It's been a tad bit over a month since the ordeal at the Entrepreneur Annual Ball and Piper hasn't spoken to Jayden since. She drags her feet as she approaches the Stark community pool. Piper feels miserable; the idea of Jayden being harmed and it being her fault weighs heavily on her mind. As the young girl clocks in, Mackenzie walks in with a big smile on her face. "Hey, Piper. I haven't seen you in a minute. My schedule got messed up but it's finally fixed. How has your first month been?" Mackenzie exclaims, embracing Piper in a warm hug.
"Oh, hey Mackenzie. Um, it's been good. I wished you were here though." Piper gives her a short grin.
"That's good and I wish I was here too, you are pretty funny. Well, today is going to be a slow day so I hope you brought something to keep you occupied."
Great, just what Piper needed. A day where her worrisome thoughts will be the end of her. Piper sighs and walks out to her section. The teenage girl places her bag down on her chair before dipping her feet into the cool blue water. Despite the deep breaths she took, Jayden couldn't stop popping into her mind. "What if I stayed at the ball? He'd be okay and I would be having a great summer. God, what if I put him in danger." Piper thought. She rubs her face as she hears chains jingling.
"Pea, don't you got a job to do?"
"Sean," Piper jumps up and dashes over to the young boy. "Have you spoken to Jayden?"
"No, but don't worry about him, alright?" Sean begins to pick at the leftover black nail polish on his nails. "It's Jayden, he'll be back."
"I didn't say that I haven't seen him. Does this happen all the time?"
Sean sighs, "It happened a few times. But, you need to relax. I know him like the back of my hand."
"So...he just disappears? We need to check on him. Come with me to his house." Piper demands.
"You don't know Jayden like I do. It's best to just leave him alone for a while. When he's ready, you will know." Sean answers. His voice seems sincere causing Piper to calm down.
"Fine." Piper folds her arms. "Why are you even here? You obviously aren't going for a swim dressed like that." She references the black beanie resting on Sean's dark brown hair and the oversized black graphic t-shirt tucked into his black jeans. The striped white long sleeve under his graphic shirt and the chain on his jeans provided some contrast to his dark outfit. "Aren't you hot?"
"I dress like this most of the time and I came to bring you this." Sean pulls out a small note from his pocket.
"Who sent this?" Piper asks, grabbing the paper out of his hand.
"Aren't you smart? Read it."
Piper rolls her eyes and opens the note.
Dear Piper,
I'm sorry for ghosting you for a while. I don't know how to approach you after what happened the last time I saw you but, I hope this can help the transition. I don't have much space on this paper but I'll see you soon.
-Jayden S.
"It's from Jayden. Did you go see him?" Piper wonders.
"No, he always sends me notes when something happens. This time, he wrote something for you."
"I'm so confused. Why does he seem so nice in this letter but treats me like garbage whenever he wants?" Piper shakes her head.
"That's not something for me to tell you, but, I should get going. I have to get groceries for my mom. Don't forget about the county fair this weekend." Sean points at Piper while walking backward, "I'll pick you up on Saturday around 5, let your aunt know." Sean gives Piper a short wave, spinning on his heels towards the exit.
"Don't worry, I will!" Piper yells, watching the dark-haired boy walk away. Although the young girl was told not to worry, she can't help but be concerned.
----
The rest of the day went as such: Piper dipping her toes into the water, talking to Mackenzie about her plans for the weekend, and having that uneasy feeling creeping back up...again. After her shift, Piper decides to take the long way home. She didn't want to talk to Mr. Jones and hear any judgment on how she shouldn't involve herself with the Starks. He'll most likely say "those Starks are not to be trusted," in his old southern voice. You see, Mr. Jones used to work for the Starks but after the financial scandal of '69, many people were fired. Mr. Jones was one of the managers for the Starks and was promised that he wouldn't lose his job considering he was a phenomenal employee and became a father for the first time earlier that year. However, he was fired like many other people of color without any explanation. When Piper finally returns home, she bids her aunt a brief "hello" and goes straight to her room. As she rummages through her closet for a comfortable outfit, her phone begins to ring. "What now?" Piper says out loud.
"Hello?" Piper answers.
"Pea! I haven't spoken to you in forever! Did you forget about me or something?" The voice on the other line was so loud, it seemed like the phone was on speaker.
"Lexie! How could I forget your loud ass? How has Miami been treating you?"
"Why did nobody tell me about the bipolar weather down here? One minute it's hot and the sun is shining then all of a sudden, the sky starts crying. My hair was not prepared for this." Lexie says.
Piper laughs. "I don't understand why you didn't take an internship up here. We could've gone to the county fair this weekend."
"Miami had the better program sweetie. Don't be hating. Now, wait, you are going to the fair? I think I dialed the wrong number because I've been begging you to go there with me for years. Let me find out you have a little boo thang and I wasn't the first to find out."
"Girl, calm down. I'm going to the fair with Sean."
"Oh, I like Sean. He seems cool but I think he's hiding some stuff. Remember my party?"
"What? Sean is the sweetest and I don't think he has anything to hide. It was probably some stupid rumor. But, I have to tell you something."
"Ooh, spill the tea."
"So, remember how I went to that ball thing with Jayden?"
"Yes, I still cannot fathom how you can breathe in the same room as him. He's disgusting and rude. I wouldn't talk to him but you are an angel sent from above." Lexie exclaims all in one breath.
"Aww, thank you for calling me sweet. Today, Sean came to the pool and gave me a note Jayden wrote. It was saying that he's sorry that he hasn't seen me for a month."
"A month! I thought you guys would've talked after. You haven't seen him for a month. Get rid of him. I wish I was there to shake you."
"I left out a minor detail about what happened after the ball, though. His dad practically chased us to his car and threatened to kill him. I'm honestly glad that I got that note because all day I've been worrying about this kid."
"What? Piper, you cannot leave out details like this the next time you tell me something. I feel kinda bad for him now. Can you imagine what happens at his house? But, this isn't a good excuse for his behavior towards you."
"Well, what's your opinion on this?" Piper wonders, poising herself onto the edge of her bed.
"Don't stress out too much about this. You got a note from him so he is okay. Take a few breaths and focus on something else. Light some candles, I know those help relax you. Look, I have to go. I gotta eat dinner but, please don't hesitate to call me."
"Alright, thank you, Lexie. I'll talk to you soon. Bye." After the call with Lexie, the burden that cluttered her mind was lifted off Piper's shoulders. Maybe she should've called her a long time ago. Piper takes her best friend's advice after dinner and soon finds herself singing songs that her parents sang to her. A warm feeling overcomes Piper as she recalls being wrapped in her parents' arms and hearing them both sing "You Are So Beautiful" whenever she was feeling down. Their voices blended together like food and spices. It's hard to forget such a beautiful sound. No wonder Piper has such a voice when the ones that taught her cannot be found.
YOU ARE READING
Society Says...
Teen Fiction"It's always you have to fit in! Why can't I just be me?" Society is constantly telling people how to feel and how to live their lives. Since the day Piper Stein was born, she has beaten all odds. This time, she plans to be the first female in her...
