Beautiful Curses: Book One

by J. Dorothy

  Flopping her head back against the cold wall, she took a deep breath and dropped her hand in her lap, closing her eyes, in relief. The ring was very special. Her father had sent a ring for both her and Gabriella on their eighth birthdays. The only time they had ever heard from him. Jo had received an amethyst stone, while Gabriella had a sapphire one. Each setting was completely different. Where Jo's ring was fairly plain, Gabriella's had an intricate casing protecting the stone. In the brief note, her father had said the rings were family heirlooms he wanted passed down to the next generation. Jo guessed they both must be very old. She never got a good look at Gabriella’s though. She never took it off. And never spoke about it. Not surprising though, because she never spoke to Jo about anything unless she had to.

  Jo wished she could write to her father and ask him about the rings. But that wasn’t possible. He’d left when she was a baby and she had no idea where he lived now. He never gave a forwarding address or made any other contact over the years. All she could do was to keep it safe. If her mother hadn’t been killed in an accident seventeen years ago, and her father hadn’t disappeared, she might have the answers she so desperately wanted …

  Loud laughter from downstairs interrupted her thoughts, and she blew out another big breath, knowing Spencer would come looking for her if she didn’t make an appearance soon.

  After pushing herself off the floor and checking her ring one more time she made her way downstairs and entered the kitchen. She quietly opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water, slowly undoing the lid. Opening her mouth to take a swig, she jumped when Spencer called, “Hey, Jo, come in here and meet my friend James.”

  Jo grimaced. There was no chance of escape now. Taking a quick sip from her bottle she forced herself to walk through the doorway into the den. Her eyes met Gabriella’s first. As Jo expected, she sat casually on the chocolate coloured couch, playing with her hair and smiling radiantly. Then her gaze drifted to land on the guest who Gabriella was obviously revelling in getting all the attention from.

  “Hey, Jo, nice to finally meet you,” the lad who must be James, said as he leant forward with a big grin on his very lovely face.

  Jo’s heart started to race and her mouth suddenly went dry, she felt almost giddy.

  Okay, that was new.

  “Um ... Hello,” she replied softly. Not sure why she was reacting that way. This was a different kind of nervous and she shot a glance around the room to try and steady herself. "Are the others visiting the village?" she asked, not looking at anyone.

  James smiled again. “Well, Spencer talks non-stop about his two favourite sisters. I wanted to be the first one to meet you both, so I bribed the other lads to stay away this time.”

  Spencer ruffled his short brown locks and shook his head. “The others had plans, so we’re stuck with James. Anyway, I barely mention you, unless he asks. He’s been begging to come to the farm. He’s a bit hard up for female company.”

  James rubbed his chin and laughed. “Yeah, most girls leave me for dead once they meet Spencer—the ladies can’t get enough of him.”

  Then he winked at Jo and she suddenly needed to sit down. The more James spoke and flashed those lovely blue eyes at her, the more her heart raced and her legs became unstable. She literally dropped down on the couch next to Spencer and took another sip of water.

  Gabriella hadn’t shifted her eyes from James. Laughing lightly, she flicked her long black hair over her shoulder, drawing James’s gaze. “I find that hard to believe. Those London girls must go around wearing blindfolds.”

  Jo suppressed the urge to gag, she had seen Gabriella in action more times than she could count, but this time for some strange reason, it really annoyed her.

  In an attempt to divert her thoughts, she turned to Spencer, “I ... um ... asked Beth about the movies ... she can make it on Friday night. Is that okay?”

  A smile tugged at Spencer’s lips as if he were remembering something good, then he shrugged. “I suppose. What do you think James? We’re all going to see that new movie about the extreme Poets.”

  “Yeah, I read a review and they rated it. I like the lead actor.”

  Gabriella tucked her slender legs up onto the couch making her pleated uniform rise to expose her black tights. Once again James’s eyes wandered over her and Jo felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She shook her head and took another sip of water as Gabriella continued to flirt.

