rated *
Her True Beauty
By Treanna
Part One
As another golden ringlet hit the ground, she closed her eyes against the pain in her heart. The scissors nicked against her skin and she opened her eyes in defiance towards the person in front of her. Her hair, once so beautiful, lay around her feet like a fallen halo of gold.
The person laughed. "See how the mighty have fallen. Now, you are not the beautiful woman he talks about all the time, are you?"
She looked up at her assailant, anger masking the pain in her eyes. "I will always be beautiful to him, no matter what you do to me."
The glove swiped across her face and she tasted blood.
"We shall see, we shall see."
Two Weeks earlier.
Jim ran his hand down the length of her hair and smiled slightly. "I am going to miss you, Trix."
"This conference is important to you, Jim."
"I know, but so are you. I wish you could come with me."
She laughed. "I wouldn’t even dare suggest that to my parents. Going away with you for two weeks unchaperoned would definitely not be something my parents would agree to."
"I can’t see my parents agreeing, either."
"So, just think of me all the time and bring me back lots of presents."
He laughed. "And if I don’t?"
"I think that you would not enjoy being without my kisses for too long, Frayne."
"Then I had better take an empty suitcase because I expect at least ten kisses for each present I bring back for you."
"Only ten?"
He pulled her closer into his arms. "I had better get a stockpile, now, before I go."
"Definitely." She smiled as his lips moved towards hers.
One Week later.
"If I hear you sigh once more, Miss Belden, I am going to scream."
Trixie looked up at her best friend. "Sorry, but I am missing him so much."
"No kidding. One would think that you were in love with my brother or something."
"Is it that obvious?"
Honey laughed. "He has rung you every night since he has been gone. You have already received one telegram and one letter from him. How many letters have you written?"
Trixie held up two fingers. "Two isn’t that many."
"He has only been gone one week."
"It has seemed like a lifetime and I still have a lifetime to go." Honey moved slightly and Trixie saw the flash of light reflected from her engagement ring. "I wish Jim would make a commitment, too. If he doesn’t propose soon, I will."
"I know that he wanted to finish his studies first and get the school started before he made any commitments."
"I know, but the school has been opened now for almost a year and I am not getting any younger."
Honey again laughed. "An old maid at twenty-one. You poor thing."
"Well, Mart and Di are already married, and you are due to be married in a couple of months. Even Dan finally got around to proposing to Hallie."
"Are you pleased to have your cousin around all the time now?"
"Well, Hallie and I get along better than we did, but I still think that there will still be some arguments over the years."
"That is because you are so alike."
"Oh sure. Stumpy little me and sleek tall her."
"You are not stumpy." Honey laughed. "You were solid as a child, but now you wear the same size clothes as me."
"Even though you are two inches taller than me."
She then touched her hair. "Look at the mop I wear. Your hair is so blonde and so straight and Hallie’s is so dark and so straight."
"There is nothing wrong with your hair. It is well past your shoulders now and has such gorgeous curls. Women pay a fortune for them."
"Then I would gladly swap."
"Trixie Belden, don’t be so negative about yourself. Don’t forget one important factor. Jim loves that mop, as you call it."
Trixie smiled. "I know. I am just in a grouchy kind of mood today. I have been for a couple of days."
"Why is that?"
"I don’t know. I just have a feeling that something is wrong. But I can’t put my finger on it."
"That’s funny, because the night before Jim left he felt that something wasn’t right. He almost cancelled his trip. He has rung me a few times to see if you are okay."
Trixie stood up and shrugged. "I guess we are both missing each other more than we thought we would."
Honey stood up beside her. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
"Well, it is impossible for my heart to be any fonder than it is now."
Honey gave her friend a hug. "Let’s go raid the icebox. I am sure there is some chocolate cake in there."
"Just what I need."
The day before Jim flies back.
Trixie walked towards Mr Maypenny's with a basket of preserves for him. She couldn’t sit still knowing that Jim would soon be getting ready to leave. The night before he had rung her and told her that he had some presents for her, one that was extra special, and he wanted her to wait for him at the Manor House. He had told her that he would get to Sleepyside by lunchtime. She looked at her watch. Only fifteen hours to go.
After spending a few minutes with Mr Maypenny, she began to walk home. As she walked near the old schoolhouse, she remembered about how it had sheltered them from the storm on that night so long ago. It was the night, she remembered, when she realised how much Jim was beginning to mean to her; the night she began to become a woman and leave the little girl behind; the night when boys became much more than just a nuisance.
She was so involved with her memories that she did not see the figure at first. It was when she heard her name that she looked up.
"Hi, Trixie," said the woman.
"What are you doing here?"
"I am in trouble and I knew that you would be the one to help me."
"Of course I will," Trixie told her. "Come back to my house and we can talk there."
She shook her head. "That building over there is open. Can we talk in there? I don’t want anyone else to see me."
Trixie nodded and followed her towards the schoolhouse.
She opened the door and Trixie walked in. Suddenly, something hit Trixie on the head and she slumped to the floor.
She did not hear the evil laugh or the words. "Now, Miss Belden, we will have some fun."
To Be Continued
just had to get it in before my holiday. Hope you like this one. Nothing to do with the other stories i have written. Next part coming soon