Second Chances
By
Alexander Kung

A/N this is a rewrite of chapter 6. Please let me know what you think _Alexander

Kelly Daniels, formerly the hate filled bully Ryan Thomas, finds herself madly in love with boy she once bullied. Now she finds her new life and everyone she has grown to care about threatened by her stepfather’s wrath

Second Chances — Part 6

It was just past midnight as Felicia was roused from a deep slumber by the loud sound of a fire alarm blared from down the hall. As she made her way down the hallway, the choking black smoke was unbearable.

Despite her misgivings she opened the door to the main floor of the Relic and was horrified at what she saw. The Relic, her beloved curiosity shop was on fire. Everything was being destroyed by the large bright orange flames. Racing back down the hallway she frantically called 911 as she looked for a way out.

“My shop is on fire and I’m trapped upstairs….” Felicia gasped and coughed as the smoke got thicker.

“Where are you located ma’am?” the 911 operator asked

“The *cough* Relic on Main Street; ….. Oh no!!!”

The floor beneath her feet collapsed with a loud snapping crash, sending her crashing to the shop floor below.

"Ma’am? Are you there?”

There was no answer as Felicia was motionless on the floor as her livelihood burned around her…

~O~

Kelly awoke in a cold sweat; a feeling of foreboding overcame her as she sat up in bed gasping for breath. Holding her head in her hands, she slowly recovered from her nightmare.

“No!” she whispered to herself as her eyes adjusted to the dark room

Leaping out of bed, she darted to the bathroom flipping on the flipping the light switch. As her eye painfully adjusted again to the light, she sighed in relief that her reflection was still that of Kelly Daniels, wearing one of Jessie’s T-shirts no less. She smiled a bit at that.

Shutting off the light, she tip toed into the living room. Sleeping soundly on the sofa bed was Jessie completely wiped out. It wasn’t surprising as it had been a long day. None of the Jenkins family was home and it wasn’t safe to be walking around the town with she stepfather on the prowl so against his better judgment, they hid out at his place for the day on the promise they’d go tomorrow.

She slid underneath the covers, laying her head on his chest but taking care not to aggravate his still injured ribs. Brushing a stray braid out of his face, she kissed him on the nose. He was so full of surprises, she never expected him to really stand up to her stepfather like that. Not that she was complaining, of course.

“My brave protector” she whispered as she closed her eyes enjoying his soft heartbeat.

It wasn’t the first time he protected her though. She had first met Jessie when she was about 10 years old. To hide from her estranged husband, Ryan’s mother moved to a small California town and had him live as a girl called Rani which at first she didn’t like.

Adjusting to the new town was hard, and it was made worse by two bullies who tormented her every day. They made fun of her grey eyes, her tomboyish style of dress. One day they followed her home from school and picked a fight, tripping her on her front lawn and then kicking her repeatedly while she was down

It was at that moment that the next door neighbor’s son came flying out of his house wielding a metal baseball bat. He involved himself in the fight, swinging it wildly and cracking both of the older boys with it. After he ran them off, he helped her up and gently wiped the blood off her nose with a towel. That was the first time she met the cute little brown eyed boy named Jay Taylor.

From that time on they were inseparable, the best of friends. At first she just liked Jay as just a friend but over time she started to like him a lot. He’d make her laugh when she was feeling sad, listen to her problems, give her a hug when she needed it. He was a goofball but a sweet goofball and always made her feel special, even telling her she was pretty. It was weird at first, with Jay treating him like a girl.

At first it scared her because she was really boy named Ryan. But over time she started find being Rani was a bit easier than Ryan. Easy enough to have her first kiss with him and liking it. Even if Jessie couldn’t remember any of it, she would. Jessie was so special to her.

“Yeah…” she chuckled bitterly as the smile disappeared from her face “so special I killed you”

She traced his face with a slender finger as she recalled the events of the past few weeks. It would be so crazy if it wasn’t so true. The spoiled mayor’s son messed with the wrong family and was punished dearly for it. Everything was taken away, the money, the power and even his manhood.

It really seemed like a lifetime ago when she was Ryan Thomas, constantly beating him up until he was black, blue and bloody. She bit her bottom lip as a small knot of guilt formed in her stomach. She had done him so much wrong and she even had……killed him.