  “Lance Rivers, I really like him too, James,” she continued, fluttering her eyelashes. “Did you see that last movie …”

  Jo tried to be interested as they discussed the actor she couldn’t care less about, but her mind wandered. She’d heard Spencer mention James a few times as they shared a room at university, but she didn’t know anything about him. Usually she didn’t bother thinking about boys with Gabriella around. There wasn’t much point. But with James’s long dark locks, three day growth, and the thin scar running down one side of his cheek, she couldn’t help it. He was one of the best looking boys she’d ever seen. He kind of reminded her of those scruffy rogues in those trashy historical romances. Not that she had read many. She got a few free from her book club, and was curious, so ...

  “What actors do you like, Jo?”

  Huh? No one ever interrupted Gabriella’s conversation and James had just cut her off in mid-sentence to talk to her.

  Jo twisted the cap on the water bottle. “Um … um … no one in particular,” she stammered.

  “You never remember their names, Jo,” Gabriella interjected. “I’ve seen you pine over those dreary actors in those boring BBC dramas you like so much.”

  James continued looking at Jo, completely ignoring Gabriella. “What about movies? What's your favourite?”

  “Um ...” Jo clenched her fingers in her lap. Plucking courage from somewhere she managed, “Mostly historical dramas … and novel adaptations, when the movie stays true to the story.”

  “I hate it when movie makers wreck a good story,” James stated.

  “Don’t get Jo started,” Spencer chimed in. “That’s her pet hate. She goes on and on about it ...”

  Jo wanted to smack Spencer about the head, and seriously considered it, but James kept watching her, his blue eyes sparkling under his long dark lashes.

  Wow, he seriously had nice eyes.

  Jo’s pulse continued to race, and she took yet another big swallow from her water bottle to stop from staring at him.

  “Well, how about we watch Pride and Prejudice?” Gabriella crossed her legs, picked up the TV guide and flicked through to the page Jo had earmarked. Jo couldn’t believe she wanted to watch that. She hated Jane Austen. In fact she hated anything that required intelligent thought. “We could all sit and criticise how it doesn’t measure up to the book. I hear the movie adaptation wasn’t very good. Did you see it James?”

  James laughed. “I can’t believe I’m admitting this. But Elizabeth Bennett’s a great character. I liked the actress who played her.”

  Gabriella turned to Jo. “Didn’t you say the actor who played Elizabeth Bennett was dull?”

  Jo wanted to smack her in the head as well. Why she was suddenly claiming they’d had an actual conversation … and why she was acting like she was a movie critic all of a sudden.... Jo clenched her water bottle hard and bit her inside cheek. “Um … I can’t remember … but, yeah, Elizabeth Bennett’s one of my favourite characters too.”

  James smiled at Jo and then glanced sideways at Gabriella, “Maybe we’ll leave the classics for another night. What else looks good?”

  They all tuned into a re-run of some old sitcom, Gabriella finally settled on, after flicking through fifty plus channels. Glad of the distraction, Jo sighed. Happy she didn’t have to partake in any more conversations. She needed to work out these strange feelings. Feelings she’d never had before. Every now and then she snuck a peek at James, and once or twice he caught her eye, making the butterflies in her stomach launch into overdrive. By the end of the evening she
was exhausted and went to bed feeling very dazed and very confused.

  FIVE

  On Friday afternoon Jo and Beth caught the bus back to the farm. They entered the house through the conservatory door and dumped their bags on the nearest chair, before reaching the kitchen.

  “Spencer and James went hiking today. They probably won’t be here for a few hours. I want you to hear this new song. We’ll grab a drink and go up to my bedroom, "Jo said, seeing Beth fidgeting with her hair, looking a bit agitated.

  Beth blew out a breath and took a seat at the kitchen bench as Jo leaned into the open fridge. “What would you like? Water, fruit juice … or some of Sarah’s health mix.” Jo pulled out a container and swirled around the contents of green sludge.

  “Ugh … just water will be fine thanks,” Beth replied, screwing her nose.

  “Yeah, I think I might toss this. Sarah must have forgotten to drink it this morning. She left for London early, some design course. She won’t be home till late tonight.”

