𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝙀
—𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴—
𝘽𝘼𝙄𝙇𝙀𝙔 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙇𝘿 𝙍𝙀𝙈𝙀𝙈𝘽𝙀𝙍 one of the worst days of her life; it happened nearly six years ago, just before she turned ten. It was Valentine's Day, and the holiday of love had fallen on a Tuesday. The small girl had spent the entire week before perfecting her valentines for her classmates, and had paid special attention to one in particular‒ the glittery card she had concocted for Benjamin Reeves, who was her crush at the time. Her whole heart had been put into the work, as she planned on spilling her feelings to him after he opened the creation. That moment would mean the world to her. She could just imagine his reaction.
Unfortunately, it hadn't gone as she had planned. Instead of smiling at the labor she had put into his gift, or even showing the slightest amount of gratefulness or regard for her feelings, he had cringed at the bright pink glitter that stuck to his hands. Benjamin had tried to wipe it all off, gagging dramatically as he tossed her valentine into the trash and made a beeline for the restroom to remove the foulness on his palms. From that day on, Bailey Grace Dai had despised Tuesdays. It may seem substantial to some, but it seemed that everything that went wrong in her life took place on a Tuesday. In fourth grade, her pet turtle, Winnie, had passed away on a Tuesday. During her freshman year, she had tripped on a pencil, fallen down a flight of stairs, and broken her leg— on a Tuesday.
So the fact that today was a Tuesday didn't make her joyed or happy in the least. In fact, it made her cautious of her surroundings, and even moreso with the people around her. Surely something would go wrong, so the Dai girl just needed to pay a little more attention on this particular day of the week than she did during the others.
"Good morning," Jax grins, appearing beside her locker in an instant. "You look lovely today. Trying to impress someone?"
Bailey sighs, groaning as she closes the door on her locker to lean on it. "I didn't get very much sleep last night, so I'm sure I'm a sight for sore eyes. Tuesdays just aren't for me, like Mondays aren't for everyone else. I deserve some leniency."
But actually, Jax hadn't been sarcastic when he told her she looked lovely. He was stating the obvious, but the boy wasn't about to admit that. Bailey's hair was in a messy bun, and the only trace of makeup on her face was a small application of mascara that she barley convinced herself to put on this morning. Yet she effortlessly looked flawless, putting him in such a state of awe that he didn't realize she had already began talking to him. With a frown, Bailey releases a soft sigh.
"Is it really that bad?" She asks quietly, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously Jax, I already know. No need to make it any more evident."
Shaking his head, the wizard pulls himself from his dream state, before holding out his arm for her to take. "Want me to walk you to class? I'd be happy to acquaintance you as a personal chauffeur," Jax offers, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Why not," Bailey hums, placing her arm through his, before they both make their way to chemistry. "Hopefully I'll be able to find Daniel before school ends, Diego was supposed to schedule my try out for this afternoon, unless something has changed."
"I knew about that already, actually." Jax states, his free hand roaming over the strap of his backpack that rests on his muscled shoulder. "Daniel sent out a group text to the whole team last night, we're having a meeting after school before we watch you swim. It's a unanimous vote among all of us, that way it's not unfair for the captain to solely decide who's allowed in."
"Well, make sure there's no bias when you vote," the brunette instructs, shooting him a kind smile. "I wouldn't want to be on the team just because I made a few new friends. Be judgmental and make an honest decision, Jax. I'm counting on you to be blunt."
"I wouldn't have it any other way, sweetheart," he winks, his chocolate brown eyes gleaming in the florescence. "Besides, I'm sure you'll do absolutely fantastic. I have all the faith in the world that you'll get onto the team."
Bailey almost melted into a puddle when he winked, but easily composed herself with a short laugh. "And what if I don't?" The girl questions.
"Then I'll help you practice and you can try again," he suggests. "You aren't a quitter, Bailey Dai. I won't allow you to be."
Bailey couldn't help the grin that fell onto her lips as they reached the classroom, fully aware of the warmth blossoming on her arm where her skin met Jax's. She was falling in love with this school already. Upon making their way to their seats, Bailey realized that Daniel was lingering there, his eyes planted on the phone in his hands.
But, as if he sensed their presence, he glanced up— his eyes landed on Bailey first, of which he gave her a smile. But as his eyes focused on Jax, then on their interlocked arms, his smile turned into a slight look of surprise. Then it was disbelief, and he raised an eyebrow at the girl. "Hey, Daniel," she greets, dropping Jax's arm and laying her bag on the desk. "What's up?"