“Oh god no” she thought feeling nauseous as the memory came back to her

She softly bit her lips she thought about how her life changed from a spoiled rich privileged jerk of a boy to a poor miserable girl with an abusive home life. All from one moment that day in the Relic, the day that Ryan and the McQueen’s trashed the Relic in revenge for the perceived humiliation Jessie caused in school. Then in a moment to stupidity he slapped Felicia which caused Jessie to fight the larger stronger boy. He didn’t mean to do it but he chucked Jessie into a suit of armor impaling him on a sword.

“No…No…No” she thought as a vision of him dying on the floor entered her mind

The last thing he saw was Felicia’s grief filled eyes glowing bright red with hatred and nothing. The next morning he woke up in the body of the school outcast, Kelly Daniels. She wasn’t popular, rich, or even good looking by “normal standards”. It was a miserable existence, the loneliness of having no friends and her nightly beatings from her drunken abusive stepfather.

He saw his transformation into Kelly a cruel punishment at first.Being in the body of creepy Kelly Daniels, the school weirdo was no picnic. She had no Power,no Money,no friends and was constantly bullied by the prettier girls; her existence was hell.

Enter Jessie Taylor, somehow magically brought back. At first she saw him as a bit of an irritating annoyance.But as she spent time with him, feelings that she buried or tried to hide with hate had started to emerge to the surface. As Kelly, she again fell in love with Jessie. It was hard not to, not with those baby brown eyes and dimpled smile of his.

Even with all the things going on with her stepfather, the idea of going back to being Ryan was unthinkable now.

Hearing a yawn and feeling a warm set of arms wrap around her, she sighed in happiness.

“Hey beautiful” whispered Jessie

“Hey handsome” Kelly whispered as she nuzzled a bit closer “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you”

“It’s okay” said Jessie running his fingers through her hair and brushing her bangs out of her eyes “I don’t mind at all”

“How could I have ever bullied you?” she thought as she felt him kiss her forehead.

Through the past few weeks she fought the change wanting to go back to being Ryan. But as time went by, she became more honest with herself. Then she started to embrace all the things her father and even herself tried to forget. Once she came to terms with that it was so much easier being Kelly. Until…. Her stepfather….. He….

The memory of what he forced her to do as that gun that being held to her head. Just the mere memory almost made her retch.

“You okay?” Jessie asked as she cuddled closer

“No I’m not…all this is so fucked up, Jessie! What if they take me away? What if they don’t believe me?” said Kelly sadly “What if that bastard….”

“I’ll make sure he can never hurt you again” said Jessie looking into her green eyes “I promise I’ll protect you”

She chuckled softly as she reached up and mussed his hair

“What is so funny?” smiled Jessie

“Well, a few months ago, I would have never in a million years thought you’d tell me that” she said

“A few months ago you were 6 foot 4 built, like a tank, and kicking my ass” Jessie laughed “Even now it hard to believe you Ryan in there’

Her slight smile melted into a sour frown as her eyes darkened with anger and remorse

“I’m not Ryan anymore, okay?” said Kelly sharply as her voice started to crack “I’m Kelly, got it? Kelly Millicent Daniels! So please don’t call me that ever again. He’s dead and good fucking riddance!”

“Okay Okay” said Jessie “I promise. Don’t get upset. I was just stating what is true, right?”

“I… I just don’t want you to hate me again” she said looking away “I was the worst kind of person and I never want to be him again. I pushed people around and I never really cared about anyone but myself. I bullied you so fucking bad… Hell, I even killed you for chistsakes!”

“Hey look at me” Jessie said looking into her pretty green eyes “I could never hate you again”

“Really?” she asked “Even after everything I’ve done to you?”

“Yeah” laughed Jessie “You’re forgiven”

“But…”

“Kelly?”

“Yeah?”

“None of that matters any more” said Jessie tilting her chin “That was a lifetime ago, right?”

“Really?” she said almost meekly “You forgive me?”

“Yeah” Jessie said sincerely “I do"

Smiling happily she snuggled on his chest. It was so wonderful how safe and protected she felt, with Jessie she truly felt everything would be okay. She closed her eyes and sighed in sweet content as she felt his arms wrap around her.

“Jessie? Um…” she started not exactly knowing how to word it “If things get not so crazy…maybe…we could…

“We could what?” asked Jessie

“Never mind” she said as her face started to turn bright red “It’s stupid”

“You’re thinking about the promise, aren’t you?” smiled Jessie “The one you told me we made as kids”

“I know I know, I shouldn’t even bring it up” sighed Kelly “Like I said, it’s stupid”

“Not really” said Jessie holding her a bit closer “I mean if you really want to…”

“What?!?” she gasped “Are you saying what I think you’re saying”

“I have to keep my promises” said Jessie “Even if I don’t remember them”

“You don’t have to...” argued Kelly “We were dumb kids and…”

“So…” Jessie said slyly “You don’t want to?”

