by NORA HALE
STAR
CROSSED
LOVERS
NORA HALE
Copyright
All rights reserved. No part of this publication: STAR CROSSED LOVERS may be
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Printed in the United States of America
© 2021 by
Churchgate Publishing House
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STAR CROSSED LOVERS
CHAPTER 1
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"500 channels, and nothing but specials for
Christmas..."
Ken Dix quickly flipped through the TV guide,
searching for something to watch. As Christmas was
approaching, all the shows were mushy and happy
and focused on family and kindness towards others.
None of that speech appealed to Ken at all.
"Ken?" The voice came from the kitchen.
"Hey, Mom."
"I am busy making everything we will eat for
dinner, but I will soon run short on different
ingredients," Helen Dix said, poking her head into
the living room. Can you run to the store right now
for me?
"I guess so," Ken responded, seeing he had nothing
better to do.
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Superb! I wrote a list down for you. The store
should be open for another hour or two. The
essential item that I need will be the eggs to finish
my famous chess pie: I don't have enough to finish
the pie. Grab one sweet and one unsweet, if they
have tea by the gallon. The rest are useful, but not
really important.
"Got it," Ken said as he took the list.
Going into his car, Ken squeezed up and pulled the
Honda Civic off the driveway. Ken was dwelling on
his current condition as he made his way into town.
While he loved his mother, home for the holidays
was always a little tense for him. His hometown of
Alpharetta, Georgia, was crawling with his former
high school classmates, people he never wanted to
see again. But he was actually among peers at MIT,
with whom he could connect at an intellectual level.
He never had many friends or associates up here. At
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the time, he was still a freshman, and therefore,
was still trapped in the same boring math and
science classes as the rest of the students. He
couldn't wait to begin his health science training
program. Perhaps then he would meet a few decent
people, maybe women.
Ken soon arrived at the nearby Kroger parking lot.
The city was heavily busy with last-minute
shoppers. Quickly locking his car, Ken hurried into
the shop, grabbing a basket along the way. He soon
discovered that the store's shelves were picked over,
and some of the required items on his list were
absent. As he entered the shop's drink aisle, he was
happy to see that each gallon jug of tea was well
stocked and picked up a pair for himself.
Ken quickly arrived at the freezing food section of
the grocery store. Almost every shelf was bare, but
he was able to find just what his mother wanted,
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the last box of six eggs. When Ken deposited the
carton in his shopping basket, he returned to the
storefront and checked out in the express lane. He
kept the shopping bags very closely to prevent the
eggs from being destroyed during the jerky
movements. As he returned to the car park, he was
happily surprised to see Jacqueline Brown, one of
his former classmates. She saw him coming as he
approached.
" Ken Dix? "
As one of the most popular girls in college, she was
stunning and kept her brown, sandy-sized hair just
below her jawline. Her charming appearance at first
glance concealed her shrewd, intelligent character.
She and Ken had been partners in various subjects a
few times, and he helped craft her entrance essay to
the University of Washington. This earned her a
scholarship on a full ride.
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Despite her fame, they worked well together, and
Ken even dared to call her a friend, at least in his
own opinion. They never hung out on a social basis;
her circle of friends would never let her live that
down. Times had, however, changed.
After all, they were both out of high school. What
was the harm in asking?
"Jacqueline? Wow, I did not think I would see you
here. I figured you fled to cooler climates? "
"Yeah, Seattle is nice, but nothing beats home on
Christmas," she answered. "You've returned for the
same reason? "
"Yeah." Mom was really hard on me. She would not
settle for anything less than a packed house on
Christmas Eve. I'm grabbing a few last items for
her. Nice to see you again. You look good, uh." You
look terrific.
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"Thanks, Ken," she replied reluctantly.
"I will be home, uh, for a few weeks. Will you like to
go out with me sometime? Have a bite to eat?
Consider making my day?"
"Well, Ken, that's sweet to ask..." she said almost to
herself. When she stopped, she had the same
glimmer in her eyes as if she had remembered
something. "Okay!" Here is my number. She wrote
down a series of numbers on a sheet of paper and
wrote her name next to them. "I'm going to see you
later. I guess." "
"sounds amazing! "
It came as a surprise to Ken that he had actually
done it! He had asked out the finest girl he had
encountered in his entire life. She had also offered
him her number! Things were certainly changing.
"Dick." "a voice behind them screamed."
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Ken instantly turned, remembering Jason Brown,
Jacqueline's brother, along with his two friends,
Brian and Barrett Sullivan. Jason had been a
standout quarterback in high school, and the
Sullivan boys were one of the most formidable
offensive linemen. Often they were also his muscle
off the soccer field. Ken knew these three closely, as
they had pursued a high school mission to turn his
life into a living hell. Being put in lockers, having
his wallet stolen, they were all normal with them.
The three came close and attempted to look
impressive from the point of view of the ever-
scrawny Ken.
"I don't have anything to tell you guys," Ken
murmured as they approached.
"Well
," Jason roared, "I've got something to say to
you, Mr. Kenny Dick."
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"Shut up and leave me alone," Ken answered, his
stomach boiling at the use of Jason's long-standing
moniker for him.
"No! YOU shut up. " Jason grabbed Ken by the shirt
collar and threw him against his car." When they
collided with each other, Ken lowered the shopping
bags, and the jugs of tea fell right onto the egg
carton.
"Jason!. Please stop it! " Jacqueline protested."
"Listen fucking asshole. Don't fuck with my sister."
"She's a grown-up, asshole! It's she who decides
who she wants to associate with. Ken argued.
YOU are not on the same PLANET as her! "You're no
use." A sad sack of guts your dumbass mother
provided a name! So? Just please all of us and fall
dead! "
Ken swung a wild haymaker at his attacker in a fit
of rage, but Jason was primed, pinning Ken's arm
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against his vehicle. Jason then delivered a crippling
blow to Ken's stomach, causing him to drop to his
knees. Jason knelt by his gasping victim before
leaving.
