“You know you don’t have to be here,” he said in a concerned tone.
“No,” I sniffled. “No, I want to be here for the end. I need to be here for that.”
The destruction crew counted down, and when they got to one, the large wrecking ball crashed into the side of the building like a bowling ball. It sounded as if dynamite had exploded and as I jumped backward, Jordan wrapped his arm around me, doing his best to calm me down. “Come on,” he said as he led me away from the parking lot. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
“No,” I said, wiping tears from my eyes. “No, I said I want to stay here.”
“Harper, just come on. Please.” After a little bit of resistance, I finally gave in and got into his car. “Kurt, can you take me to the um, the other location, please?”
He smiled, and in moments, we pulled away from the wreck. Crocodile tears rolled down my cheeks as Jordan scooted closer to me. I didn’t want anything to do with him right now. I scooted away as I wiped the stream of tears from my eyes. The car stopped almost ten minutes later and sat idle in the middle of a parking lot. Without saying a word, Jordan exited the car and left the door open, waiting for me to get out. “Come on,” he said after he realized I wouldn’t get out on my own.
I huffed and exited the vehicle. “What do you think of that?” he said, pointing towards a new building that sat on a hill almost a hundred yards away.
I sniffled, “it’s just a stupid building, Jordan. Who cares?”
“Well,” he said as Kurt turned off the engine and stood beside us. “I was thinking about opening a community center right there. I mean, it's not too far from the old one. The only problem is, I don’t know of any directors that would be willing to run it for me. Do you?”
My cries stifled as I looked at him, then at the building on the hill. I wiped my eyes, “are you serious, Jordan? This… this is going to be another community center?”
He laughed. “I just purchased it last week. I wanted it to be a surprise, you know?”
“Seriously? This is not a joke?”
“Nope. Not a joke. This is your new community center. Now, I trust that you can run this without–”
I leaped into his arms, nearly knocking him to the ground as I squeezed him as tight as I could. Just when I thought things were coming to an end, Jordan proved me wrong yet again. That’s what I loved the most about him. He always seemed to do the opposite of what I expected, and he never disappointed. “Um, Harper,” he said, “Harper, can you loosen up a little bit? You are squeezing me kind of tight. Harper? Harper?”
THE END
Secret Confession
Chapter 1
A howling wind roared outside as Kristy sat inside her quaint three-bedroom apartment, her windows shaking viciously. She hated this time of year when the weather was so bitterly cold. It snowed constantly and reminded her all too well of her current pathetic situation. At twenty-five, she still had no boyfriend or even a possibility of one and the prospect of finding potential love interest seemed dimmer each passing day. She was shuffling along her bare floors, hugging her coffee cup trying to desperately get herself together for another monotonous day at Parker Brothers store where just about every strange individual that roamed the earth seemed to cling. She couldn’t help but wonder if this would be her fate for the rest of her uneventful life.
Sprays of hail and ice pelted her kitchen window as the towering oak trees, that were full of life in the spring and summer, now void of anything scraped tirelessly against the monstrous winds. A chill went through her as she watched in awe how violent and malicious mother nature can be.
That is really sort of how her own life had become. A nerd since high school the brunt of one vicious joke after another and not accepted by her own peers, she knew all too well how evil people really could be. A stabbing pain swelled deep in her chest. Suddenly she felt empty cold as if she was just some carcass being prepared for her final moments.
Just as she became drowned in her own sorrows and the pathetic world, off in the distance, it was the John and Hank show -- her favorite talk show of all time. Those two guys were hunks, to say the least. She met them once at a public event in town. John had rippling muscles, deep bronze skin and vivid sable eyes that could melt any woman’s heart. Hank not so bad himself with his basketball player build, youthful contagious smile and raspy voice that turned her on in ways she never thought possible -- she practically had orgasms just listening to him.
If only she could get the two of them alone and show them how gorgeous and intelligent she was she could rock their worlds in ways, they never thought possible.
Laughing to herself, her feline friend Sophia stared at her with those wide turquoise eyes, fluffy white fur reminding her a blanket of fleece. She could sense Sophia’s judging eyes silently telling her to get real --those guys aren’t interested in you, girl.
Tossing her head back cackling as she roamed through to the bedroom practically running into the chipped oak table in the hallway. One day that thing is going to cause me a major injury, Kristy thought.
Just as she was about to close the door it was time for the game of fortune contest. Each day the pair would ask a trivia question and the lucky winner would either win cool hard cash or a luxurious trip. The idea of winning anything was next to impossible, especially when it came to Kristy’s luck. One time she won a few dollars off one of those cheesy lottery scratch offs and she thought she was a millionaire till she saw it was a meager twenty dollars. Despite this, she loved games of chance or the opportunity to possibly win something even though deep down she knew she probably would win zilch.
