The Plan into Action
"Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work." - Peter F. Drucker
I stood on the street corner trying to call a taxi.
How long does it take to call a freaking taxi? Here comes one…finally. I stepped into the taxi and sat down.
"Where are you headed?" the cute, skinny taxi driver asked me.
"Ummm….I uh….I…wait, what?" I could not focus on my new plan with a cute driver.
He smiled and laughed a quiet laugh and said, "I said where you heading to, Gorgeous?"
Gorgeous? I like the sound of that. "Oh! I thought you said, umm… something else? Ha-ha. Okay umm, the St. Marcus Train Station please."
He started to drive and I could have sworn I saw him look at me through his rear-view mirror. But that was probably just my imagination. Or I thought so until we stopped at a red light and he turned fully around to me and smiled again.
"So where you from?" He kind of had a southern accent, which I always found very sexy in a man. He also had dark brown hair with light brown eyes and sparkling, pearl white teeth.
"Oregon. You?"
"Tennessee. But when I was ten I moved to Texas."
"So what made you decide to move to Boston then?"
"I go to school here. My older brother is a professor at the same school I go to, so I'm pretty stuck at that joke of a school."
"You said professor, so I'm guessing it's a college?"
"It's actually a private boarding school."
Hmmm, we both are going to a private boarding school. We have a lot in common.
No! Stop thinking like that Jessica. Don't let him get in your head. Besides if he went to WestWick he would be in New Bedford right now.
The light turned green and he started to drive. A few seconds later he started talking again, "My school is actually in New Bedford. But, what sucks is that it's excluded from like everything. So if you want to sneak out then you have to walk pretty far."
WestWick is in New Bedford too. But he looks like he's in college. Well, he did say a private boarding school and not college…
I replied, "Wow that must suck." He nodded and I continued, "So why do you drive taxis in Springfield if your school is on the other side of Massachusetts?"
"Honestly? I hate my brother. He makes my life a living hell during school." A car cut him off as he tried to turn, and he slammed down his horn at him. I laughed at his road rage. "He gives me extra homework and detention if I even whisper a word. So anyways, I have a few friends here and they let me spend summers with them. And about the taxi thing, I need a part time job during the summer so, I drive taxis." He smiled and laughed and spoke again, "So what's your name?"
"Stephanie. What's yours? Oh wait I know. Is it, 'incredibly cute taxi driver'?" He smiled and nodded his head.
"Shhh…." He laughed. "Well to be honest that's just my undercover name. I only give the incredibly cute girls my real name. So since your here, my name is Ashton."
I laughed and said, "Well Ashton it looks I'm at my stop. So I'll give you my money and maybe if you're lucky I'll give you my number."
I couldn't help but smile as I stepped out of the car. He was the exact opposite of Bryce, which I liked. The cab fare was thirty five dollars. I got my wallet out and pulled out four ten dollar bills.
"Don't worry 'bout the money, I'll take care of it," he said.
"That's really sweet of you, thank you. Are you sure though? It's no problem at all."
Ashton looked amused. "Fine. If you insist on it, then allow me to take you to my favorite restaurant tomorrow night for dinner then I will pay for it. But I also saw you take out a five dollar tip for me. So as for the tip I will take your number." He had a cocky smile on his face.
Before I replied I looked down and smiled a little, cute, flirtatious grin. "Okay, if I have to then-"
"Yes you have to."
"Ha-ha. Wow, you're kind of cocky for a taxi driver. Then again, sometimes being cocky works." I gave him my number and he gave me his.
He looked at me for a minute then said, "So where should I pick you up and what time?"
I was confused at first then I remembered he asked me out to dinner. "Oh yeah. Well if you haven't noticed, I'm at a train station. I'm leaving town. My school starts in a week in New Bedford and I have a lot of stuff to do before I get to-"
My heart just about sank when I realized what I said. Great. I've already said way too much. I shouldn't have said where my school is or when it starts. And I really shouldn't have said that I have a lot of stuff to do.
"You go to school in New Bedford? Sweet! So do I! I'm leaving for N.B. in two days. Here umm, what's your e-mail address."
