The Difference of Life: A Rachel Waldman Novel (Romance, Contemporary, Women's Fiction)

by Rachel Rachel Waldman

  “You better not.” He smiled. “The carnival just rolled into town last weekend and I’m taking you there,”

  “But that’s for pures only. I can’t go there. People will look at you and me; there will be talk it will get to Lena and later to your father.”

  “By the time it gets to her it will be too late. I am planning on telling him tonight. Our world has to change Bay and it took you to show me the light.”

  “I don’t know Spence…do you even know what you are getting yourself into?” I asked looking up at him.

  “Does it matter? You will be able to choose whoever you deem worthy. All mixes will.”

  “You won’t get all the pures to agree on that.” I sighed.

  “Just my father needs to approve it.” He said brushing my cheek with his finger.

  “Yeah but you understand the council will do something terrible to your father.” I said catching his hand and keeping it on my cheek. “My great grandfather approved my parent’s marriage and was never heard from again. He disappeared.”

  “It won’t get to that point there are other pures who feel the same but are too afraid to admit it. We just need to roll out the carpet for them and they will come to us.” He said kissing my hand.

  “I can’t let you risk-“

  “Bay you aren’t going to shake my thoughts even if they mean pain for me. Our world has to change with the times we are all mythical creatures some more special than others. In my opinion it’s boring to be all one thing. Without your horn and your wings you wouldn’t be as beautiful as you are.” He smiled. “Now we are going to the carnival and we are going to have fun.”

  “Do I get a say at all?”

  “Nope.” He laughed

  §

  We arrived at the carnival and the Ferris wheel was going while the lights flashed. The air smelled of cotton candy, funnel cake and popcorn which made my mouth water. This was way better than our carnival; we only ever have pretzels and water in one booth at the entrance. Every ride was going and none needed repairs.

  “I want cotton candy!” I shouted taking his hand and running in.

  “Alright.” He chuckled. “One, please.” He said as we arrived at the booth.

  “Of course.” The man said spinning the cotton candy. He was a mix. I looked over at the rides and the operators were mixes.

  “Is something wrong?” Spencer asked as he gave me my cotton candy and we walked away from the booth.

  “They are all mixes.” I said moving away from him. “They work for you?”

  “What do you mean, you?”

  “Pures. They work for you. Spencer, take me home.”

  “What are you talking about? We haven’t even ridden the Ferris wheel yet.”

  “Spencer, take me home!” I shouted pushing my cotton candy in his hands. “Don’t make me walk home alone at this hour. Just take me home.”

  “No Bay we are going to stay and have some fun. Come on we are already here.”

  “Fine but I am not having fun.” I said folding my arms. “We are slaves! Is that how you see us?!”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I-“

  “Hello Spencer.” Lena said looking at him up and down. “What are you doing with her?”

  “Lena, hey what are you doing here?” Spencer asked getting nervous. I could tell he was nervous because his hand went right to his neck and started rubbing.

  “I asked you first, sweety.”

  “Oh you know just coming to the carnival to have some fun.”

  “Really? With her?” She said pointing to me.

  “No, no umm Bay was just looking for the ice-cream stand. She is working tonight. It’s her first day on the job and I was just helping her find her way.”

  “That’s sweet of you Spencer helping a freak like her find her way. When will she realized there is no way to find?” She laughed. “The ice-cream stand is right over there.” She said pointing to a booth with a big ceramic ice-cream cone in front of it. “Now run along.” She said shooing me away.

  “You bitch, if I didn’t know any better I would say you were with Michael, you know the guy you were kissing behind the bleachers during cheer practice yesterday.”

  “Find your place freak and don’t ever speak to me like that again!” She shouted getting angry. “Tell her Spencer!”

  “I…well…I…” Spencer stammered.

  “Tell her!” Lena shouted.

  “You know what it doesn’t matter. I’m going to be late for work. Good bye Spencer.” I said walking in the direction of the ice-cream stand.