“No… I mean Yes! I mean I don’t know!” Kelly said as she started hit him playfully “Stop fucking confusing me! Yes, you asshole! Yes!”

“Okay” smiled Jessie “After we deal with this crap with your stepfather and after graduation…well… I mean if you really want to...”

“Of course you dummy” she smiled “Who else would I want marry?”

Shifting her weight, she sat up and straddled her lover. A wry and sultry smile appeared on her face as she looked at the handsome guy beneath her. The boy she always had feelings for and finally he was hers. Leaning down, she felt lightheaded as she felt his hands running through her hair. Her heart started beating a hundred miles per hour as she felt his warm breath on hers.

Caressing his cheeks with both hands, she surrendered hungrily to the kiss. She started to feel the familiar tingling though her entire body as her tongue played with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he gripped her hips.
Breaking the kiss she touched her forehead to his looking into his wonderful brown eyes as he looked into her green ones.

“I love you” she whispered

“I love you, too” he whispered back

“Jessie?” Kelly asked “Do you hear something?”

The sound of approaching sirens filled the air, cutting through the soundless night. Jumping off the sofa both raced towards the nearby window.

“Oh shit!” thought Kelly as her heart raced “You don’t think they’re coming here do you?

“I don’t know” said Jessie

They both sighed in relief as it was just a few fire trucks and an ambulance heading downtown. As the turned down the corner to Main Street, Kelly’s relief slowly turned to fear. Main Street was where the Relic was and there was a big plume of black smoke rising from the area.

“I want you to stay here while I go check on Gram” Jessie said getting dressed “Shit she’s not answering her phone”

“Um…No!” said Kelly tossing on her clothes "Hell no!"

“What are you doing?” said Jessie “You need to stay here!”

“I’m coming with you! Got it?” said Kelly sharply narrowing her green eyes “Besides I’d like to see you stop me!”

“You still have to bully me don’t you?” sighed Jessie as he took her by the hand and started out the door

“Old habits die hard” She said kissing him quickly on the lips “I promise to make it up to you later. I just want to make sure Felicia is okay”

“Me too” said Jessie

~O~

The two raced down Main Street as fast as their legs could take them. The thick acrid smell of smoke filled the air as they rounded the corner. Kelly and Jessie prayed that their worst fears running through their heads weren’t true.

“No…” Kelly whispered as Jessie stared off in disbelief

The Tyson’s Cove fire department had most of the street blocked off as they battled the last remnants of a vicious fire. It was The Relic, or rather what was left of it. The building was nothing more than blackened skeletonized remains. It was heartbreaking, everything was gone. However both kids were more worried about someone else.

“Gram!” yelled Jessie as he ran through the caution tape “Gram!!!

“Hey you can’t be here!” yelled a nearby fire fighter “Get back behind the tape!”

Ignoring the fire fighter Jessie with Kelly in tow as they both yelled for Felicia frantically. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone on a gurney being loaded in a nearby ambulance. It was Felicia with an oxygen breather on her face and looking in bad shape.

“What the hell happened?” yelled Jessie as he ran toward the gurney

“She was trapped in the shop” said the EMT “Who are you? Are you a relative?”

“She’s my grandmother” said Jessie “Is she going to be okay”

“I don’t know son” said the EMT “She’s got heavy smoke inhalation. If you are coming we got to go now.”

As Kelly and Jessie climbed into the ambulance, Citizen Officer Anderson watched silently from the nearby alleyway. He
smiled in satisfaction, knowing that by torching the junk store would draw out his bitch of a stepdaughter.

“This has been a long time coming” sneered Anderson

As he shifted his car into gear and followed the ambulance, he finally decided what had to be done about her.

~O~

It was an agonizing hour in the waiting room as the doctors worked on Felicia. Jessie paced the halls as Kelly apologized over and over.

“I’m so sorry” said Kelly “I’m just so sorry. This is all my fault! If I hadn’t…”

“Hey, this is NOT your fault” interrupted Jessie “You and I both know who’s behind this”

“My stepdad”

“Exactly! If he’s capable of doing what he did to you” said Jessie through gritted teeth “I’ll bet my life he’s capable of this. Once I get my hands on him…”

“Lupescu Family?” called out a nurse

“Yes I’m her grandson” said Jessie “How is she? Is she going to be okay?”

