The Right Path

Rating: T

Summary: Jenny decides to enroll in a program that helps troubled teens. Too bad her philanthropist mindset is given a run for its money when she's assigned to help Julian. Can Jenny save him before it's too late, or will he just drag her down with him? R&R!

Disclaimer: The characters and FBG plot belong to L.J. Smith, but the plot of The Right Path is mine.

A/N: Another story I shouldn't be starting! Yay! Basically, this is a much darker Jenny and Julian fic—Jenny has signed up for a program to help troubled teenagers, and seems to lose hope when she is paired with Julian. Will she give up? Will she change him for good? And can she fall in love in the process? I will try to tell this story through many forms, which I will briefly explain. An "entry" is like a page of Jenny's diary, and a "part" is a first person narration of the story, while a "thought" is Julian's POV of an event. The parts/entries/thoughts might skip around chronology-wise, so be sure to glance at the date. Enjoy and review!

Entry 1

Tuesday, June 2nd

3:45 am

Rural America

Dear Diary,

Today was my first day in the Right Path Program. I shouldn't be up so late, or rather, so early, but I can't sleep. I'm terrified. I agreed to join this program at the insistence of Ms. Gray, my psychology teacher, back in Vista Grande. We both believe that all people can be turned good, and she pointed out that this summer program would be a great way to test my theory as well as enable me to get service credit for college. None of my friends except Summer seemed to like the idea very much; Audrey and Dee pointed out that it's hopeless to try and change someone, and Tom complained that I shouldn't be leaving him. But Summer thought that I could do it. She said that with kindness and patience, I can help someone. I'm not sure I believe her now. I met the subject of my work yesterday; his name is Julian. He's almost seventeen, a little bit older than me. The purpose of the Right Path Program is to pair a troubled teenager with a mature, levelheaded friend who will hopefully inspire him or her to make the right decisions and eventually choose the right path. When I left California, I was confident that I could do this, but I'm not sure that I can do it anymore.

I traveled here on a bus full of romantic ideas of changing someone's life, but I no longer have such silly views. I stupidly thought that I would get paired up with a tween like Joey whose only problems where being teased at school and maybe a divorce at home. But no. After less than a day in this town, I have already abandoned all of my preconceived notions that people are born good, and that even after being corrupted we can still bring them back to their original state. I know that it sounds awful, but some people, like my case study, Julian, are just born evil. They will always remain that way, and there's no way we can change them. I've only spent a few hours with him, and already I'm so scared that I cannot sleep.

I wish I was home! I miss Tom, Dee, Zach, Audrey, Michael, Summer, and my family. There's just something about him, something unmundane, and when I looked at him my mind seemed to scream at me to turn around and run as I fast as I can in the other direction. There's something different about Julian, and I don't want to find out what it is. I was wrong; some people are simply evil, and they can't change. You don't even have to read the other entries of this case study—I know I won't change my mind. Julian's evil, and I can't transform him into something good. It's hopeless to even try: all he'll do is drag me down with him.

I have two more months of this program, and after the first day I already think that I'm not going to make it through the week. What am I going to do?

Jenny

A/N: What do you think? Comments are always appreciated.

--TOTN