Disclaimer: I don't own anything and not making money off this... blah blah blah.
Author's Note: None really, I just wanna say hi to ya! ... so, HI!
Letters, Love and Lies
Beware the Betrayal
By now, all the girls were smitten with Jack. None of them denied it to themselves, but kept it to themselves as well. Well, except for one girl, that is.
"He's the kind of man I need," Karen sighed happily as she waltzed around the library. "Just imagine how our kids would look like!"
Maria nodded ever so slightly, her head ducked under the receptionist desk. "Uh... huh?" She cringed as Karen bumped into the neatly arranged shelves, knocking the books she had spend hours everyday organizing and shelving down. 'I'll pick them up later,' she reminded herself.
"Maybe he wants to see the city too," continued Karen, still dancing. "Maybe we could both leave this island and find a home just for ourselves. We could get an apartment! And when our first child is born, we could move into a suburban house with a big backyard-"
"Karen," Maria finally said meekly. Seeing the books hitting the floor and being trampled over was just too much for her now. "Please, you're ruining the books..."
"Oh, sorry," she picked them up and stuffed them into any open space she could find. "But it's not like anyone comes here, right? So it doesn't matter what happens to the books."
Maria shook her head. "Yes, people come here. My dad, May, Harris and Jack."
Karen paused. "Did you say Jack comes here?" Maria nodded. "Oh well then! I should come here more often too! What time does he usually come?"
Everyday, (except on Mondays and holidays) Jack would visit the library at two o'clock in the afternoon. He'd stay there for about twenty minutes to search the shelves and make small talk with Maria. She could practically set her watch to him.
Now, Maria, as you know, is not the type to tell anyone a lie. And she isn't. Well, not entirely. "Um... I d-don't really k-know... h-he c-comes whenever h-he's not w-working..." Usually, when Maria's lying, she stammers a lot more. But no one notices it, because she always stammers when she's uncomfortable and she next to never lies. A talent almost wasted on a girl like her huh?
"Oh well," Karen shrugged. "I'll just catch him in the mountains I guess." With that, she left the library swiftly, without even a goodbye.
'I need to stop her,' Maria told herself. 'But... maybe Jack likes her. I mean, why would he like me? No one likes me!'
Just then Harris walked in, interrupting Maria's thoughts. "Hi Maria!" he greeted cheerfully. He held up a small cardboard box triumphantly. "Your order just came in today!"
"Oh..." Maria accepted the package and opened it, with Harris watching all the while. "Oh... it's my order for the new Harry Potter books!" she picked up one of the copies and held it tightly. "I've been waiting a long time for this to come. I already reserved the 'Book of the Month' slot for it right at the reception desk!" With great caution, Maria placed the book down on its stand. "I love Harry Potter, don't you?" (Okay, me personally, don't know much about it. I've seen the movies, but that's it.)
"Oh me too!" Harris exclaimed. "Do you mind if I borrowed a copy right now? I want to be the first person on this island to sign it out. After all, it's our librarian's book of the month!"
"Sure, of course you can," Maria replied. She put the little card pocket in the back of the book, wrote down his name and handed it to him.
"Oh, thanks," Harris said, sounding a bit surprised. "Well... goodbye Maria. See you tomorrow." He hesitated a bit, then made his way out the door.
With him gone, Maria was free to think about Jack again. 'Maybe I should write him a letter... not a love letter, but something to tell him I want to get to know him better, outside the library.' She took out her favourite stationary and pen and started to write.
Karen crossed the bridge above the river to the Carpenter's hut. That was the area she most frequently saw Jack, and she wanted to see him that day. She had already checked his farm, but no one was home. So she decided to check the mountains instead.
When she made it to the other side, dread lurched inside her stomach, and it wasn't the tuna salad sandwich she had had for lunch. She cussed to herself. She's here. Ann was by the pine tree, watching a white rabbit as it hopped around a tree stump. Should I just leave? Karen thought to herself. Wait, no! I'm not gonna let that witch take over my life. So instead of running, she took a seat by the edge of the river.
"What are you doing here?" Ann demanded.
"What do you mean, what am I doing here?" Karen shot back. "I'm not on your farm, like you asked. You don't own the mountains, so I'm free to come and go here as I wish!"
"Fine! There's plenty of mountain, I'll just take my business somewhere else!" Ann started to make her way across the bridge.
"W...wait Ann," Karen called, biting her lip. "I'm... sorry about yesterday."
Ann whipped around, her long braid swinging in the air. "You are?"
Karen scowled. "Didn't I just say I was?"
"Oh, okay," Ann grinned. "I'm sorry too. I guess I over-reacted."
"Well, you did a little bit," Karen pointed out, a hint of a smile forming at the corners of her lips. "But it was fun getting to know Jack a lot more."
Ann flinched. "What do you think of him?"
Karen giggled, blushing a bit. "I like him a lot! And I think he likes me too! I think I'll ask him to escort me to the Vegetable Festival."
"But... you don't need an escort for that festival!" Ann raised an eyebrow.
"I know, but he probably doesn't!" Karen giggled again. "Maybe later I'll invite him over to my place for a drink or something. He better be able to handle his drink; I can't be with a man who can't!"
"Okay..." Ann nodded.
"Oh Ann, I don't ever think I've felt this way about anyone," Karen gushed. "I think I'm in love."
"Wow... Karen, you shouldn't say that!"
"What? Why?"
"Love is a very big deal!" Ann explained. "You haven't known him long enough; you can't be in love with him already!"
"You can't tell me how I feel! If I feel in love, then I'm in love!" Karen shouted angrily. "And why is it such a big deal that I think I love him? It's not like you like him!"
Ann tensed up. "Y-you're right. I'm sorry. Well, I gotta go." She left the scene abruptly, leaving Karen in high spirits.
