Game Of Hearts

Jenna Brooks's POV

"Hurry up!! You're going to be late for your flight!" I heard my mum yell from the kitchen.

Taking one final look at my room, I dragged my baggage out to the passage way. Although it had only been two months since we moved here, I was still going to miss my tiny room. I meant our tiny room since I shared the room with my little brother, Dustin whenever he came home from boarding school for holidays. There were only two rooms in the house.

As I closed the door behind me, I walked down the tiny passage into the living room. Dad was sitted, leg crossed as if he wasn't moved by his daughter going thousands of miles away for senior year.

He glanced at me as he spoke, "Good Morning, Jenna," he said, more blandly than I had hoped. I had already crossed my fingers for a laugh, or a hair rustle, or a hug, but they never came, or at least not yet. I was still hoping.

"How was your night?" I asked trying to ignite some sort of conversation.

"Fine." He replied dryly.

I was desperate for something else to talk about with him. For some kind of connection. With Mom, it was effortless. Why did everything always feel so stuck with him?

Dad used to be fun and vibrant and energetic and interactive but after we lost everything and had to move to Cronners, he suddenly went cold and distant.

I dropped my baggage and made my way to the kitchen where mum was making my favorite cookies to go. She said it was a lucky charm and it had always helped her get over the fear of flying but I doubted that.

I watched mom bring out a flat disposable plate from her 'bag of multiple stuffs'. Dustin and I always called it that because the bag seemed to always have everything, even stuffs we didn't need. The house itself, contained a lot of stuffs we didn't need.

Our house hadn't always been like this, I meant full of junk and unnecessary items. When we moved in two months ago, it actually looked pretty normal-a humble house with a little clutter, nothing out of the ordinary.

But it began when dad's company went bankrupt three months ago and we had to move from New York to Cronners, a small town in the middle of nowhere; that's when mom started not being able to let go of things. That would mean it started two months ago. Since then the problem had only gotten worse.

Dad had to move all the unnecessary stuffs to the garage when the house could no longer take the load. Now, our garage was fillled floor to ceiling with stuffs. Stacks of plastic bins, filled with old papers and receipts and clothes we no longer used and toys and tangled jewelry and journals and Christmas decorations and old candy bar wrappers and expired makeup and empty shampoo bottles and broken mug pieces in Ziploc bags.

Sometimes, I would fantasize about us going back to our old house in New York. Then we'd have to pack up the stuff we wanted to take with us into moving boxes. And if we had to pack stuffs into moving boxes, that meant we'd have to sort through all the stuffs in this house and get rid of some of it. And that sounded wonderful.

"Honey Pie, I packed you some cookies" Mum said as she handed me the packed cookies. I could see the look in her eyes. She didn't want me to leave but she had made the decision herself.

She didn't want me to spend senior year in Cronners, a town with a reputation for teenage troubles. Her decision, made over the summer, would have me spending my final year in Houston with Auntie Laurel Declan's family.

I had been to Houston a lot when I was a kid. We used to go and spend summer holidays with the Declans; my mum's best friend's family. That was way before Dustin was born. Although I was just six then, I could still remember some memories I had with the Declan family. I was so happy when mum told me they agreed to be my host family in Houston so I transferred directly to the school the Declan kids attended. I really hoped I would get along with the family just fine, like when I was little.

"Did you pack your hair clips?" Mum inquired, her eyes scanning my long, dark hair.

I gave a slight shrug, "I don't need them, Mum"

Mum had always treated me like a doll since I was little, she would pin butterfly clips to my hair. I had always hated the hairstyle, the rows of tightly wound hair fastened into place with painful, scalp-gripping little clips but I was over that now. I was finally eighteen and I didn't need them anymore.

After seeing the disapproving look on my face, Mum decided to give up on the hair clips. She held my hands and squeezed them tightly as she spoke, "I'm gonna miss you, Honey Pie" she whispered underneath her breath as I could see her eyes filled with unshed tears.

I gave her a comforting smile and pulled her into a warm embrace, "I'll only be gone for a year, Mum"

After what seemed like eternity, we finally broke the hug, the accumulated tears in Mum's eyes finally falling.

"Laurel is gonna take good care of you, okay?" She reassured me and I responded with a smile, swallowing my own emotions.

The honk of dad's minivan signaled that it was time to leave for the airport. With one last look at Mum, I grabbed my bags and rolled them out front. Dad helped me load them at the back of the van while I said quick goodbyes to our neighbors especially Mrs Rodrigo who always called on me every now and then to run errands for her. I wondered who she would call on now.