  “Who are you?” A guy asked with curly dirty blond hair, grayish-green eyes and had black wings.

  “My name is Bay. I’m the new girl.”

  “Really? My boss never tells me anything…”He sighed. “Put on this apron. We wouldn’t want you to get anything on that nice outfit. Tomorrow night wear something you don’t mind getting dirty.”

  “Yeah of course.” I smiled up at him. He had divine features, his jaw was square and he had a little stubble, his hair, long that was pulled back behind him. “You know my name so how about I learn yours.”

  “Dean Philip Warren.” He said scooping out a scoop of chocolate for someone. I saw his arm muscles strain. “Don’t just stand there grab a cone.” He laughed.

  “Right sorry.” I said grabbing a cone as he plopped the scoop on top. He took it from my hand and we touched but only briefly.

  My New Job

  The night was over and it was well into the morning. “Great job for a rookie.” Dean laughed. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Yeah I’ll see you.” I said as he packed up all his stuff in the back of his truck.

  “You want a ride?”

  “Sure, thank you.” I said walking to the passenger side and climbed in.

  “Where do you live?” He questioned getting into the drivers side and turning on the car.

  “6753 Lake View Way.” I said putting on my seat belt.

  “Okay.” He said and we started driving. He drove me home but I made him drop me off a couple blocks from my house by telling him, I didn’t want to wake up my parents this early with the headlights of a car. I walked to my window and threw a pebble at it.

  Eve opened the window and stared down at me for a moment and then lowered the ladder. “So how did it go?!” She said in a cheery tone.

  “It didn’t. He took me to the carnival, the pures’ carnival. I saw mixes everywhere working for them. We don’t get pures working at our carnival but mixes have to work at theirs? Then who shows up none other than Lena. She makes me feel two inches tall and Spencer does nothing to defend me. She just keeps on going and he finally speaks up and you know what he says?” I questioned throwing off my clothes and going into the bathroom.

  “What?”

  “He says, ‘No, no umm Bay was just looking for the ice-cream stand. She is working tonight. It’s her first day on the job and I was just helping her find her way.’ I can’t believe him. He said he wanted to change the way our world works and that he would explain his feelings if Lena ever found out.”

  “So why are you home so late?” Eve asked as I got dressed in the clothes I was wearing for today.

  “I went and worked at the ice-cream stand. I don’t really know why I did it but I did get paid. Pures are loaded.” I said throwing the wad of cash on my nightstand.

  “Wow. Nice.” Eve said picking it up and counting it.

  “Do you know a guy named Dean?”

  “No why?”

  “He was the guy I worked with.”

  “Ahh I see. That’s why you stayed the whole night. He was hot wasn’t he?” She smiled.

  “Yeah he was and he was a mix. Obviously.” I laughed.

  “Five hundred dollars. Can I get a job there?” She laughed.”

  “I don’t know I’ll talk to Dean.” I smiled putting the money in the drawer of my nightstand.

  “Today we go shopping!” Eve sang lying back on my bed.


  “Shopping?” I questioned laughing. “We have school remember?”

  “School is for poor people.” She laughed.

  “Eve, we can’t skip school. Our parents would kill us.”

  “Well how about after school?” She said getting dressed.

  “Okay that will work.” I smiled. “Let’s go to school.” I said walking down the stairs with her behind me.

  §

  “Well I see you are dressed appropriately tonight.” Dean smiled looking at me up and down. I was wearing a plain white V-neck shirt and some washed out jeans.

  “Yeah let’s start scooping.” I laughed.

  “Right, scooping.” He chuckled, picking up his ice-cream scooper and digging into the carton of chocolate and threw the scoop at me.

  “You did not just throw ice-cream at me.” I said moving to the cartons of ice-cream.

  “And if I did?” He said with a devilish smile.

  “You are going to pay for that.” I laughed taking a spoon and flinging a scoop of vanilla at him.

