Violet's Awakening, PT. 3

She gave up on her hair and pulled it back with a clip. She rushed into her bedroom and dressed in jeans, long sleeves, and sweater like Jesse to combat the chilly February morning. She hesitated before she made her way to the kitchen. As she glanced around, she caught sight of Jesse outside. He was taking their elderly neighbor's trash can out to the street. On his way back to the house, he was hailed by two elderly women power walking. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she didn’t need to. Their broad smiles and the way they patted his arm told her they were impressed with his thoughtfulness. She’d heard it for years—adults praising him for his helpful, kind, and responsible. It wasn’t an act. Jesse was the same at home as he was at school and at church. He was a natural leader. People gravitated toward him, unconsciously sensing his grounded nature. He was everything everyone believed he was and more. She knew for a fact that he was the greatest guy she knew, aside from her father, and that was saying something. He had made her life immeasurably better. She had been so insecure, so scared of everything. His patience, love, and support healed wounds she didn’t know she had. It took years for her to finally accept that this was her real life, and it wouldn’t disintegrate the moment mom and dad had a fight. She didn’t want anything to change. It couldn’t. She couldn’t handle that.

As Jesse started up the driveway, she hastily made herself a breakfast sandwich. By the time Jesse opened the door, she had placed the rest of the food in the fridge for dad when he came home from work.

“Ready?” Jesse asked.

“Yup.”

She braced one hand on the wall as she shoved her feet into her boots.

“That’s the second time you’ve said that this morning,” Jesse observed.

“What?”

“Since when do you say yup?”

She shrugged as she made her way to the SUV. Mom bought a small, fuel-efficient car once Jesse got his license and let him take the SUV since he usually needed the extra space for sports equipment.

She settled her backpack on the floorboard as she belted herself in and Jesse got behind the steering wheel. He fiddled with the radio as they made their way out of the neighborhood. She unwrapped her breakfast sandwich and stared out the window as she tried to think of her day ahead and not about anything that may change her picture-perfect life.

“Did you read that text about the movies on Friday?” Jesse asked.

“Yes.”

Several seconds passed before he asked, “You want to go?”

“I don’t know,” she heard herself say.

“You told me a couple of days ago, you want to see the movie they’re talking about.”

“I know, but…” She waved her half-eaten sandwich. “I can always see it later.”

“There’s no reason for you to see it later. Do you have plans this weekend?”

“Maybe. My friends were talking and…” She shrugged.

“You need me to drive you anywhere?”

She shook her head. “No, I can catch a ride.”

“I don’t have to go to the movies. I can take you wherever you need to go.”

She relaxed a little. He sounded like himself. Helpful, supportive, sweet. “No, you should go to the movies with Brody and Anton. I’m sure it’ll be fun. You can tell me if it’s good.”

“I’d rather you came with us. When you know what you’re doing with your friends, I’ll make a decision on what I’ll do.”

She didn’t know what to say, so she finished her sandwich in silence and crumpled the foil into a ball. Lost in thought, she didn’t realize she hadn’t said a word until he parked the car, and she undid her seatbelt.

“You okay?” Jesse asked.

“Of course.” She scanned the crowd for her friends. She was relieved to be at school, where she had classes and numerous things to distract her. She reached for her backpack and froze when Jesse touched her arm.

“You don’t seem like yourself this morning.”

“I didn’t get the best sleep,” she said and pushed open her door, eager to escape.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?” she asked, tugging on her zippers, even though everything was secure.

“Look at me.”

She mentally braced before she turned her head. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting. Of course, he hadn’t changed his look overnight. His face was the same—chiseled jaw and what some of her friends called perfect lips. When they met, he’d been four inches taller than her, but now he towered over her and most of their peers at six foot three. Sunlight hit his striking sky-blue eyes. She searched them, hoping for an explanation for the disturbing images in her mind, but all she could see was baffled concern.

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You’re very pale.”

She didn’t have time to stiffen as he cupped her cheek.

“Are you coming down with something?”

She gave him a bracing smile. “I’m feeling a little better now.”

He cocked his head to the side and dropped his hand. “You should have stayed home.”

“I have a test today.”

“You could always make it up.”

“No need,” she said and waved as a girl approached the SUV. “Your girlfriend’s coming.”

He didn’t turn to look. “Who?”

“Sasha.”

“We’re not official,” he said shortly. “If you need me to take you home…”

“Yes, I’ll call you, but I’m sure I’ll be fine, dad.”

She grimaced at the last word she’d tacked on, but Jesse didn’t notice because Sasha was knocking on his window. She slipped out of the car and slung her backpack over one shoulder as Sasha drawled, “Hey, handsome.”

She walked away before she heard Jesse’s response. She wasn’t sure what had come over him, but in the past few weeks, he’d gone into a dating frenzy. When he didn’t have practice or a game on the weekends, he usually spent it with the girl of the week. Sasha was the first to pass the two-week mark. When she asked him why he was suddenly playing the field, he’d said it was necessary. She wasn’t sure what that meant and hadn’t been interested enough to push for clarification since she was sick of hearing about his dating life from her friends who were dying to be included, even if it was just for a day. Unfortunately for them, Jesse was selecting girls that were his age or seniors. She was secretly grateful. She didn’t want to have to console her friends when Jesse moved onto someone else.

**This is a raw draft of the prequel for Corrupt Idol. Please do not share or distribute.

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