PART 1
Hamilton still cannot believe that he was back at
Rawley, and no one from any of his old friends were aware that he was
back. He had been away for almost two
years, spending his sophomore and junior year of high school in a boarding
school in Maine. Now, he was back to
the place where his life began, and almost ended. This time however, it was going to be different.
Hamilton looked at his watch, and saw that it was
already 10 o'clock in the morning. He
then suddenly thought that he should get ready. He only got back last night, and still had a lot of things to
take care off. Fall semester of senior
year will be starting next week, and he had not even registered yet.
After getting dressed, he hurried to Rawley to
register. He passed by Rawley Lake, and
saw some members of a crew practicing.
He smiled, and remembered how he used to love rowing. Those were the days. He saw some boys playing football across the
perfectly manicured Rawley lawn. "Fun
times at Rawley Academy," he thought.
He finally arrived at the main building of Rawley,
and saw that it had not changed that much since he left. He registered, and saw some of the student
he knew from freshman year. They were
surprised to see Hamilton but they were all glad that he was back for senior
year. He thought of going up to Will
and Scout's room to let them know about him being here in Rawley but decided to
wait. Besides, they were probably in
town with Bella.
Walking through the halls of Rawley brought back
streams of memories but the most vivid of all was the times he spent with
Jake. Hamilton passed by Jake's old
room, and saw that there were now two new students occupying her old room. Hamilton knew that coming back to Rawley
would bring back all the memories of Jake.
"Jake," he thought poignantly. He
still held her dear in his heart, even thought it was still hard for him to
forget what she did to him, and how she had hurt him. Jake was the reason he left.
Now that he's back, it's time to face the memories that haunted him, and
the things he had left behind.
Hamilton looked at his watch again, and saw that it
was already 11 o'clock. He smiled to
himself, and thought that he only had one hour, and Elise will be arriving to
attend Rawley Academy for girls. Senior
year, this will be a great year for him, back at Rawley, and with his
girlfriend by his side. Hamilton then
decided to go to town to see his friends.
"Won't they be surprised," he thought with a smile on his face.
********************
"Hey Bella!!!!!" Jake said with exuberant as she got
out of her car.
Bella looked up, and saw her best friend. "Jake, you're back!"
With a smile on both their faces, they gave each
other a hug. Jake and Bella had become
best friends since the day back in the summer of freshman year. Jake was then attending Rawley Academy for
Boys masquerading as a boy to get back at her then estranged mother. When Jake thought she got caught at the end
of that summer session, she left Rawley but stayed in touch with Bella. Jake had always told Bella everything that
was going on in her life, and vice versa.
Bella was the only one who knew the truth behind the reason and the
circumstances on why Jake and Hamilton broke up, and she promised Jake that she
would keep that secret.
When Jake left Rawley, she and Hamilton maintained
their relationship. He even visited her
in New York to spend time with her.
Also, she and her mom became very close. Jake even went with her on her European tour of Les Miserablés. During those times, she and Hamilton kept in
touch. Everyday they would call each
other, and would send e-mails. However,
as time passed by, everyday became once a week, and then once a month. Although Jake loved Hamilton with all her
heart, she felt that they were drifting apart, and she decided to break up with
Hamilton. It was the hardest decision
Jake had ever made but she knew in her heart that she had to let Hamilton go
for his and her sake. She did not want
to hold back Hamilton. She loved him
too much to have him wait for her.
"How's your trip to Italy with your mom?" Bella
asked.
"I had a great time. Rome was such a wonderful city, and Italian guys were not too
bad. A month is just not enough, if you
know what I mean," Jake replied beaming, and looking sheepishly at her friend.
Bella laugh as she looked at her friend with
astonishment. "Jake, you are so bad."
"You know me," Jake grinning at Bella who was
shaking her head with amazement.
"Well, before we get deeper into your Italian adventures,
have you registered at Rawley yet?" Bella said as she tried to compose herself.
"Yes, before I left I pre-registered so I won't be in a
rush when I get back. Actually, I came
directly here, and I haven't even been to school yet. I wanted to see you first.
I cannot believe that it's already our senior year."
