Happy Stories

one

          I woke up to the sound of my mom yelling for me from downstairs. "Jayleigh! Wake up! Today's the big day," my mother yelled, again.

          "Jayleigh, come on! I want breakfast but mom said not until you're downstairs, too," Jennie says, pouting in my door way. "I'm coming, I'm coming," I say, getting out of bed and grabbing my phone off my nightstand.

         I make my way downstairs, opening my phone to three new messages.

Avery: YOU ARE SO LUCKY IT'S NOT TIME FOR MY PARTY TONIGHT! I HAVE SOMEONE READY TO MEET YOU.

Claire: Jayleigh, I'm terribly sorry for this, but Avery and I gave our good friend, Logan, your number. Hope you don't mind!

UNKNOWN NUMBER: Hey, its Logan. Claire and Avery gave me your number for some reason.

          I text them all back, as I sit down at the bar, in front of some eggs, bacon, and sausage a small plate.

Me - Avery: Um.. Okay?

Me - Claire: It's okay, but why again? You remember what happened last time...

Me - Logan: Yeah, they've given out my number before, without asking me if they could. I honestly have no idea why they did it again after what happened the last time.

I eat my breakfast slowly after turning my ringer off, and make my way back upstairs to get ready for my high school graduation and lay out my dress, cap, gown and heels.

          I turn my ringer back on and open the two messages I have as I get in the car.

Claire: I know! I told Avery not to but he did it anyway. Don't worry, though. Logan is really nice. You'll love him, trust me.

Logan: Oh? Mind telling me what happened last time? If you don't want to, it's totally okay. I understand.

Me - Claire: Last time, Claire!

Me - Logan: They gave out my number to this one guy I started dating and he became abusive to my friends and I and he cheated on me, while also stalking my entire family.

Logan: Damn. I'm so sorry.

Me - Logan: It's okay. You coming to Avery and Claire's party later tonight?

Logan: Yeah. Avery and I are very close. He's like my brother.

Me - Logan: Cool. See ya there.

          I turned my phone off, along with the ringer, as I step out the car. My mom and Jennie are already on the sidewalk waiting for me in front of the hair, nails, and and makeup salon.

          When we walk in, we put in my name for my appointment, and sit down waiting to be called up. Jennie taps my arm. "What's high school like? Is it annoying? Are people mean? Are all girls popular or only some?"

          Before I can answer, a beautiful tall woman with long, thick bouncy brown hair and a thigh length black dress, calls my name. "Jayleigh, for an eleven thirty appointment?" "That's me," I say raising my hand and standing up. "Yes, follow me." She says turning on her heel, leading me to a black chair in front of a mirror on a shelf that has hair and makeup utensils everywhere.

          "Graduation, I assume?" She says, after I sit down in the chair. "Yes ma'am," I say, flipping my hair backward. "Of course," she says, smiling.

The pretty lady sprays my hair with a water bottle, that's clearly filled with a pink colored liquid rather than water. I give her a confusing look in the mirror. "Heat protection for your hair. It's to keep your hair from burning. Curled or straight?" She asks, putting the bottle down and grabbing a curling iron in one hand, and a straightening iron in the other. "Straight, please," I say, smiling at myself in the mirror in front of me.

          When she finishes my hair, she turns me around to focus on my face. "Your phone's flashing," she says, looking down at my phone. I look down, too. "It's just my friend, Logan," I say, turning my completely off. She smirks as I say 'friend.'

—————30 minutes later—————

          "You're ready to go," the pretty lady says. She spins me around to look at myself in the mirror. "You look beautiful," my mom says, walking over to the salon booth I'm sitting in. The pretty lady smiles, and blushes.

          My mom pays for everything and we walk out.

          I get into the car and my mom looks at me with a serious look. "DO. NOT. MESS. UP. YOUR. HAIR." She says, pushing me forward by the back of the head. "Sorry, I didn't think about my hair when I sat back," I say, leaning forward.

          The nail salon part is around back, so we drive around back, and get right back out to go in. The pretty lady greets again in the back and directs me to the salon booth. "What are we doing with your nails?" She asks, holding my hands close to her face. I explain that I basically want acrylic, just over my real nails.

—————back at home—————

          I turn my phone back on, and wait for the lock screen to show up. I have three messages from Logan.

Logan: Claire and Avery sent me a picture of you. Jayleigh, you're very, very beautiful, and I would NEVER hurt you the way your ex did.

Logan: I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't scare you away..

Logan: Uh.. Jayleigh??

          I smile and tap the 'FaceTime' button. The line trills once or twice, and this handsome, model like creature appears on my screen. "Hey," I say, giggling. "Hey," he says back, "You look different," he says, looking away. I turn my camera around, showing myself in my body mirror hanging on my bathroom door. "Why aren't you dressed yet?" He laughs, looking at the phone, only to look away again. I turn the camera back around, and laugh as I check the time. "I still have time before I need to get ready," I laugh, sitting at my desk, careful not to ruin my hair.

          About three hours go by and Logan and I are still on the phone. "You're so beautiful," he says, smiling at the camera. "You are, too," I say, with a small smile. "Go get dressed," he says, laughing after a moment or two. "Oh, yeah! I'll be right back!" I say, dropping my phone on my bed, and grabbing my dress and heals, before heading straight to the bathroom.

         About four minutes pass by and I walk out the bathroom. I hear Logan arguing with someone. "Damn it, Logan! I told you to take the dog out! He just pissed on the floor in the kitchen!" A male voice yells. "I'm sorry! You told me to take out the trash, wash the dishes, and clean the bathrooms, too. I'm sorry that I haven't had the time to take the dog out yet," Logan says, apologetically. "Don't you dare back talk me, boy!" The male voice yells, before I hear a loud smack.

          I rush to my phone in panic. What the hell just happened? Why on the first call, too? "Logan?" I ask, my voice breaking in panic. "Shit. Jayleigh?" Logan asks, getting up and pulling the phone up to his face. "Logan, holy shit, are you alright?" I ask, almost crying. I know how it feels to be slapped like that, and boy, it hurts. I hope he's okay. "Jayleigh," he winces, "Don't cry, my pretty little flower. I'm okay, I promise. I'll see you very soon," he says, wincing again, before hanging up.

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