Looking at the kitchen clock above her microwave the light green numbers were showing it was practically 9:00 AM and Kristy panicked. The store opened in less than two hours and she wasn’t even half way dressed. That and the nasty winter storm outside would surely cause her to be extra late. She could hear Ms. Coyle’s raspy voice, a product of years of chain smoking, scold her for not being on time and that a true worker always showed up thirty minutes or sooner. After all, she was an employee of the company for nearly forty years and she never missed a day or was so much as a minute late. Despite loathing this job and wishing she could just find anything that would give her a brighter future, Ms. Coyle was about to retire in three weeks and rumor had it she was seriously contemplating Kristy as her replacement. Her job paid nearly double the salary Kristy was accustomed to and she would be considered a full-time corporate employee. The last thing she wanted on this bitter day to add to her agony was to be late.
“Ok boys and girls, here is our question for the game of fortune contest. Get ready gang.” In the background, Kristy heard one of the radio personalities spin the wheel of chance its tick-tock sound like that of a time bomb about to go off in the middle of some highly populated shopping mall.
Walking back to her bedroom rushing to get her makeup and hair done, she could hear Hank’s voice saying today’s topic would be on history. If there was ever a topic she knew all too well, it was history. Kristy can still recall sitting in Mr. Smith’s 8th grade Social Studies class, his wrinkled cheeks and wispy brown mustache reminding her of some English man from one of those old mystery movies her father used to watch every weekend. Jenna, her best friend, sitting behind her usually flirting with every boy she laid eyes on and giggling away at Mr. Smith’s monotonous lectures. She always managed to get them both in trouble.
Jenna, the girl who couldn’t even get a passing grade in high school and had to take eight weeks of summer school just to graduate, wound up with the better life. It wasn’t but two months since they graduated and one of the many men Jenna dated happened to be one of the mayor’s top advisors and needed a secretary. Jenna could barely write let alone type, yet a few screws later, and she had the job regardless of her abilities. There were many times Kristy just wanted to scream and say life wasn’t fair.
“Ok boys and girls, today’s hi
story question for an all-expense paid trip to St. Bart’s in the Caribbean for you and a good friend. Who freed the slaves? The first person to get through and provide the correct answer will win the all paid Caribbean trip to St. Bart’s Island.” Hank yelled into the mic his booming voice resonating all through Kristy’s apartment.
“Abraham Lincoln! I know it!” Kristy started jumping up and down. Sophia gazed at her in that sheepish stare she did when she was between sleep and reality, her lounging feline body sprawled across the bottom of her bed.
Running around through the bedroom frantically searching for her cell phone listening for the number to call, Kristy had to give this a chance. If there ever was a chance for her to have anything good in her life this was it. Caribbean islands were known for romance and gorgeous men. Visions of her naked body sprawled along the white sandy beaches and clear blue waters as tall dark skinned men massaged and made love to her body flashed before her.
Hidden underneath her outfit for today, her shiny silver cell phone glistened in the sunlight as the clouds separated in the tumultuous sky outside. Clutching her phone, she quickly dialed the number Hank blurted out and to her astonishment it rang right through. John and Hank sang their usual tune “Hey guys thanks for calling in to the John and Hank show where we talk about everything from your sex life to your future. Don’t forget Wednesday’s is Psychic Jackie day.”
Another talk show favorite, Jackie was a world renowned psychic with her elongated jet black eyelashes and dark brown eyes who thousands around the world flocked to when they heard she was doing a performance. Not a big fan of Jackie herself Kristie still recalled that day last summer when she spent nearly one hundred dollars to go to one of her readings down at the Wells Fargo Center only to be told that she would never find happiness in her life. She had a dark cloud that would never go away. Apparently, something to do with bad karma from a previous life. Nothing could be changed. Just hearing Jackie's name caused her to want to vomit up her ham and cheese omelet.
“Hey there, you have reached Hank. What is your name?” Lost in her own thoughts of hating Jackie The Psychic Kristie almost lost her chance until she heard Hank saying this is the Hank and John show do you have the answer to today’s game challenge.
“Oh my gosh yes! It’s Abraham Lincoln! He freed the slaves!” Kristy screamed shocked she actually got through to speak to Hank, the hottest radio personality in Philadelphia.
“You are correct! What is your name young lady?”
“It’s Kristy. Kri-- Kristy Anderson.” Stuttering one of her childhood traits that disappeared after college always came back when her nerves were on edge.
“Well, Ms. Anderson you are one lucky lady. You and another lucky guest will be going to an all-expense paid trip for 5 days to St. Bart’s Island in the Caribbean. May I ask who you will be bringing?”
“Oh, my best friend Jenna Martin.” Just as she realized she said that she couldn’t even take it back. It was too late to go back -- she had already passed go and there was no turning the wheel of time backwards.
“I am sure she will be thrilled. Well, I need you and Jenna to come to the station this evening at 6:00 PM to get your tickets so we can take a picture for our website. Can you do that Kristy?”
“Sure thing.”
“Fantastic! Ok cool. We will see you at 6:00 PM sharp. We are located at 1515 Market Street by Love Park. Thanks for playing Kristy. We’ll see you then.”
Kristy couldn’t believe what she just committed to. Her job and everything else would be on the line. Not only would she not get the big promotion she might not have a job at all! As if to acknowledge her already tumultuous turn of events, the roaring winds kicked up again shaking her third-floor apartment. The bitter cold air from outside crept its way into her quaint apartment.