  “Where’s Gabriella?”

  Jo shrugged. “Probably catching up with her friends. I think she mentioned something about a Christmas party at Mason’s. I’m surprised you weren’t invited. Aren’t you good friends with that lot?”

  Beth stood up, widened her stance and put her hands on her hips while frowning fiercely. “Well, yer, wee, begga'. I had uther, betta, fings to do you kno. First scrubbin' the wee bairn's dirty rags, then muckin' down the stables, and scrubbin' them floors on me poor hands and knees, but I can tell ye, it were twenty times more pleasurin' than bein' at any gatherin' with that lot of foolish upstarts ...”

  Jo laughed as Beth knelt down to curtsey. She loved hearing the old northern accent. Beth had been practicing for the last few days. The auditions for the local play were in a couple of weeks, and Beth wanted a minor part as a scullery maid.

  “You’re both highly amused with yourselves. Do we get to hear the rest of the joke?” Spencer asked, smiling at Beth as he walked into the kitchen with James in tow.

  Both girls jumped at the boys sudden appearance. Jo had no idea they’d be home so early. She quickly looked down at the huge coke stain covering her school uniform. Another disadvantage to being grey. Most of the time the other students didn’t notice her either, hence the accidental collision with Lewis Pimms and a can of coke. The local heartthrob according to the whole school girl population, but Jo just thought he was an idiot who didn’t watch where he was going. He’d just laughed and kept walking. Beth wanted to have words with him, but Jo couldn’t be bothered, it wasn’t the first time something like that had happened and it wouldn’t be the last.

  She placed her hands over the worst of it and shot a glance at Beth who wore a mortified expression while averting her gaze from Spencer. “Um … Beth’s practising her audition for the Play Writes,” Jo answered quickly.

  “Sounds cool. You don't have to stop. We could be your practise audience,” Spencer said his brightest smile on his face, while Beth's cheeks grew pinker and her arms clenched around her middle.

  Jo stumbled to think of something to say, when James said, “I haven’t heard of the Play Writes. Is that some kind of acting class?” He looked directly at Jo and then his eyes drifted to the coke stain covering the mid region of her uniform. She swallowed and tried to spread her fingers to hide it, but it still showed.

  “Um … Yes, kind of,” Beth answered, rescuing her right back. “They’re an amateur drama group over in Cherry Hinton who put on a production once a year. I’ve been trying to convince Jo to join with me.”

  Great, why did she have to mention that!

  “Do you want to be an actor?” James asked Jo with a frown.

  Jo shook her head quickly. “No. I’d work behind the scences. Beth’s the actor, not me.” She turned to glare at Spencer who was still supporting a silly grin. “Not that she likes doing on the spot performances.”

  Spencer held up his hands in surrender, his eyes still focussed on Beth, “I was only trying to be helpful, but my offer still stands. I promise to be an uncritical audience if you ever need it.”

  Beth smiled shyly. “Thanks, I’ll be sure to call on you when I next feel the urge to audition in your kitchen.”

  She looked away and Spencer smiled at her once more before he cocked his head toward Jo. “So, what happened to you today?”

  “Nothing,” she whispered. Not happy they were all staring at her.

  “Lewis Pimms,” Beth stated, before Jo could stop her.

  “Did he do that on purpose?” Spencer asked with a scowl.

  “No, him and his can of coke didn’t watch where they were going.”

  Jo wished Beth hadn’t brought it up in the first place. She already had a story, in case Sarah asked. Jo never bothered telling her family when incidents like this happened. She just let them slide and got on with it. She figured there was nothing anyone could do. Her peers never harassed or hurt her, and over the years she just accepted that no one wanted to be her friend.

  “He didn’t even apologise,” Beth continued.

  “He didn’t apologise?” James scowled.

  “It doesn’t matter. I’m sure it’ll come out in the wash,” Jo said, eager to end the conversation. She pulled Beth’s sleeve. “Come on, let’s go.” Jo picked up her school bag and literally dragged Beth out of the kitchen, not willing to look at James or Spencer's sympathetic faces any longer.