Soon, we were on our way to the airport. I gazed out of the window, silently saying goodbye to the place that had briefly become home.

...

I stood at the airport entrance, my heart heavy with the weight of the impending separation. Dad, eyes slightly red, approached me with a mixture of sorrow. "I'm so sorry I was cold to you, Jenna. I just felt so guilty that I couldn't be a good father and support you like other dad's do to their kids. I'm really sorry" He explained, his tone emotional.

I managed a weak smile through my unshed tears, my heart swelling with gratitude for being able to talk to him before I left. "You did all you could, Dad."

As the announcement for boarding echoed through the airport, we shared a tight embrace. The airport bustling around seemed to fade into the background, leaving just the two of us, a father and daughter bound by an unbreakable bond.

With one last heartfelt look, I turned towards the security checkpoint, Dad's gaze following me.

"GoodBye, Cronners" I whispered underneath my breath.

...

Somehow, I slept throughout the five hours flight. I had only woken up about ten minutes before the flight landed and it was because of a dream I had. It was kind of scary, and funny too. In my dream, Auntie Laurel tried to make me serve her and her three daughters, that was the scary part.

The funny part was the fact that she didn't have three daughters in real life. As far as I could remember, she had a daughter and two sons. The eldest was Conrad, we used to play tree house together when we were really really little and i could also remember the twins, Jamie and Jeanette. The last time I saw them was summer, twelve years ago and I hoped everything was still the same as I left it.

An unusual fear gripped me when the announcement was made that we were about to land. My palms became sweaty and it was then I realized I actually had the fear of landing, if that was even a thing. I grabbed the small box where mum packed the cookies she made me. I had left them out incase I got hungry but now I needed them for something else. To soothe my 'out of the blue phobia'.

After taking a bite of the cookie, I felt my body sink into relaxation. Mum was right, the cookies did work magic.

As the plane landed, we all started getting off. I got my baggage from the security checkpoint and soon, I was breathing the Houston air. As my eyes scanned the sea of people waiting to welcome their families, I caught sight of an old man, holding a cardboard upside down with my name on it. I walked up to him as I dragged my baggage along.

"I'm Jenna Brooks" I announced to the old man who didn't seem to hear me the first time until I had to repeat myself, "I'm Jenna Brooks"

He nodded affirmatively without saying a word and signaled me to follow him. I obliged and rolled my bag after him. He took me to where the limo was parked and asked me to hop in. Amidst breaths, I managed to get my bags inside. I hopped into the car and soon we were on our way to the Declan residence.

As we journeyed, I whined down the windscreen taking in the scenery. I couldn't recall the roads any longer until we passed a billboard that read 'WELCOME TO FOX LANE"

Jenna Brooks's POV

Fox Lane, home for the wealthy, the powerful and the both. It was a town in Houston but It was like a world onto itself where the rich and powerful resided. When we were little, Auntie Laurel would gather the kids together; Conrad, Jamie, Jeanette and I and tell us stories about how Fox Lane originated. How it used to be a fox reserve for some years until a crazed local poisoned the foxes and the reserve was renovated to a residential area.

Finally, the limo zoomed into the big luxurious house. It was surrounded by green gardens and tall trees. The house looked really fancy with its special decorations made of strong stone. It had large windows that let in lots of sunlight, and these windows had beautiful designs in colorful glass that sparkled.

The roof of the house was shaped in interesting ways, like triangles pointing up to the sky. The roof had a shiny material that reflected the sunlight, and it looked like it was made of silver.

A nice path made of smooth stones led up to the front of the house. Two big statues of lions stood on either side of the front door, as if they were protecting it. The front door was big and had designs carved into the wood, showing pictures that told stories.

I pushed the door open, and Auntie Laurel was right there, as if waiting for me.

"Auntie Laurel!" I squealed as I dropped my baggage and ran into her arms. She embraced me tightly, as if I were her daughter who had left for years.

"Oh my, oh my, Jenna! You've grown so much!" She complimented me as she scuffled my hair.

I had grown so much but Auntie Laurel hadn't aged at all. She was still smart and pretty with her short blonde hair. She was average height and she was probably in her early fourties. The red silhouette long sleeved gown she was wearing, complimented her shape perfectly.

Auntie Laurel ordered the maids to take my bags to the room she had specially prepared for me. Although, I couldn't wait to check out the room, she insisted on showing me off to her book club friends. She took my hands and led me to the back of the big building which I remembered used to be a playground, except it wasn't anymore.

It was now a big shed where rich folks dined and talked about books they don't even like, just to show off. Four women were sitted under the shed, the affluence evident in the way they discussed.

