Chapter 4 #2
When he and the little girl Jenna assumed was his sister stopped outside the bookstore, Jenna could have sworn they were staring at her through the window. But then the little girl had pressed her nose to the display and stared at the books right next to where Jenna was hiding.
It had been heartbreaking to see the teenager have to deny his sister the books.
As close as she was, she’d heard their entire conversation through the glass.
It had taken a single look at their clothes and the ripped backpack on the boy’s back for her to realize that they were not as well off as her family was.
The sort of people her parents and sister looked down on with disdain, thinking they were less because they had less.
It was not an opinion that Jenna had ever shared with her family. And after her sister’s latest stunt that had moved them from Seattle to their summer home in Port Townsend, Jenna had resolved to never be like her family.
Jenna loved her family. Her mom and dad were good people, but she’d long ago realized how closed-minded they were.
Her dad had made his first million when he was twenty-five and it had been uphill since.
Her mom, who had once been her dad’s secretary, was now a stay-at-home housewife.
There was no denying that her father had worked hard for his money and he was extravagant with it, because he could be.
Jenna got it, but didn’t agree with his flaunting it.
Or at least, didn’t agree with flaunting it by spending it on his family, who already wanted for nothing.
Carolyn, on the other hand, hated their parents.
At least, she was somewhat civil towards Jenna, but even that was day to day.
Carolyn was older than Jenna by four years.
She was already an adult and the only reason she stuck around was for access to their parents’ money.
Part of the reason Carolyn despised their parents was because she believed she should have gotten her trust fund at eighteen instead of twenty-five.
From their father’s point of view, he hadn’t gotten his first million until he’d been twenty-five, so neither would his daughters. The idea was to see what Jenna and Carolyn would make of themselves before getting that money.
Jenna planned on donating her entire trust fund upon receiving it. She wanted to go to college, to see the world, and to make her own life outside of her last name and the Scanlon reputation.
Carolyn wanted her money now so she could live an extravagant lifestyle and never have to work a day in her life with servants to fawn over her.
The sisters could not be more different.
Jenna wasn’t sure, but she suspected drugs were involved in Carolyn’s plans for her trust fund money too.
It was the bigger of the reasons as to why their parents had moved them from Seattle to Port Townsend.
They wanted to lessen the influences the city life had had on Carolyn.
After watching her father fire and humiliate a maid, whom Jenna knew was a single mother, for accidentally breaking a vase while cleaning, Jenna had resolved to do one kind thing per day for a stranger.
Be it money, a gift, assisting them with their kids…
She didn’t care. One kind thing a day. If she got around to doing more, then she would. But at least one act of kindness a day.
Buying that set of books for that little girl with big gray eyes had been the first kind act Jenna had ever done with a selfish reason.
Because it had been an excuse to talk to her brother.
It had worked too! Which was why Jenna was now standing outside her new high school waiting for the boy of her dreams to arrive.
The later it got, though, the more nervous she got that she’d been stood up.
Had he seen through her? Somehow known or guessed that she’d bought the books for his sister as an excuse to talk to him?
Embarrassment sank low in her stomach. Unlike Carolyn, Jenna wasn’t forward when it came to boys. She was uncoordinated, wasn’t pretty, and had no idea how to flirt. All things that seemed to come naturally to Carolyn and every other girl in the world.
Heat flamed her cheeks. Of course he saw through her charade.
Of course. She was not a good actor or liar.
It must have been so obvious by how she was staring at him.
And it was only his love for his sister that had made him even talk to her.
Of course. Because that was the story of her life.
Silly, awkward Jenna. The girl who’d rather be in the kitchen helping their cook bake than be in the center of the party eating the food.
She’d even baked him cookies the day before.
She’d been so nervous about seeing him again, plus the first day of school in a new school, and she’d ended up in the kitchen.
Baking helped keep her calm. The family cook, Dane, loved to show her new recipes when he came upon them.
It had been one of the reasons Jenna had been in the used bookstore in the first place.
