Pride and Passion

by Tracey Mellert

  After her shower, she dried her hair, allowing the waves to appear natural. She used hot rollers to put some soft curls in her long, blonde hair. She then used some mousse to make her hair thick and full. She used nude-toned makeup. She darkened her brows a little, curled her eyelashes, and used mascara; then, she finished with a berry stain for her lips. She lined them, so the fullness of them would stand out, and boy did they! Her eyes were a deep, sparkling, sapphire blue. She actually looked quite alluring; goal accomplished! She wore a brown turtle neck with a gold chain. She chose brown and yellow, plaid, mini skirt. She decided to wear dark brown, thigh-high socks and brown flats. Reed tried to get her to change; he said she looked too beautiful and didn’t feel like beating anyone up today. Brynley kissed him for that well put together comment! He begrudgingly drove her to school and helped her get her paperwork done. People were staring at the two of them. Yes, boys were definitely giving her their attention. One guy walked past Reed and her; they heard a “Whoa” come from him. Brynley giggled; Reed’s inner demon surfaced. The look Reed delivered to the boy was likened to hot lava. The boy should have melted in his spot. Brynley didn’t care, though; she was with Reed, and he was all that she wanted. Reed, however, was not thrilled with her quick popularity. They stayed and ate with Kendra and Skylar. Kendra pointed a few people out for me to stay away from. Tabitha was definitely giving me the evil eye.

  Brynley knew that the majority of the school was aware that Reed killed her abductor. Brynley heard one guy say, “I’d kill for that, too!” Reed gave him a look that could wilt the strongest of hearts. The guy walked away, very quickly.

  “I can see that this is going to be a very challenging year for me. I’m going to have to be on my toes to keep you away from all of these guys.” Brynley just laughed and kissed Reed on the cheek. He decided to kiss her on the lips. She knew that he was also staking his territory in front of everyone, but she didn’t mind that.

  After lunch, Reed and Brynley left. They went to his doctor’s appointment. His cast was removed. Reed wanted to celebrate by going for a swim. Reed took Brynley home to change. He took her to the rec center; so that they could swim. It felt wonderful. It had been a while since she had been in the water. They engaged in a friendly race. She won! He grimaced, but her kiss soothed his ego. After their swim, they tried rock climbing. Brynley sucked at it, much like pool! He tried to teach her, but it would take a while before she could match his skills.

  They finished up with a sauna, and then Reed took her back to his house. He fixed her dinner that night. She had enjoyed the day with him. While they were lounging in front of the fireplace, Reed spoke to her. “Tomorrow, we start school. I just want to remind you that I’m going to treat you like my fiancé, not my girlfriend. I also want to remind you of how jealous your fiancé is. So, let’s not get anyone hurt at school, shall we? If a guy is stupid enough to flirt with you, walk away and tell me. I would like to clear up this misunderstanding before he does something really stupid, and I have to smash his face. I want us to enjoy the year together, and when it’s over, I want us to start our lives together, as husband and wife.” Brynley just couldn’t believe that she was discussing marriage with her incredibly gorgeous fiancé! She was truly the luckiest girl in the world!

  “Ok, but likewise, you need to walk away from all women, who throw themselves at your feet, or I will have to show you and the world who the most dangerous person is, which is me! I’m like a Chihuahua, cute but ruthless!” Brynley pouted for a greater effect. Reed laughed and kissed her nose. She got to spend a few more hours with the man that she loved; then she had to go home.

  She showered, got her outfit ready for tomorrow, and threw herself into her bed. She slept like an angel! Morning came too soon, but she was prepared to tackle it, with Kendra and Reed at her side.

  Kendra helped her get ready. She felt so nervous. She hoped everyone was going to like her. She wore her hair up in a messy bun, with several tendrils curling around her face. She wore nude and rose-colored makeup. A dark berry stain was applied to her lips with gloss. Brynley’s outfit consisted of a rose-colored, lace baby doll dress, and it hung close to the top portion of her knees. There was a cute bow tied in the back. She wore her gold necklace, long-dangling gold earrings, the three rings that Reed had given her, and a gold elephant bracelet, and of course, Reed’s class ring. Her shoes were a natural gold color that accentuated her dress. She felt very feminine and soft. She looked sweet and innocent, not vampy, like yesterday. Brynley figured; Reed would appreciate her softer side today. She wasn’t going to need a coat, because it was sunny and warm already. Fall hadn’t dominated the weather yet. Kendra was adorable in a multi-colored blue, off-shoulder shirt and a pair of tight jeans. That girl could literally rock any outfit, and her gorgeous red hair was sleek and straight. Makeup was a little dramatic but perfect on her. Skylar was going to be working hard, keeping the boys away from her today! She had a cool, rocker vibe going on.

