My name is Riley Jean Hart. I was born and raised in Charming, California but moved away when I was eighteen. You see, I was always the goody goody girl in Charming. That is until I turned fifteen and caught the eyes of a particular bad boy, Jackson Teller. His mother, Gemma Teller-Morrow, always went out of her way to treat my family and I horrible because of Jackson's eyes for me. Then, one night, I decided I deserved to have fun before the summer was over and went to a bonfire party they kids at my school were having. I had no idea this would be my undoing.
Here I am, first Sunday morning since returning to Charming. I arrived Friday night with my fiancé Brady and his parents Tom and Mindy. I stayed in my hotel room until time for church to give myself a few days before running into the past. But today has been a good day. Brady starts his job tomorrow and I will be dress shopping with Mindy. My mom…sadly won't be able to make it.
After service, we walk outside where I strike up a conversation with the pastor. We discuss what I have been doing since I left and he meets my new family.
"Oh my!" Mindy gasps, causing Brady, the pastor, and I to turn. That's where my past started to catching up.
"Well, well, Luann. Look who it is." Gemma laughs, menacingly.
"Gemma…I know things ended on the wrong foot, but you only know one side—"
"Luann, that 'side' is the most important side of this. Riley, what brings you back to Charming?" she gives me that fake smile of hers that I know oh so well but did not miss at all.
"Well, Gemma, I would love to catch up but we have a busy day."
"Sweetums, I actually have a staff meeting—," Brady starts.
"But you don't even start until tomorrow." I say.
"I know, sweetums. But, afterwards I have to finish all the paperwork. I'm sorry. I just didn't want you upset during service." Brady says as he rubs my back.
"Okay, well. I guess that could mean that you and I, dear, can discuss some more details, huh?" Mindy says, nervously smiling. I nod my head. "Come along."
"I will be right behind you." I say. After a moment, I turn to Gemma and Luann. "Gemma, I am not that same girl anymore. I do not want trouble. I am not here to cause any for anyone. I am merely here because Brady was transferred here and I came with him. I did try to talk him out of it, but this is what he wanted. I am just here to be with him and live my life. You and everyone around you…are the least of my concern. Okay? I stay away from you, you stay away from us."
"As much as I want to believe that, I know that my son will be untamable if he hears that you are back. The last thing I want is for him to lose sight of himself again. You know what I mean, Luann?"
"Sadly, I do."
"Gemma, I can't control Jax's thoughts or feelings but I do know that I have moved on. That my life, my future…it doesn't involve Jax in any way. And I am not afraid to make that known." I say through gritted teeth. I turn on my heel and walk away. I don't know what Gemma could possible say to Luann, but knowing her the way I do, I am sure she mouthed off something my way. When Jax and I first started dating, Gemma was not afraid to tell me she hated me. But the more she saw us together and how I made a transition into more their type of people, more of a rebel, wearing more revealing clothes, the whole nine, she started to take a liking to me. She took me under her wing to teach me how to survive the crazy world of SAMCRO. She had a feeling that Jax would want me to be his old lady with his crow tattooed somewhere on my body and she wanted to make sure I wouldn't be intimidated by their lifestyle. And then one night, I…woke up. I took off and never returned…well, until now. How am I going to do this?
"Will you hurry up, Ri!" my friend Bethany shouts. "We have been here for an hour, you have tried on several dressed and we have yet to see any!"
"Beth's right. Sweetie, you will look beautiful in anything. Why are you hiding?" Steph asks.
"Fine. But let the record show that this is just not right." I sigh before slowly, shyly walking out. I was wearing Brady's mother's pick that was a turtleneck, long-sleeved laced princess ball gown. "This dress is hideous."
"Well, I mean, it's…cute…" Bethany says, hesitantly. "But it is WAY outdated."
"Did you try on my pick?" Steph asks.
"Hon, that thing was see-through."
"A little sexy is not a bad thing." Steph defends her choice. If she only knew.
"No. No see-through or anything that can be called sexy. I want…I need classic, elegance." I say, my face showing the deep disgust I have for this dress.
"Why don't you at least try? Have an open mind."
"Open mind? If you had seen my life growing up, you would understand why."
"Then tell us."
"No." I laugh, shaking my head. I quickly duck into the dressing room and change into yet another very outdated dress. Just as I started to walk back out, I hear yelling from outside the store. I look out of the dressing room to see two men fighting. I quickly run outside with my friends and step between the two.
"What in the world?! Stop!" I say as they try to get at one another again.