  “Well played.” He laughed as the first pures arrived.

  “Hey, Dean.” The two girls said smiling.

  “Hey girls.” He sighed walking over to the front. “What can I get for you?”

  “How much is one scoop of chocolate on top of you?” One of the girls said.

  “Now Lizzy we have talked about this. I am a mix and you are a pure. Let me tell you something, it will never work.”

  “I know silly but I just can’t help myself you are just so hot.” Lizzy said as Michael came behind her.

  “Come on Lizzy I sent you and Kayla to get ice-cream twenty minutes ago. Dean give my girlfriend her ice-cream.”

  “You know Michael you- never mind, right chocolate.” Dean said scooping up some chocolate and putting in on a cone. “There you are. That will be three dollars.” He sighed as Michael gave him the money and walked away.

  “Bye, Dean.” Lizzy whispered putting a twenty dollar bill in the tip jar.

  “Why didn’t you stand up to him?”

  “Because it’s no good to start trouble. This happens every night. Lizzy comes over, flirts with me, Michael shows up threatens me and quite honestly it gets a little annoying.”

  “But aren’t you the new guy in town?”

  “The new guy? No I’ve been with the carnival for years. I don’t live here; I only come like once a year. I live in Oakland Forest.”

  “That’s like three forests away. Why come here?”

  “The same reason everyone else does money. I make enough money to last me a year and a half. These clowns are loaded.” He laughed flipping his hair out of his face.

  “So once this carnival is over you will go home?”

  “Yeah that’s the plan.”

  “Ahh I see.” I sighed. “When do you leave?”

  “I don’t know next month I think.” He said giving a scoop of vanilla to a guy. “Have a great night, sir.”

  “You respect them?”

  “Yeah this is their jurisdiction. In my forest we are all treated the same. I mean there isn’t one mythical creature that isn’t half something or more.”

  “No pures?”

  “Nope they were wiped out years ago.”

  “What happened?” I asked scooping myself out some mint chip ice-cream.

  “They just realized that we were all beautiful in our own way. It’s the way the future was going and we just decided to embrace it; hence the reason our council fell. We are all in control of our own destiny.”

  “That sounds wonderful. Why can’t our forest be like that?” I asked licking my ice-cream.

  “You ask too many questioned.” He laughed. “Well its quitting time.” He said wiping his hands on his apron and then taking it off. “You need a ride home tonight too?”

  “If you wouldn’t mind.” I smiled sweetly.

  “Alright get in the car.” He smiled loading everything up in the back of his truck and closing his trunk. “You weren’t really hired by Ted were you?” He asked getting in the car.

  “No I wasn’t. I kind of just dropped in because I was supposed to be on a date with Spencer Green, then his girlfriend Lena shows up and makes me feel two inches tall.”

  “Oh I know that’s how I got the job. I was supposed to be on a date with a pure and she told me she was going to change how the world works for us. Then her boyfriend shows up and she told him she was just helping me find my way to the ice-cream stand.” He chuckled. “I walked to the stand I don’t know why I did, but it felt like the right thing to do. Like working at the ice-cream stand was part of my destiny. Ted gave me the job, out of pity I think.”

  “So I’m not as lame as I think I am?”

  “No you are still lame.” He laughed. “Kidding.”

  “Do I still have my job?”

  “Do you still have a job? Bay of course you do.” He smiled. “But we do have to go through Ted.”

  “Great.” I said in a sarcastic tone.

  “Don’t worry Ted is a very understanding person.

  But you need to drop all your feelings against pures. At least when you are clocked in.” “I can do that?” I smiled.

  “Really I guess we will see.” He smiled.

  “I can. Don’t underestimate me.” I laughed.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He said dropping me off a

  couple blocks from my house. “So I will see you tomorrow night.” He smiled kissing my hand.

  “Night.” I smiled.

  “Good night.” He said as I closed the car door and

  waved; he waved back until I turned around and ran to me house.