When she reached the crossroads, Ann took a seat near a small tree Enjoying the cool shade, she rested her back on the trunk. So Karen thinks she's in love with Jack, she thought to herself. Peh, that dumb girl doesn't know a thing about love. And getting him to escort her to the Vegetable Festival? That's just way too desperate, even for her! But what should I do about it...?
Suddenly struck by an idea, she pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil from her overall back pocket. Well, I'm going to beat her to it, Ann decided as she scribbled out a note to Jack. I'll stick it into his mailbox right now before she gets the chance. Even if Jack looks like an idiot escorting a girl to a festival that isn't at all related to girls or dances, he'll be MY idiot!
Ann was just going to drop it off in Jack's mailbox when Harris crossed her path, his bag almost empty after a longs day of work. "Hello Ann!" he addressed her. "Beautiful weather we're having today!"
"Yeah..." she nodded. "Actually Harris, would you do me a quick favour?"
He hesitated for a moment. "Oh... sure. What is it?"
"Could you deliver one more letter to Jack's farm?" Ann quickly folded up the paper into a small tight package. "I don't have a stamp with me right now, but I have some change to cover that." Dipping into her overall pocket, Ann produced some coins. "Here you are."
"Oh, okay." He accepted the letter and the money, an unreadable expression plastered on his face. "Thank you."
"Well, see you later!" Ann waved goodbye and started to march back to her ranch, humming happily all the while.
"What about Gray?" Elli asked while clearing the bakery table. "Don't you still like him?"
Popuri shrugged. "Um, well... maybe. But you can like two guys at the same time right?"
Elli nodded. "Um... yes?"
"Aw, c'mon Elli!" Popuri nudged her playfully. "You think Jack's all that too don't you?"
"Well, he's a good person. I'd go out with him if he asked me, but I got a lot more on my mind," she sighed while wiping up the crumbs off the table. "Like, the bakery."
"You mean Jeff?"
"No, the bakery bakery!" Elli threw her dishrag at Popuri. "Haven't you noticed that we don't get much business? We're usually empty! Like right now! Business is so slow that even Jeff decided to take a break!"
"But I give your bakery business," Popuri pointed out, a little hurt.
"Yes I know," Elli sighed again. "And we really appreciate that. But most of the townfolk don't come here often. Some of them haven't even set foot in this store. It's very discouraging."
"Does Jack come here often?" Popuri asked excitedly. "Coz I never see him here; does he Elli does he?" She grabbed the fringe of Elli's dress and started tugging at it. "Does he?"
"Yes yes!" Elli yelped, jumping away from Popuri's grasp. "Now let go of me!"
Popuri released her hand, unaware of the wrinkles she made. "Really? How often? And does he talk to you? And does he buy anything?"
"Popuri!" Elli gasped. "You need to calm down!"
"Just answer me!"
Elli thought for a moment, taking the time to recall the questions. "Um, I guess every other day, yes, and sometimes."
Popuri gasped. "What does he say to you?"
Even though Elli felt a little uncomfortable telling her friend what she and Jack discussed, she obliged. "Well, about... stuff I guess. Like 'Hey what's up? How's business?' and 'I brought you over some fresh milk for your pastries and tea.'"
"He... he gives you gifts?"
Elli nodded. "Well, sometimes. Just things like milk and eggs."
"I know," Popuri grinned. "He gives me flowers sometimes." Then they both looked at each other.
"Oh my God," Elli whispered.
"He's playing both of us!" Popuri shrieked.
"Do you think he gives gifts to the other girls too?"
"Well, let's find out!" The two of them set out to confront Jack when by pure luck, he walked in.
"Hi Elli, hi Popuri," he greeted.
"Hi..." they both answered back, glancing at each other.
"What's up? How's business?"
Popuri muffled a giggle as Elli answered, "The same, as usual." She waved her arm around the room in effect. "Actually a little worse. Even Jeff took a break today."
Jack nodded sympathetically. "Well, I'll just have a slice of cake to go."
Elli went over to the counter and brought out a slice as Jack handed over the money. "Is this for anyone in particular?" She couldn't resist asking.
"Well, yeah." Both girls tensed up, expecting him to offer them the cake. "Well, see you guys later." He placed the pastry in his backpack and left the bakery.
Popuri cussed under her breath exasperatedly. "He does give presents to other girls!"
"Can we actually assume that he's giving it to a girl?" Elli wondered out loud with a giggle.
"Are you saying that you think he's gay?" Popuri elbowed her in the ribs. "Elli, that's so cruel!"
"I'm just pondering over it, that's all. I mean, what kind of guy would--" she stopped herself from saying "Grow flowers in his farm," instead, she replaced it with "...get other people to build things for him?" She held her breath, hoping Popuri wouldn't get suspicious.
"He probably doesn't have the time to."
"Well," Elli cringed. "I think we should both consider him off-limits. I mean, if the five of us went after him, we might as well officially call our friendship over."
Popuri nodded. "Well, I guess that's fair." But as she said it, her fingers were crossed behind her back. With Elli out of the race, she thought to herself. I can go after him myself without the slightest twinge of guilt. "Well, I better be heading back home. See ya later!" She left the bakery quickly.
Elli stood frozen, staring at the door as it eased shut. "Hmm, if the five of us went after Jack, do you think I would stand a chance?" she reflected. "Well, it doesn't hurt to have some fun and find out! You never know, I might even land the prize!" With a chuckle, she went back to work.
Author's Note: Who will Jack choose to 'escort' to the Vegetable 'Festival'? Who else will fall in love with Jack? Who else will lie to their best friends to get what they want? Who's letter will 'accidently' be dropped into the river? And best of all, who does Jack really love? That's the next chapter, so stay tuned!