  We climbed into Kendra’s car. Brynley took a small backpack today, with just a couple of notebooks and pens. She was supposed to meet Reed, in front of the office, inside the school. She was to be seen walking with him, so everyone knew that she was with him. That’s what her big hulking boyfriend told her. She giggled as she remembered the sour face he was wearing when he told her that.

  At the office stood Reed and Skylar. Reed walked to Brynley and pulled her backpack off her shoulder. He was going to carry it for her. How genteel. She smiled at his thoughtfulness, and he lifted her chin and kissed her deeply. Many people witnessed his accomplishment. Brynley was sure that was what he had planned. Again, she didn’t mind. She had her schedule in her hand. In her first two classes, she noticed that she had Kendra, Reed, and Skylar in them. She was so relieved. In the third period, she had Skylar in it. In the fourth period, Kendra was in her class. Then, there would be lunch. Fifth and sixth period, she had Kendra in her classes again. In the seventh period, she was all alone. Brynley grimaced about that but had to be grateful that most of her classes were shared with her friends or Reed.

  They were able to spend about twenty minutes with one another before the homeroom bell was to ring. Reed instructed her to stay close to Kendra or Skylar. She was not to engage in conversation with a guy alone. Brynley laughed, but she was going to appease her Adonis! She was sure that things would eventually chill as the year progressed.

  The homeroom bell rang, and she had to depart from the group. Reed walked her to her homeroom, and he glanced around. The teacher sat at the desk, watching them. Reed lingered at the doorway with Brynley. He lifted her chin, careful not to kiss her in front of the teacher. His jaws were tight and pulsating. “I’ll see you in first period. I love you.” Brynley smiled at him and then watched him walk away. She took a deep breath and then turned to face a sea of unknown, staring faces.

  She walked over to the teacher’s desk. She handed him her schedule. The teacher, Mr. Rone, had her posted on his roster. He welcomed her to his classroom, and she thanked him. Brynley turned to look for a seat. She chose the seat in the third row, and she could feel her heart beating hard. She was very nervous. She couldn’t wait until the first period to be around everyone she knew and loved.

  She sat quietly, biding her time before the bell, and she could feel the eyes upon her. She started to nibble her lip nervously. She could feel her breathing become deeper and faster as her nervousness increased. She suddenly realized that her hands were wringing each other, as she had looked down at her desk. Three seconds later, she heard her name softly called; and a large shadow sat in front of her. She looked up, thinking somehow, it was Reed. Her heart stopped! She held her breath, and she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was Todd Parish, her ex-boyfriend from California. He was smiling at her. “I told you I wasn’t going to give you up. I’m here for you, and I’m not leaving without you. I found out you left Germany and came back here; so, I transferred.” Brynley couldn’t speak. She couldn’t swallow. She barely took a
breath. This was not good. Reed would kill him! A heavy sensation fell upon her. She almost felt numb with fear!

  “You can’t be here, Todd. I’m with Reed, and I love him. I don’t want you anymore. I’m sorry, but you have made a terrible mistake coming here. I don’t want you fighting with Reed. You need to leave, now, before Reed finds out that you’re here. Please, Todd! Give this up; I can’t be with you; I don’t want to be with you. Go back home, and find someone who can make you happy.” Brynley could feel the moisture start to build behind her eyes. Tears threatened to come, but she was trying hard to hold them back. She was visibly shaking. Todd looked at Brynley with a seductive look. His hand was placed over hers to quell the shaking.

  “Everything’s going to be alright, Brynley. I can’t leave you. You mean too much to me. If I have to fight to get you back, then I will. I screwed up, but I am going to make that up to you. I still love you, Brynley. Reed can’t give you what I know that I can; and will give you. I want to talk to you after school.” The bell rang for everyone to go to their first period. Brynley’s legs were frozen, and she didn’t think she could walk. Todd stood and tried to help her up. “We have the first period together; I’m going to walk you there. Don’t worry; I know Reed will be there, too. I’m ready for him.” Brynley was in such a state of shock that she literally allowed Todd to guide her to her first period.

