*Chapter 3*
The Second Link: Kay, Miguel, and Charity
Kay was hanging out at Miguel's house, which has become a rare occasion ever since Charity arrived in town, when through the window she saw yet another happy couple making out, Luis and Sheridan. It wasn't like she wasn't happy for them, after all, they made a really cute couple. It was just that it was getting to be so annoying, watching everyone mutually falling in love and living happily ever after, while she was stuck being cast aside having to put up with the devastating sight of the one she loves so much with some blonde sunshine girl who just happens to be her long lost cousin. Ever since she came into town, Charity's been the center of attention. It was always 'Charity this' and 'Charity that.' She took away everything she wanted and cherished so badly: the love of her family, the companionship of her friends, and worst of all, MIGUEL! It just wasn't fair at all. Charity put her through hell (literally), and even though it wasn't all of her fault, she was the main reason she was in such a mess. Kay started to do all of these really bad things to get rid of Charity so she could just be with Miguel. Kay suddenly turned into an evil and devious girl, and she hated the person who she has become. She sighed as she watched Luis and Sheridan kissing on the doorstep without a care in the world. She wondered if she could ever be like that with Miguel, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. She knew that deep down inside, even though he didn't know it, he truly did love her. She wondered if he would ever realize that he didn't love Charity, he loved Kay, his best friend since birth, his confidant who was always by his side, who was always there for him when he needed her most.
"Enjoyed the show?" a masculine Lopez-Fitzgerald voice asked behind her. For a second there, she thought it was Miguel, but he was too busy having a smooch session with Charity. She turned around and saw Luis and Sheridan. She was so caught up in her thinking that she hadn't noticed that they came in. Kay blushed furiously and wished she could disappear. "Sorry about that! I'm just being too dreamy for my own good. I just wondered what it would be like to be as deeply in love as the two of you are," she said. Sheridan looked at Luis adoringly and said, "Don't worry, someday, sooner or later, you'll find true love, and you'll know just how we feel right now." Kay smiled sadly, trying to hide the fact that she really was in love, but with someone who's in love with somebody else. Luis and Sheridan went to the living room to join Miguel and Charity, and they engaged in a 'couples only' chat. Kay felt like a fifth wheel, and rather than feeling left out and sorry for herself, she shouted out to them, "I'm gonna go over to the B & B to see if my mom needs any help. Bye!" They said a few scattered "bye"s "see ya later"s and "good night"s. She muttered under her breath "whatever," smiled sweetly, and went out the door.
She stepped out onto the welcome mat, which did no good because she felt way unwelcome, and saw a letter on the driveway. Her brows furrowed as she headed towards it to check it out. She opened the envelope and read the letter, which she believed to be just as sweet as the scent of the violet petals that were enclosed along with the letter. She realized it was the one that brought Luis and Sheridan together, and she was about to give it back, but had another idea in mind. If this could bring two people who did nothing but fight together, then it would definitely make Miguel hers once and for all. She smiled at the wonderful thought and headed over to Simone's house to tell her about her new plan.
When she got there, she saw Chad helping Whitney into his car and hid behind a bush. Before she went in, he kissed her and gave her a single rose. She gasped and said, "Oh my gosh, thank you Chad! You're so thoughtful," and kissed his cheek. "Maybe next time I should buy dozens of roses so I can get dozens of kisses," he said as he leaned in and they sucked face right there. Kay practically gagged at the sight. They finally pulled out of the driveway and left for their date. 'Poor Simone! She's probably heartbroken right now! I should talk to her right now,' she thought to herself as she walked up to the house. She rang the doorbell and a tear-streaked Simone answered it. They went up to her room to talk, and when Simone closed the door, she broke down.
"Oh, Kay! It's so not fair! I thought he was my boyfriend, but all this time he was in love with my sister, and she felt the same way!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Kay looked at her knowingly, trying to comfort her, "Oh, Simone, Chad doesn't deserve a really great person like you if he goes and sneaks around with your sister and doesn't even have the guts to tell you in the first place. I mean, how can they have gone out on a date right after you found out!?" she exclaimed. "I told them I gave them my blessing, and just acted upset that they didn't tell me sooner. I tried so hard to hold the tears and true feelings back. I was really hurt, but I didn't want them to pity me and stop seeing each other just because of me. Even though Whitney's always the one who gets everything, all the love, attention, and happiness, she is my sister, and even though this is a betrayal to sisterhood act of hers, she really belongs to Chad, and I'm really trying to be understanding. So, what did you come over here for before you found out about my sister stabbing me in the back by going out with my supposed boyfriend?" she said in a bitter rush.