Auntie Laurel coughed as she introduced me, "This is Jenna, she's like family"

I could see the look on their faces, they were looking at me funny. Like, 'where the hell did she come from?' Was it because of the way I was dressed? I was wearing one of my favorite hoodies and jean trousers that mum had insisted I wore. My hair was parked into a messy bun and I had my glasses on. I had always had them on because I couldn't see properly without them.

"She's...pretty" one of the women said, as if she meant the opposite.

When Auntie Laurel noticed my uncomfortable gaze, she asked me to go check out my room.

"Go check out your room, the kids will be back any moment" she had said.

I made my way back and sighed heavily, rich people and how they judged everybody like they were much more perfect.

One of the maids showed me to my room and as I opened it, I was surprised. The walls were alive with a riot of colors, each hue capturing a piece of my personality.

A bed draped in soft, patterned sheets took center stage. Pillows of various sizes and shapes created a cozy sanctuary, and a handmade quilt, a patchwork of memories, added an extra layer of comfort.

A pair of tiny worn-out sneakers rested beside the door, the six years old me used to wear them everywhere whenever I came for summer holidays.

There was a poster of Angelica from the Rugrats hung on the wall. Angelica used to be my favorite character when I was young so Auntie Laurel probably thought I still liked her. But I was all grown up and wasn't into the Rugrats anymore, I still appreciated the efforts though.

I laid on my bed and took a deep breath. Suddenly, someone barged into my room and jumped at me, giving me a tight hug. It was Jeanette. Yeah, without seeing her face, I was sure it was her because she smelled like peppermint. That childhood scent was still with her.

She hugged me so tightly that for a moment, I felt she was going to squeeze the life out of me.

She disengaged the hug, as she squeezed my hands tightly, "I'm so glad you're here" she squealed amidst grin.

I stared at her in disbelief. She wasn't the little Jeanette who ran around in her underwear. She was now tall, curvy and really pretty.

"You've really...ah... changed" I stammered, trying to figure out the right words.

Jeanette smiled as she tucked her hair behind her ear, "I know" she replied, getting on her feets and twirling around for me to see her fully.

Damn! She was hot and pretty too. Although I was just a year older, I felt she knew more about fashion than I did. With a cascade of golden hair that danced upon her shoulders, and vibrant eyes that caught the sunlight, she exduded an effortless charm.

She had a pink crop on, that hinted at her cleavages and a pair of jeans with plain white sneakers. Her hair was parked into a ponytail and she had little makeup on. She was literally perfect.

"I'm so happy we'll be attending the same school for a year. Mum has everything planned out for you" Jeanette explained in excitement.

I forced a smile, i felt somehow intimidated by her. She carried this confidence I so much lacked and now, I was beginning to worry about how I would fit in when i get to the new school. I was sure the school would be filled with a lot of Jeanettes.

A gigantic grin spread across Jeanette's face as she pulled me up on my feet, "Jamie is downstairs, let's go"

She held my hand and took me out of the room and down the stairs into the living room. As I walked towards the chair Jamie was sitted, I tapped his shoulder from behind and he slowly turned to me. My heart raced as my eyes met Jamie's. I could never have imagined he was the little boy I once knew, now tall and attractive. My surprise was evident on my face as I quickly scanned his features.

"Jamie?" I whispered, my voice filled with awe and disbelief. My eyes traveled up and down his tall frame, appreciating the way he had grown into himself over the years.

Jamie's eyes widened in recognition. "Jenna?" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with equal surprise and excitement. A shy smile played on his lips as he stood up, tucking a strand of his unruly hair behind his ear.

"Oh, Jamie!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with surprise. "You've grown into quite the handsome young man. I can hardly believe it."

Jamie blushed, his cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink. He fidgeted with the glasses perched on his nose, a classic accessory of the nerd archetype. "Thanks, Jenna," he stammered, his soft-spoken voice betraying his shy nature. "You look amazing too."

Lost, I turned to glance at Jeanette, then back at Jamie. They weren't identical twins anymore. Was it because they were all grown up now? When they were five, they used to be so identical that we could hardly differentiate between the two, thank God for Jeanette's hair.

"I see you've met the twins," Auntie Laurel said as she walked out of the kitchen. She was beaming with smiles.

"Yes, they've really grown a lot" I replied her.

She smiled and patted my back slowly, "You also grew up, didn't you?"

