My Recycled Soul (A Sample)

Sarah, Connell, and Jared are sitting at the kitchen table, talking softly. Sarah is leaning more toward Jared, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulder and I feel a pang of jealousy.

Jared turns around as I walk in. When our eyes meet, he smiles radiantly as he gets up from the chair and walks toward me. When he reaches me, he wraps his arm around my waist, drawing me into him and he kisses me softly on the top of my head.

I walk with him to the table and involuntarily my eyes settle on Sarah. She looks beautiful like she just stepped off a runway. How could I even compare my mousy self to her? We are in two very different categories - gorgeous and ordinary.

Jared reaches down to me and kisses me lightly on my cheek while Sarah's eyes burn a hole through me.

Connell breaks the silence, "Jared says that you and he are going for a drive, he wants to show you the sights."

" That sounds nice." I smile up at him, making sure not to look him in the eye.

He pulls me closer to him, as he says, "Well, we better be off then while it is still clear outside. We won't be able to see much when the mist starts drifting in, and I promised you breakfast."

I hate the sound of my voice, when I say, "We don't have to get breakfast. I'm not all that hungry."

He sounds amused. "Not even a warm breakfast baguette?"

" I suppose." I cannot help it when I pull myself away from Jared's embrace. Sarah and he were sitting close together before I walked in, and I cannot shake the feeling of jealousy threatening to overwhelm me.

Jared lets me move away from him, but he slips his hand into mine and twirls his fingers around mine. Gently he pulls me with him to the front door.

Connell and Sarah remain seated at the table.

Jared greets them both while my whispered greeting merges with his.

" Phone me later," Connell calls when we are already half way down the passageway.

Jared opens the front door, and I walk past him out to the Jeep. I feel a little awkward. Before I fell asleep it felt as if Jared and I were meant to be together, I even admitted to myself that I love him undeniably. Now, he feels so far away from me as if last night never even happened. I convince myself, he cannot mean what he said the night before. There is no doubt in my mind he is still into Sarah.