Unexpectedly, Mutually Yours

Chapter 1

Unexpectedly, Mutually Yours

An "I Wish You Were Mine" Alternate Reality

Chapter 1

Jackson Burke was in his last year of college at the University of Texas when a pretty brunette named Madison Carrington caught his eye. For months, he tried (to no avail) to woo her. Up until her, he hadn't had a hard time convincing someone to go out with him. But somehow, he kept trying.

Still, the young woman played hard to get. For a while, it made her all-the-more appealing. But soon, he got a glimpse into the kind of person Madison was... and he didn't like it. He didn't like her.

But before we get ahead of ourselves...

How he realized that Madison wasn't his type didn't, at least at first; have anything to do with Madison herself... but how she treated her much younger sister. Mollie was seven years younger than her sister... and when their mom died, he wasn't sure how at the time... Madison had to play mom.

She'd been twenty and Mollie thirteen. Now, it was two years later, and Mollie was as well-adjusted as she could be under the circumstances... However, one day when he was going to drop into the house left behind by their mother; to ask Madison to a play in town, since he'd been given an extra ticket; he happened to overhear a conversation where the younger sister was visibly distressed about something. At first, he couldn't tell what... but eventually, he realized that it was because her best friend apparently moved to Michigan... worse, it was her only friend.

It wasn't the end of the world, but the way Madison held her sister as she cried was perfunctory and cold. She obviously resented being stuck in on a Friday night taking care of her fifteen-year-old sister.

And when she finally spoke, Madison just told Mollie, "You'll get over it. Make some new friends."

Mollie blubbered that she was trying and she wasn't good at it. Madison sighed loudly. Too loudly.

"Good God! Stop whining. It's not hard to make friends. Maybe if you got your damn head out of those dorky books and went to the movies instead of the history museum, people would like you. Can't you just be normal, Mollie? Put on some lipstick and pull yourself together."

"I don't wear lipstick," Mollie said in a timid voice, so small that he could barely hear it. He shouldn't be listening...

From that moment on, he decided that he wasn't going to waste his time on someone who treated their only sister that way. Plus, while awkward and way too young for him... Mollie was cute... and seemed sweet. She'd grow into a lovely young lady if she were allowed to flourish.

Before he left the property, Madison apparently left out the back way and headed off to god knows where leaving Mollie behind a blubbering mess on the couch. Unfortunately, she spotted him. At first, she looked scared, then angry, then embarrassed. She came to the door, let him in. "Maddy's not here."

"How did you-?" he asked, not finishing because she cut him off.

"Please. You're my sister's age and besides, I know who you are."

"How? We've never met."

She swiped at tears with the back of her hand- or started to... he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.

She gave him a look like is it 1850? But smiled in thanks. Mollie dabbed at her eyes and tried to give it back to him.

"Nah, keep it. I have a lot of them. My grandparents send them to me for every holiday and I hardly know what to do with them anymore."