"I'm not sure this is the right time..." Kay's voice wandered off. "No, I don't care, just go on and tell me," Simone said reassuringly. "Alright then. Well, remember that letter that brought Luis and Sheridan together? Well, I found it on my way out of Miguel's house, but didn't return it. I was thinking of sending it to him and seeing if he sends it back to me, and if I do get it, then it'll show me how he really feels," Kay said. "What's the point? He's probably going to think it was from Charity and send it back to her. Oh, wait a minute, where's the evil catch?" Simone said, going back to her old self again. "Well, there's no evil catch, but I was planning on giving him a hint by taking a picture of him and Charity, tearing it in half, and putting them in along with the envelope, so he'll know it wasn't from Charity," Kay said with a witty smile on her face. "Well Kay, that's the stupidest plan I've heard yet. Sure he'll show it's not from her, but a gesture like that is gonna freak him out, and when he finds out it was from you, he'll get really angry about that torn-up photo of him and his true love, and you'll be revealing how you really feel not only about him, but your hatred towards Charity," Simone said. Kay rolled her eyes and said, "But the thing you don't see is that when he reads the letter beautifully written exactly about how I truly feel for him and finds out it's from me, he'll know that deep down inside of him, he's been in love with me for years!" she exclaimed excitedly. Simone put up her hands and said, "Whatever! I know you won't listen to me, but I'll tell you this. I'm not a part of this, so don't blame me when it fails." "Thanks a lot for your support, Simone," Kay said sarcastically. "I'm gonna go home now, so I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Kay said and opened the door. "Alright. Bye Kay and thanks for being here for me after you-know-what happened," Simone said with a sincere smile. Kay smiled back and said, "No problem. What are friends for? Bye now!"
She went down the stairs, out the door, and to her house. When she got home, she got another envelope, marked Miguel's name and address on it, and out of habit and without knowing, she put her return address on it! She walked over to Miguel's house, put it in the mailbox, and ran back to her house. Charity heard the mailbox close and said, "I wonder who could be sending you mail at this hour." "I don't know, but I'll go check it out," he said as he went out the door and took the letter out. "Hey look, it's for me!" he said. He looked at the return address and said, "Oh, it's from Kay. I wonder what she could've sent."
He opened it up and recognized the letter. "Hey Luis, isn't this the letter Sheridan gave to you?" Miguel asked. "Yeah, it is! I wonder why Kay's sending it to you..." Luis said. Sheridan suddenly realized what this was about and said, "Oh dear..." Miguel looked inside and saw a split picture of him and Charity. Miguel was confused, then realized what was going on, and was baffled as to how Kay could be doing this. Charity just sat there so still that it seemed like she wasn't even breathing. Luis and Sheridan felt out of place, got up and left without a word, and Miguel and Charity didn't try to stop them because they needed to talk about this alone. Miguel turned to Charity and said, "Please call Kay. Tell her we need to talk to her right now." Charity nodded and called her. Kay wondered why they were asking her to come over when she just visited them but she went anyway.
When she got there, she felt strange, like something fishy was going on, like something terrible was going to happen, but she went in the living room anyway, and that's when she saw it. The letter. The letter with the torn picture. The letter with the envelope with her name and address in the upper left hand corner. Her eyes widened as everything suddenly hit her. This was the stupidest thing that she's ever done to get Miguel. Actually the stupidest thing that she's ever done period. She slowly walked up to them and was about to apologize, but Miguel put his hand up and looked away. "Don't say a word Kay. I just wanted you to know once and for all how I truly do feel, and after this, I want you to completely comprehend what I'm about to do right now," he said seriously, looking straight into her eyes. He bent down, picked up the letter from the coffee table, handed it to Charity, and kissed her.
Kay's world crashed down all around her, and she could feel her heart being thrown to the ground, stomped down hard on, being ripped into ashes, and finally being thrown into the flames in the fireplace where Miguel and Charity stood by, where they watched without a single flinch. Kay could feel the tears rushing down her cheeks, but she wiped them away as her misery faded and her pride set in. "Alright Miguel, if that's how you feel. I deserve someone better, someone who will actually appreciate my love. Goodbye Miguel, Charity. I hope you two have a wonderful life together," she said in a brave, rational voice and held her head up high, walked past them looking straight ahead, and strode out the back door.
