The plane trip to Wisconsin was rather unpleasant. The turbulance was horrible, and I got stuck sitting next to some fat guy. This has got to be an omen about where my life is headed. When the plane lands I decide to grab some frozen yogurt in the food court before checking my bags out.
I rent a sleek black convertable for the drive to Poroton. Cars were one of my favorite indulgences. I had always wanted a black convertable, but I settled on a GL550 Suv. Some of my friends back at the University liked to joke about the fact that my car can fit seven people. I turn up the radio and sing along to Kresha's hit new single Not Alone.
When I see the Welcome to Porton sign I feel like I am going to puke. I honestly never wanted to see this place again, and it does not help that small towns never really change. Even when the govenrment shipped me out here at age ten I hated it. Back then I was a bit of a fire cracker and made my opinions about Porton known to all of the locals. Bad decision. They have turnes up their noses at me ever since.
Down the road from my mother's house I realize I am low on gas. By low on gas I mean really low on gas. I groan, knowing that the closest gas station is called Jim's Stop Shop and Gas. I really do not need a confrontation with anybody from Porton.
I drive up to the pump labeled 'One' and fill my car up with gas. The station is pretty crowded, and I can see the wary glances in my direction. Porton only has a population of about 8,000 , but I have changed a lot in the past two years. Okay, I have not changed that much, and my shiny car is practically putting a bulls eye on me. Not to mention the fact that I have been in most magazines in America, but a girl can hope. Can't she? When the car is full of gas I avoid the stares and walk into the gas station.
The rusty door rings when I open it and somebody says in a monotone voice "Welcome to Jim's Stop and Shop." I walk up to the front of the cast register and when the cashier turns around I automatically recognize him as my x boyfriend Marklet Johannson. He obviously recognizes me, because he has the most disgusted look on his face.
"I am here to pay for the gas on pump one," I say in my most polite voice.
He laughs and slips his dirty blonde hair to the left "Well, if it isn't little miss Emma Smith, surprised I didn't know that only you would have such a shiny car." He rolls his eyes "Did your rich boyfriend buy it for you?"
I prop my elbows up on the counter making the light from the dusty windows reflect on my arms "That car isn't even mine It is a rental, and I am not dating Daniel anymore." I make a popping sound with my lips.
"Does your non boyfriend know you are visiting your pretty little friend Wesley," he says in a rather sly voice. I wouldn't hold it above Marklet to blab to the media about my past, so I turn on all of acting skills into full gear.
"Yes, but I am completely single," I say with the slight twirl of my hair. I lean forward and give him my cutest smile "Do you want to go out or something this Saturday."
He looks really conflicted, but shakes his head with a sad verve.
"I don't think my fiance Deborah would approve."
Eww. Gross, Deborah was some snotty greasy haired girl who hated my guts in high school. I bet the only thing they have in common is that they both hold grudges against me. At least Marklet is kind of hot.
"Oh, congrats," I say in a dry tone.
"You act like you still might have feelings for me," he says gently brushing a strand away from my hair.
"Just ring me up," I say harshly.
He obeys my command, but rolls his eyes when I pay with a hundred dollar bill. Thats when I hear the squeels.
"Oh my gosh it is Emma Smith," says a voice that could only be recognized as Khloe. One of the silliest girls at school. Knowing that I will never be able to get away I turn around and force a smile. Khloe is surrounded by a group of similar girls in similar shades of pink. Khloe is wearing a tacky bright pink sweater with a green shirt underneath and jeans with lons of writing on the seat.
"Hello," I welcome them.
"Sorry about your little issues with that Daniel boy, and welcome back to Porton," she says cynically.
"Yeah, I am sure you are real sorry," I say sarcastically. This makes her group of girls giggle.
"Oh, honey are you still upset over High School?"
I just give a quick good-bye and walk out.
I drove to my mother's house as fast as possible. When I pulled up to the house the farmiliar feeling hit me. I lived in this house since I was eleven and so many memories are piled up in here. Things like Wesley, my mother's death, and the distant cheery high school memories fill my mind. I park the car in the cobblestone driveway and sit there for a minute, and ponder over my high school memories.
(Flashback)
I just turned sixteen and I had finally got a car. I had purchased a red convertable, and everybody was extremely envious. Considering the circumstances I might have been the most popular girl in school, but I was a bit of a taboo. Anna and Khloe Kempster, sisters whose father owned the town bank controled the school. I was probally the only girl in school who was not under their control. I didn't really have friends, but I sat with a group of random people at lunch. I was different than the rest of the girls in Porton. I had designer clothing, a professionally decorated room, and was not covered in tacky pink. They tended to avoid me and only talked about me behind my back per request of their father. Lets just say my mother had a lot of money in Kempter Bank.
For my sixteenth birthday I had a huge party near on this lake, and everybody was invited (even the Kempster sisters). About a hundred people showed up and everybody had a lot of fun. This made Anna Kempster extremely angry, and so she was even meaner than before.
The monday after my party I drove to school in that red convertable and walked into school like any normal day. People greeted me and I went to my morning classes. At lunch.
I finally get the guts to remove my body from the car. I feel groggy from the car ride (not to mention the drama at the gas station), and so I quickly lock the doors to the red convertable and unlock the door.
I keep the key in the side pocket of my white Chanel purse with a sample bottle of my mother's favorite perfume. The door clicks and I am hit with the smell of lavender and fresh sheets. I kept the housekeeper Maria, mainly because she needed the job. Although I really do need somebody to take care of the house.