  “Bay!” He shouted rolling down his window and I turned to look at him.

  “Yeah?”

  “I don’t have your number and Ted might need it you know to get a hold of you.”

  “Right well you tell Ted its 435-9087 and you can use it too.” I smiled. “Night, Dean.” I said kissing him on the cheek and ran toward my house.

  Busted

  I ran to my window and my ladder wasn’t hanging over my windowsill like I left it.

  “Bay!” My dad shouted. “Is that you?!”

  “Shit.” I whispered as he threw down the ladder. “Yes, daddy?” I said sweetly climbing in through my windowsill.

  “Oh, don’t act all sweet and innocent! You are lucky your mom is out of town! Where the hell have you been?! I get up to check on you and you aren’t anywhere in the house!”

  “Now I know this looks bad but I was at work.”

  “Work? In the middle of the night?”

  “Yeah I work at the pures’ carnival. I work at the ice-cream stand.” I said sitting on my bed.

  “Wait you got a job and didn’t tell me?” He asked sitting next to me.

  “It kind of just happened. I was going to tell you but I was afraid you would say no because the hours were all through the night.”

  “I don’t care about that Bay. As long as your grades are kept up to a steady B you can have this job.” He smiled. “You are growing up, sweety and I don’t want to stand in your way. I mean once the council picks a suitor your life will change.”

  “I know. Eve’s life is already changing. She was married off to Jason in front of the council and moved out of her parent’s house. Thank God she is still in school I don’t know what I would do without her.” I sighed.

  “She is a great friend.” He said hugging me. “Listen I would like to meet this guy that is dropping you off every night.”

  “What are you talking about?” I said going to my mirror and brushing my hair.

  “Bay.”

  “Okay but I must tell you there is nothing going on betw- I cut off when my phone went off. I grabbed it out of my pocket and saw a number I didn’t recognize. It said, “Hey Bay this is Dean. I was just wondering if you aren’t doing anything this afternoon maybe we could hang out.” -een us.”

  “Like I said I would like to meet this guy; tonight for dinner.”
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  “But dad I don’t know if that is such a good idea. I don’t want you to scare him away he is my friend.”

  “Right if I didn’t know any better I would say you had feelings for this guy.” He laughed.

  “Very funny, dad.” I laughed. “Now can you leave so I can get a couple hours in before school?”

  “Yeah sure. Night sweety.” He smiled kissing me on the head and left.

  I got dressed in my pajamas and slipped under my covers. I took my phone from its charging station on my nightstand and texted Dean, back, I would like that.

  My phone went off again and the text read, “Great; I will see you tomorrow. “

  I put the phone back on the charging station and went to bed.

  §

  “Morning, Sunshine!” Eve sang at the head of my bed. “Come on get up sleepyhead we don’t have all day!”

  “Ugh, Eve why can’t you be like a normal teenager who likes to sleep in?” I groaned. “You just had to be a morning person.”

  “Yeah we will late to school!”

  “Okay, okay stop shouting.” I groaned getting out of bed.

  “Sorry it’s just the way I am in the morning.” She said in a quieter voice.

  “That’s fine.” I yawned.

  “So what’s on today’s schedule?”

  “Well I have a hang out with Dean.”

  “Oh, really?” She questioned raising her eyebrows.

  “Yeah but it’s just a hang out.”

  “Of course.” She smiled winking. “Have you told your dad about your secret nightlife?”

  “No but he did find out. I came home and my ladder was gone.”

  “Oh my God what happened?”

  “Nothing, he didn’t punish me or anything.”

  “That can’t be; a dad always has a punishment up their sleeve.”

  “Not all our dads are like yours, Eve.” I laughed getting dressed.

  “Now that doesn’t matter. What else did he say?” She asked while fixing her make-up.

  “That he wanted to meet the guy that is bringing me home every night, which I can’t imagine how he found out. I would always have Dean drop me off a couple blocks from my window.”