She ran to her house to fling open her bedroom door, slam it, plop down onto her bed, and sob into her pillow. Finally, after an hour or so, she sat up and said to herself, "Apparently, Miguel and Charity are meant for each other. Of course I didn't belong to Miguel. My destiny is to be loved by someone who will love me back because true love is mutual, not just one-sided, so I guess I was just infatuated with Miguel, since I longed for someone to love. But I'll find the right one when the time comes, just like Sheridan said, and then I won't be the spiteful person I've become anymore, and everything I truly loved will come back into my life, like my family and friends. So goodbye Miguel, and no loss there because I didn't really love him. I guess I thought I did since I really knew him, he was my best friend, and I was just jealous because he was taken by the one girl who I thought threatened my life of happiness with the ones I love since she came into town. But I was wrong. I can have all of that if I stay the person I was before all of this happened. I just have to be who I am and be loved for who I am."
Suddenly, she heard a soft knock on the door and whispered, "Come in." Charity opened the door and slowly walked in, unsure of what to do next. "Charity, I know you wanted to talk about tonight, so just say what you came in here to say," Kay said with downcast eyes. "Kay, you have to understand that Miguel and I are madly in love, and even though you've done such horrible things to bring us apart, we will endure anything that comes in our way, including the manipulative attempts of the cousin I thought would always be there for me, and who I thought would want for Miguel and I to be happy together. But I want you to know something. You are my cousin and Miguel's best friend, and even though we're really upset right now, we'll love you no matter what, and I hope that someday soon you'll accept my relationship with Miguel, because I know that deep down inside, you know this is right," Charity said in a gentle voice. "I know, I know, I understand all of that now. I wasn't really in love with Miguel, and now I'm admitting to myself that you are, and he's in love with you, and you two make the sweetest couple, well, apart from the great Luis-and-Sheridan alliance, and I want you to know that I give you and Miguel my blessing" she said with a smile. Charity smiled back with immense relief and said, "Thank you so much, Kay. That means a lot to me." "Just come over here and give me a hug before I lose this cheesy sentimental feeling," Kay said with the most genuine smile she's ever given Charity, followed by the warmest and most comforting embrace. [ I know in the real Passions, this would be SOO out of the question, but it's MY cheesy fic, so there! ]
The Second Link: Kay, Miguel, and Charity
Kay was hanging out at Miguel's house, which has become a rare occasion ever since Charity arrived in town, when through the window she saw yet another happy couple making out, Luis and Sheridan. It wasn't like she wasn't happy for them, after all, they made a really cute couple. It was just that it was getting to be so annoying, watching everyone mutually falling in love and living happily ever after, while she was stuck being cast aside having to put up with the devastating sight of the one she loves so much with some blonde sunshine girl who just happens to be her long lost cousin. Ever since she came into town, Charity's been the center of attention. It was always 'Charity this' and 'Charity that.' She took away everything she wanted and cherished so badly: the love of her family, the companionship of her friends, and worst of all, MIGUEL! It just wasn't fair at all. Charity put her through hell (literally), and even though it wasn't all of her fault, she was the main reason she was in such a mess. Kay started to do all of these really bad things to get rid of Charity so she could just be with Miguel. Kay suddenly turned into an evil and devious girl, and she hated the person who she has become. She sighed as she watched Luis and Sheridan kissing on the doorstep without a care in the world. She wondered if she could ever be like that with Miguel, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. She knew that deep down inside, even though he didn't know it, he truly did love her. She wondered if he would ever realize that he didn't love Charity, he loved Kay, his best friend since birth, his confidant who was always by his side, who was always there for him when he needed her most.
"Enjoyed the show?" a masculine Lopez-Fitzgerald voice asked behind her. For a second there, she thought it was Miguel, but he was too busy having a smooch session with Charity. She turned around and saw Luis and Sheridan. She was so caught up in her thinking that she hadn't noticed that they came in. Kay blushed furiously and wished she could disappear. "Sorry about that! I'm just being too dreamy for my own good. I just wondered what it would be like to be as deeply in love as the two of you are," she said. Sheridan looked at Luis adoringly and said, "Don't worry, someday, sooner or later, you'll find true love, and you'll know just how we feel right now." Kay smiled sadly, trying to hide the fact that she really was in love, but with someone who's in love with somebody else. Luis and Sheridan went to the living room to join Miguel and Charity, and they engaged in a 'couples only' chat. Kay felt like a fifth wheel, and rather than feeling left out and sorry for herself, she shouted out to them, "I'm gonna go over to the B & B to see if my mom needs any help. Bye!" They said a few scattered "bye"s "see ya later"s and "good night"s. She muttered under her breath "whatever," smiled sweetly, and went out the door.