"Why do you need my e-mail?"
"So we can IM each other. If you have a different server than me, then I'll just get a new e-mail."
He seemed so sweet and so nice. How can I say no to that? I starting blushing and I know he noticed because he got a little, cute smirk on his face.
I gave him my e-mail and IM name. "So now, Ashton, you don't have an excuse for not talking to me. Because now, you have my number, my e-mail, and my chat name. I'll be on chat tonight at nine. Talk to you then."
After that I told him what hotel I was staying at. Then without looking back I walked straight into the train station and got on board. It turns out the train was full of teenagers and a few young adults. I looked at my ticket and my seat number was 29B.
Great, so now I am stuck between two people.
I found my seat and luckily, nobody was sitting on seat C. On seat A, there was a young girl who was really pretty. She was wearing a white tank top with a black leather jacket and white heels. Her jeans were really tight skinny jeans. Her hair went right to her chin and was very blonde with a few hershey brown streaks in her side bangs. The next thing I noticed was her very cute purse; it was a Marc Jacobs bag. It was big and gold and very her outfit.
I wonder if she goes to WesWwick. She could get me into the right group fast.
I sat in my seat. She looked me up and down with one eye-brow raised. Thank goodness I was wearing a cute, short (but at the same time not slutty) blue summer dress with tall white heels. I had white sunglasses over my eyes and my Gucci bag around my wrist. I sat down and crossed my legs. My new long brown hair was slightly curled today, which looked very cute. I took off my glasses and put them in my purse. She finally stopped checking me out and spoke.
"Hi. My name is Kelsey." She had a slight British accent which barely noticeable. She stuck out her manicured hand with a slight smile on her face. I smiled back and shook her hand.
"Hi, Kelsey." I tried to act all stuck up. I had a feeling she was pulling my leg with the nice act.
"So how old are you? I'm seventeen and I am about to be a junior at WestWick Academy."
Okay the stuck-up act was done for me. If I could get her to be my friend then I wouldn't look stupid on my first day at WestWick. "Cool. I'm seventeen too. This will be my first year at WestWick."
"You're going to love the Academy. The campus is beautiful, the dorms are great, and the guys are hot!" We both laughed and talked for like fifteen minutes. After talking, we exchanged phone numbers and e-mails.
Then a guy walked up at sat on seat C. He was very hot. Not cute, but hot. He was wearing a nice dark red shirt with black slacks. The shirt was tucked in and the pants were held up by a nice black belt. I looked at his shoes as he sat down and they were nice black wing-tips. He had blonde hair with light blue eyes; he was pale, but it looked nice on him. He saw me staring at him and smiled. I blushed and then he looked proud or something.
"Hello, my name is Clint. I am a senior at WestWick Academy. I am eighteen years old. I was born in Carlisle, England. It's a pleasure to meet you." He had a very thick British accent, which is very hot, in my opinion. He took my hand and kissed it. I blushed even more and he smiled even more.
"Well it's nice to meet you Clint from Carlisle. I'm Stephanie from Oregon. So, why all the history?" He laughed, and I blushed…again.
Okay could you stop being so damn cute! If I blush anymore I'm gonna be like a tomato.
"Because, Stephanie from Oregon, if I talk about me first then there is more time to talk about you." Okay now I couldn't help it. I just smiled and blushed, and I didn't care.
"Well, Clint, what do you want to know?" I said with a smile.
"How old you are, where you go to school, what your favorite activities are, and your favorite place to eat so I can take you there." He said all of that with a big fat smile.
"Okay then. I am seventeen years old, I am going into my first year at WestWick, I do soccer, and actually I like movies better than eating." I somehow managed to say all of that without blushing…thank goodness!
"It's your first year at WestWick? Well you, Stephanie, are going to adore it. Once school starts and you unpack I'll give you a call and we can see a movie. Sound good?"
"Yes it does." We exchanged digits and e-mails.