"I won't be so sweet next time. Next time, I will
personally kill you. See you later. K Dick." Jason
turned to his sister, "Come, come home time."
Jacqueline looked down at the pitiful form of Ken
and apologized.
The trio of boys jumped across the car park and
laughed at their antics. Jacqueline followed right
after them. Ken picked himself up, examining the
smashed eggs he had in his bag. In anger, he swore
at the misshapen carton and threw it in the trash
can.
"Tonight, no chess pie..."
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Jason and his flunkies watched on from his car as
Ken returned to his car and began his drive home,
still satisfied with their efforts.
"You shouldn't have done that," said Jacqueline
sternly.
Jason turned around. I do what I need to do,
Jacqueline. The fuckwit should totally stop getting
frisky with you. He should know his place.
"No matter what, I can take care of myself," she
said.
"Take care of yourself? Think you forgot? "
"I did." Jason, one day you will finally realize that
there are better and more effective ways to keep
undesirable kinds away. I promise Ken will never
bother me again.
********
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CHAPTER 2
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However, after returning home, Ken decided that he
wouldn't tell his mother about the incident. He
instead said that the store had been sold out
entirely. She spent several sleepless nights in the
past thinking about the daily abuse her son was
subjected to by his mocking classmates. Ken didn't
want her to stress any more than she already was.
By this time, his uncles had begun to arrive, and
the living room was soon filled with the sounds of
soccer games. Ken felt that these pieces of nonsense
were no more thought-provoking than the mindless
Christmas specials he had been watching earlier.
Ken went up to his room to take a hot shower and
have some alone time. As he was tearing off his
clothing, he saw a recent bruise starting to form on
his body from Jason's stamp. He winced in
discomfort as he touched the delicate and tender
tissue.
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Shit, this isn't going anywhere for a bit.
Before heading into the shower, Ken took some
analgesic for his discomfort. The hot water was able
to relax his body and clear the mind, a bit at a time.
After a while, he finished and made sure that his
door was locked, he flopped face down on his bed.
After lying in bed for about an hour, his mother
eventually called him down to partake in the family
dinner.
Feeling at ease, Kenneth took his seat at the table.
His mom had two brothers, Lee and Stan, who were
older. Although Lee was tall and still looked young
at 45, Stan was comparatively shorter and
beginning to bald. Both of them were still
athletically inclined, regardless of how they
dressed.
Ken had never met his father before; it had always
been just him and his mother. He could tell that his
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uncles were trying to be male role models for him,
but their efforts were typically ill-conceived
attempts to "toughen him up." They never
acknowledged his introverted personality and kept
on pushing him to communicate with others. After a
while, Ken finally ceased paying heed to their
suggestions.
It was striking to Ken how the families of Lee and
Stan were comparable. Both had married lovely
blonde cheerleaders, and both now had sixteen-
year-old young girls, two of them among the most
popular girls in school. It annoyed Ken; they were
perpetuating the myth of pretty people being the be-
all-end-all in life. Ken was mostly quiet as the
family ate. The adults had talked about their work
while the two girls battled and played with their
phones. None of this influenced Ken.
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Lee said, "You know, today I saw something
interesting," as dessert was being carried out. I was
at a Kroger filling up my car and saw you, Ken. It
seemed you had some words with some of the
rivals.
Fuck! Shit! Shit! He's been seeing?!
Ken did not want to bother his mother, so he said,
"It's… nothing."
"Nothing, huh?" Did that punk punch you because
he was mad about something? "
With a concerned look on her face, Helen asked,
"Ken, sweetie, what's he talking about? "She stood
up and walked around the table to Ken's seat and
saw the abrasions on his abdomen. "Is that Jason
kid again, huh? "
"Let it go, Mother."
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"No! No!" I'm concerned about you, Ken! "
"You're worried about ME?! I believe you should be
worried more for your brother. "Ken roared, his
fury finally erupted. "Oh yes, Uncle Lee?" You see
your own nephew being threatened, but you do
little to assist him? "
Lee responded in a quiet voice, "A man needs to
learn to fight his own battles.
"nooooooo. Would you like to know what a man
does? A man protects his Kin! No. Matter. What!
You watched and saw your own nephew battered.
That says a lot more about you, hell, than it does to
me. And I don't want any part of that if that's
family."
Without saying a single thing, Ken got up and left
the dining room. Then he grabbe
d his MIT hoodie
and started for the front door.
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He saw to his annoyance, as he was about to get into
his car and drive off, that the cars of his uncles were
parked behind him in the driveway, blocking him
in. He prepared to go on foot, swearing under his
breath.
"Ken! "Ken! Please, come back inside! "Helen
rushed up the driveway after him.
"No. I've got to go out to clear my mind."
"It's Christmas Eve, Ken. Be with your family.
Mom, apart from you," Ken replied coldly, "not a
single person in that house feels like family to me.
"I'll call you later."
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Ken went into the cold Georgia night, unsure where
he should go or what he should do. Nobody else was
out since they all had their families at home.
Remembering the square in the historic center of
Alpharetta, he decided to move in that direction.
Perhaps the peaceful walk will be good for him.
Arriving at the town square, Ken walked a little
along the sidewalks and stared at different
restaurants and shops' dark windows. Everything
looked so distinct to him with everyone gone for the
day; it all seemed so peaceful. He soon saw the town
hall in the distance as he moved on. There was a
large green space in front of the building, teeming
with a surprising amount of activity because it was
Christmas Eve. Ken stepped closer, spying on a
huge crowd, all of them in coats and
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hats on picnic blankets. A widescreen projected the