  Later that night they'd all piled into James's car and drove into the village.

  The cinema foyer bustled with locals and Jo noticed Gabriella wave to a few, while keeping Spencer’s arm in a tight grip. “We’ll go and get the tickets for everyone,” she said.

  Beth glanced at James, who shrugged. “That’s okay we can pay for our own.”

  “Don’t be silly, Peter gave me money for all of us. I think he wanted us to have a good time.” Gabriella smiled confidently.

  “That was nice of him. What if I go and get some popcorn and drinks?” Beth offered.

  “Great, you and James do that and we’ll get the tickets and save seats.” Gabriella went to walk away with Spencer in tow, then called over her shoulder, “Jo can meet you outside and show you where we’re sitting.”

  Jo tapped her fingers on her arm as she waited. Beth and James were taking a long time. The sound of the previews echoed through the door just as they appeared. Beth wore a smug grin and Jo eyed her suspiciously.

  “Hey, sorry we took so long. I had the pleasure of introducing James to Lewis.”

  "Lewis?”

  “Well, it was more of an impromptu meet and greet,” James said with a matching grin.

  Jo narrowed her eyes. Then she looked over his shoulder and spotted Lewis Pimms making his way down through the foyer with his normal crowd of friends. He didn’t look very happy. Then Jo saw the orange stain on his white shirt and Lauren Gardner dabbing a napkin at his chest, being overly zealous in her cleaning efforts.

  “You didn’t?” Jo gasped, looking at James wide eyed.

  “Accidents happen. What can I say, I tripped. Here’s your drink. Sorry, lost half of it,” James continued grinning as he handed it to her.

  Jo shook her head, a smile twitching at her lips as she took the almost empty cup. Slightly amused and flattered, that James would go to those lengths to stand up for her.

  Just another bow to add to his roguish hero status.

  Then she remembered Lewis and how he was well known for winning most fights, in and out of school. She didn’t want him messing with James, so she quickly rushed into the darkened movie theatre, hoping he’d follow. It wouldn’t take Lewis long to put two and two together. He may be the biggest idiot she knew, but he wasn’t stupid.

  After the movie ended, Spencer led the way down the aisle and out of the cinema. Jo kept a watchful eye on the crowd, hoping Lewis had gone home to change his shirt so they didn’t run into him again.

  As everyone grouped together in the street, Spencer looked at Beth. “Are you able
to come for a coffee or do you need to go home?”

  “Um … I probably should go home.”

  Spencer nodded and looked down the road, his hands jammed into his jacket pockets.

  Beth gazed in the same direction for a moment, and no one spoke. Then Beth turned back, her face lit up. “You could always come to my house. Mum has this fantastic blend her sister sends from London and we have a wicked coffee machine. I know mum won’t mind as long as I’m home.” Beth shrugged. “She worries…”

  “Sounds good,” Spencer answered beaming at her.

  “Fine with me,” James said.

  “She makes brilliant coffee,” Jo agreed, although surprised by Beth’s offer and the way she looked so happy all of a sudden.

  “I could always postpone my plans with Denise.” Gabriella held up her mobile.

  “I think you might be too late for that,” Jo said, seeing Denise approach.

  Gabriella turned to look in the same direction.

  “Hiya, sorry I’m late. Are you ready to go?” Denise called to Gabriella, standing a few feet back from their group, not bothering to acknowledge anyone else.

  Jo didn’t flinch. Gabriella’s friends always ignored her, but she was surprised Denise didn’t want to meet James and Spencer. Gabriella was always telling Spencer how her friends constantly asked about who he had hooked up with in London.

  Gabriella caressed her ring for a split second, a look of indecision on her face, but the look disappeared quickly, replaced by a broad smile. “I’ll see you all later.” Gabriella turned and took Denise’s arm, then called over her shoulder, “Tell Peter I’ll be in by midnight. I don’t think he wanted any of us later than that.” She gave Spencer a pointed look, before she turned away with Denise.