Special thanks to LaRascasse for editing this story and helping me make improvements. Also, huge thanks to you the reader; your comments and feedback are appreciated.
It is a long story but I am sure it will be worth it in the end.
All Characters in this story are 18. This is a work of fiction; any similarities to real people are unintentional.
Enjoy!
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Mabel's head shot up from her book, responding to the shrill sound of the morning bell ringing. A heavy sigh lifted her chest, and she closed the cover and pulled herself up from the deserted tables in her school courtyard. With a sluggish effort, she gathered her multitude of Advanced Placement books and her report for AP Civics.
This was Mabel's final year of high school, and she dreaded each day just like she had the first. Though she was in the running for valedictorian, she didn't have the best school life. Her social circle was small, more of a triangle than anything, and she spent the long days blending into the background of her crowded school.
Buddy Holly style glasses sat on her small nose, framed by faint freckles that speckled her cheeks and added to her stereotypical look. Her body was nothing special to her. She had a shapely figure with round hips that perfectly framed the slopes of her butt and curved seamlessly into her thighs.
Thankfully, her stomach didn't gain weight and was surprisingly toned for her lax diet. Mabel didn't mind her curves, but her breasts she resented. They finally sprouted after her eighteenth birthday. When her breasts started to grow, they did so quickly, filing out to double D's that made her have to shift her entire wardrobe in order to find shirts that didn't ride up with the slightest of movements. They sat there as a mark of shame for her, and she tried her best to cover them with books as she made her way down the long hallway.
Groups of rowdy teens in large circles talked loudly around her, their voices forming the symphony of high school. Girls giggled too much at some hot guys' jokes while roughhousing between boys nearly knocked out other students passing by. Mabel kept her eyes on the beige-tiled floor and made her way toward her locker.
She was almost there when a large frame collided with her in the hallway, knocking her back on her ass and sending her report and books flying. She hadn't stapled the pages yet and watched with anxiety as they scattered across the hallway.
"Great," she muttered to herself, quickly getting on her knees to start gathering papers.
"Watch what you're doing, Nerd!"
Mabel recognized the voice without looking up. It was Tonya, the head cheerleader and the hottest girl in school. Mabel sighed and glanced up to see who she had collided with. Jake Edwards, football player, every woman's dream, Jake.
"Don't be mean, babe," he chided, kneeling to help pick up her books. "You ok?"
"I'm fine," Mabel said as she tucked her bang behind her ear and reached for the strewn papers.
"You sure?"
Mabel looked up at the boy who had run into her. Her eyes locked with his sea-blue pupils, and words failed her. Jake flashed a lopsided grin at the redhead.
"Mabel, right?"
"Um, yeah," she said with a nod, her mouth drying up.
"Sorry, I didn't see you there."
"It's ok, I'm pretty short."
Jake chuckled at the response. The girl's glasses had been knocked askew from the collision. He reached up to straighten them out. Her hazel eyes widened as he did so.
"There, that should be better."
Mabel only nodded, still holding his gaze. Tonya scoffed at the interaction, causing Jake to glance up. Mabel's daze broke, and she ducked her head, gathering the messy stack of papers and a few books in her arms. Jake reached for the rest, glancing back at the girl before standing. He extended his hand to help her up.
Was he always nice to people? The thought eluded her. Mabel didn't talk to anyone as best she could, trying to stay away from girls like Tonya and secretly crushing on guys like Jake.
"Thank you," she said, grabbing his hand.
He easily drew her from the floor. "No worries, I should have been more careful."
"Um, can I have my books back?"
"Oh, yeah, here," he said, handing them over. "I'll see you in class, Mabel."
"Sure," she replied.
"Bye, Nerd!" Tonya shot harshly as he wrapped his arm around her, guiding her away. He glanced back at Mabel before turning the corner. Mabel took a couple of deep breaths and surveyed the area, looking for any remaining papers. Forgetting her locker, she hurried to her first class, not wanting to be late.
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No one looked her way as she entered the classroom. A few stragglers came in after her and pushed her around as if she didn't exist. Ms. Barns shot them a harsh look. "Everyone be seated," she called.
Mabel took her seat at the back of the class, piling books in the basket under the chair, and fishing a notebook out of her bag.
"As you know, finals are coming up for your first semester. Today you will be taking a practice test so that I can gauge how much you know. No notes allowed!" Ms. Barns' eyes scanned the students. "Use your brains."
A few testifying groans were her response as she counted out the tests. "Take one, pass it down."
She handed the papers to the students sitting in front, and they took theirs, passing the stack behind them.
Mabel grabbed hers and easily answered the first few questions in her head. She was a fast test taker, scribbling in the bubbles for the multiple-choice parts and quickly working out the formulas for the longer problems. She was done before everyone else but tried not to make it noticeable. Pencils tapped on desks, knees bounced, and heads were in hands as the other students struggled through questions.
