Chapter 11: Jack

-x-

My father told me one day that I looked like mother. Long brown hair, except it was wavy as mine was straight like his, but even so, it made me happy. He asked me to let it grow. It was a promise. And every time I looked at my hair, it reminded me that my father expects my hair to be long. It was the only thing… I believe, that made me know he loved me. That he would always stay with me and my brother.

But he had died. My mother fell into a coma. My brother became a delinquent. And I had also been tainted as well. I had run away.

I'm sorry, Father, that I cut my hair. But you had left us behind in a world that knows nothing but money and sorrow... Isn't it fair then?

-x-

Chelsea's POV

I looked down, my eyes falling at the view of the river that flowed at the east side of my farm... Was I staring at the sky the whole time? I blinked a few times, wondering how I zoned out in the first place. I ran my hand through my hair to end up in a pause.

That's right…. I had cut my hair.

I sighed as I kicked the water under my feet, seeing the dots of water cut through the air to join up with the rest of their rushing friends in the current. I leaned forward a bit to see my reflection in the water.

It was no phooey this time. I had really cut my hair. It was permanent though it looked the same as it was when it was tied. I couldn't risk any chances getting caught, but it was my only way to prove that I'm a female without going to drastic measures. And.. Other things..

Aidan had nuzzled his way under and through my arm and settled himself on my lap. The pup then turned around, staring at me with large brown eyes.

I instantly could read the message coming from the little guy. "Aidan, don't do this to me." I stroked his head softly. "It's pure evil giving me that sort of look." He titled his head slightly to the side, then turned to face the water.

I had heard from… somewhere… that animals and pets can tell and read your feelings like a book. If they are close with the owner, they now the exact dose of happiness for their owner. Seems like this has proved this theory true to me. I wonder why people can't be like that?

I took hold of Aidan in my arms and stood up, brushing off my bottom with the free hand. My occupied hand suddenly felt weak and immediately needed assistance from the other. I hadn't realized that Aidan had grown! Or at least gotten… more weight. Luckily, he's still light enough for me to at least hold him.

I turned and strolled for my house as another occurrence came to me. I had completely forgotten about all those reporters and detectives out there. Another reason that got me thinking hard. Really hard. For days, I've been mobbed, attacked, hassled, questioned, interrogated… I wondered if they'll ever give up.

Then again, Chelsea was known as the eldest daughter to be taking over the family inheritance of a wealthy well known family known throughout the country of which she came from, born and raised. Father died. Adopted into NEW family as mother remarries. Brother becomes a delinquent. Melanie. And the heiress runs away.

All horrible things crammed into one. Chelsea hated the fact her life was full of drama. It was less than what she needed now. AKA, Braden, which is I.

Soon, the news is: "Wealthy Castaway Chelsea Abandons her Family!" "Chelsea Acres Has Gone Missing?" "The Shipwreck: Disappearance of Acres' Heir!" " Where Could Chelsea be Now?"

And all that crap. I would hate to be Chelsea right now. But too bad, I am her.

I continued walking onward, wondering why it was taking longer than usual to get to my own house. Probably I'm dragging my feet? I began to pick up the pace, hoping that no more reporters would come hunt me down at the sight of me.

My hope for the freedom died down as I saw a brown head move around in the distance. I already figured that many more would be gathered around that single head which was awkwardly taller than the rest of the group. But I came to understand that… the brown head was the only head there.

Continuing along. I found it to be a somewhat tall man, about Denny's height probably, but it was no Denny nor Vaughn. He had brown ruffled hair that spiked out every which way, a red bandana tied around his neck as mine, and apparel a lot similar to mine. Like a farmer.

My pace came to a slow stop as I just stared at the man that stood in my property nearby my house. It was unbelievable. I couldn't trust my eyes but he stood there, staring at my field. A similar smile from all those years ago spread across his face and he nodded at my work.

I clearly had recognized him. Of course I'd recognize him. After all, it was - "Jack!"

He jerked his head toward my direction and I took a deep breath in. It really was him. He gave me an awkward glance, raising his brow.

I cried again running for him, "Jack!"

He blinked and took a small step back as I came running toward him. It was so unbelievable! What could he be doing here? I never told him anything. So how did he find me? "Jaa -"

THUD. Face meets ground. Ground meets face.

"Oh, crap, are you okay?" I heard him say, his feet pounding the ground under my face.

I slowly lifted my head, feeling the pain stinging at my nose. I could feel my eyes burn with tears.

He repeated again, this time, kneeling in front of me. "Are you okay?"

I shot a look at him, with my hand grazing my nose, and snapped, "Do I look like I'm okay? What kind of stupid question is that?"

He seemed to have caught something from my response, seeing that he looked at me strangely. It was after I sat upon my bottom that he began speaking again. "How do you know my name?" He asked dumbly.

