Stolen Hearts

Chapter ten.

If it works the photo is of Jake

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO...............

Her first day back to school was officially a nightmare, she hadn't been able to find her classes and she was pretty sure her math teacher hated her. She was gathering things from her locker when she realized the bus was leaving without her. She had originally tried to run after it but if there's one thing Maggie wasn't it was athletic, she only succeeded in dumping her books all over the sidewalk and making an idiot of herself, from their place on the steps of the school a bunch of seniors laughed at her expense.

With a heavy sigh she pushed her hair back and bent to begin picking up her books and shoving them in her bag. She had stupidly assumed that Artemis would make them hold the bus for her.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked.

"Yeah. Fine."

"You don't look like it."

"I just.....I just... I couldn't find my Spanish class, my math teacher hates me for no reason and I missed lunch, and I missed the bus and I don't have a phone and I live out of town and I..." She was only vaguely aware that she'd started to cry while telling her story.

"Hey, it's okay. Calm down."

She took a deep breath and wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve she finally looked up at him. Her chest constricting painfully, he was gorgeous. Dark blonde hair, tan skin a firm jaw line, maybe his ears were a bit big but still attractive.

"Why don't I take you home?" He asked, helping her to her feet.

"No, I can't ask you to do that."

"It's no trouble really."

"Oh, okay."

He gave her a crooked smile and draped his arm loosely around her shoulders, turning her towards the parking lot. She followed him to a beat up chevy pickup and climbed reluctantly onto the bench seat.

"So, are you going to tell me what your name is?" He teased as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Margaret but you can call me Maggie."

"I'm Jake."

"Thank you for the ride home, but I live quite aways."

"It's not a problem, so...are you new to this school?" He asked.

"No, I've gone here a long time."

"I don't remember seeing you in any of my classes," He pointed out.

"I would suppose not....I'm not old enough to drive. I'm behind you."

"How old are you?" He asked, turning towards her just a bit.

"I'm fifteen."

"Fifteen?! I...I thought you were a senior." He admitted.

"No, my sister Artemis is."

"It's a big school, I don't think I've met her either."

"You'd know her if you saw her, she's.....beautiful...outgoing, a cheerleader, drama club, music appreciation."

She fell silent, she knew there were more but they didn't come to mind. The reason her school year was off to a bad start was the same reason every school year was terrible, her teachers constantly compared her to her older, better achieving sisters. Delia was in college now but her grades all through high school had been off the charts and while Artemis wasn't the brains in the family she had the looks to make up for it. She wasn't as pretty and popular as Artemis, she wasn't as smart as Delia.

"I tend to stay away from the cheerleader types," He said.

She gave him directions to her families farm house on the out skirts of town and as he drove up the long winding road she took one last glance at him, reclined in his seat with one hand gripping the wheel and the other resting on his leg. He parked in front of the house and she turned to open her door, glancing shyly back at him.

"Thank you for the ride."

"Don't mention it, will you need a ride home tomorrow?" He asked.

"I can't ask you to keep driving me home."

"I'm offering."

"I....I think that would be nice," She said softly.

"I'll meet you out front after school."

"Thank you."

She slipped from the truck closing the door and then walked towards her house, she'd just stepped into the kitchen when Delia met her at the door.

"Mom and dad are furious at Artemis for not helping you today, was it awful?" Delia asked.

"No, I can handle."

"Who was that in the truck?"

"His name is Jake, he gave me a ride when I missed the bus."

Maggie dropped her books on the table and sat down, Delia taking up the chair across from her. Before she could say anymore their dad entered the kitchen walking towards them.

"There's my baby," He stopped to drop a kiss on Maggies head.

"Hi Daddy."

"Are you okay? Artemis said she thought you missed the bus."

"I'm fine Daddy," Maggie said with a smile, her dad babied her.

She heard him digging around and then he placed a glass of fresh milk and a plate with fresh chocolate chip cookies in front of her. She rolled her eyes but took a drink of the milk. He ruffled her hair as he exited the kitchen.

"So first day and you got a boyfriend?" Delia teased, taking a piece of cookie.

"He's not my boyfriend, he's just a nice guy. He's a senior."

"So?"

"I'm fifteen, you know Mama and Daddy's rules. No dating until we're sixteen."

Delia rolled her eyes, stealing the rest of the cookie she had been picking at. She had obviously just gotten home from school herself, she was wearing blue jeans and a white tank top, her long blonde hair falling nearly to her waist.

"Do you want me to pick you up tomorrow after school?" Delia asked.

"No, I'll be okay."

"Boyfriend giving you a ride?" Delia teased.

"He's not my boyfriend." Maggie insisted.

"Whose not your boyfriend?" Artemis asked, breezing into the kitchen.

Maggie glanced at her other sister and fell silent, Delia glared at Artemis before taking a drink of Maggie's milk.

"Just a boy." Maggie said softly.

"What's his name, is he cute?" Artemis asked.

"Yeah...Jake...his name is Jake."

"Way to go Mags, finally might get yourself a man." Artemis said.

"I'm going to go do my homework," Maggie said.

She gathered her things and her plate of cookies and quickly shuffled out of the kitchen. She loved her sisters but Artemis an her just didn't see eye to eye. Delia was brilliant but she always had time for Maggie and never made Maggie feel stupid. Artemis was beautiful and she knew it and she constantly rubbed it in her sisters faces.

Safely tucked inside her own room, surrounded with her own things Maggie allowed herself to admit that Jake was very good looking and she wouldn't mind seeing him again.