“She conscious but she not out of the woods yet” said the nurse “She’s on oxygen but it’s hard to tell in this early.

“Can we see her” asked Kelly

“It’s better if it’s just one of you at this time” said the nurse “Are you Kelly? She has been asking for you”

“You go” said Jessie patting her arm

“Jessie?” asked Kelly

“I’ll see her after you’re done” said Jessie softly” Go

As Kelly followed the nurse, Jessie looked on sadly as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Jake's phone number.

Kelly walked into the small darkened room where Felicia was recovering. It was a sad sight to see such a vibrant and wonderful woman reduced to breathing through a tube and hooked up to so many beeping machines. Grabbing her hand, Kelly tried hard to hold back tears. She didn’t deserve this

“Kelly?” she asked softly

“I’m here” Kelly said holding her hand

“It’s good to see you” she whispered smiling weakly

“I don’t know why you would” said Kelly “It seems I can’t help but cause trouble for your family.

“Yes, you did” Felicia sighed “But it was my anger and hate that caused this. The day you killed my grandson I hated you with every inch of my being”

“I know you did” said Kelly “I remember….”

“I used my magic in such a hateful way” said Felicia “I knew the risks and I didn’t care because my only thought was getting revenge on you and your friends.

“You had every right” said Kelly “I deserved every bit of it”

“No I didn’t. I had no right to force this miserable life on you just for my selfish need for vengeance” Felicia said

“I killed your grandson, Felicia” argued Kelly “I practically bullied him to death”

“Two wrongs never make a right” sighed Felicia “When your first became Kelly my true intention was to make you and your friends suffer for what you had done. Fueled by nothing but hate”

"Yeah?" asked Kelly feeling guilty

“So I lied to you” said Felecia looking away in shame

“You lied to me?” asked Kelly cocking an eyebrow

"I did" said Felicia in a pained voice “I knew that there was never any way for you to go back to being Ryan Thomas. I just gave you that glimmer of hope just so that I could take it away.”

“What?!?

“I’m so sorry” sniffed Felicia as tears started welling up in her eyes “But I knew there never was a way to turn you back. I had no right to take your life from you. No matter what you did. ”

“Felicia?” said Kelly with almost a relived tone “You didn’t”

“Pardon?”

“You gave me back a life!” said Kelly “I learned that I never liked being Ryan. I was a spoiled rotten entitled brat that hid behind his daddy.I never felt guilty for anything I had ever done to anyone. I murdered Jessie and I’d probably be in jail by now if you hadn’t done what you did! I don’t care what you say, you did me a favor!”

“Kelly…”

“I feel so guilty now” said Kelly breaking down “Because I caused all of this. None of this would have happened if not for me. Me and my buddies tearing up the damn shop, killing Jessie, breaking his heart and him getting hit by that car. And now you’re in the hospital and your whole livelihood is gone. If I had just kept my mouth shut and…”

“You would have killed yourself just like Maria did when she had your body…” said Felecia

“But if I had just...”

“Would have, should have” said Felecia “Doesn’t change the fact of what is”

“I’m so sorry” Kelly said as tears streamed down her face “I bet you hate me even more now”

“No…I don’t” said Felecia “To be honest I’ve grown quite fond of you”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’m proud that you’ve grown into such a wonderful person” smiled Felicia “For what it’s worth to you, I consider you a member of this family.

“I don’t deserve it”

“Yes you do” said Felecia “You’ve more than made up for any wrongs you’ve done to us. I know you love my grandson. If you would, please look after him when I’m gone.”

“Please don’t talk like you’re going to die” said Kelly

“It is the way of things” Felicia said “It’s probably my price that I have to pay threefold”

“Even if the end result was for the better?” asked Kelly

“There are no loopholes in this kind of magic” said Felecia “As said there I knew the consequences and I didn’t care. It the way things are”

“Not this way.” said Kelly “Promise me you’ll get better!”

“I’ll try sweetie” she said closing her eyes “I’ll try”

“No, not try” said Kelly “We both need you.”

“Okay, I Promise” Felicia whispered as she fell unconscious

A nurse entered the room and ushered Kelly out as she checked her vitals.