  As she walked through the doorway, she immediately saw the shock expression on Kendra’s face. She ran to Brynley and pulled her out of Todd’s hands. Reed leaped from his chair and was nose to nose with Todd; Brynley was still in a stuporous state. All she could do was watch. She couldn’t talk or react. Kendra walked Brynley far away from the boys. She watched Skylar walk assuredly up to Reed. He would be Reed’s wing-man, if necessary. Todd wasn’t afraid; he was actually smiling. He had to be insane! Reed wanted to rip into him! Luckily, the teacher walked in and saw the three boys standing off with one another.

  “Gentlemen, there will be no fighting in this classroom. I suggest each of you, taking your seats and staying out of trouble, or I will have each of you expelled, if necessary.” Todd simply walked away and took a seat. Reed continued to stand for a few more seconds until Skylar nudged him towards his chair. Kendra helped Brynley to her chair, which was sitting in front of Reed’s.

  Brynley could feel the heat rolling off from Reed’s body. He was livid and prepared to harm Todd. Brynley couldn’t believe that Todd transferred here. Todd looked towards Brynley several times, smiling at her. She heard Reed snarl to Skylar that he was going to kill Todd. Brynley felt a shiver course throughout her body. The teacher continued to drone on about the geography of the United States. The bell couldn’t come fast enough. When it rang, Brynley jumped out of her chair. She watched Reed head straight for Todd. He grabbed Todd’s arm, and he escorted him out of the classroom. Skylar followed behind the two. Brynley looked to Kendra for what to do.

  “Let’s go on to our second period. Let the boys do what they have to do, Brynley. We shouldn’t interfere. Reed is protecting you, and I can tell you that nothing is going to stop that boy from accomplishing that!” Brynley followed Kendra. She didn’t want to make a mistake and have Reed angry with her. What could Todd be thinking? Reed hurt him once; why would he take that chance again?

  Brynley walked into the second period and sat with Kendra. She didn’t hear a word that the teacher was saying. In fact, she was oblivious to anything going on in the classroom. When the bell rang, Kendra told Brynley to get her bag. She and Brynley walk to her third period. It was their Japanese class. Brynley already knew German and Russian, may as well learn Japanese too; maybe, she would be an interpreter.

  Brynley waited anxiously for Skylar to show, but he never did. Her anxiety grew into a panic. Was everything ok? She needed to know what was happening. She tried to sneak her phone out of her bag and text Reed.

  Is everything alright? Please, tell me where you are. I am feeling very afraid right now. Skylar isn’t in class with me. Is he ok? Please, come back to me. You have nothing to fear. I don’t care if Todd is here; I will never leave you. I’m yours and will never be his. I’m waiting.

  Brynley received no text, all through the third period. Finally, the bell rang for her to go to the fourth period. Kendra would be in that class with her, thank God! Prayerfully, she has heard something from Skylar. Brynley quickly walked the halls to her fourth-period class. She got into the classroom before Kendra did. When Kendra arrived, she headed straight for Brynley; and sat in the seat that had been saved for her.

  “Skylar, text me. Reed, Skylar, and Todd left the school. Skylar drove everyone to the soccer fields at the park.” Brynley was starting to feel sick. “Skylar said that Reed tried to stay calm and tell Todd that the two of you were engaged. Todd said that he didn’t care. He knew that you still loved him; you were angry with him, but that he could fix that. Reed lost it. He beat Todd pretty badly. Skylar said that Todd didn’t have a chance to react in self-defense. Skylar said that Reed knocked Todd out with the third hit. They took Todd back to Reed’s house. Reed is having his dad contact Todd’s dad and going to send him back home by plane. Mr. Hinton told Todd’s dad that he would charge Todd with aggravated assault, harassment, and section thirteen, which is domestic and personal Violence Act; because he’s trying to intimidate. If Todd’s dad cooperates and keeps Todd away from you, they will drop the charges. If Todd tries to see you again, Mr. Hinton will have him thrown into jail. Todd’s dad promised to take care of the situation. He actually said that he was flying in to get Todd. Todd’s dad told Mr. Hinton that Todd had been placed on a new medicine; perhaps the medicine was part of Todd’s irrational behavior. He promised to have it checked out.” Brynley felt relief rush over her! She was a little sorry that Todd was hurt but thankful that Reed was not. She couldn’t wait to be with Reed; she needed to hold him and see him.