Our train stopped in a town near New Bedford. I said my goodbyes to Clint and Kelsey. After that, I went straight to the hotel to drop off my things. Since the hotel was only a ten minute walk from the station there was no need for a taxi. Once I got there and checked in, there was a hand-written note on my bed. It read:
Dear Stephanie,
Hey Steph! It's me Ashton. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Wow this guy is a creep!" Ha-ha. Well no…I'm not. My grandfather owns the hotel you are staying at so I told him to put this note on your bed….so I hope it got there. Don't forget about our little "date" tonight on chat, ha-ha. Talk to you then.
Ashton
Okay Ashton is really sweet, but I can't have a boyfriend right now. Secrets might slip out then I could lose someone else I love.
I unpacked my things and put my sign on do not disturb. I saw my journal and it reminded me that I need to write in it today. I picked it up and wrote:
Dear Journal,
Today I saw my mom for the last time. I really want to apologize but I can't. I can never see or talk to her again. If she ever found out what I did then...then I would have to do something that I really don't want to do. But anyways I met 2 really hot guys 2day and one nice girl. Her name is Kelsey and I met Ashton and Clint. They are all very nice. Ashton and Clint both asked me out 2day. I will go on both dates and see who I like more...lol. Right now I am about 2 go 2 the DMV to get my new license. As of today I am Stephanie Peterson. I am really going to miss my old friends...but they can never know what I did. I g2g It's almost 2pm. Talk 2 u in a week!
-xoxo
I put my journal back in my purse. I got my key card and I left for the DMV. Luckily, there were only five people in line in front of me. Within fifteen minutes I was first.
I walked up to the counter and there was a woman, she was probably in her late thirties. She was wearing an ugly, long sleeved, white top with a giant button on her left shoulder that said: DMV Worker, Vivian. She was an African American and had her hair pulled back in a low bun. Vivian or whatever was reading Reader's Digest.
"Welcome to the DMV. My name is Vivian, how may I help you?" She sounded like she was constipated and she never looked up once.
"Umm, hi. I lost my driver's license and I need a replacement please." I tried to sound as friendly as possible.
She finally looked up. "Okay look kid, just because you didn't like your picture, it doesn't mean that you lost it. Okay? So just run along and I won't call security on you for lying to a government-fund facility."
Someone has an attitude problem. I should do something, but I have a feeling that security could actually lock me up for a day or two and that would not be good.
I smiled a fake smile and said, "Ma'am, I liked my picture. I honestly lost mine. So can I please just get a new one."
She raised an eyebrow and checked me out. Vivian looked like she was trying to see something; hopefully she wasn't a lesbian. That would be kind of awkward…
She finally spoke, "Okay you seem sort-of sweet, so I will try to get you a new one. Name and address please."
"Stephanie Peterson and I attend WestWick Academy." I tried to say that calmly, but I think that came out in a nervous way.
Please, please let this work. If that Vivian doesn't get me a freaking license then I swear I will just-
She typed something in her computer. I sighed impatiently and she smiled an evil smile. "I'm sorry but we do not have a Stephanie Peterson in the system that is currently enrolled at WestWick Academy."
My eyebrows pulled together. "Try it again." I demanded. "I should be in their system."
"I suppose I could try typing your name in again," Vivian was speaking as she was typing, "how do you spell your name?" I told her and she said, "Ah-ha. There you are Miss Peterson. I suppose we could try to get you a license by the beginning of school. Where did you say you were from?"
I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. I can't believe this is really happening. My plan is falling into place. "I am from Oregon."
"One moment…" she typed on her computer and searched her. Thank goodness before I came up here I went to the hospital and bribed a doctor to make a fake birth certificate for a Stephanie Peterson.
"Yes. Here you are Ms Peterson. Okay now I just need you to fill out this form saying your name, the last time you saw your license, and sign these papers here." She gave me a stack of at least 5 papers.
It only took me ten minutes to fill them all out. I gave them back to Vivian. She read them over and marked it as approved. I got my picture taken and they said my license would be delivered to my mailbox the first day at WestWick.
I thought of what else I needed to do. I should probably go to the phone store now. I really needed to change my number.
I took a cab to the nearest Sprint store. Now here, I wasn't so lucky. There was a huge line, so I decided to go to the library and then come back when the line died down. When I walked into the library, the first thing I thought was, Wow. There are not a lot of people here at all. I'm sure nobody here likes to read, I sure don't. The only time I ever come to the library is to get on the computer.
