Becoming Mandy

Chapter 4

★ Mindy ★
Jared pulled into a parking lot, bringing his car to a slow stop, the engine shutting off.

"Here we are." He informed me, jumping out the driver's seat and dancing around the car to go open my door. I pryed it open myself before he had the chance. It hit his knee.

"Crap, Mandy!" He groaned, cringing and rubbing his knee. I chuckled and got out, slamming the door shut.

"Why a park?" I decided to ask as I took in my surroundings. Park's looked creepy at night: the swings moving back and forth softly, the air ruffling the tree leaves. I shuddered. The place was completely empty. A perfect scene for a crime. The worst of thoughts filled my head.

"Chill," Jared told me as if reading my mind. "You're safe with me."

"Sure." I muttered. He led me into the park, jumping over the small railing. I did the same.

"I really don't see why chose this out of all places." I said.

Jared chuckled. "I like it private."

I didn't know how to respond so I just huffed and followed him over to one of the swings. I flopped down on a blue swing, moving back and forth gently, the wind blowing through my hair.

Jared fell into the empty swing beside me. "Calming, huh?"

"Creepy." I responded.

He laughed and pushed himself up, the swing bringing him back down. "Tell me, Mandy. I've never seen you around Ontario. Do you live around here?"

I hesitated. I never thought he'd ask a question like this. I swallowed and ran a hand through my chocolate waves. "Visting?" It came out sounding like a question.

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Don't tell me you're leaving soon. Where are you staying?"

"I-well..." I fidgeted. "I'm not sure when I'm leaving." I kicked the ground and sand slipped into my heels. I shook it out. "I'm staying at my cousin's house." I decided to say.

He nodded his head slowly. "Who's your cousin?"

"Mindy." I blurted and quickly slammed a hand over my mouth. No. Bad choice of words, Mindy. He could easily realize something wasn't right. He could find out that I am Mindy. But I had to go along with my story now. I had no other choice. I didn't want to come out sounding like a liar.

Jared's eyes widened. "Mindy? Really? You guys don't even look like you're related."

I held back a giggle. We were more than just related. If only he knew.

"But then again," He crinkled his forehead. "You guys have similar eyes..."

"That one pretty big slide." I said, changing the subject and standing up to walk towards the big yellow slide. "Looks fun." I climbed up and sat at the top, positioning myself to slide down. I could hear footsteps hitting the metal floor around me.

"It does look fun." Jared's voice said suddenly. He was so close, I could feel his breath on my neck.

I jumped, startled, and slipped. I began to slide down but Jared caught my arm.

"Let me go!" I argued, struggling to pull out of his grip.

"Mandy-" He began to say, but my weight was too much. He went down with me, headfirst. I screamed and went flying off the slide, hitting the ground with a loud "thump".

Jared fell ontop of me, his laughter covering up my scream.

"You should have seen your face!" Jared laughed. "It was priceless!"

I frowned and struggled to push him off me. "Get off, you jerk!"

He smirked but didn't get off me. Instead he brought his face close to mine, so close that he was breathing my air.

"What if I don't want to get off? What if I like this position?" He winked.

I felt my insides go all mushy and my heartbeat increase. Why was I feeling I like this? My face heated up.

"Get off me now!" I argued and shoved him off. He chuckled as I stumbled to my feet. I brushed sand off my dress and shook some out of my heels and hair.

"Sand looks good on you." Jared commented, still laying on the ground.

"Shut up!" I snap and stomp off toward Jared's car. "Drive me home now!" I order.

He stands up and shakes sand out of his dirty blonde locks. "Why so soon?"

"Because-" I stopped mid-sentence. Beady red eyes stared back at me from beside a park bench. I sucked in a deep breath. It was a dog. I couldn't tell the breed in the dark but the way it blended into the darkness told me it was black. It pulled it's lips back into a snarl and took a slowy, threatening step in my direction.

"J-Jared..." My lips trembled. Jared looked up, following my gaze and meeting the dog's red eyes.

"Don't move." He ordered.

The dog growled.

I squealed.

It stepped closer.

That was when I freaked. I turned and ran, crashing into Jared's chest. I did what my natural instincts told me too: I held onto Jared, burying myself onto his chest for protection. He wrapped his arms around me making me feel safer.

"Go away!" He barked towards the dog. "Shoo!"

The dog let put a howl and I could hear it's paws hitting the ground as it ran off.

"There. It's gone." Jared assured me. "You're safe. It was just a dog."

"It's eyes." I shrieked, remembering the way it looked at me. "They were red."

Jared laughed softly. "It's ok. Nothing happened."

"Almost!" I snapped, stepping out of his chest and sauntering over to the car. "Now take me home. If this if your idea of a date, then I never want to go out with you again." I pryed open the car door and slid into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut.

Jared threw me an innocent smile as he made his way around and hopped into the driver's seat. "I can't believe you were scared of some puppy." He teased.

"It wasn't a puppy!" I gasped. "More than a mutant wolf!"

"Sure it was." Jared chortled and pulled out of the park's parking lot. "Sorry if the date sucked. I've always wanted to bring a girl to a park at night. Seemed pretty cool. My girlfriend hated the idea though." He explained.

I huffed. "I can see why." I couldn't believe he flirts with me, asks me out on dates, yet isn't ashamed of mentioning the fact that he has a girlfriend. Total player. Complete, total, jerkish, player-

"I'm going to break up with her."

I choked on my own spit. "W-what?"

"I'm going to break up with her." He repeated. "She's not worth it. I like you more."

I flushed. "What if I'm not interested?"