  At lunch, Brynley received a text message from Reed. Everything’s going to be ok, baby. I don’t want you worrying. Todd’s dad is flying in to get his son and take him back home. His dad didn’t know where Todd was or what he was doing. I can’t see you tonight. I have to stay with Todd until his dad gets here. Just know that I love you. I will see you tomorrow. I’ll text you later and tell you anything else that may happen. Be good at school, stay close to Kendra, and call me later, if you want. I love you!

  Brynley showed Kendra her text message while she was still texting Skylar. Skylar was affirming everything that Reed said. Skylar was going to stay with Reed and Mr. Hinton until Todd’s dad showed up. They were expecting him at the airport around ten tonight. Skylar said that Mr. Hinton and Reed were taking Todd to the airport and to his dad.

  “Man, this has been the month for drama!” Kendra was trying to make light of the situation. Brynley shook her head in frustration. She turned to Kendra to ask her a question.

  “Do you think Reed will think that I’m too much of a bother for him? He has been through so much because of me. I can’t lose him, Kendra. I don’t know what to do.”

  Kendra hugged Brynley. “Reed loves you. There is nothing that is going to separate him from you. Your right; he has been through a lot, but it’s because he loves you. He keeps coming back for you and has never given up. He will be your forever love, and you just need to cherish him and encourage him in your relationship. He is not going to leave you. When all of this is over, you need to do something tremendously romantic for him. We’ll put our heads together tonight and think about it.” Kendra finally had Brynley smiling.

  The afternoon classes dragged by. Kendra met Brynley in front of the office, and they walked together out to the car. When they got home, the girls changed. They were pretty hungry and decided to fix something to eat. They settled for grilled turkey sandwiches and potato soup. Brynley’s aunt made a fabulous potato soup! The girls sat at the counter and quickly did their homework. The girls had been instructed not to go out by themselves tonight. The boys forbade it! The girls wisely heeded their dire
ctive.

  It was ten-thirty, and Brynley was anxiously awaiting Reed to text her about Todd. Nothing! She was feeling frustrated and nervous! About ten forty-five, there was a knock at the door. It was Reed and Skylar! Brynley jumped into Reed’s arms. She smothered him with kisses and then started studying him, ensuring that he was alright and not battered and bruised. Not a mark was on him, thank the Lord!

  The boys were ushered into the living room, and they explained everything that happened. Todd’s dad came and made Todd leave with him. He guaranteed Reed’s father that he would not come back. Brynley kissed Reed again. She was so thankful that it was all over. “Are you upset with me, Reed? Do you think that I am too much trouble for you?” Reed looked her deeply in the eyes.

  “Nothing will ever be too much for me to want to leave you, Brynley. I want you, all of you, and I want you forever. I am going to marry you at the end of this school year. We will go to college together and have a wonderful life. Don’t ever doubt that. Life will always have ups and downs, but we can get through them together.” Brynley believed him with her whole heart.

  Skylar and Kendra trotted off into the den for some privacy, and Reed and Brynley remained in the living room. They enjoyed about an hour of a wonderful make-out session! Reed deserved one, that was for sure. When she finally let him have a breath, he said something so sweet to her.

  “You always look beautiful to me, but today you looked like a surreal angel. I thought I was going to melt when I first saw you walk through that door. I was instantly jealous of every guy looking at you, and trust me; every one of them was looking at you. I didn’t think I could walk away from you when I left you in your homeroom. When I saw Todd walk you into the first period, I almost blacked out, with instant hate. I could have beaten him to death because of the pure revulsion I was feeling. Knowing that he was here for you sickened me. It truly was the grace of God and Skylar talking me down that saved Todd from death. I would have surely gone to prison for killing him and not had thought twice about it. Skylar reminded me that Todd would win if I lost control. That thought of not being able to be with you or see you; revolted me. I honestly thought I would vomit. When I tell you that I love you, I sincerely and wholeheartedly mean it! Please, don’t ever forget that!”