The Side Character's Point of View

Intro to Prince Charming

  There was nothing she wanted more than to find her Prince Charming.

  The little girl wore tiaras and poofy dresses. She dreamt of dancing with a stranger in the woods or falling victim to true love's kiss.

  She had grown up with the idea that love was brilliant and bright and beautiful.

  And she never stopped believing and she never stopped searching for her personal Prince Charming.

  Because she had no idea that her prince...would turn out to be a princess.

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 Lydia Wheaton was truly All Bright High's crowned princess. She was popular and bubbly. She exuded kindness. Lydia was probably what everyone would call the main character.

  She was like a real-life Charlotte La Bouff. But better. Growing up completely spoiled and loved by both her parents, she still grew up humble and loving. She was never rude to anyone and always had a smile on her face.

  Lydia was beauty personified.

  And I, well I was her bestfriend. The name's Jamie-Lynn. But you'll probably know me better as LJ. Weird, right?

  I'm no main character and I know that. I've accepted that my existence was only meant to be a support system for somebody else.

  And that's okay.

  Anyway, enough about me. The story you're about to read isn't mine. As much as I had hoped it would be, it isn't. So get prepared for the rollercoaster of your lives people!

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  It starts like your average love story. How is that, you ask?

  Well, by a meet-cute of course!

  Lydia had been working her summer away at some shack shop on the beach. The kind of place that sold surfboards and swimsuits and stuff. It was the first summer we had been away from home.

  We'd convinced our parents into letting us go to LA by ourselves and were ready to live the Los Angeles Summer experience. Lydia was just so excited to work.

  It was truly an odd thing to see. A beautiful blonde who you'd guess had never surfed a day in her life, and you'd be right, working in a surf shop. She wanted a chance to meet cute surfer's and said,

  "This way I'll meet a surfer hottie and he'll have to talk to me."

  As if the boys that resided onto this beach didn't already want the chance to talk to her. I worked in the shop, too but only because Lydia begged me to. I never cared much about boys.

  Now, I know where you think this is heading...and it's not.

  Sorry, she doesn't meet her perfect guy working in that stupid surf shop. After about two weeks, she gave up on that dream and quit.

  That's when our summer really started to pick up.

  Late night drives and stupid adventures.

  We even recreated the tunnel scene from Perks of being a Wallflower.

  The summer had been going as smooth as we wanted. And without interruption.

  Until...him.

  Mr. Perfect had walked out of a coffee shop and spilt hot coffee all over me! 

 "Ah fuck!" I jump back and glare at the dude. He was muttering a series of apologies but I was hardly listening. I just hope I can get the stains out.

  Lydia was the one to respond. "It's fine." She would say as she checked to see if I was okay.

  "I really am sorry. I-I'll pay for the dry-cleaning!" He insisted, pleading us with those big, brown eyes of his.

  "I really don't think that's necessary..."I say bluntly. All I want is for him to leave us alone. I know a good-looking guy when I see one and I also know Lydia's type.

  Coffee Guy was just her type. Like exactly her type.

  "Let me at least buy you guys some lunch then."

  I could tell he was no longer sorry by the way he didn't even try to make eye contact with me. I knew he was already mesmerized by Lydia's prettiness. He was making it quite obvious that when he said 'you guys,' he really meant 'you, blondie.'

  Lydia was already grinning, "Yeah. That doesn't sound to bad, right?" She gave me this look that told me not to mess this up for her. To help her out.

  I could only nod my head and let this happen.

  Lydia and Coffee Guy both smiled. Coffee Guy began leading us to the "great cafe" that he knows.

  'Oh, by the way, my name is Jamie."

  "Oh my god! LJ, you guy's have the same name!" Lydia giggled. When Coffee Guy looked at Lydia with clear confusion on his face, she explained, "Her name is actually Jamie-Lynn but JL sounded weird to me so we just call her LJ."

 "Ah." He chuckled and side-eyed me a bit. "Well, this is even more freaky. My name is actually Jamie-Lee. Jamie-Lee Sullivan."

  What the actual shit, right?

  The two bonded and got to know each other quite quickly. Our awesome summer was ruined. Jamie was brought along for everything after that day.

  I was happy when we finally had to go home. Lydia had cried so much that day.

  As bad as I felt for her, I was selfishly reveling in the fact that we would never see Jamie-Lee Sullivan again.

  Or so I thought.

Summer floated away and school started without a stop.

 Soon it was Homecoming and then it was the Hallow's Ball.

  And then it was Thanksgiving break. When we returned to school, guess who was a new transfer student that got the entire school buzzing with excitement?

 Jamie-Lee fucking Sullivan.

  Lydia and Jamie hit it off once again. Their summer romance that was supposed to be just a fling turned into way more way too quickly for me to handle.

  Okay, and I know I said I'd be her support system and all but come on! I was dying here.

  Why did she have to fall in love with a Jamie that wasn't me?

  Oh don't be surprised. You knew from the start that I was the little girl who dreamt of true love's kiss. You knew that I was yet another character subjected to unrequited love.

  I was fully prepared to be the maid of honor at Lydia's wedding. The godmother to her future children. Her bestfriend and nothing more for the rest of my life.

  But JLS. That's MY name. Those are MY initials. Why was the perfect guy for her...basically some duded up version of me? Why couldn't it just be me?

  Sorry. I don't mean to rant.

 Anyway, cut to right now. I'm here at the Winter Formal and Lydia is here alongside Jamie. They've just been crowned Snow King and Queen. 

  I can see the way they look at each other. I can see how they feel about each other. I know more than anyone how Lydia feels about him.

  And I can't help but wish...at least for one second...that I could be that Jamie she's dancing with.

And it hurts to know I will never be Jamie-Lee but always Jamie-Lynn.