“She needs to rest” said the nurse

“Will she be okay?” asked Kelly

“I don’t know” said the nurse “but she needs to rest now”

~O~

As Kelly walked into the waiting room, she found that Max and Ericka were there. Seeing Kelly, Erica walked over to her and gave her the biggest comforting hug she could muster.

“Are you okay, honey?” Ericka asked as she heard Kelly sniffle “Jessie told us what had happened. You should have came to us, we would have helped”

“I’m sorry” she whimpered

“It’s okay” said Ericka “We’re here now. Dad’s on his way”

As Jessie and Max finished talking to the ER doctor both girls noticed the sullen looking faces of both boys.

“Guys?” asked Ericka cautiously not sure if she wanted to know

“It’s not good” said Max sadly

“They’re doing what they can but… said Jessie "Her lungs are having trouble processing oxygen”

“But she was just talking to me” said Kelly feeling nauseous

“According to the doc things like this…” said Max “Ya feel fine one moment and next … well ya don’t”

“I really need to get out here” sniffed Kelly “Everything I touch to just turns to shit”

“Hey this wasn’t your fault” Jessie said pulling her into a hug which she struggled at first but gave up and cried into his chest.

“I didn’t men to bring this on your family” she sobbed

“You didn’t” said Jessie sincerely

Kissing her on the forehead and handing her his cell phone “Go get some air; You look like you need it. Jake’s on his way so don’t go too far okay?

“Okay” sniffed Kelly

“I'm going to check on gram” said Jessie as max squeezed his shoulder “Make sure she’s okay"

“We’re here for you both” said Ericka hugging Kelly

“I know but I just need some time alone” said Kelly wiping her eyes “I promise I’ll talk to your dad when he gets here”

~O~

As she walked out on the back on the staircase, Kelly broke down in a mess of tears. Just the weight of everything coming down on her was just too much. Even though everyone told her that it wasn’t her fault, she felt responsible.

She chuckled bitterly as wave upon wave of guilt hit her. During her Ryan Taylor days she practically terrorized the whole damn town without a hint of guilt or remorse. Looking back maybe that’s why things were happening so horrible now. And now it seemed that fate, magic or whatever was punishing that family for all her fuck ups.

“They don’t deserve this” thought Kelly through tears

As Kelly was lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the figure stepping out of the shadows behind her with a sick twisted smile on his face.

She felt a something hard being press into her back. As she bolted up in surprise, a chill went down her spine as she heard a familiar loud metallic sounding click. It was the sound of a hammer of a gun being pulled back. She closed her eyes in fear, knowing exactly who it was.

“Well Well” said a voice behind her “I finally found you, you little bitch! Thought you could get away from me didn’t you?”

“Oh Shit!” she thought

“Don’t even think about trying anything cute” said Anderson “Make a sound and you die”

“The cops are on their way” Kelly said through gritted teeth

“Well” sneered Anderson shoving her roughly down the stairs “I guess we’ll have to solve our family problems elsewhere”

“I always knew you were a piece of shit." said Kelly “Why did you burn down the Relic?”

“I wouldn't have had to do it if you had just came home, like an obedient girl should have” chuckled Anderson “Besides your little boyfriend pissed me off”

“He’s more man that you’ll ever be” sneered Kelly " How's it feel to be a pathetic woman beating, rapist wannabe cop"

Anderson’s smug expression darkened into pure rage. Without an ounce of hesitation he slapped Kelly across the face.

“Let’s see how mouthy you are when I’m done with you” he growled “Let’s take a drive you little bitch!”

~O~

The wizard looked on in his scrying glass. With a wave of his hand he cleared the vision and focused to returning to his duties at his store. The plight of Lupescu family was no concern of his. After all, he had vowed not to get himself involved. It was their magic and their problems.

As she started to replace the stock on the shelves of his store he noticed a little gold trinket he got from the relic. It wasn’t anything special but one could tell it was very expensive by mortal standards. He remembered Felecia and Jessie giving it to him as thank you gift for all the business over the years.

He wasn’t one to get sentimental but somehow he couldn’t refuse that wonderful smile or the sweet personality of Ms Lupescu.It was hard not to be enamored by her, so despite his better judgment he accepted it. He had to admit he entered the Relic far more often that he should have, though he wasn’t quite sure why.

Sighing to himself, he put the trinket back into its beautifully carved box and walked into the back room. Hanging up his bathrobe and bunny slippers and changing into some casual clothing, he decided to finally involve himself into this chaotic situation.

“Whatever happens” thought the wizard as he exited his shop “This foolishness ends tonight”