I was about to rip his head off wondering why he would ask such a stupid question, but I had come to another epiphany. I was a boy named Braden who lives as the farmer of the new island called Sunny Island. Of course he would ask why I know his name. Stupid me.

"I…" My mouth voiced hesitantly. Should I say? Wouldn't he take it the wrong way? If I say something about me being Chelsea, wouldn't he question? Wouldn't that give away a chance of the sudden revelation that I am not "Braden"? Wouldn't that bring me back where I had started?

Jack's POV

One word: WEIRD.

I just happened to stumble upon the farm as that Cowboy earlier told me to "head north from the beach". Also, that pirate dude told me the farmer here AKA Braden was a "good guy". Let's correct that. Crazy.

He calls out my name (How does he know my name?). He runs after me. He trips. But what he said… It was all too familiar that I had to think for a second or two about it. It sounded a lot like… Chelsea?

"I…" He started, his voice quiet. What was it now? If he's to apologize, that's fine. It's just that he'll see me gone in an instant.. Like INSTANT RAMEN!

"Yeah?" I asked, ready to sprint away as my muscles tightened.

He looked at me with a straight face, tears at the corners of his eyes. "I'm Chelsea!"…. Now he must be more than crazy. He has officially won my "you have completely lost your mind" award. Congrats.

"Um, excuse me. You're a guy. Not my cousin." I said in a matter of fact tone.

"I'm not!" His voice, which I caught, suddenly to changed to be sound a lot like Chelsea, though it's been a while since I've heard of her since she called me.. Like how many so years ago exactly? "I'm telling you the truth. I am Chelsea!" He yelled.

"Riight…" I nodded, already turning for the exit.

A small grasp held my arm and he began to pull me toward his house.

Chelsea's POV

Crap. I didn't know what to do. Here I am, "the officially crazy farmer guy" , in Jack's book, dragging him away into my house. What am I going to do? I can't pull out those wonderful locks of brown and show that as proof that I'm a girl. Why did I have to cut my hair at such a bad time?

"Hey. Let go of me." He growled, pulling out his arm out of my grasp.

I turned around, facing him and his queer face. "Can't you just hear me out. I am Chelsea." I stated boldly.

He frowned and crossed his arms. "Prove it to me."

"You sleep with a stuffed animal named Lambchops and without it, you get scared of the dark at night." It was horrible to know that he wasn't a man.. yet. Still sleeping with a teddy.. But even I don't have the right to say so…except the phobia of darkness.

His eyes grew wide and he looked elsewhere. "Ahah. Y-Yeah, right. Th-That's totally not true.." I crossed my arms this time. He then pointed his index finger at me and said, "But that still doesn't prove that you are Chelsea… even if you do know something like that."

I frowned and scrunched my brows, thinking hard. "Ermmm…." I looked up at Jack again and found myself staring at him Something was missing from him… What… -Ah! I grabbed him by the arm and pushed him through my house door. I saw him stumble a little ways to my table and look at me with a daunting face.

I was looking around furiously now, like a pirate captain desperate to find gold, rummaging through everything. I jumped to my cabinet and pulled out each drawer. Not there. Not here either. Not- Looking up, I spotted my target sitting right in front of me. I seized it in my hands and ran toward Jack. I stopped in front of him and threw his hat at his face. He seemed surprised by the sudden projectile and frantically grabbed at it, examining it in his large hands. Looking inside, he found the tag that had a poorly written "Jack" on it.

He continued staring at it, slowly mumbling, "There's only one person that could have this hat… There no way that…." He looked up at me and put his hat on my head. His face softened and he looked dismayed. " Chelsea… "

I smiled as he covered his face with his hand. "Yes! Yes, it's me, Jack." I paused as I suddenly heard quiet sniffles coming from him. "J-Jack?"

"I can't believe it…" He sat down at the edge of my table. "You.. You're still alive…"

Heh? Wait… I've been pronounced.. dead?

"The news was all over the place." He began. I handed him my hanky and watched him blow so hard in it. He was about to hand it back, but I signalled that he could keep it. After that, he continued, "I got news from Erika. She told me you had disappeared, not leaving a trace where you would be. She also told me that Auntie had slipped to her ex about your disappearance."

I turned around thinking. Crap. So Devon studied up on me huh? Why did Devon, Auntie's ex, have to be a reporter? Turning toward Jack again, I suddenly felt his hands fall to my shoulders. He looked at me with a splendid smile that I had remembered years before.

"I'm so glad your safe. I didn't want to know that my cousin was dead. I wanted to learn more about the incident and came here hearing that many people and reporters were gathering here. I wanted to see if it was official that you had disappeared." He nodded. "We should tell the press that your still alive."

I backed away from him. "Hah? No, we can't do that…"

He stared at me with disbelief. "Why? All this ruckus can stop once -"

I shook my head in defence. "No! I-I can't say that I'm Chelsea. I can't -"

"Say, why are you dressed as a boy in the first place?"

