One

Her granddaughters bounce around her knees as they beg her to tell them stories, stories of action and romance and of far away adventures. It pleasantly surprises her; she thought for sure they would find the local cinema more interesting, but she obliges them, for they are the light of her eyes, the only candles left after the harsh winds of last winter.

“I don’t know a lot about action and adventure,” she tells them ruefully, “but how about a love story?”

Squeals run abound as the girls settle in, gathering blankets and juice boxes, preparing for hearing such a story. Would it have dashing princes? Beautiful princesses? Gorgeous ball gowns?

“Yes, yes, and yes,” smiles the grandmother. “Now. Are you ready?”

They nod excitedly, waiting.

The grandmother closes her eyes and remembers.

They were both young when she first saw him.

She was surveying the preparations for the party, her father’s annual Midsummer’s Night soiree. It was one of two events that would show off his wealth and prestige, reminding both enemies and friends alike how powerful and wealthy he was. In a less cynical perspective, her father also loved a good party, and, according to him, he threw the best ones.

“If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself,” he would always tell her.

“Of course, Daddy,” she said, giving him an indulgent smile.

If one could name the weakness of George Carson, the most powerful lawyer in Vera, that would be easy: his daughter, Jayna.

“Are you looking forward to the party, sweetheart?” He asked her. “Was your gown to your liking?”

“It was perfect,” she assured him. He tended to get rather testy when it came to her well-being and she hated it when other people got fired because of her, so she quickly learned to handle her problems herself instead of always running to her father. In reality, the gown was a little low for her tastes and a little too fancy. She preferred freedom over petticoats, but it was all in all quite lovely.

“You better go get ready,” George Carson said, glancing at his watch. “The guests should be arriving soon. I just saw your mother, who is, as usual, in hysterics. I would stay out of the east wing for a while.”

“Will do,” Jayna said, saluting her father with a serious frown.

Laughing as he gave her a kiss on the forehead, her father finally left.

A few hours later, Jayna stood at her balcony, her hair perfectly curled, her ball gown on. It was a pretty shade of lavender, with not too many frills, although heaven knew her mother would have loved more. Jayna suspected it was her mother who ordered the dress to be a little more low cut. She was always harping on her daughter to get out more, go get a boyfriend.

“For God’s sakes, Jayna,” Lara Carson would screech, well meaning but irritating nonetheless, “every seventeen year old girl on the planet wants a boyfriend. Why don’t you? You’re young, you’re gorgeous, you’re intelligent… darling, I’m afraid I just don’t understand.”

And Jayna couldn’t understand why her mother was so hell-bent on whoring out her only child, but that was neither here nor there.

“Maybe I just haven’t met anyone I’ve liked enough to date,” she told her mother.

“Who said anything about liking them?” her mother wanted to know. “Dating is about social interaction. Darling, you’re becoming a hermit.”

“I am not,” Jayna would retort. “I have Tyler.”

“Tyler is your cousin,” Lara shot back. “And while it is wonderful you two are so close, Tyler is at college now and you need other friends.”

“I have other friends,” Jayna muttered. “Like Nora.”

“True,” Lara nodded. “Now go get more friends.”

Turning her thoughts back to the scene below, Jayna sighed. Everyone seemed to be having a lovely time. The gardens looked wonderful, as her father had hired out professionals to deck it out like a scene from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Fairy lights twinkled out into the night as guests ate and drank to their heart’s content. She was sure somewhere Nora and Tyler found an empty gazebo to make out in. Although she was glad the two were happy together, it made her feel lonely. Her mother didn’t know it, but Jayna did want someone, wanted them for more than making out or someone she could take to parties. Jayna wanted someone who she felt a connection to, someone she could confide in and who would love her. And damn, if he was good looking that wouldn’t be a shame either.

“Ry! Check this place out! Isn’t it the shit?” A shout startled Jayna into looking over at the trio of boys who tossed the keys of their beat up car to the valet. Damn that Matteo. She didn’t know why her father kept him around. He was the same age as her but served as summer intern for her father’s firm. Mischievous, obnoxious, and far too clever, he seemed to amuse her father, although he claimed he hated “miscreant, sneaky teenagers.”

Okay, Dad.

It seemed he brought two friends with him. The first boy looked kind and innocent, with a look that screamed All-American, with his tawny blonde curls, cerulean eyes, and bright smile. The second looked more brooding, cautious, though no less appealing. He must have been a mix of something, for his hair was quite dark and his golden eyes slanted just slightly. Jayna was no expert on human observation but with an Asian best friend, one knew the signs.

She was rather alarmed, therefore, when those eyes caught hers and she found that she couldn’t breathe at all.

Notes: So this story is something a little different. Much to my own chagrin, lately I’ve become rather obsessed with the rather cheesy but oh-so wonderful song “Love Story” by Taylor Swift. I thought it would be interesting to do a song story, but instead of having lyrics dispersed annoyingly throughout the piece, I would do it based on the song, expanding the plot line and the story that was told through there.

Anyway… it shouldn’t be too long. Five or six parts, I believe. The basic plot itself is based off of Romeo and Juliet, except not on acid, which I kind of think the original version was, if that makes any sense.

Well. Tell me what you think!