Wistful Smile or Wishful Thinking

Prologue

Prologue:

“You do know that I like you, don't you, Curtis?” Jenna said as she playfully twirling her hair with her fingers. Her seductive smile and voice annoyed Curtis to no end.

“I know that, and I don't like it. So please, stop flirting with me Jenna.”

But the blond bombshell just smiled. She immediately pushed the football jock to the wall. She looked straight at Curtis's blue eyes as she lazily rested her hands on his massive chest, drawing lazy circles on them. She scanned his face as she licked her lips. Curtis, already feeling uncomfortable, suddenly held Jenna's small wrists. The shock on her face was evident as she saw his eyebrows meet at the center.

“This is not amusing. Now, let go of me. I don't want anything to do with you.” He said as he dropped Jenna's hands and walked away hurriedly.

Jenna pouted as she followed her gaze to her crush. She wasn't one to feel dejected so easily. But it seems that Curtis was really serious this time. He used to play along, albeit he felt uneasy all the time. He couldn't say no. Correction: he didn't know how to refuse. But that time, he finally made his decision.

&&&

“This has got to be a very bad day. What could get worse that failing that calculus test?” Jenna said as she shook her head while talking to herself. The heavy books on her arms added to the frustration she had been feeling. It didn't help at all to know that in a few days, she and her group mates will be defending their thesis.

“Oh, gosh...that's so good...!”

A voice from somewhere cut off Jenna's stream of thought. Deciding to trace the source, she was aghast to see her best friend Amanda and Curtis making out in the music room. The scene had been too hard for Jenna, yet she couldn't find herself to scat at an instant. Instead, she froze. Blinking away stinging tears, she faced away from the scene inside the room. Common sense and a pang of jealousy hit her. She immediately fled.

&&&

The graduating class was having a pool party at the resort of one of the rich bitches in the batch. Jenna and Cassandra were in the room, getting ready to hit of the pool, excited to strut the bikinis they bought the other day. Cassandra was too hyped to start fooling around with Chase, the hot tennis player in the batch. Twisting her hair to a fishtail braid, she looked at Jenna in corner of her eyes.

“I so can't wait to get the party started. And oh, did you know that Chase asked me out the day after graduation?” Her dreamy look didn't escape Jenna's forlorn eyes. The latter was tying the straps of her bra as she listened one of the most-awaited love story of the year.

“Yeah, I hear you. You are so damn lucky. I mean, Chase doesn't really have someone he called his girlfriend. He's single, very much available, and he's dating you. And like, everyone's been waiting for that development to happen. Why now?” Jenna asked. She sounded so excited even though envy gripped her soul. She wished that Curtis would have looked her way too.

A few minutes later, the girls headed for the pool where everyone was. It seemed like there was a very important announcement to make, and Cassandra saw Curtis holding the microphone. He raised his hands as if to draw attention from everyone. His friends Tyler, Conrad and Devon were giving catcalls and making some unnecessary background noises.

“Thank you for your time everyone. I'll just make this announcement quick. Right before we hit college, Amanda and I have decided to get married.”

Cheers and congratulatory calls were given out by everyone but Jenna. The news seemed to have a paralyzing effect on her. And in her eyes, she only saw Curtis. Not even Amanda came noticed in her sight. She wanted to have Curtis. She should have Curtis. And now, Curtis is going to get married to her best friend. Tears that should have fallen never came. Instead, a small lopsided smile with a tinge of regret formed on Jenna's lips. That annoying feeling of nausea as if bile had risen up to her throat worsened. She wanted to run, to shout and curse Curtis and Amanda. But her feet cemented themselves.

&&&

“Why, are you leaving, Jenna?” Amanda said as she sat up in bed, rather surprised. She was in a shock, looking at her friend packing her things in her bags. Jenna pursed her lips as she mentally took note of the things she might had forgotten to pack. Being cautious, she didn't want to leave her things behind.

“Yeah, something came up,” Jenna lied. In reality, she just couldn't stand being in the same room as her rival. She pretended examining more of her things before fishing the keys from her purse. She immediately scooped up her things and took a look at the room before settling her gaze on to Amanda.

“I'll really miss you bestie. But grant me one last request. Could you be my bridesmaid on my wedding day?” Amanda asked. She didn't know that Jenna liked Curtis all along. And she didn't know that they had been caught by no less than Jenna herself. And Jenna, being a good liar that she is, never told her secrets and darkest thoughts to anyone, not even to Amanda.

“I'm sorry, Amanda, I can't be there on your wedding day. I have an appointment I need to go to at Rutgers, and I can't afford to miss it.”

Amanda stood up and went over to Jenna. Hugging her best friend, she then pulled from the embrace, held Jenna's shoulders, and looked at her.

“I'm so glad to hear it! I hope you'll catch your dreams and find true love in the process!”

Jenna just smiled as she opened the door. Walking through the dark corridors, she swiftly moved towards the front door even though her things were weighing her down.

The noises coming from the rooms gave her comfort. Of course, it helped that she wasn't popular in the batch and didn't garner much attention even with her voluptuous figure. She could have had many boyfriends if she wanted to. And in the midst of the howls of the guests, Jenna decided to run away like a thief in the night.

Setting her things on the back of her pick-up truck, she was rather surprised when that familiar raspy, husky voice called her name. She turned towards Curtis, shock evident in her eyes.

Curtis placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he approached Jenna.

“Leaving so soon? Why? We still have so many activities and surprises to do tomorrow. After all, we had graduated and we'll be moving forward after this.” He said as he raised his right eyebrow while giving a lopsided smile. Tilting his head while waiting for a response,he was looking at Jenna with amusement as she locked the back door of the truck.

Jenna fished the keys from her pocket as she opened the door of the driver's seat.

“I've decided to move forward earlier than everyone else.”

“My revelation must have come as a shocker.”

Jenna didn't reply as she turned the ignition on. Blinking her eyes to prevent tears from falling, she swallowed hard. That prick on her throat didn't seem to go away. Curtis had been waiting for her reply.

“Move aside. I'm backing up and I don't want to hit you with my truck.” Jenna said as she maneuvered the steering wheel.

“Why are you leaving so soon, Jenna?”

“Goodbye, Curtis.”