I stopped, feeling my muscles loosen. It was silence that fell upon us as we stood a meter away from each other. Though we fought time to time, it was always about something stupid. But I never wanted to have real arguments with Jack. But in this one…

I sat down at a chair near the table and sighed. I felt his eyes following me and laying such heavy weight upon my shoulders.

"Jack… You already know the problem with the family right?"

He leaned back and nodded. "Yeah, family fell into debt, mother is sickly, the mention of Melanie's incident (no details), Brother -" He cut off after that. If possible, it felt as if I could hear him grimace at the mention of my brother. No matter though. I felt the same about that idiot.

"What does having to dress up as a boy have to do with all that though?" He resumed.

I looked up at my ceiling and sighed again. "I wanted to pay off the 1 million dollar debt that father left upon us, as well as the piling bills that Brother keeps adding, Auntie's reckless spending, and Mother's and Melanie's medical treatments which seem to have no affect at all. I wasn't tired of knowing how much we were loosing. I ran away thinking it was the best thing to do, thinking that I could do something out here than stay at home, doing useless paying jobs."

I heard Jack chuckle at this and look at me. "You sure you weren't pissed of it all?"

I smiled weakly myself. "Well, I guess I was.. A lot. No matter how many jobs I did, a bumpkin rich place like that wouldn't even be handing out jobs with high wages. It was ironically useless as it kept my ambitions up high. But I guess I did get pissed of it all, seeing that I couldn't do a thing just being there. I was sick of being there. But coming out to see that large ship brought me a new feeling.. Hope. Though, stealing Auntie's money probably wasn't the smartest thing huh?"

He turned around to gawk at me with large incredulous eyes. "You stole Auntie's money?"

I laughed. "It wasn't easy, but hogging all that money still wasn't fair. I wasn't expecting so much courage coming from me…" He laughed too and signalled to continue.

"I wasn't expecting the shipwreck either. But it landed me here an uninhabited island, along with a family of four who's been like.. A second family to me, watching my back unlike my real one, while being here. I found out that this farm was no longer being taken care of, but I couldn't take care of it.. Because I was a girl."

I looked at him as I read clearly from his facial expressions that he understood why I dressed as a boy. And as expected, I heard, "Ahh… that's why you dress up as a guy." Then the unexpected, "Well, I'm not surprised since you are rather tomboyish and have freakishly strong man arms." He laughed loudly.

I whacked him behind the head, clearing out my voice before I continued. "So I've been working here as -" I made air quotes. "Braden… But there's only a few here that know I'm Chelsea." There was another moment of silence as we both began to soak this moment in. I shifted a little in the chair.

"You just don't wanna go home huh?"

I looked up at him and found his green eyes to be looking at me with a flash of sorrow. It took a while for me to respond since I didn't think he would catch on so quickly, but I nodded, seeing that that was main reason.

"But you'll have to go back someday." He continued.

I stood up from my chair and placed both hands on the table. "And I will. I will once I pay off this debt. Then I will go home." I saw his eyes search me for a while and he turned away, sighing.

" I dunno about this, Chels. This could mean a lot of trouble for you." He then looked up to my ceiling as well. "What if you get caught?"

"I'm pretty good when it comes to hiding things, Jack." I answered. "If I haven't been caught yet so I must be doing well so far."

He quickly replied with a tone of anger, "But how about when it's time for you to return home? These people here that you have considered as you "second family" will have to know the truth sometime, Chelsea. You can't be Braden forever." He paused, drawing a breath. "It's best to do it now you know. In the end, doing this… it looks as if you betrayed everybody."

I blinked at how sincere he was being… Now that I think of it… Would this be hurting anyone in the end just as he says? … Why is it that I never thought about that?

"You're rather selfish, Chelsea." He continued. " Don't you know that those who are keeping your secret is already doing so much for you? You should just put an end to this and stop." That's when his sincere speech spiralled down. "I can't trust that these people would protect you anyway! They'd probably spill the beans and make you hurt in the end."

Ding!

Ahh…That's why…

"You only want me to go home, don't you?" I said bluntly. So much for sincerity. And I took him seriously too.

He nodded defiantly. "Yes, it's a must. How could you trust these people anyway? There are some rather strange people here…" He seemed to be thinking of something as he paused but then continued rambling.

I sighed. Jack was an absolutely wonderful cousin who is more of a brother to me. I love him dearly. It's just sad that he's rather stupid.. I opened my mouth to say something, but loud knocking on my door disrupted my defence.

Knock. Knock. "Hello, anyone home?"

We both flinched at the sound of the familiar voice. …Devon…

-x-

HALFWAY DONE WITH THE MARKERS! Oh woops, silly me. Excuse that thought. Haha.

- Do Jo