Weronika Jaczewska “Shameless” Wydawnictwo Ale! – fragment:
PROLOGUE
It is well known that if something collapses, everything collapses.
That night my illusions burned to the ground and left not even a trace of ash as a keepsake. All because of Weston “Flame” Cavill, who started the spark and started the fire. But I, still unaware of what was about to happen, danced and enjoyed myself as best I could.
“Are you going to stop staring at him?” Ivy hissed in my ear, a little amused and a little pissed off.
Although my boyfriend, Mason Brown, attracted the attention of all the girls in school, I paid no attention to him at all. I’ve been following Weston all evening.
I tried my best to stop it, but to no avail. I pretended to be helping my friend and party hostess, which was probably the only reason I got away with it.
We were standing in her huge kitchen in a house in the Hollywood Hills, heating up pizza. It was a hell of a job, because she invited everyone from our year, without exception.
“I’m not staring at anyone!” I burst out loud, which only confirmed her suspicions.
“I know Mason isn’t perfect for you, but seriously, Ava?” For four years you’ve been sending longing glances at someone who doesn’t speak to anyone. You’re the most popular chick in this school, plus you have a boyfriend who’s been head quarterback for years. Anyone else would die to be in your place. What are you doing?
“We’re not going to talk about this right now,” I replied firmly, feeling my cheeks burn with anger and shame.
I’ve never kept secrets from Ivy except for this one. I couldn’t tell her about Weston. I hadn’t told her in four years, and I wasn’t going to now. But it’s not true that he didn’t speak to anyone, because he talked to me almost every day. Plus, I felt like a traitor because even though I was here, next to the boy my heart belonged to, I had to ignore him completely.
I turned to the cold marble countertop of the kitchen island, grabbed a red plastic cup, and filled it half vodka and half Coke.
I shouldn’t have done it, but I didn’t care at the time. Let this nightmare finally end.
“Don’t do that,” Ivy warned me, but I just gave her a defiant look and lifted the cup to my lips.
Her friend laughed loudly at the sight.
“I’m not really surprised, honey. Weston is a real hottie, she sighed.
“It’s just a pity that it’s all sugar, butter, flour, and loads of calories. Such sweets are forbidden to me – I muttered under my breath, making sure Ivy couldn’t hear me.
The brutal truth, which I would never in my life say out loud but was painfully aware of, was that Weston and I came from two different worlds.
From the outside, my life looked like a fairy tale.
I was the girlfriend of the hottest member of the football team, the daughter of California’s best lawyer, and the brightest teenager in school, the head of everything that could be led, and a virgin too.
Whatever I did, I was always successful. I even got into Yale through early admissions. I knew I’d finish them and start a PR agency with Ivy, and Mason Brown, my great athlete boyfriend, would be our first client of many. My whole life was perfectly planned, with no room for spontaneity or mistakes.
And Weston? He was a genius. He had only that and nothing else.
Nobody really knew who he was. Weston didn’t talk to anyone at school, only in class. Every time he did it, it took my breath away, not least from his deep, hoarse voice. He was so intelligent that I felt intimidated by his presence. But other than that… You could feel that he wasn’t one of us. He had worn the same shoes, black, worn-out Vans, the same navy blue jeans, and the same cotton hoodie for four years. He would go out right after school, like he was in a hurry, and he didn’t have any friends. The party at Ivy’s was the first one he’d attended. Soon in time, Cavill.
Uptown girl and street boy? This is a fairy tale that could not end well in the real world.
I definitely needed a moment to myself right now. I walked through the spacious corridors until I reached the white hand-carved door of Ivy’s room and turned the key as if someone was chasing me. I wanted to be alone as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I was not given it.
“Ava, sunshine, wait. Mason pushed me against the door and kissed me lightly on the neck.
Any other girl would just melt with pleasure, but not me. I wished Weston were here instead of my boyfriend so much that I felt physical pain.
– Yes? I replied, fidgeting uneasily under his touch.
“I’ve been looking for you everywhere… I’ve missed you,” he said, then turned me to face him and kissed me passionately, shoving his tongue deep into my mouth. I tried to give him my passion, but I couldn’t.
“I feel bad…” I tried to avoid.
Over the last few months, I’ve mastered this art to perfection. Mason was understanding, but I knew his patience was about to run out.
– Again? he growled, not even trying to pretend he wasn’t disappointed.
We were standing at the end of one of the many corridors in Ivy’s house, but not even that saved us. There were a lot of people at the party who crowded into every nook and cranny.
It was certain that if we started arguing now, we would have an audience. Usually it didn’t matter much to me because I didn’t really care about my image. Whatever I did, I did it sincerely and confidently, but this time something seemed to be holding me back. Something or someone.
– Can you hear me?! Mason asked annoyed, resting his muscular hand against the bedroom door.
I watched for a moment as his honey-colored skin tightened under the force of his muscles, and I saw with annoyance that it had no effect on me at all. As usual, he donned several thousand dollars’ worth of clothes, wore French perfume specially made for him, and styled his hair all too neatly. It was beautiful but empty.
Seemingly perfect, but rotten to the core. Nevertheless, I stuck with him and thought that it would always be like this, because that’s what was expected of us.
“Yes, Mason, I can hear you.” And can you hear me? I’m tired, I don’t feel well.
– You gotta be kidding. You tell me that almost every day… When you’re not tired, you need to study, and when you’re not, you need to spend time with your family. Will we ever fuck?! Tell me, preferably now, so I don’t have any illusions. People standing in line for one of the bathrooms stared at us, probably memorizing every detail of the argument. Let them see, I have bigger problems now than a scandal at a school I’m never going back to anyway.
“Maybe you should have thought of that when you cheated on me with another girl, Mason. How many have there been? Because I think I’m lost. I said this looking into his eyes, watching with satisfaction as his face contorted into a grimace.
Satisfaction quickly gave way to disgust. At that moment, the sight of him made me sick to my stomach. I looked away to calm down. However, after a while I realized that it was a serious mistake. I didn’t expect to see him at the end of the hall at that very moment: Weston “Flame” Cavill, the hidden meaning of my existence and the open source of my unhappiness.
He didn’t even try to pretend he wasn’t looking at me. We were only a few meters apart, and I could still feel his furious breath. He clenched his fists and looked at me as if he wanted to punish me. And I felt I deserved punishment. I felt like I was betraying him, even though I was actually cheating on Mason at the moment.
Weston moved slowly toward us, and my breathing quickened.
“Not here, not now, please!” I screamed inside, but my heart begged Flame to take me in his arms and take me away. As he got close enough that I could clearly see his blue eyes, now the color of the sky before a storm, and his square jaw clenched so tightly I could almost hear his teeth grinding, I began to tremble and my eyes filled with tears. I saw disgust, rage, and pain in his eyes, and I understood him like no other. I felt exactly the same.
He passed us and my body shattered into a million pieces. Why did it have to be so hard? Why did I have to give my heart to someone who didn’t really want me?
Shameless – cover Ale!
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
