The Game

Chapter One

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Chapter One

Ten years later

"Holly is moving back, Jenna," my Mom said as I sat down at the kitchen table. My mom's best friend, Holly, had moved to California with her two sons after the death of her first husband. I haven't seen Jason, Liam or Mrs. Holly since I was nine. "In fact, they got here last night and we're going over to help them finish moving in today."

"Oh really, that's nice," I said, taking a sip of my orange juice. "The boys are coming back, too?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer to that. My mom would drop me off every morning at 6:30 at Mrs. Holly's house since I was seven, even though I hated going to her house. The boys, of course, were always there. Always.

"Of course they are," she said exasperated. "Jenna, don't start this again."

"I'm not starting anything, just asking a question. Jason's eighteen now, isn't he. Shouldn't he be in college?"

"He's a senior, Jenna," she said, as if I should know all about Jason's scholastics.

"Well I am, too, and he's a year older than me, so why are we both a senior?"

"Birthdays. The way his birthday fell, he had to wait a year before starting kindergarten," she stated plainly, sipping her coffee. "Promise me you'll make the attempt to be friends with him and Liam."

I rolled my eyes and stood up from the table. "Mom, I don't hate them anymore. I haven't seen them in eight years. I don't know them anymore."

Her eyes lit up when I said that. It's always been my mother's plan that one day Jason and I would fall in love. I'm not sure why, because we've always hated each other. He'd cut my hair, I'd leave crying. He'd rip my doll's head off, I'd leave screaming. It was a never ending cycle… "Well good, because we're all going out to dinner tonight. So I want you to wear something nice."

I nodded. "Okay."

"I want you to wear the black halter top dress. That one looks very nice on you."

"That one draws every male's eyes to me. I don't like it when people look at me like that." The last time I wore the dress out, four old men and two foreigners hit on me. That's not an experience I want to relive again. "Why don't I wear the pink and white one with the brown band that ties in the back? That one looks nice, too."

"That's a summer dress, Jenna. Honestly, we're going to a black tie restaurant. You need to wear the cocktail dress. It looks very nice on you, and with all of us around, I don't think that an old guy is going to try to pick you up."

I stared down hard at her. "Fine, I'll wear it."

"Good."

I sighed and grabbed a banana. "Anna and I have plans, so I'll see you later. What time are we leaving, and can Anna come?"

"6:30 and no, she can't come. Not this time."

I nodded and slung my bag over my shoulder. "Bye mom," I called, running out the door to my car. I drove to Anna's house and just walked in. Her parents had even given me a room at their massive house because I was there so often.

They told me that we were 'past formalities', so I was to call them by their first names, never to knock on the door and to come whenever I felt like it. Let's just say, that's exactly what I did. "Hey Jane," I greeted, going through the kitchen.