Journey by Jay T. (the gingerbread man read aloud .txt) 📖

my knuckles tenderly. I panic and laugh nervously. Unfortunately, I hear a click go off at that exact moment. Surprised, I snatch my hand back, and Trevor laughs.
“Don’t worry about that. Only we will know the truth.” Trevor gives me a lazy smile as he walks to the people waiting for him. I curse my stupidity, and I try to find David.
“David? Where are you?” I walk around the area and I find him with Sandra. They seem like they are in a deep conversation, so I find an empty chair and sit there. The scene with Trevor replays in my mind, and I start to curse him too.
“That poo face, snot brain. Try to trick me again, blubber butt.” I actually thought his butt was quite attractive, but I would never admit that to anyone else, but myself. “Now I have to—,” I was cut off by soft lips that caressed mine. I push the person responsible away, and end up falling over on the chair. “Oh, gosh damnmit!” I curse, and look up to Darren laughing at me. “Help me up! That’s not funny!” I whisper-yell, while he take a hold on my hand and pulls me into his embrace. He takes my face and kisses me while I hear clicks going off, again.
“Mae, you are too funny.” I smack him playfully.
“You scared me to death! You made me think that you were Trevor.” I say.
“What? Did that guy do something to you?” He looks around, ready for a fight.
“No, he just kissed my hand. The reporters got pictures of that too.” I take his hand in mine, and drag him to an emptier place. “When the pictures come out, don’t be surprised if I smiled, that was before I even knew what was going on.”
“Mae!” Darren whines.
“What? I’m just stating a fact. Take it or leave it.” I sigh and lean into his chest. I breathed in his scent while his arms wrapped around my body. “I don’t want to move. Just take me home like this.” I mumble into his chest. He laughs and stokes my hair.
Betrayal

It was time for the photo shoot. Darren was with me and I was dressed in a large elegant dress. It was cream and there was no room for me to breathe. The stylist matched Trevor in a cream suit with a ‘royal’ sash that hung across his upper body perfectly. He was the royal prince, and I was the princess that was meeting the prince separately, secretly. I smile at the idea. Today was the jewelry shoot for Sandra’s new line, ‘Royally Sweet’, and we both modeled the jewelry. For Trevor, it was mostly watches and rings, and I had everything from necklaces to earrings, rings, bracelets, and more that I couldn’t even look at. They were so beautiful and along with the jewelry, I had a ton of dresses that I must say, were all a bit too revealing, and Trevor had a ton of suits.
We had to have a lot of chemistry for the eyes, and there was even a point where I had to pretend to be on a bed sleeping, for the dainty jewelry while Trevor was shirtless and next to me super close to my face going in for a kiss. The photographer wanted an intimate kiss, and Darren even encouraged us because he said that the shot would be better. He turned away for that whole part, and I was…uncomfortable. Trevor kissed me down to my neck, and I was still ‘asleep’. I was certainly not sleepy; I was wide awake, thank you. We went over to look at the shots, and the intimacies made the jewelry stand out even more, with our shadows, the jewels shined.
Darren waited until I was all done changing, and walked me to the car. I could tell he was a bit uncomfortable, and I didn’t know what to do. He held my hand and led me away from Trevor who was about to say goodbye. I turn around to smile and wave. He smiled and turned back to what he was doing. Glancing at Darren, I suddenly feel nervous. When we get to the car, Darren turns to me and grabs my face and pulls it towards his. I and shocked, but I want to laugh. I smile against his frantic lips and I kiss him back and pull away. I smile at him, and he starts to smile. I could tell that he thought that he was being stupid.
“Sorry, I didn’t know that I would react like that.” He said, scratching the back of his head.
“Don’t worry. You are the only one I will enjoy kissing.” I smile at him innocently.
“Still, though, I knew that that would have happened anyway. It’s probably going to happen at every photo shoot.” He sighs, and starts the car.
“Darren, you are the love of my life. I would never do anything to hurt you.” I tell him quietly.