"Miss Smith, it is so nice to see you again," she says greeting me with a giant hug. I give a weak smile and scan my surroundings. It has changed a lot in two years. The furnishings and decorating is the same, but I feel like a stranger. Maria makes some tea and sits me down on the white couch in the parlor.
"Well, it is so nice to see your face not on the cover of a magazine. Maria pushes a strand of dark brown hair from her face. I wish people would shut up about my publicity and Daniel. If only Porton was larger. "Ah, so you had the wonderful oppurtunity to read about my messy break up with a little rich boy," I say sarcastically.
"Is it true what they say about you and him?"
I hesitate and respond with "Well, somewhat?"
"What exactly is somewhat, and did you honestly reject his offer of engagement? Boys like that do not come around twice in a lifetime. If I had the oppurtunity I would snatch him up like the last piece of county fair winning apple pie. You do not know how lucky you are Emma he seems really nice, and the papers say he does lots of charity.."
If people would just shut up about me and Daniel. It always annoyed me when people made judgments about people from what they read in the newspapers and magazines. After what happened with my father who can blame me?
I watch soap operas with Maria before heading off to bed. I decide to sleep in my old room, even if it makes me feel a little odd.
My room has a slight showroom feel to it, because of the immaculate cleaning and minimal amount of personal items. The walls are a light brown somewhere in between cocoa and beige. The bed and dresser are snow white, and the bed has storage built underneath it. Pink and white fabric lanterns hand from the walls and cast a glow rather similar to moonlight. I flop down on the brown and white polka dotted bedspread with matching pillows and an embroidered pillow reading 'E' although it should read 'G'.
I wake up and brace myself to prepare for meeting up with Wesley. He called last night and we decided to meet at three P.M. I shuffle through my closet for some decent clothing, instead of going through the pain of opening my suitcase. It turns out this room is in evey detail exactly how I left it two years ago. I find a basic and thoroughly starched white blouse and pair it with black skinny jeans. I choose pale pink ballet flats with bows and decide against the black leather jacket. When I am slipping on one of the ballet flats something hits my leg. My memory box.
When I was six my father got a little wooden box with the initial 'G' on it for my birthday. He explained to me that whenever something memorable happened I took a tiny piece of something and stuck it in the box. I smile and open the box that I have kept above my closet for years. I always told my friends the 'G' stood for my grandmother. The box contains a ribbon from a swimming competition from when I was eight (the name on the back carefully removed), a clipping of hair from my old horse Oreo, a ticket from the world premire of my favorite book series turned into movie, a tiny jewlery box from a trip to Africa, a pearl necklace I got in europe when I was five, an old photo of one of my grandparents, a red plaid ribbon from an early school uniform, a piece of sea glass, a locket with the pictures removed per the goverment's request, a doll bonnet, a newspaper clipping from the day that my life went to hell, and things from the years in Porton. The ones after the move to Porton include a picture from my cheerleading years, a group photo from a trip to the apple farm, a ripped page from a yearbook, a scrabble letter bearing 'E', a birthday card from a friend, an unused gift card to a local italian resturaunt, and a Places magazine clipping from the fifth anniversary of our family scandal.
I put the box away and decide to pick up some food at the local diner. Maria makes really good food, but she happens to be sleeping right now. Honestly I would like to avoid interaction with the locals, but I don't want to starve.
I lock the door and get into the red convertable and drive to the main road. Somewhere halfway inbetween the local italian resuraunt and the hardware store is the Porton Diner. It is your average diner with most everything in exact synch with the originals from the 50s and the food is really great. I get out of the car and walk up to the front. The hostess turns out to be Deborah (Marklet's fiance). She put on her best OMG face and gives me a sarcastic "Welcome Back!" I smile and respond in my best fake polite voice "Oh, you have not changed a bit since high school." Which is not a compliment.
She sits me in a booth in the corner of the room and I spend most of the time looking out of the window for recognizable faces.
"Welcome to The Porton Diner," a voice startles me. Which I recognize as Jessica, a smart girl who I was aquaintences with.
I turn around "Jessica!"
"Oh my gosh, Emma Smith what on earth are you doing back in Porton?"
"Eh, just meeting up with Wesley."
"He always was a hottie."
"Anyways, you work at the diner."
"Only part time, because I am still saving up to go to Winston University, which you attend," she says sadly.
"Have you looked into the scholarship program, because I know the Dean."
"I don't want to to pull any strings Emma," she says harshly.
She is cold to me the rest of the meal for an unexplainable reason, and I order some pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries. My favorite!
Thanks for reading! first to comment gets dedication! (Blatant Bribe) looking for your opinions on what song to put in this chapter!
I had so much fun developing this story! Tell me in the comments below how you think this is going! I hope you enjoyed it! Special shout out to DistantFantasy!
P.S. I will be uploading the first chapter of The Move To Manhattan when this is finished! I think you will really like that story, but I would like to upload this before The Move To Manhattan, because it might reveal the ending to this book!
I want to hear everbody's guess about Emma/Georgianna's past in the comment section.
Thanks for sticking through and reading this! If you notice anything wrong please put it in the comments. I am updating once a day, and I hope you enjoy this a lot! So, from what you have seen so far what are your theories on Emma's (Georgianna's) past? I look forward to hearing them!
Chapters Combined!
Also, please read my story Family Friends With Fame, because it is part of my Rich and Famous genre of work!