My Real
Copyright © 2013 Mallory Grant
Interior Design by Angela McLaurin, Fictional Formats
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All right reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, with written permission.
This book is dedicated to my two wonderful children.
Reach for your dreams and never stop until you’ve achieved them.
It is also dedicated to my magnificent husband.
You encouraged me to follow my star and to preserver to the end.
I walk into the cafeteria, see her, and stop dead in my tracks. Her blonde hair is pulled into a high ponytail and she has on jeans and a baggy Phillies t-shirt. The t-shirt is easily two sizes too big, but it didn’t work in hiding her body. As she bends over to pick up a fork she dropped, I can see the curves of her hips and her ass. Damn. This girl has a fine ass. She is on the short side, which I love in a girl. And her eyes, she has the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen. She turns to say something to her friend and her smile lights up her entire face. It’s a real smile, not one of those fake smiles I’m so used to seeing on girls. I’ve never believed in love at first sight, but this girl has me rethinking my position on the matter. I have to find out who she is.
“Dude, Andrew, move it or lose it man. What the hell is the hold up?” Jake shoves me from behind.
“Do you see that girl standing over there by the cashier? Ya know her?” I ask, knowing he knows all the girls on campus. I’ve been living with him in the dorm for two week and there has been more girls in and out of his bed than a mall.
“Yeah. I had a few classes with her last year. Her name’s Jessica. She’s fucking hot, I mean look at that rack.”
Her rack, what is Jake talking about? The girl’s got a baggy t-shirt on. I glance at the other girl standing next to my beauty whose boobs are hanging out all over the place. “No, the one with the Phillies shirt on.”
“Oh. Yeah, that’s Bailey. She’s ok. Really quiet.”
I’m walking away as soon as I hear her name. I stop a few feet away from her. My heart is racing because I’ve never been so nervous to talk to a girl before. I wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans. She is picking all of the vegetables out of the lo mien on her plate while waiting to pay. I walk up to her and just as I’m about to say hello, someone bumps into me from behind causing me to lurch forward, right into Bailey who falls to the floor, into her tray. We slowly right ourselves and as she sits up, I see that the front of her white shirt is covered with teriyaki sauce.
“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I’m such a klutz. Are you hurt?” A whiny female voice behind me says as I’m trying to see if Bailey is okay.
“I’m fine,” I answer, never turning from Bailey. “Are you okay?” I ask her.
“I’m fine,” Bailey mutters, wiping the noodles off her shirt. I stand up and help her up.
“I can’t believe I did that. My name’s Jessica,” the chick with the huge rack babbles on behind me. “You’re Andrew right? We have Math with Dr. Smith together at 8. You weren’t here freshman year were you? Did you just transfer in?” Jessica continues to ramble on as I help Bailey pick up the food we dropped. When I stand up, Jessica has her arm in mine and continues, “I’m headed to the book store to pick up some things I need for my next class, do you want to go with me?”
With my eyes still on Bailey I ask again, “Are you sure you’re okay?” Does this girl not see that her friend just took a face plant to the floor and that it was all her fault?
Bailey finally looks me in the eyes. I’m still taken with how stunning her eyes are. They have a darker blue edge and the inside is the exact color of an ocean sky. She glances at Jessica, on my arm, looks down again, and say, “I’m fine. Jess, I’ll see you back at the room after my math class.”
Jessica starts pulling me away toward the bookstore as Bailey walks in the opposite direction with her head down.
What the hell just happened? I look at Jessica on my arm and back at the retreating Bailey, confused.
“So like I was saying, you weren’t here last year. Where did you transfer from?”
“Georgia.” I say distracted still thinking about Bailey.
“Georgia! Oh, I love the weather down there. Why would you move to Pennsylvania? I hate the cold winters. I had to come here because of my dad. It’s his alma mater so there was no other choice for me.”
Jessica continues to blather on but I’m only half listening. I can’t get my mind off Bailey. I can’t understand why she just turned around and walked away. Was she so pissed off she just wanted out of there? She barely gave me a second look. I’m not bragging or anything, but I’ve never had a problem getting girls to look my way. Maybe she has a boyfriend. But even then, I spilled an entire plate of food down the front of her shirt. Well, Jessica did actually. You’d think she would’ve gotten mad and yelled at me or something. That’s what most girls would have done. Was she that easy going that it really didn’t bother her? I have to talk to her again.
“Hello. Earth to Andrew. I asked why you transferred schools,” Jessica asked.
“Ummm. This school has the best science department on the east coast. Listen, your friend’s name is Bailey right?” I ask.
“Yeah. She’s a cutie isn’t she?”
“Is she dating anyone?”
She lets out a laugh so loud I jump. “Bailey doesn’t date. Never has.
12 Years Later …
RRIIINNNGGGGG …
They rush to the front of the room all waiting in line to give me a hug. I say good bye to each one as they file out of the room waiting to be freed from the prison of school.
“Good bye Suzie. Don’t forget to read this summer. Help mom take care of that new baby. Bye girls. Enjoy the pool, maybe I’ll see you there. Hey Kali, I hope you like that new
Wimpy Kid
book!” I hug each student as they walk out the door.
And they are all gone! It was a great year with another great group of kids but as Ella peeks her head out of her door, we both smile.
“Happy dance time?” Ella laughs.
“Most definitely happy dance time,” I reply as we begin our yearly ritual of dancing like crazy maniacs in the hallway to celebrate living through another year of teaching third grade.
“Are you two coming to the faculty’s happy hour tonight?” Molly asks as she passes our rooms.
“Not tonight. We’re going out tonight,” Ella replies as she is winding down her dance.
“Oh! That’s right. Your divorce is final today isn’t it Bailey?” Molly says with a sneer.
I stop dancing and my shoulders fall. Well, there just went my good mood. I’d almost forgotten for a minute that I’m now a divorcee. I just nod sadly at Molly.
“Yes, we’re celebrating her Re-bachelorette party,” Ella adds quickly.
“Well, enjoy your summer ladies. I’ll send you a post card from Mexico,” Molly says as she struts down the stairs.
Ella and I watch as Molly makes her way down the hall rolling our eyes at the same time. We’ve never been big fans of Molly as she tends to think a lot of herself and lets everyone know, on a regular basis, how wonderful, perfect, and beautiful she is.
Last year when our state test scores came in, Molly made it well known that her reading scores were the best in the building. What she didn’t mention was that she had all the gifted kids in her class.
I’m feeling so many emotions today. I’m the kind of person who wears her emotions on her sleeve for everyone to see, so it isn’t a stretch for anyone to notice that today is not a good day for me.
“NO! None of that!” Ella yells pointing to me. “You’re taking this divorce too hard. Which is exactly why I’m taking you out tonight. You don’t deserve anything that Dave has put you though,” Ella shouts at me as I start to collect the last of my things going home with me.