I responded with a weird laugh. Had I really grown though? I still wore huge nerdy glasses like twelve years ago, I still wore childish Disney princess pajamas, I still hadn't gotten used to sleeping with the lights off and I was still criminally terrible at dressing up. So, I didn't really think I was growing up, in fact I felt everyone else were growing up while I remained the nerdy, not so pretty, rough and big glasses Jenna.

But I wasn't really moved by what anyone else thought. When we were still kids, Conrad had told me he liked me more with the glasses and nerdy look and I had remained that nerd till date.

Speaking of which, I hadn't seen him all day. My eyes scanned the room, hoping to see him. To be honest I was really eager to see him, what he would look like, what he would sound like, if he was still the same Conrad I left twelve years ago, if he was still into nerdy girls and all that.

"Dinner will be served in twenty minutes, y'all should go freshen up quickly" Auntie Laurel said, breaking into my thoughts.

I forced a smile and made my way back to my room. After taking a ten minutes long bath, I put on my Disney princess pajamas and went back downstairs. Soon the twins joined us in the living room. Jamie was wearing one of those normal male robes but Jeanette on the other hand, had gone all the way.

She was wearing the vanerta collection night wear, the colour blue which was also the most expensive. Mom and I had seen it at the mall last week. She had wanted to buy me one of those but it was so expensive and she had even claimed that the price could pay the house rent for a year. She had ended up getting me the cheap Disney princess pajamas, the one she could afford.

"I haven't seen Conrad yet, why?" I asked Jamie as he sat beside me on the couch.

"He never eats dinner at home. I don't know, I think it's some kind of rebellion against mum. He'll be back soon" Jamie explained, then he threw me a reassuring smile as if he could sense my inner worries.

As we made our way to the dinning area, I could notice Jeanette was staring intensely at me. I ignored her insistent gaze and went on to settle down while I feasted my eyes on the different delicacies on the table. It was like a feast, different meals were arranged on the table. The main meal was spaghetti and meatballs with other side dishes.

Before we began eating, Auntie Laurel asked Jeanette to pray and she was done in less than five seconds.

I watched as Jamie cocked his eyebrows, "There's no way you said a prayer in just five seconds" he said, exchanging glances with Auntie Laurel.

Jeanette rolled her eyes as she spoke, "I pray fast, God's busy" she countered.

I smiled at her comeback as I picked up my spoon and started digging into my meal. I knew that sooner or later, Jeanette was gonna say something to me because she kept on stealing glances at me.

"What are you? Like five?" Jeanette's voice cut through the air as she finally spoke.

Jenna Brooks's Pov

There it was. What Jeanette had wanted to say to me the moment she got downstairs. She probably wanted to complain about my pajamas, my Disney princess pajamas which I was just realizing was too childish, even for me. I should never have worn it in the first place.

"I know, I should have thought about how ridiculous I would look" I replied, my head down.

I could hear some whispering, probably Auntie Laurel telling Jeanette to apologize because that was what she did after the whispering stopped.

"Sorry, Jenna. I just can't handle a fashion disaster" she replied halfheartedly and I nodded.

The rest of the dinner was quiet, mostly because Auntie Laurel had told Jeanette not to say anything so she wouldn't end up saying something offensive.

After the quiet dinner, Conrad still wasn't back. I wanted to ask after him but decided not to because I didn't want to sound too persistent. Later, Jeanette pulled me up to her room and I couldn't help but be awestruck by the sight. The room as like a festival of colours where colors bursted with life.

Lavender walls met golden touches, making it feel fancy. Big windows and pink curtains added a soft touch. A fancy bed sat in the center, covered in comfy white sheets and lots of fluffy pillows. A shiny vanity held makeup and perfumes, making it perfect for getting ready.

The closet was like a fashion wonderland. Designer dresses filled the walls, and there were shoes for days, from high heels to comfy sneakers.

There was also a cozy reading spot by the window with a comfy chair. It was either she was a neat freak or she wasn't a book person because the reading desk was excessively well organized unlike the ones I had seen.

The room was full of fashion drawings and quotes, showing how much Jeanette loved style. I couldn't help but feel a bit jealous by how cool Jeanette was. I had always envied several things in Jeanette's life since we were kids-her pinball machine, her collection of Barbies (especially the ones with the short hair that Mom never let me get because she thought it might make me want to cut mine).

I watched Jeanette walk into her closet and didn't come out for a while. For a moment, I thought something bad had happened because people weren't supposed to spend that much time in a closet. Until I walked to the closet, only to find out it was a door in disguise. I slowly tried to open it as I placed my hand on the door knob of the closor-a combination of the words 'closet' and 'door' I had made up three seconds ago when I realized there was more to it.