How could she even think of taking Jenna? Sure, they were best friends but they were two different people. Jenna lived her life on the edge, Kristy, on the other hand, weighed every decision and wrote an action plan out before even following through.
Ever since they were kids, she always wanted to be like Jenna with her flashy clothes and promiscuous ways but her rigid Catholic upbringing wouldn’t allow for such luxuries. If ever she even tried to put on a coat of lipstick her mother would start demanding she sit in her bedroom praying and studying the Bible.
The idea of bringing Jenna on this trip went against everything she believed in. But then again they were best friends -- she was closer to Jenna than she was to her own sister Dolores.
She had to cancel, though. There was no way she could go on this trip. She had a job to do and she had to show Ms. Coyle she was reliable. Getting up and going on some fancy paid trip to the Caribbean didn’t seem like a rational idea at this time. About to hit the redial button on her phone and let the Hank and John show know she couldn’t do this, her phone chirped its melodious bird song.
“Hello.”
“Girl, this is so cool! I am so excited! I will pick you up tonight after work. I think we should leave like 5:00. Is that good?” Jenna already hyped up and having things planned out was more than ecstatic about their impending plans.
“Uh..yeah... but you know I...” Just as she tried to explain about Ms. Coyle, Jenna chimed in as she always did and took right over.
“Cool, I’ll text you about fifteen minutes before I get there. See you girl. I am so excited you invited me. I love you tons.”
That quick, in a matter of thirty seconds, Kirsty won a trip and had no way out of it. She just wanted to let Jenna know that this wasn’t a good time for her to go. Maybe she could have someone to go with Jenna. Ms. Coyle wouldn’t like this at all. Not sure what to do she sat down and cried. Overwhelmed as she truly needed a break, she hadn’t had a real vacation in nearly three years since her mother passed away.
Chapter 2
All morning Jenna couldn’t help but think of her and Kristy spending time together in St. Bart’s. The island of romance and leisure they would have more men than they could possibly hope for. True, Kristy was more shy and awkward with men than she was but Jenna knew the tropics would spark the wild side out of her. That girl with bleached skin and lifeless brown hair would finally have a spark in her that no one could put out.
Jenna also knew that Kristy was notorious for backing out of shit to avoid issues. She knew that she truly wanted that promotion at Parker Brothers. If only she could call Ms. Coyle herself and tell her how important this was for Kristy to have this break in her life. She has been struggling with bills and finances for months now, barely able to make ends meet and all because she stayed at a job that though she didn’t like much she was hoping to someday rise to the top and be somebody in the business.
Sitting in the lounge on the second floor other co-workers were discussing their families and children, their smiles speaking volumes. Despite her many rendezvous she truly didn’t have the happiness, she wanted in life. She knew Kristy was jealous of her -- she could always see it in her vivid dark eyes as if they were saying you know I am the one with the smarts and did well in school all you cared about is getting laid.
That was so true and Jenna knew it but deep down she wanted happiness and completion in her life just like some of these people in the very office she worked at. There, right behind her, sat Gail Jones a three-hundred-pound whale with smeary red rouge and purple lipstick her blouses were so loose fitting they practically made her look like a floating balloon. Just as she was chowing down on some gooey cinnamon roll she giggled in that school girl voice about how she and her husband Neil made love in the shower last night. There was a difference between hot sweaty sex and intense mouth to mouth kissing where you are caressing each other’s body parts in slow sensual movements. If only Kristy knew that she was as pathetic as she was just in a different sense.
Flipping through her phone looking at her social media account she reveled at the pics of her sister Josie and her husband Andy in their new home in Phoenix. Josie
looked great in that bright red bathing suit as she laid sprawled out on the back of her green patio chair. The sprawling deep brown mountains pierced through the clear deep blue sky revealing such a perfect paradise that any woman would dream of. Andy stooped beside her with his wavy jet black hair and intense sepia eyes, his ripped muscles the envy of many of his friends for sure. Josie had it all: a hot man who deeply loved her and hot sex all in one package. What did it take to find such a perfect situation Jenna wondered as she reclined back in her chair sipping her coffee. Right now she could use a cigarette but she had vowed she would stop quitting by her twenty-fifth birthday. Just a few months away and she had only been cold turkey for three months. Deep within her, she could feel the strong desire to just light up and breath in all that nicotine and just relax all her nerves.
“Hey, baby. How is it going? You free? I have a half hour.” Distracting her from her own world of sadness and jealousy, stood the sinewy body of twenty-four-year-old Derek Jackson.
Derek was the essence of sex with his dark chocolate skin tone, ravishing turquoise eyes, and six pack that any woman would die to lie next to. Luckily, his apartment was right next door to work and they could both have a hot workout before returning to work. Gazing at his manhood peeking through those gray slacks of his, its hardness was ready for the mission. Her wet pussy below was certainly ready to receive. Jealousy and looking at pics of her sister had a weird way of bringing her hormones into full swing. Debating on the right thing to do, didn’t take long for Jenna. Putting her hand up on his bulky hand as it rested on her shoulder she smiled wanting him to enter her so badly.
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