A Story Never Started

Chapter 1

Madelynn found herself watching James for the third time that day. Madelynn doubted that James had even noticed her though, he was the most popular boy in school, and she was just another one of those girls who were trying to get his attention. 

Madelynn felt half bad about having feelings for James. She had always said that only the popular girls - the ones everyone pretends to like, but actually hates them - would like him. She said that it was just another stereotypical thing for those girls to do. They likely didn’t even like him, they just wanted the attention. She had always said that he was another annoying guy just craving attention.

But now she liked  him, and she almost hated herself for it. She barely even knew him, had only spoken to him when she was speaking to the group he hung out with in general. She had always thought she had good taste, but clearly she didn’t. She had fallen for his looks, not his personality, and she hated herself for it.

Anyway, a guy like him would never fall for her. She was classified in the group of “nerds.” When she definitely wasn’t nerdy, she was smart, she did get good grades, but she had never let that be the one main thing about her. 

There was a clear line between the rich kids and the poor or middle class kids, one Madelynn sometimes hated. There was an even clearer line between Madelynn and James. James' parents were both CEOs, his family was the richest family in the county. While Madelynn… She was an orphan.

It was something she was made fun of endlessly for, people would always tease her about her parents. She knew she would be adopted soon, there was paperwork being done by two people she hadn’t met yet but had heard plenty of good things about them. She just hoped they wouldn't give up on her like her other foster parents.

She suddenly noticed James looking back at her and immediately looked away, doing her best to avoid eye contact.

Chapter 2

James smiled slightly when Madelynn looked away. He had noticed her staring at him for a while now, and he always couldn’t help but smile when she looked away. The fact was, it gave him the right to stare back at her, he had liked her ever since he had been assigned as her lab partner in freshman year.

Of course, no one noticed because they told him that he couldn’t like her. He was too popular for a girl like her. Mostly told to him by another one of the girls who had a crush on him.

It honestly annoyed him, the amount of people who were trying to get his attention. He sometimes wondered if they really wanted him or just his money. He needed better friends, he knew it, but he didn’t know who to hang out with.

It was easy to leave friends, but it wasn’t nearly as easy to find new ones. James wished that it was just as easy to find friends as it was to leave them. Yes, everyone was groping to be his friend, but he wanted true friends, not just some people that wanted him for his money.

He just hoped Madelynn wasn’t one of the kinds of girls that just wanted his attention and money. He always hated it when girls acted that way. But she didn’t seem to like him for his money, at least that’s what he thought. He could never know with anyone, it was hard to tell when it came to high school, they acted like they didn’t care about the money, but they all seemed to.

Chapter 3

Madelynn returned to the orphanage, dropping her books down onto her bed with barely looking at it. She suddenly froze. The bed was stripped bare, and her drawers were empty. Her bag was completely packed, though it was only a little bit of anything since she had absolutely no money.

She walked up to the dean’s office to find out what was going on, carrying her backpack with her. She knocked on the door and the dean called, “Come in.”

Madelynn walked in, “I was wondering why my stuff was-“

She froze to see two rich looking people sitting in front of the dean’s desk. The dean said, “Madelynn, these are your new adoptive parents. They’ve come to take you to your new home.”

Madelynn smiled, “Really!?”

The woman, she was a beautiful looking woman, probably had a good hand with makeup, smiled, getting up and hugging Madelynn, “Yes! Now, we’ll need to work on these clothes. We can’t let a model’s daughter looking cheap! We’ll go to the mall on our way home, would you like to go?”

Madelynn smiled, “Of course!”

***

Ariana, Madelynn’s adoptive mother said, “Now, let me teach you how to walk. You look beautiful, you just have to own it. Don’t slouch, stand up straight, head held high. Don’t let anyone think that you have anything to be ashamed of. One foot in front of the other.”

Madelynn tried but Ariana shook her head, “No, no, watch me.”

Chapter 4

Madelynn walked into school, doing exactly as her adoptive mother had shown her. She had her bag slung over her shoulder, glancing every once in a while at the people around her. They were all staring at their phones and then her. Madelynn smiled at the thought of when her adoptive mother had her do a photo shoot with her. They had ended up on the front cover of a fashion magazine.

Madelynn examined the hall for James and finally located him, seeing girls surrounding him, even one basically on his arm. She had to stop for a second to give herself the nerve to walk over to them. She then began her walk again, giving herself more confidence as she walked.

James noticed her and his face fazed from shock to some awe. He asked, “Madelynn?”

Madelynn smiled, “Hey.”

He asked, “Did you get adopted or something?”

Madelynn nodded, “Yeah, I’ve got amazing parents.”

He frowned, “Sorry, I’ve got to go.”

He immediately walked away.

Chapter 5

Madelynn followed her parents into the house and suddenly froze when she saw James with his parents. She smiled slightly at him and he immediately looked away. She wondered what happened, he had suddenly been scared to be around her. She was the one that was normally scared of being around him.

She followed the two pairs of parents into the dining room and sat with her parents. James’ father smiled, “Isn’t it great that we can work on a deal together? The last deal I had was amazing, James ended up finding his girlfriend.”

Madelynn looked at James, suddenly realizing why James had been so uncomfortable around her. James said, “Dad, let’s not talk about that.”

His dad looked at him, “Why do you say that?”

James said, “Let’s just not, ok?”

***

When Madelynn was about to leave, James grabbed her arm, “Madelynn, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I agreed to being with her, it’s you I like. It’s just the pressure - I can’t -“

Madelynn shook her head, “I have to go. I wish you and your girlfriend well. I don’t want to cause anyone pain. Good night.”

Madelynn then walked off, trying her best not to feel betrayed.