls be new students!” Even Skylar and Jamison were chiming in about them. Skylar looked to Reed and said, “Dude, what did you think about those girls”?
Reed gave him a callous look and said, “They weren’t hard on the eyes.”
Skylar smiled and then said, “Man, if those girls didn’t do it for ya, then you’ve got balls of steel”! Skylar and Jamison started laughing hard. Reed didn’t laugh.
The boys made their way to the showers and then went to feed themselves. While they were at the local restaurant, Skylar and Jamison started talking about going to the mall tomorrow. They figured that the girls would probably be at the mall shopping if they had just moved here. Skylar directed his question to Reed. “Dude, you want to go to the mall with Jamison and me tomorrow? I know those girls are gonna be there shopping. They looked too high end not to go shopping, man. We can scope them out and find out what their story is”. Reed did feel an attraction, but he didn’t want the guys to know it. He didn’t want them to be badgering him on which one he liked and wanted, and the girls did look too high end, which usually meant they were petty or demanding. He didn’t want to deal with either pathetic consequence.
“Nah, man, I’m good. I’ve got to meet with my trainer tomorrow; so, you guys go ahead. Le
t me know what happens, though.” Reed was going to skip out on the fun. Those girls looked like they were going to be too self-centered and self-absorbed. He didn’t need anything like that this year. Tabitha had been an easy girl for him. She was always there waiting for him to call, and she did whatever he asked, with no questions asked. She knew not to demand anything from him, or he would simply cut her off. Tabitha was no stress, no worry, and no demands, and that’s the way he liked his relationships.
After finishing their food, the boys split up and went their own ways. Reed went home to work out in his home gym, and Skylar went to Jamison’s house to play some video games. Reed was usually a lone wolf, so to speak.
Reed was working out on his machine, for his chest and arms, when he started thinking about the two girls with the principal that day. They were both strikingly beautiful, way prettier than the girls in his school. They looked like they could be models. They were both tall and lean, softly and muscularly defined, and hot! Both of them had golden skin and long manes. He loved long hair on girls. These girls looked soft, well kept, and startling gorgeous! His ample experience was that when girls looked the way these two did, they usually were malicious witches. They would act sweet and caring at first; then, they would just crush your heart. He had experienced that once, and he swore that he would never feel that again. He would be the one to break the hearts!
After his work out, Reed was tired and knew that he had an early appointment with his trainer. He decided not to watch any television and went to bed instead. Sleep came a little difficult that night. He kept seeing a lovely woman in his dreams. He was in fear that his attraction was going to get him into trouble. He had only dreamed of one girl in his whole life before now, and she broke his heart.
The next morning came too soon. Reed felt extremely irritable. He didn’t sleep well, and he was aggravated with himself. He dressed, ate breakfast, grabbed his keys, his gym bag, and went to the gym to meet his trainer. Reed’s workout was intense, not because the trainer was hard on him; it was because he was trying to work his frustration out of his system! Two hours had passed, and his session was over. Reed and his trainer fist-bumped one another, and Reed left to shower and change.
Pride and Passion Page 3