She stepped out onto the welcome mat, which did no good because she felt way unwelcome, and saw a letter on the driveway. Her brows furrowed as she headed towards it to check it out. She opened the envelope and read the letter, which she believed to be just as sweet as the scent of the violet petals that were enclosed along with the letter. She realized it was the one that brought Luis and Sheridan together, and she was about to give it back, but had another idea in mind. If this could bring two people who did nothing but fight together, then it would definitely make Miguel hers once and for all. She smiled at the wonderful thought and headed over to Simone's house to tell her about her new plan.
When she got there, she saw Chad helping Whitney into his car and hid behind a bush. Before she went in, he kissed her and gave her a single rose. She gasped and said, "Oh my gosh, thank you Chad! You're so thoughtful," and kissed his cheek. "Maybe next time I should buy dozens of roses so I can get dozens of kisses," he said as he leaned in and they sucked face right there. Kay practically gagged at the sight. They finally pulled out of the driveway and left for their date. 'Poor Simone! She's probably heartbroken right now! I should talk to her right now,' she thought to herself as she walked up to the house. She rang the doorbell and a tear-streaked Simone answered it. They went up to her room to talk, and when Simone closed the door, she broke down.
"Oh, Kay! It's so not fair! I thought he was my boyfriend, but all this time he was in love with my sister, and she felt the same way!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Kay looked at her knowingly, trying to comfort her, "Oh, Simone, Chad doesn't deserve a really great person like you if he goes and sneaks around with your sister and doesn't even have the guts to tell you in the first place. I mean, how can they have gone out on a date right after you found out!?" she exclaimed. "I told them I gave them my blessing, and just acted upset that they didn't tell me sooner. I tried so hard to hold the tears and true feelings back. I was really hurt, but I didn't want them to pity me and stop seeing each other just because of me. Even though Whitney's always the one who gets everything, all the love, attention, and happiness, she is my sister, and even though this is a betrayal to sisterhood act of hers, she really belongs to Chad, and I'm really trying to be understanding. So, what did you come over here for before you found out about my sister stabbing me in the back by going out with my supposed boyfriend?" she said in a bitter rush.
"I'm not sure this is the right time..." Kay's voice wandered off. "No, I don't care, just go on and tell me," Simone said reassuringly. "Alright then. Well, remember that letter that brought Luis and Sheridan together? Well, I found it on my way out of Miguel's house, but didn't return it. I was thinking of sending it to him and seeing if he sends it back to me, and if I do get it, then it'll show me how he really feels," Kay said. "What's the point? He's probably going to think it was from Charity and send it back to her. Oh, wait a minute, where's the evil catch?" Simone said, going back to her old self again. "Well, there's no evil catch, but I was planning on giving him a hint by taking a picture of him and Charity, tearing it in half, and putting them in along with the envelope, so he'll know it wasn't from Charity," Kay said with a witty smile on her face. "Well Kay, that's the stupidest plan I've heard yet. Sure he'll show it's not from her, but a gesture like that is gonna freak him out, and when he finds out it was from you, he'll get really angry about that torn-up photo of him and his true love, and you'll be revealing how you really feel not only about him, but your hatred towards Charity," Simone said. Kay rolled her eyes and said, "But the thing you don't see is that when he reads the letter beautifully written exactly about how I truly feel for him and finds out it's from me, he'll know that deep down inside of him, he's been in love with me for years!" she exclaimed excitedly. Simone put up her hands and said, "Whatever! I know you won't listen to me, but I'll tell you this. I'm not a part of this, so don't blame me when it fails." "Thanks a lot for your support, Simone," Kay said sarcastically. "I'm gonna go home now, so I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Kay said and opened the door. "Alright. Bye Kay and thanks for being here for me after you-know-what happened," Simone said with a sincere smile. Kay smiled back and said, "No problem. What are friends for? Bye now!"
She went down the stairs, out the door, and to her house. When she got home, she got another envelope, marked Miguel's name and address on it, and out of habit and without knowing, she put her return address on it! She walked over to Miguel's house, put it in the mailbox, and ran back to her house. Charity heard the mailbox close and said, "I wonder who could be sending you mail at this hour." "I don't know, but I'll go check it out," he said as he went out the door and took the letter out. "Hey look, it's for me!" he said. He looked at the return address and said, "Oh, it's from Kay. I wonder what she could've sent."
