Here is chapter 2! Enjoy! Feedback is cherished and keeps me writing!
Give it Back Chapter 2
"New York, Kay? I don't know, sweetie. That's awfully far away.", Sam said to his daughter.
"Frankly, I'm not sure if your responsible enough to handle it, Kay. It's a big responsibility.", added Grace.
" Charity mentioned something about being really excited to come, too.", Kay grited through her teeth.
" Well, if Charity wants to go, i don't see why not.", Grace said quickly.
Kay almost smiled. It was so absurd, so absolutely crazy. Yet it was true. Her mother craved to please Charity, but didn't really care about her own daughter's need for some teenage normalcy.
Of course, she hadn't actually told Charity yet, but going to New York had been something Kay and Miguel had always wanted to do. She was sure that Charity wouldn't actually have the nerve to say no to miguel.
" Thanks so much mom! Nice to know that you care.", Kay said in the most saccarine-filled, sugary voice she could muster.
With that, Kay grabbed her pink crocheted purse and went out the door. She headed to the Book Cafe, knowing the gang would be there. They always were.
Kay was so absorbed in her thoughts that she almost knocked over her elderly neighbor, Tabitha.
" Oh, sorry Tabitha! I totally didn't even see you. Are you all right?", Kay asked.
" Yes dear, I'm alright. Timmy looks a little shaken up though, doesn't he?", Tabitha said with a laugh, gesturing toward Timmy, her doll.
Kay held back a giggle. Tabitha was nice enough, she was just such an eccentric old woman. I mean, how many old ladies do you know that carry around dolls named Timmy?
" So, deary, what are you up to these days? I haven't seen much of you since--", Tabitha began
" Charity came to town.", Kay finished for her.
" Well, actaully yes." Tabitha replied, looking slightly surprised.
" My friends and I might actually be taking a trip to New York City.", Kay said, her eyes shining at the thought.
" Well, that sounds like fun. Now run along dear!" Tabitha said in a strangled voice.
" Well, that's not good news for us at all, Timmy.", Tabitha said.
" Why Princess?", Timmy asked. He had changed into human mode.
" First, Charity and Miguel. Alone? What if they make love? Then it would be bye-bye to Tim-Tim and Princess. No more Martimmys, either.", Tabitha said.
" No more martimmys!?!?", Timmy sounded outraged.
" Next, there is someone in New York City that I can't let meet Kay!", Tabitha went on.
" Who's that Tabby?", Timmy asked curiously.
" All in due time, Tim-Tim. With our luck, you'll find out in no time at all.", Tabitha said grimly.
Kay finally reached the Book Cafe after running almost all the way there. She walked in and saw the whole gang sitting at the couch.
In two breaths she managed to fill them in about the trip.
Miguel was excited beyond belief. " Kay! That's been our lifelong dream ever since we were what? Like 6?"
Kay responded, " Yeah, Miguel, isn't it great? I still have those brochures that we ordered."
"What are you talking about Kay?", asked Charity.
" Well when Miguel and I were 6, that summer, we were totally obsessed with going to New York. We sent out for brochures, booklets and travel guides. We spent the entire summer planning out trip. We never actually got to go, but we still talk about it sometimes.", Kay explained.
" Yes, the tourism facts are fascinating. Did you know that there are over a million taxicabs in the city?", Reese asked.
" No, Reese, I had no idea.", Jessica responded sweetly.
Kay looked over at Charity. Somehow she sensed that Charity wasn't all for the trip.
Miguel seemed to notice it right when Kay did. "What do you think Charity? Doesn't that sound like fun?", he asked.
" Yeah. Fun.", Charity said with an obviously forced smile on her face.
" Charity, sweetie, do you want to go home and rest? You look a little tired.", Miguel said worriedly.
" OMIGOD, she's done SO much strenuous activity, she might just break a NAIL!", Kay muttered.
Luckily, Simone was the only one who heard her, and she just gave Kay a sharp jab in the rib.
" Yeah, Miguel, I'm going to go home and rest. Stay here, and help plan the trip, okay?", Charity said in her cheery voice.
Charity left the others, and the only thing she heard as a response was laughter and excited voices.
MAIN STREET
Charity walked slowly along the road. Damn that Kay. Why did she have to pick New York City, out of all places. That place would bring back so many memories. So many horrible memories...
~*FLASHBACK*~
Charity saw her 13-year old self in a familar school hallway. " No! ", she whimpered, " Anywhere but here!"
" Hey look at that ugly girl! Where DID she get that sundress? It is SO last season.", Tarah said in a snotty voice.
" What's her name again? Oh, yeah, Charity! Her mom must have named her after where she gets her clothes!", taunted one of Tarah's sidekicks.
" Here's a quarter. Please. Go buy a life. If you can't afford it, then steal one. It's all for the good of the society.", Tarah sneered, tossing a quarter at Charity.
" Oh and take care of that pimple on your chin, dear. It's so insightly!", Tarah called, followed by that horrible laughter...
~*END FLASHBACK*~
'Okay, Chill Charity! Remember? It's New York City! What are the chances of running into Tarah or any of her loser sidekicks??', Charity thought to herself.
' Besides, even if you do, you have nothing to worry about. You're not that plain, drab girl anymore. It took two years, but now your perfect. Every guy's dream. There's nothing that Tarah, or Kay for that matter, can do to take it away from you.', satisfied with that thought, Charity walked into the Bennett house.
Suddenly she got dizzy and muttered, " Oh my lord..." at the sight that she saw.
CHARITY STANDISH
Dear Diary,
Wow. New York. It's been so long since I've thought about that place. I was so different then. But now that's all behind me. I didn't go through all that pain just to be constantly reminded of who I used to be. WHAT I used to be.
Am I confusing you? Ever since I can remember, I have thrived to be envied. To have girls be jealous of me. To be wanted.
In New York,I didn't have that. I wasn't special. Just some plain ordinary girl that no one would ever remember. I was nobody.
But here in Harmony, it's different. I'm everything I ever wanted to be.
Everything Kay Bennett used to be. But hey, that's what happens when you don't watch your back.
It's amazing what blonde hair, colored contacts, the right makeup, hair style and clothing can do. How it can change the way people see you. Suddenly, your not the wannabe anymore. Your the one that people wanna be like.
Shallow. They're all shallow. But hey, who am I to say anything? If they're going to base their lives on some alternate reality instead of actual reality, then that's fine with me. It gives me an advantage. It gives me power.
MIGUEL LOPEZ FITZGERALD
Hey journal! It's been a while, I can tell. The last thing in here was a journal entry about how I was going to ask out Kay.
But now I've got Charity. It's weird. My life right now is perfect. It's how I always dreamed it would be. With Kay.
But I'm not with Kay. I'm with Charity. But sometimes it feels like I'm with the wrong person....
Kay used to be my best friend. Wow. That was a sub-conscious slip. I wrote "used to be". But I guess it's true. She and I haven't connected or talked like we always used to. I know I haven't been paying much attention to her lately. Thinking about New York has shown me just how far apart we've actually grown. I always took Kay for granted. Maybe it's time to change that.