"Stay away from her!" Brady yells, pulling me into him.
"Him? Really? I know your type. He isn't it." He laughs.
"Jax, go away." I say as I turn my attention to Brady. "Are you okay?" I ask noticing he was bleeding near his eye.
"I'm fine sweetums. Just go back inside and find your dress." Brady's eyes still locked onto Jax and when Jax laughs, Brady's eyes narrowed more.
"Sweetums? What the hell kind of nickname is that?"
"Jax—" Brady cuts me off.
"I said, stay away from Riley. Go before I call the police and press charges." Brady demands.
"You could have at least gave me a call to warn me you were coming back." Jax smiles, subtly licking his lips.
"Miss? You have to come back inside. I will call the police." I turn to see the manager standing at the door. I look down and remember that I still have on a dress.
"Oh, right. I'm sorry." I apologize before turning back to Jax and Opie once again.
"Both of you just leave. Jax, the past is the past. Just leave it there." I head back inside and change back into my regular clothes. I step out and see Brady sitting with my bridesmaids. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Who was that guy?"
"Um, the quiet one with the dumb look on his face is Opie the best friend to Jax, the guy whose fist met your face." I take a deep breath.
"And Jax?" he asks.
"My ex-boyfriend."
"Oh, that creeper you told me about." Okay, I did tell Brady some of my past with Jax. I had to to try to convince him to not take the job in Charming. But I left out the Club as far as how they operate. He just thinks they are bike enthusiasts. But he knows how Jax basically followed me around to flirt with me until I finally gave in. I just thought giving in and showing him a bad time would get him to leave me alone before my father killed either of us but what happened at the bonfire…well, my game plan changed and instead of getting him to walk away, I found myself pulling him closer.
"Yeah, that would be him." I reply, looking back up at the door as Opie and Jax ride the bikes past the store. Stop it, Ri. That is the past. I look at Brady. This is the man I love. Jax was just an unfortunate happenstance in my life. "I really hoped this would not have happened." I sigh as we climbed into his car.
"You tried to warn me. And I chose this job because I knew what that meant for us financially. Do I wish things could be different? Yes. But I still would choose this because we will always be financially set."
"No, I know. It's just, Brady, this place? I almost died here. There is still so much you have no idea about Charming. And it isn't something people should have to realize is even real. I have lost my mother, my father took off. This place…" I voice cracks, tears pour from my eyes. Brady grabs my hand.
"Why didn't you tell me about your mom? About that happening here?"
"It's just so hard, Brady. I hate this place. I have seen too many people die during my eighteen years here, including my family. Charming is the exact opposite of what the name means." I turn to look out the window.
"Mom, Meg and I are headed out!" I yell as my friend and I head for the door.
"And where are you going?" She asks, nervously.
"Chill. Just down to the diner to grab a bite to eat and then maybe a late movie."
"No." She says before walking back into the kitchen.
"No?" I ask, following her.
"What's going on?" my dad asks from his seat at the table.
"Your daughter is wanting to go out." She huffs.
"Did I do something?" I ask, angrily. "Dad, Meg and I are just wanting to grab a bite to eat and maybe a movie. Come on. I never get to just hang out except here. I am sixteen and it's the end of summer. Can I please have just one night of partial freedom before school weighs me down?"
"Riley, honey." My mom starts. "You have no idea what horror is out there!"
"So, school and my time out with one of you is that freedom." I say as I grab my jacket.
"Where are you going, young lady?" My dad asks, following my through the house.
"I just want a few hours. Just a few hours for myself and my friend. What are you going to do in two years? Follow me to college and keep this up?" I gasp. "Wait, no. You will just keep me from college, right? I mean, too much violence, drugs…sex. Heaven forbid I grow up and learn about such horrible things. I am in public school. I am sorry to say but your virginal daughter's ears are so virginal."
"Quick dinner and one movie then straight home." My dad gives.
"What? Honey-"
"She's right. We cannot keep her hidden from everything. Sooner or later, she will be on her own and needs the experience. But not too much, got it?" I hug my dad.
"Thank you so much." I run outside and climb into my car.
"I can't believe they are agreeing to this." Meg laughs.
"You and me both. Let's get out of here before he changes his mind." I laugh.
"Sweetums?" Brady asks, awaking me from my thoughts. I look up and see that same diner from that night. "Apparently, there isn't a lot of places in Charming to eat so this is where we are meeting my parents to eat." He says exiting the car. He walks around to my side and opens the door. He extends his hand. "My lady."