He opened it up and recognized the letter. "Hey Luis, isn't this the letter Sheridan gave to you?" Miguel asked. "Yeah, it is! I wonder why Kay's sending it to you..." Luis said. Sheridan suddenly realized what this was about and said, "Oh dear..." Miguel looked inside and saw a split picture of him and Charity. Miguel was confused, then realized what was going on, and was baffled as to how Kay could be doing this. Charity just sat there so still that it seemed like she wasn't even breathing. Luis and Sheridan felt out of place, got up and left without a word, and Miguel and Charity didn't try to stop them because they needed to talk about this alone. Miguel turned to Charity and said, "Please call Kay. Tell her we need to talk to her right now." Charity nodded and called her. Kay wondered why they were asking her to come over when she just visited them but she went anyway.
When she got there, she felt strange, like something fishy was going on, like something terrible was going to happen, but she went in the living room anyway, and that's when she saw it. The letter. The letter with the torn picture. The letter with the envelope with her name and address in the upper left hand corner. Her eyes widened as everything suddenly hit her. This was the stupidest thing that she's ever done to get Miguel. Actually the stupidest thing that she's ever done period. She slowly walked up to them and was about to apologize, but Miguel put his hand up and looked away. "Don't say a word Kay. I just wanted you to know once and for all how I truly do feel, and after this, I want you to completely comprehend what I'm about to do right now," he said seriously, looking straight into her eyes. He bent down, picked up the letter from the coffee table, handed it to Charity, and kissed her.
Kay's world crashed down all around her, and she could feel her heart being thrown to the ground, stomped down hard on, being ripped into ashes, and finally being thrown into the flames in the fireplace where Miguel and Charity stood by, where they watched without a single flinch. Kay could feel the tears rushing down her cheeks, but she wiped them away as her misery faded and her pride set in. "Alright Miguel, if that's how you feel. I deserve someone better, someone who will actually appreciate my love. Goodbye Miguel, Charity. I hope you two have a wonderful life together," she said in a brave, rational voice and held her head up high, walked past them looking straight ahead, and strode out the back door.
She ran to her house to fling open her bedroom door, slam it, plop down onto her bed, and sob into her pillow. Finally, after an hour or so, she sat up and said to herself, "Apparently, Miguel and Charity are meant for each other. Of course I didn't belong to Miguel. My destiny is to be loved by someone who will love me back because true love is mutual, not just one-sided, so I guess I was just infatuated with Miguel, since I longed for someone to love. But I'll find the right one when the time comes, just like Sheridan said, and then I won't be the spiteful person I've become anymore, and everything I truly loved will come back into my life, like my family and friends. So goodbye Miguel, and no loss there because I didn't really love him. I guess I thought I did since I really knew him, he was my best friend, and I was just jealous because he was taken by the one girl who I thought threatened my life of happiness with the ones I love since she came into town. But I was wrong. I can have all of that if I stay the person I was before all of this happened. I just have to be who I am and be loved for who I am."
Suddenly, she heard a soft knock on the door and whispered, "Come in." Charity opened the door and slowly walked in, unsure of what to do next. "Charity, I know you wanted to talk about tonight, so just say what you came in here to say," Kay said with downcast eyes. "Kay, you have to understand that Miguel and I are madly in love, and even though you've done such horrible things to bring us apart, we will endure anything that comes in our way, including the manipulative attempts of the cousin I thought would always be there for me, and who I thought would want for Miguel and I to be happy together. But I want you to know something. You are my cousin and Miguel's best friend, and even though we're really upset right now, we'll love you no matter what, and I hope that someday soon you'll accept my relationship with Miguel, because I know that deep down inside, you know this is right," Charity said in a gentle voice. "I know, I know, I understand all of that now. I wasn't really in love with Miguel, and now I'm admitting to myself that you are, and he's in love with you, and you two make the sweetest couple, well, apart from the great Luis-and-Sheridan alliance, and I want you to know that I give you and Miguel my blessing" she said with a smile. Charity smiled back with immense relief and said, "Thank you so much, Kay. That means a lot to me." "Just come over here and give me a hug before I lose this cheesy sentimental feeling," Kay said with the most genuine smile she's ever given Charity, followed by the warmest and most comforting embrace. [ I know in the real Passions, this would be SOO out of the question, but it's MY cheesy fic, so there! ]