Mabel stared out the window, watching leaves fall from old oaks. An image of Jake's smile flashed through her head, and she sighed, thinking about how he helped her this morning. Mabel wasn't tall, standing at 5'5" when she wasn't trying to make herself smaller. Jake was much taller and played wide receiver for the football team. He was 6'2" with a large, chiseled build. It made sense that he hadn't seen her. That was her goal in high school: to become invisible.
After a long hour, the bell rang and the class got up, laying their tests on Ms. Barn's desk, and filing out the door as quickly as possible. As always, she was the last one, gathering her textbooks and swinging her book bag over her shoulder.
"I see you finished early again," Ms. Barns said, as Mabel placed her test on the strewn-about pile. "Yeah," Mabel responded, returning the smile. "Question 42 was worded incorrectly. I changed it and wrote the correct formula. "
"Well, thanks," Ms. Barns glanced at the tests, "I should have reread it."
"No, it was fine, just that one."
"I guess I'll give the students a break if they get it wrong then."
She nodded, making her way to the door. "You should."
"Have a good day, Ms. Humphrey," she called from behind her.
"Bye."
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Mabel made it to English just in time for the bell and took a seat at her table in the back. Mr. Noble had tables instead of desks so that a pair of students could sit at one. He preferred group activities in his class, which she dreaded. Thankfully, very few people chose to sit with her. Mabel was the last resort, or a hope for a passing grade.
Again, she shuffled through her bag, pulling out the relevant notebook. It didn't register that the seat next to her was being filled until she turned back to the front. Mabel's breath caught when she realized who had chosen to sit next to her.
"Jake," she asked hesitantly, "Don't you normally sit over there?"
Jake watched her and then looked at his normal seat. His teammates nodded toward him, and he shrugged. "I decided to switch things up today."
"Why?" Mabel didn't understand the change and watched him with suspicion.
"Okay, class," Mr. Noble's booming voice filled the room, and Jake chose to ignore the question instead, focusing his attention on the teacher. Mabel watched him for a second longer before turning towards the front as well. "We'll be starting a group report on one of my favorite plays, Macbeth."
The whole class groaned, but her eyes lit up. She had read the play multiple times, memorizing Lady Macbeth's lines.
"Now, you and your partner will write a 10-page report on a theme of your choice that pertains to the play."
"10 pages?" A girl whined, "But Mr. Noble."
"Also," Mr. Noble continued, cutting her off, "you and your partner will act out a scene from the play in front of the whole class. The scene you choose needs to coincide with the theme that you write about."
This time, Mabel joined in the chorus of displeasure. Acting was not a strong suit of hers; she had barely passed drama. She hated being in front of people, let alone speaking and portraying a character. It also didn't help that she tended to work alone, even when group activities were required. She would quickly finish the project and sign whoever else's name was on it, turning it in early and giving both her and her partner an A.
"As always, whoever is sitting with you right now will be your partner."
Mabel froze, refusing to look at Jake. Could this day get worse? When Mr. Noble handed out table partners, Mabel was by herself most of the time and didn't bother seeking companionship.
"Ok, partner." Jake grinned and looked at her. His smile fell when he saw her face. She seemed... terrified. "You ok?"
Why did he have to sit here? Mabel thought, ignoring his question. She rationalized in her head that she could do all of the work as usual and turn it in for a good grade. She wouldn't even have to talk to Jake. She would just let him know that she could handle it and that he didn't have to do anything. Another realization flooded her brain; they had to act out a scene together in front of everyone.
"I'm not that dumb," Jake teased, trying to get the girl beside him to respond. The expression on her face made him nervous. Was she afraid of failing, or was it him? Was she afraid of him? His eyes ran over her. Smooth, cotton-white skin highlighted the subtle freckles along her small nose and cheeks. She wore glasses that were too large for her round face and hid her bright hazel-green eyes behind bangs of fiery red hair that cascaded down her back. Her pouty lips were cherry red, the bottom lip slightly fuller than the top.
She was gorgeous. Quickly, he glanced down at the rest of her body. She dressed like Velma. Mabel was curvy and short, her breasts large and suppressed underneath a dark green turtleneck sweater. Her skirt came just above her knees and hugged her round hips.
"I didn't say you were dumb." Mabel finally responded, not looking at Jake. She pulled her worn copy of Macbeth from her backpack. The spine was creased and almost ready to fall apart. The corners of the pages had been bent and tucked to hold her place so many times that some were entirely ripped off.
"Jeez!" Jake grabbed the book and flipped through it.
"Hey!" Mabel protested, glaring.
"How many times have you read this book?" His eyebrows lifted, and he studied the pages. "You even wrote notes here."
"Yes." She surprised him by snatching the book from his hands. "I like the play. Look, I will write the report. It's just ten pages; it won't take long and you won't have to worry about it. "
Jake narrowed his eyes. "You don't have to write the whole report; I can help."
"No need; you can pick a scene."