"Your try-our is after school at the pool," he replies, handing her a small slip of paper. It had a time written down, along with the instructions to bring a bathing suit— to state the obvious. "I invited the whole team, too. I hope you don't mind, I just figured it would be important for them to be included on the final say."
"I heard," Bailey nods, placing the paper in the front pocket of her book bag. "Jax told me everything."
"He did?" Daniel asks, a scowl falling onto his face as he looks to the raven-haired boy. "Oh, okay."
"I sure did, Danny," Jax smirks, draping an arm over Bailey's shoulder. "You know, I think Bailey and I are going to be very good friends."
Bailey looks between the two of them in confusion, not quite understanding the silent feud they were having with one another. She wanted to shrink away, and not be the topic of conversation as they glared, but she knew it was a long shot to hope for such a thing. Clearly this battle had nothing to do with her— it was about Emma; the girl she had already heard so much about. And it were almost as if they didn't notice her existence anymore, because their quarrel continued without a hitch.
"Yeah, Bailey's pretty nice, isn't she?" Daniel chuckles. There was something darker in his eyes, a deeper meaning than what he was truly showing. Jax's arm grew heavier on Bailey's shoulder, and she was beginning to feel as if he was unconsciously getting tense. "One of the kindest girls I've met in a while. But I'm not really sure if she's right for your company."
"What do you mean by my company?" Jax's jaw tightens, and his hands form fists before he tries to relax them. "If I do say so myself, I believe I'm quite the charmer."
"But that's just the thing," Daniel narrows his eyes. "You just charm your way in, and girls like Bailey don't quite understand what they're getting themselves into. You know exactly how to get under their skin; and then you sink your teeth in and absolutely ruin them."
"I do nothing of the sort," Jax seethes, his hand growing firm in Bailey's arm. Her eyes widen, prepared to pull away from him. "I don't bring out the bad in people, contrary to popular belief. You have to get to know someone before you make sudden assumptions."
"Hey, why don't we take a walk around campus?" Bailey proposes, placing a cautious hand on Jax's chest. "You could show me to the pool so I know where to find the team later."
But Jax didn't break his stare on Daniel, not even giving Bailey a glance. Although there were several students that had already entered the classroom, they only watched silently— none of them moved forward to help her with the two hormonal teenage boys that were on the verge of fighting. The girl wanted to search for the boring chemistry teacher, but she knew that if she left, they would surely break out into a brawl.
"I don't need to assume anything, Jax! I don't need to know you. Because we both know what happened two years ago when you barged in here." Daniel moves out from behind their desk, coming face-to-face with Jax. "And you and I both know, no matter how utterly hard you try, you will never have her."
Emma. They were still talking about Emma. It didn't take a genius to figure that out; but that didn't mean it pained Bailey any less. Because despite the fact that she had bonded with Jax in the short day that she was in town, he still had the fix for the Alonso girl. Not that she blamed him— in fact, yesterday she had encouraged it. But that was before they truly bonded, and before she embraced the feelings of the sparks that appeared in her body every time he touched her.
"And despite how you're thinking right now— how your twisted, wicked mind has somehow gotten you mixed up, you can't replace someone. Bailey will never be Emma. And I think it's time you understand that."
With one lasting look at Jax, and an apologizing one to Bailey, Daniel grabbed his backpack and uttered a single sentence before leaving the classroom in a quiet daze. "I'll see both of you after school."
The Dai girl removes her hand from Jax's chest, her heart pounding and head spinning. Her eyes stung, for reasons she couldn't yet comprehend. But it hurt, nonetheless. So she, too, grabbed her bag and placed the strap on her shoulder, looking to the sullen expression that rested on Jax Novoa's beautiful face.
"I—I think I'm gonna head home for the day," Bailey murmurs, stumbling over her own words.
"Bailey, wait, I— "
She had already heard enough for today; Tuesday really wasn't better than Monday. At least not in this particular situation, which is why she hurriedly escaped Jax's grasp as the bell sounded throughout the school. And maybe it didn't matter, or shouldn't, that Jax was in love with Emma. Bailey was new here. She barely knew him, and needed to keep her attention on something other than boys, anyway.
Maybe he hadn't felt the same connection the brunette did every time they were together. But it still hurt to know that instead of accepting her for who she was, and liking her unique qualities, Jax had fooled himself to believe that she was Emma, or someone to compare her to.
Because after all Daniel had said, in the time that he had to process the other boy's words and repudiate, Jax hadn't denied it at all.
And that's what hurt Bailey's heart the most.
_______
❝ i'm so sorry it took so long for me to update
again! i've been so busy lately, but hopefully
i'll be able to start doing it more often so you
guys don't have to wait 40 years. anywho, tell me what you think!! ❞