There was one computer open so I sat there. I checked my e-mail and I had a lot from my mom, but I just deleted them all. I had one from Clint. It read:
Hello Stephanie. This is Clint. So I was just thinking about you and I thought I should e-mail you ;). I really thought we hit it off and I wanted to introduce you to my family. I haven't told you this, but I have 2 brothers and 1 sister. My brothers are crazy idiots ha-ha. But my sister is really nice and I think you two would get along perfectly. She does soccer as well. So just text me or e-mail me back. So either one….i'll ummm…see you later, I guess :)
Yours Truly,
Clint
Aww. Clint is truly the gentlemen. He is very nice. I'll text him when I get my new phone so he'll have my new number. I clicked inbox and checked my e-mails from my friends and deleted all of them.
Oh my gosh, an IM just popped up…from Bryce.
BballBryce: Hey
BballBryce: You there Jess?...i know you are…
Oh. My. Gosh.
What am I supposed to do now? If he knows I'm online then I must have accidentally signed into chat. Crap!
Sweet_angel7771: hi…
BballBryce: hi? That's all you have to say after dumping me? You told me u loved me! U told me the whole freakin story bout ur dad and brother! And I havnt said a word…then one week later u dump me! Wat the freakin hell is up w/ that?
Sweet_angel7771: I told u…I moved away and I didn't want a long distance relationship
BballBryce: well u havnt been responding 2 my txts or calls…
Sweet_angel7771:ur right…and 4 good reason
Sweet_angel7771: look im srry…but I g2g
BballBryce: fine…whatever. But b4 u do I want u 2 know that u broke my heart! I loved u…I kept ur little secret and after all that u just break-up w/ me! U DO NOT deserve me. Have fun with ur new life.
Before I had a chance to respond he logged off. I sighed.
I need to send Ashton an e-mail. After this I will go back to the phone store.
To:
From: Sweet_
Subject: Note
Hey Ashton! It's me, Stephanie . I got ur note and I wanted 2 say thank you…that was a very nice thing for you to do. And fyi-u have verrry good hand writing 4 a boy…lol. I also wanted to say that I am heading 2 the phone store…im changing my number, so I will txt u once I get my phone and give u the #...or I guess if I txt u then u will have it…haha anyways I g2g. cant wait 4 our "date" 2night…lol. See ya then! bye!
-Stephanie
After that I headed back to the sprint store. This time there were only three people in line ahead of me. I waited my turn and all the sudden my phone beeped. The caller i.d. said: Mom. I really wanted to answer and apologize, but I couldn't; I pressed ignore. I looked up and it was my turn in line. There was a tall, bald man and according to his nametag his name was Henry.
"Welcome to sprint. How may I help you?"
I smiled and said, "Hey. I need a new phone! Now before you ask, I already have a phone and a plan. What I need you to do is cancel my old phone and get me a new one. Can you do that for me, Henry?" I tried to be flirty on that last part by batting my long eyelashes at him, but he showed no emotion whatsoever.
"Do you have your phone with you miss?"
"Yes I do, right here."
I got my phone out and handed it to him. He looked at it and typed some code into his computer. He asked me what type of phone I wanted and I picked out just a normal flip phone. It had texting, picture mail, internet, and games.
"All right miss, would you like to change your number too?"
"Yes please!"
He read me a list of available phone numbers and I picked one. I paid for my phone and took a taxi back to the hotel. It was almost five o' clock when I got a text.
Wait a second…nobody has my number. I just got the phone.
The caller i.d. was blocked but the text read:
I know who you are and what you have done. If you don't follow my instructions exactly then I will expose you for what you truly are…and we both know what that is, don't we Jessica? :) You should hear from me soon!
How could anyone know who I am? I just moved here! Okay someone here must be from Oregon, how else could they know me?
It's okay, Jessica. Just breathe.
Wait! The only person who actually knows what I did is Bryce! He has to be the one, but how does he know my new number? Okay, whatever it's all fine. I will deal with Bryce later…