CHAPTER 2 THE PERFECT LIFE

The next morning, it was business as usual for Jenna and her day proceeded according to the normal routine. She got up at 6:30 in the morning and could smell pancakes and coffee being prepared at the lower floor while dressing up. Going down to the kitchen, she bowed in front of her family. "Morning, everyone. " Her dad put down the newspaper he was reading, “Good morning, Jenna, are you set for another day?” ‘As always’ she said and picked a pancake and took a bite. Looking at her brother, she said, "Well, Tommy, what are we going to do today?” “Math test,” he complained, spearing at his food. The frequently used questions included: “Can you question me on the way to school?” Jenna smiled and ran her fingers through his hair, “Of course, darling, we will make sure you are ready. ” The trip to school was full of multiplication and fraction recitations, wherein Tommy grew more and more knowledgeable with each response. Jenna gave him a wink as they entered the parking lot, “You can do it, champ. ” Jenna got to school early and went to her locker immediately. She began arranging her books in a systematic way. Deep in her thoughts, she failed to realize that there was someone standing close to her until the man’s voice interrupted her. “Hiya Parker, do you need any assistance with those books?” Jenna’s heart fluttered, and she turned around to see Ryan Mitchell leaning against the lockers with that half-smile on his face. ‘Er, no, thank you very much,’ she was able to mumble, somewhat overwhelmed, although she did not lose her femininity. “Suit yourself,” Ryan said, looking at her for a second before turning around and walking away, but Jenna was left feeling rather confused. Jenna jumped, turning to see Sarah standing there. “Whoa, what was that about?” Jenna, attempting to shrug it off, said, “Oh,nothing,g just Ryan being Ryan as usual. ” They hurried towards the door as they would be late for English class. Jenna couldn’t get a hold of herself as they scurried off to their classes, The look, Ryan gave her lingered in her mind. In English, specifically, she had a problem concentrating; her thoughts ran back to the brief encounter they had. Mrs. Howard came back to her thoughts, “Jenna, can you read the next passage?” Jenna nodded nervously and opened the book to the page that the teacher had pointed at. She started to read aloud, her usually strong voice cracking a little as she attempted to read the words on the page instead of the enigmatic bad boy who was occupying her mind. The rest of the morning moved in a blur, and in a blink of an eye, Jenna found herself in the crowded cafeteria. She sat with her girls at their familiar table and, looking up, saw Ryan and his friends laughing at something they found funny. Sarah, who was very perceptive to the changes in environment, nudged her. “Alright, tell me the scoop. What is it?” Jenna pretended to be very calm. She looked at the glass in front of her and took a sip of the drink. Not much, really, It’s just that... Ryan spoke to me this morning. Mark frowned, feeling more like the knight in the shining armor he has to protect her from anyone who tries to harm her. Is this Ryan Mitchell? What does he want? ‘I don’t know,’ said Jenna, fidgeting uncomfortably ‘He just said that he’d help me with the books. ’ "It was weird. " Emily moved closer to him and whispered, ‘They are serious. ’ And then there’s Sam, the new guy in school, who you should stay away from, he has a bad reputation, Jenna. ” “I know,” Jenna frowned, pushing her plate with uneaten food away. ‘No, I’m not interested,’ he said, turning away even though she could tell he didn’t really believe what he was saying. The classes in the afternoon seemed to be long, with Jenna always being lost in thoughts of Ryan. She noticed that there was something special about him, but she could not quite put her finger on it. In art class, her usual refuge, she drew circles mindlessly on the paper, and what she drew resembled her own state of confusion. Art teacher Ms. Robinson has been standing by her desk. “Good job, Jenna I think you have a gift. ” Jenna smiled; this broke the ice a bit and gave her something to focus on. "Thanks, Ms. Robinson. " Jenna had a volunteering shift at the library after school, and she was glad that it was rather quiet there. Jenna was warmly welcomed by the lady known as Mrs. Thompson, “Hello Jenna, today we have many new books that we have to sort. ” "Okay, I will,” Jenna said, putting her hair in a pony tail and getting engrossed in the work. Shelving books became a monotonous activity which soothed her, and then the door of the library was opened. Jenna looked up and her eyes met with Ryan walking in, He looked around the room, his gaze resting on her. Gathering all her courage, she walked up to him. "Can I help you?" “Oh yes, I want a book on car repair. ” Ryan replied in a slightly less assured manner than was his norm. “That is in the non-fiction,” Jenna pointed to the shelves, “It is over there. ” ‘I can show you’ They strolled alongside each other; she was all clean-cut and put together, while he was all messy and wild. There was something electric in the air that could not be put into words. “Here you go,” Jenna said, stopping in front of the automotive section. Any special requests that you have? Ryan raked a hand through his hair, the tousled look making Jenna feel a flutter in her stomach. I said while trying to repair a bicycle that I just wanted to fix up my bike Thanks for your assistance, Parker. “Not at all,” Jenna answered and her voice was almost a whisper. When Ryan moved to look at other shelves, he glanced at her and instantly, Jenna felt a tingle in her spine. Later that evening, Jenna was at the dinner table with her family, and though she could hear the conversation going on around her, she could hardly concentrate on it. Her mom’s voice interrupted her thoughts, “Hi Jenna, how was your day?” “Good. Same as always,” Jenna replied, as fake as her smile was. But as she twirled her fork in circles around her plate, she realized that today had not been like any other. Her life was so meticulously planned and boring that the thought of the girl on the edge of something new made her life seem more interesting. That evening, as Jenna was in bed, her thoughts went round and round concerning Ryan and the things that they had done together. His stare, the tone of his voice, and the odd attraction that she had no control over whenever he was around. He slept restlessly, waking up with a start and feeling that a change had occurred and she was not the same person anymore. One night she was dozing off to sleep when her phone rang and it was a text message from an unknown number. Her heart raced as she read the message: “I really made good progress today; many thanks for your assistance, Parker. ” “Will you be able to spare some time for us tomorrow?” Jenna looked at the screen. She was standing in front of the computer with her finger on the reply button. At that point, she realized that any decision she would make would alter the course of the future. The question was, was she prepared for that change?