Perfect Imperfections

One

I groaned as my alarm went off then I threw my blankets off, standing from bed and stretching my arms up to crack my back. I sighed then left my room, going downstairs and through the mud room, past the pantry and laundry to the kitchen. I sighed as I started on breakfast, pushing my curls back behind my ear as I cooked.

"Morning, AJ!" I heard Bella Rae cheer as she came down, looking as beautiful as always. Her face was so symmetrical!

"Good morning, Bella Rae! I made breakfast-"

"Of course you did, that's expected of you!" She snorted and sat at the island, stealing an apple to eat and watch me cook.

"Morning, girls." Mom said as she came down, giving Bella Rae a proud smile and simply smiling at me.

"Good girl, AJ. Elias will be back from his jog soon, it seems you're on time today." She said and sat as Elias came in, pulling his earbuds out.

"Ooh, I'm starved!" He said and went upstairs to shower. When dad came down in his pristine suit, he did a small twirl and my sister and mom applauded him.

"Go get them, baby!" Mom grinned and swatted my dad's butt, making me roll my eyes.

"Breakfast looks good, AJ, but I have to go into work. Maybe if you got up earlier tomorrow." Dad smiled and kissed my head, leaving the house.

"Well, you messed up." Bella Rae snorted as mom sighed.

"Elias, hurry up! You three have school!" Mom yelled through the house as I served breakfast to my sister and mom, making a plate for Elias.

"Go get dressed, AJ, now! You can't be late on your first day!" Mom snapped and I nodded, going back to my room and getting dressed for school. It was hard to be in this family. My mom was a big time ecologist, she was working to re-forest the country. My dad was a successful businessman, we had just moved to Bear Valley, Colorado so that he could help build up the small town. My brother was an athletic prodigy, he had so many schools after him for an athletic scholarship. Then there was Bella Rae, my stupidly beautiful sister who couldn't do wrong at all. And... finally there's me. I struggle to make good grades, I'm not nearly as beautiful as my sister, I can't work out to save my life without wanting to just die, and I kill all the plants that I touch. I'm a failure in the eyes of my family.

"AJ, LET'S GO!" Mom roared and I huffed, grabbing my bag and running downstairs. As I got into the car, I slid into the back seat with Bella Rae and watched as she touched up her makeup, Elias telling my mom about his workout this morning. When we got to school, my siblings climbed out and I huffed as I trailed after them. I just knew my day was going to be hell.

~*-*~

"I expected more from you, Miss Adalyn." My new English teacher said and sighed as she took my notebook of class writings. As the final bell rang, I trudged out of class and groaned as I dreaded going home.

"Bye, AJ!" I looked at Bella Rae then saw her on the arm of the school jock already, my brother walking by with the football team surrounding him. I huffed and left the school campus, walking into town. As I was passing the diner, I heard something rip and cursed as my books and pencils hit the sidewalk.

"Oh, really?!" I whined, kneeling and beginning to gather my stuff.

"Here." I smiled as stranger kneeled to help me, handing me my books.

"Than-" My voice left me when I finally looked up, seeing a fucking God before me! He had a lot of tattoos all over his arms and even his neck, his hair was dark black and short, his eyes were a gorgeous chocolate brown, he was slightly tanned, and his muscles made me want to just lick him clean.

"Ahem." I cleared my throat then stood, stuffing my things into my torn backpack.

"Thank you." I smiled and he nodded as he stood, standing around six even, maybe five eleven though.

"Course. Uh, I'm Jake Kyle." He said and offered me a tattooed hand to shake.

"Adalyn Jade Costanza." I smiled as I shook his hand.

"Uh, everyone calls me 'AJ' though." I smiled and he nodded as he dropped my hand.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, AJ. Make sure you get a new bag." I nodded and watched as he went around me, walking down the street with my eyes boring into his back. When he was far enough away, I groaned and bit my lip, trying to regain control of my fucking hormones. I took a deep breath then kept walking home, getting there ten minutes later and sighing as I fell against the inside of the front door.

"AJ!" I looked at mom and cleared my throat as I saw some neighbors over.

"Sorry, I-I'll go do my homework!" I said and ran off to my room over the garage, sitting at my desk and beginning my homework. Except I couldn't shake Jake from my thoughts. I groaned when I couldn't and fell back in my chair, laying my head back and staring at the ceiling.

"Stop it, AJ! This isn't some stupid teen romance novel! He's probably way too old for you anyway!" I whispered and sat up, pulling my curls back into a bun and taking a deep breath to focus on my schoolwork. For dinner, I had to make something simple since we'd just moved here and we didn't have a lot unpacked yet.

"AJ, I'm going to give you my card tomorrow and I want you to go shopping for me after school. We need more to eat for dinner." Mom said and I nodded.

"Yes, ma'am." I smiled then took a bite of my lasagna as my siblings gushed about their 'magnificent' days at school.