"I'm still going to break up with her." He winked in my direction. "She's just not into the same things I'm into."

"Uh huh." Was all I could say. I had no response to this new piece of information. Jared and Trinity were the IT couple. Everyone envied them. But Jared was getting sick of Trinity? That's surprising.

"McDonalds?" Jared said suddenly.

"What?" I blinked stupidly.

"McDonalds." He said again. "Want to grab something?"

I shrugged. "Sure." Who was I kidding, I was pretty hungry. McDonalds sounded like heaven right now.

Jared scoffed. "Trinity hates McDonalds. Good to know you dont."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who would hate McDonalds? It's the best fast-food place ever!"

Jared gave me a side grin. "I know right? A can go for a big mac anyday." He smiled and pulled into the drivethru at McDonalds.

"What do you want?" He asked me.

I chewed on my lip. "Hm, Southern Style chicken sandwhich with extra large fries and a coke. Oh, and also a hot fudge sundae." I paused. "And some sweet 'n' sour sauce."

Jared gaped and turned over to the intercom-like machine thingy. He told some chick my order and went on to his. "...and I'll have a big mac with fries and a moutain dew. Nevermind, make that a caramel mocha. Large. Add some ketchup."

The order came up on the screen and Jared drove off toward the next window to pay.

"Big appetite." I commented.

"Right back at ya." He smirked and turned toward a blonde-headed girl who was waiting for him to pay. He handed her the money and she placed it into her cash register. I couldn't help the way she fluttered her eyelashes flirtaciously towards Jared.

"Is that all?" She asked. Her voice was deep and seducing.

"Yep." Jared said, not noticing the blonde's flirting. She brushed a loose strand of blonde hair out of her blue eyes, giving Jared a small smile. Jared simply murmered a "thanks" and drove to the last window where they handed him our order.

"Well," I said as he gave me my bag of McDonalds. "Does every girl flirt with you?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, shuffling through his bag's contents.

I rolled my eyes. "Drive. There are cars behind us."

"Right." He put his bag to the side and drove out of McDonald's driveway and onto the street. "Still want to go home?"

I nodded. "Yep." I began to munch on a fry. "As I was saying. Do all girls flirt with you all the time?"

"I'm still lost." I muttered as looked both ways and turned onto some street.

"Girls," I stuffed a handful of fries into my mouth. "They're always flirting with you."

"Are they?"

"Yep."

"Jealous?"

"Nope."

"Liar."

I threw a fry at him and he laughed. "I'm not a liar! And I'm not jealous!"

He chuckled. "Sure."

I frowned and dug into my sandwich, ignoring him the rest of the way. He blasted the radio, breaking the the silence. Kesha's "Blow" filled the car. I bobbed my head to the music as I munched on my sandwich. Jared want so bad after all.

Kinda.

• • •

I decided to let him drive me completely home today. He already thought I was Mindy's cousin, so why couldn't he think j was staying with her too?

I was Mindy in the first place. There's only a one letter difference. Mandy isn't real. But Jared doesn't need to know that. I just want to get rid of Mandy as soon as possible.

"Madam." Jared smiled foolishly as he opened the passenger door for me. I stepped out, my hot fudge sundae in one hand and a bag of fries in the other.

"Need help?" He asked me, following me up to my porch.

"I've got it." I said. Holding the bag of fries with my teeth, I struggled to open the door.

Jared rolled his eyes. "You sure?"

"Yep-" I frowned as my sundae wen tumbling onto the floor. "Aw."

Jared laughed. "Still don't need help?"

"Are you going to leave yet?" I sighed.

"Not quite."

"What can I do to get you to leave?" I didn't have to say anything else. He spun me around to face him, his nose suddenly touching mine. I struggled to catch my breath. Was was happening?

"I just need one more thing from my fair maiden." He breathed, leaning closer. "A kiss."

"Jared, I-" He cut me off, his lips crushing mine. I wanted to push him away, to yell at him for stealing my first kiss, but for some reason...I didn't. I didn't kiss him back either. I just stood there, his lips moving, mine frozen.

"Mandy." He moaned against my lips.

I felt the bag of fries fall from my hand. I wrapped my arm around his neck and...kissed him back. I don't know why I did it. I just...did. It felt right, our lips moving together like some foreign dance, a language of our own. I wanted to tangle my fingers into his golden hair, to feel his skin against mine-

I pushed him away. My breathing was rough and uneven and I probably still had that shocked expression on my face.

"Go home." I mumbled and fidgeted with the doornob, trying to get it to open.

"When can I see you again?"

"Do you always ask that question?" I groaned, the door finally opening to reveal my living room. From what I could tell, my mother had arrived and had gone to bed.

"When?" Jared asked again.

"Just leave, ok?" I snapped and stepped into the safe warmth of my home. I slammed the door behind me, not wanting anything more to do with Jared.

But Mindy still had that project to work on with him. I would kill to change partners.

I stomped up to my bedroom, kicking off my heels and falling into a heap on my bed. Best worst date ever. I couldn't even describe it. Was that a bad thing or a good thing?

Or both?

What did that kiss even mean? Why had I kissed him back? I fell asleep trying to convince myself it meant nothing.

_________________________

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay!!! I'm REALLY busy, especially since it's the end of the school year and I've got a piano recital soon [playing Baby by Justin B!] and i've got a lot of friend issues right now. I'm also focusing on finishing Sk8er Boi and then Inside Your Heaven. Bear with me!! Thank you! COMMENT VOTE AND FAN and if you're a Harry Potter fan, go enter my contest for a chance to win Daniel Radcliffe's autograph!! xx