“I wouldn’t hurt you, either.” I peck his cheek. He was the only person I could imagine my life with, and I don’t know what I was supposed to do without him. I sigh and relax into my fantasy world that I escape to. The transformation process was happening. I saw it and now Darren was starting to notice it too. My nose was a button nose, cute and sweet. My hair was light and close to blond, not my dark locks that I missed. I asked the voices once, if I could keep my dark hair, and they said I could, but not during the transformation process. I didn’t even know what I was, but I knew I had to follow the rules until I found out what I was. The second stage of the transformation was called the Alteration Process. My chest got a bit bigger than the last time, and my body started to become toned. I didn’t work out, but this process was making me turn into a close to perfect creature.
I loved my life the way it was, but unfortunately everything was going to change, and I could feel it. It started with the changes on my body, and I could not do anything else. I had to follow what I was told, by everyone around me. Life was going to soon change into something I was not prepared for. Perhaps the voices told me that I was, but I knew that this was going to be trouble. The fantasy world I escape in comes in handy. It feels as if I am actually there, but I am not. I laugh a bit at the thought of escaping into my fantasy meadow filled with exotic animals and plants. I am completely alone without the human contact, but that just makes this place more of a utopia, more than anything.
This place was a place I could hide at for days, and I would be happy. Don’t get me wrong, I am completely happy with my life now, but for the days where the stress comes and piles down, I escape, much like right now. The stress of Darren worrying, the stress of my parents calling every hour, the stress of all the events I attend. This may be a life millions of girls die for, but sometimes it’s a nightmare.
Darren carries my sleeping body into our room, and he leaves for work. I was exhausted, and he must have been too. I stir and wake up when he is putting on his shirt. Sitting up, I watch while he puts on a belt and looks for a pair of socks.
“Darren, can’t you stay with me, just for today?” I ask quietly.
“Mr. Daniels will be on my ass if I miss today. It’s the day where they are shooting all the special effects. I need to be there to help.” Darren got a job as Michael Daniels’s assistant, and that was huge. Michael Daniels shot some of the biggest movies in the world, and this was a chance of a lifetime for Darren. I was ecstatic that he got the chance over the fifty thousand that applied. We were both on our ways to our dream careers.
“Fine, but when you get back, you cannot be surprised if I’m at Mr. Johnson’s house. They keep bugging me about going over there. Apparently Jack needs a tutor, and since I am a genius, they asked me.” I sigh and lay back down. I was told by Daisy, my teacher and tutor that I was due to graduate in December. She told me that I was more than ready and I already took the practice GED test that she had put together for me.
“Okay, but don’t be surprised if I don’t come home tonight. This shoot may take…well, a long time. When you’re over there, don’t talk to Jason. He might be thinking dirty thoughts about you right this second.” Darren smiles and kisses my forehead. Once he leaves, I change into jeans and a v-neck shirt and put on my winter jacket. It’s October here, and it was so cold. I call a cab and grab my purse.
Jack was waiting outside when I got there.
“Jack! What are you doing? It’s freezing outside!” I yell once I see him.
“Mae, thank God you’re here! Jason went to go get you something, and I am not going to tell you what, but we have to hurry and get this tutoring over with so that you can be protected from that pervert!” He drags me inside to his study room.
“Alright,” I say once we get settled down, “what is the first subject?”
“Algebra…it takes me a lifetime to understand.” He says. I help him and he actually starts to get it once I write out examples for him. Half an hour into the tutoring, Jason walks in with a little pink bag. I look up, but then I look back at Jack’s work. He’s doing well.
“Hello there, beautiful.” Jason smirks at me, and I sigh.
“Hi, Jason…oh, Jack, you have to substitute the x’s with the solution you just found! Here, let me show you.” I go back to focusing on Jack’s work, when the little pink bag lands in my lap. I sigh and put it next to my purse. “Jason, I am trying to help your brother!” Jack looks up and gives Jason a little glare and goes back to his work.
“Well, once that’s done, could you try on that little piece, inside my room?”
“No.” I say simply.
“Why not?” Jason whines.
“You are acting like a weirdo, Jason.” I say while correcting Jack’s work.
“Come on, woman! Give me a chance!” Jason stomps his feet.
“Jason, you are acting like a child. You know I am with Darren.” I say. “Jack, you forgot to multiply here.” Jason stomps back to his room, and slams his door. Mr. Johnson comes in and asks what the big commotion was. I told him