To think that Jeanette had a secret room in her room, how cooler could she get? Before I could tilt the door open, the door swung open and Jeanette stepped out before locking the door behind her. I couldn't get a glimpse of the room because it was dimly lit but I managed to catch sight of a colorful poster on its walls.

"I'm sorry I took so long," she apologized and I stepped back, deciding not to ask further questions. If she wanted me to know what was inside her secret room, i wouldn't have to ask.

"Sure, Jean,"

Then, Jeanette walked to the wardrobe and brought out a set of clothes-school uniforms to be precise. They were about six but they were all the same except the difference in size. She laid them on the bed and turned to me.

"Mum wasn't sure what your size was so she bought six. You should check the one that fits."

I wanted to ask her why the uniforms were in her room if they were actually mine but I held myself back. After trying on the first one, it fitted perfectly but Jeanette insisted it was jusy too woundy. I could've sworn she had made up the word just to get me to try on another one.

She smiled at me-there was a little warmth to her smile, but it was more so the smile of someone who meant business.

"Can I just... um... can I not?" I asked. "Can I leave it at the one I just tried?"

"Well, Mom wants options," Jeanette said, pulling an overexaggerated "you know her" kind of expression that didn't resonate.

After trying on the fifth uniform-a well-fitted suit jacket and a matching flared skirt, both in a deep navy blue, she finally let me off the hook.

She chuckled, and then her chuckle ended abruptly and she didn't say anything. She just keept looking at me.

***

I retired back to my room later that evening after Jeanette had given me an hour's lecture on the do's and donts of Fox Lane High. She had told me about the mean girls, the bullies and the playboys- Conrad happened to fall in that category.

I had found it hard to believe though because the Conrad I knew was so loving and nice and loving and nice. When we were kids, mom would make me eat sugar-free Popsicles, applesauce, and unsweetened iced tea, because they were the foods that didn't seem to add weight to me. Popsicles and applesauce added nothing, and iced tea was peed right out.

Then, Conrad would sneak in 'mac and cheese' in the middle of the night and we'd both enjoy it on the terrace while everyone else was asleep. I found it hard to believe that the Conrad Jeanette had talked about was the same one I spent my childhood with.

And to add to my doubts, it was almost 11pm and he wasn't back yet. It didn't seem like anyone else was worried. Were they used to him returning home late in the middle of the night? Mom would kill me if I were out past 9pm. One time, I had gone to the movies with Marla-a girl mum had warned me not to associate with because her brother had been to jail twice, and the movie had taken much time than we expected. Mum had almost murdered me when I returned home that night, 15 minutes past curfew.

As I wrapped myself in my blanket and I had almost convinced myself that sleep was within reach when i heard it-a faint, unsettling noise outside my window.

My heart quickened as my eyes darted towards the window, now shrouded in darkness. The moon's feeble light offered little or no help in relieving my anxiety. My breath caught in my throat, and my mind raced with thoughts of intruders or worse.

I knew i had to act, and act quickly. With quite steps, i swung out of bed and scanned the room for something, anything, to defend myself with. My eyes landed on an umbrella, leaning innocently against a corner. I snatched it up, the cold metal handle cool against my trembling fingers.

I stood there in the dimly lit room, the umbrella raised like a makeshift shield, my heart pounding in my chest. My gaze remained locked on the window, where the noise had originated.

And then, just as fear threatened to paralyze me, the room was bathed in a sudden, blinding light. I squinted against the intrusion, my makeshift weapon still held aloft. And there, standing in front of me, was a silhouette-a tall, masculine figure.

My breath caught, my eyes adjusting to the sudden illumination. As soon as they did, my mind spiraled into a frenzy, again. It was Conrad, staring at me with an enigmatic expression. I wasn't mistaken, it was definitely him. Yes, those eyes, those dreamy eyes.

His sharp features were framed by dark, tousled hair that seemed to defy gravity. His chiseled jawline hinted at a rugged edge, and his piercing eyes held a magnetic intensity that I couldn't ignore. I couldn't help but admit to myself that Conrad was undeniably handsome and undeniably hot.

The umbrella in my hand slowly lowered, its metallic frame clicking softly as it touched the ground. My heart, which had been racing just moments ago, now seemed to flutter erratically. I was momentarily at a loss for words.

I watched as Conrad stepped further into the room, the light casting a play of shadows on his features.

"Conrad? What are you doing here?"

The room seemed to hold its breath as i waited for his response, my fingers still gripping the handle of the umbrella in nervousness.

His brow furrowed, and he took another step closer, his voice carrying a touch of confusion, "Who are you? And why are you in Jenna's room?"