"Isn't it great," Bella said. "I think it will be the greatest year ever."
"Yeah, I think you're right," Jake agreed. "So, have you seen Will or Scout?"
"I haven't seen Scout yet but I talked to him
earlier. He just arrived at the dorm,
and will be coming over anytime soon.
Will came over before he went to the mayor's office." Bella informed her friend. "Oh yeah, by the way, Scout wants to watch a
movie tonight, and then some. Will's
probably going to come. Do you want to
come?"
"Sure, thanks for inviting me."
"It's going to be great. Tonight, we'll celebrate the last days of summer, and the
beginning of our senior year. It will
be fun, all of us together again," Bella said.
"Now, let's get back to Italy, and their guys." Both girls started laughing when they
suddenly heard a voice saying, "So, may I ask what is so funny?"
The two girls turned around, and both said in
unison, "Scout!!!"
"So, how are you Scout?" Jake asked as she gave him a hug.
"Well I'm fine.
I'm just glad to be back," Scout replied. "Hey you!" looking at Bella.
"Hey you, too."
Bella walked towards Scout, and gave him a kiss on his lips. "I missed you"
"I missed you, too." Looking passionately at his girlfriend, "I told you to come with
me. It was such a pain not to see you
all the time. And, my parents kept on
asking about you."
"I know but I told you before you left, and during
all our phone conversations that I have to be here to help my dad. Besides, don't worry, I was in agony too."
"Okay you guys," Jake interrupted. "You two are so cute."
Scout and Bella just smiled lovingly at each other.
"So Jake, I heard that every one in the girl's dorm
are having roommates this year?" Scout
asked.
"I know."
Jake exclaimed. "I don't know
what to expect, I mean I've always had a single room, and now they assigned me
to a new room. But, I don't have a
choice. In the letter that I received,
it seemed that the dean's really adamant about it. He wants every student to really get to know each other this
year, or something like that, and also the fact that they accepted too many in
coming freshmen this year. Even if I
can still hack my way through the dean's database, and change my room status,
it will look suspicious if I'm the only one in the girls' dorm to have a
single."
"So, who's rooming with you?" Bella asked.
"The weird thing is that I'm going to room with a
new girl. She probably has some pull
with the dean because she's coming in as a senior."
"Yeah, that is weird. I thought Rawley doesn't accept student entering senior year,"
Scout replied.
"Also, for some reason, the dean and Mrs. Fleming
decided that this new girl will be better off if she roomed with me," Jake said
sighing with disbelief. "I don't know
why me? I mean I could room with anyone
that I know but no they had to room me with someone I hardly know. I just hope that she won't turn out to be
such a bitch or even worst."
"Hey, don't worry." Bella said empathetically. "Maybe it won't that bad." Trying to reassure her friend.
"We'll see," Jake said. "So anyway, what time are we going out tonight?"
"Just meet here in the gas station around 7-ish,"
Bella answered.
"Okay, then," Jake
said. "Well, I think I'll go and check
my new room, and see if my roommate has arrived already. I'll see both of you later." Jake gave both of them a quick hug before
she left, and drove to school.
********************
Driving back to school,
Jake cannot seem to help but smile.
Rawley Academy, and the town of New Rawley had become her home. She was glad to be back again with her
friends - Bella, Scout, and Will, the best friends a girl could wish for. They were the only ones who really
understood, and cared for her. Also,
they were the only ones who knew that Jake and Jacqueline were really just one
person.
Nobody knew. When Jake returned to Rawley, she enrolled
as Jacqueline Chloe Pratt at Rawley Academy for Girls. For sometime, everyone wondered if she and
Jake were related. So, in order to
prevent any rumors or assumptions, she told everyone that she was not related
to him, and that they only shared the same last name. Even Finn, who she thought knew about her identity, was
oblivious. As it turned out, Finn never
really figured out that Jake was a girl.
Again, Jake had fooled everyone.
Everyone at school called
her J.C. now, and she liked it that way.
However, Bella, Scout and Will were the only ones who still called her
Jake. "Well, this will be an interesting
year - senior year," Jake thought as she drove close to school. "And a new roommate. What's her name again?" Jake asked herself, and wondered.