She loved to look for old cookbooks to show Dane.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, she chastised herself.
A guy like him? Why would he even look twice at a girl like her?
The school bell rang, signaling the start of class, and here she was like an idiot still standing under a tree because a cute boy told her to.
Shoulders slumping, she looked around the now deserted parking lot and lawn of the school.
At least she had an excuse on her first day.
She could claim she got lost or something.
As she turned towards the school, her eyes scanned all the windows facing her.
Was he already in class, watching her? Laughing at her?
How could someone who’d been so sweet and good with his little sister be so cruel to her? Jenna would never understand boys. Maybe it was better to just concentrate on her studies, get into a good college, and then—
“Jenna!”
She paused on the sidewalk leading to the main doors. Slowly, she turned. Fast movement drew her attention right away to an odd-shaped bike approaching from down the street. Her heart leapt inside her chest. He hadn’t been standing her up! He’d been late!
Jenna quickly made her way down to where the path leading to the school reached the street’s sidewalk.
Jack was coming up fast on his bike. Despite the cool morning, he looked heated and had a bit of a sweat.
He must have been pedaling double-time to make it.
Skidding to a halt, his brakes squealed in protest. Jenna finally was able to make out what was behind his bike.
It looked like a little red wagon had been attached to one of the back metal pieces on the bike.
A blanket and pillow inside told her that he’d had a rider in it, but what was with all the rubber bands?
“You’re late!” she announced, but joy filled her voice. “I thought I’d missed you and you were already inside.” She left out the part where she thought he was making fun of her while watching her wait for him outside. That was such a mean thought, and she was ashamed it had ever crossed her mind.
“Sorry,” he apologized. He quickly dismounted and started to walk his bike to the rack to the left of the school. Right next to the tree she’d been waiting for him under. “I had to drop my sister off at the elementary school.”
He had to? Where were their parents? It hadn’t escaped her notice that he’d been the one taking her shopping in town too, likely for school supplies.
“That’s sweet of you.” Maybe he just wanted to see her off on her first day? But that wasn’t how he’d phrased it. “What grade is she?”
Jack bent to put a lock around his bike and the rack. “First. She’s actually got my old teacher this year.”
Jenna had guessed he was a local, but had secretly been hoping he was a transplant like her. At least then he could give her some advice on what to expect.
Grabbing the pillow and blanket from the wagon, Jack put them inside his backpack. Seeing her watching him, he explained, “It’s more comfortable for Lilly than sitting on the cold metal.”
Her heart did that stupid flip-flopping motion it had done when she’d seen him with his sister in town.
He put being a good big brother over what their peers would say if they saw him carrying around a ‘blankie’ in his bag to high school.
Jenna might have been in private school the first nine years of her education, but she was sure public school kids could be just as mean and judgmental.
As if sensing where her thoughts were, he let out a light chuckle. “Don’t worry. They give us the same lockers each year. I can put them in my locker before anyone sees. Not that I care if they did, but why make trouble?”
His confidence warmed her soul. How was he so sure of himself? She envied that trait a lot.
“Let’s get you to class.” Jack gestured towards the school.
Jenna did a double take, completely forgetting they were late. She nodded quickly and then turned to head towards the entrance again. They were only partway up the sidewalk before she realized what he’d said. ‘Get you to class.’
“Aren’t you coming to class, too?” she asked with a trace of fear. She did not want to walk into class on her first day without knowing at least one person.
“Once I get my usual lecture from Principal Foote, sure.”
“Usual lecture?”
He nodded, placing his hand at the small of her back to guide her up the stairs.
It seemed like a ridiculous gesture. She knew how to walk up a set of stairs, and it wasn’t like it was that many stairs, but it still made her swoon inside.
“I’m late from dropping off my sister at the elementary school.
He doesn’t think that’s a reasonable excuse for arriving at or after the bell.
So I take my detention like a good boy and then go pick her up from the after school program.
They usually end around the same time, so it works out fine. ”