Perfection before the Fall

My name is Jayne Nallum. Last year, I almost died. The man I love and will someday marry saved my life.

It was senior year. I was a pathetic red-headed thing, with pale skin and only one friend. I wanted so badly to fit in, to be like Bambi, my sister. Bambi, the Cowboys cheerleader. Bambi, the definition of perfect. To be like Bambi would be to have any guy I wanted. THE guy I wanted, a.k.a. Daryn Holt.

Daryn was the ultimate All-American boy. He was hot, smart, and the varsity QB. He was perfect. With one exception, that is: Candy Breckman, The Wicked Witch of Wellman High. She was stuck up, evil and my best friend’s twin. Don’t get the wrong idea, there were only two things they had in common: their parents and their birthday. They lived in different houses, even; Carter with their mom and Candy with their dad.

Carter and I were sitting outside eating at our usual table. He was saying something about the weather. That maybe we should get inside, it looked like a storm was coming. I told him to go ahead, I wanted to get some pictures.

I thought I was the only one out there, until I stumbled across the Wicked Witch herself. She was arguing with Daryn.

“Take a break?!” she was screeching. “What makes you think-” she saw me standing there, watching. “Excuse you; we were having a private conversation here. So leave.”

I stood there, enraged. “It’s a free country. And for future reference, ‘private conversations’ shouldn’t be screamed.” Lightening streaked across the sky at that exact moment.

“Move!” Daryn yelled. I looked up and saw the monstrous branch falling toward me. Then I felt Daryn crash into me, knocking me down−and out of the way.

“Hi,” I said as he was staring into my eyes. He smiled. “Hey.” He got us up off the ground.

“Daryn!” Candy yelled. “Get over here. We are not done talking!” When he didn’t move, she rushed over to where we were standing. “Did you hear me?”

“I’m busy.”

“Doing what?”

“Talking to…I’m sorry, what’s your name?” he asked me.

“Jayne. Jayne Nallum.”

Candy looked at me. “Aren’t you Carter’s little friend?” she asked. I nodded my head. “Fine,” she had turned back to Daryn. “If you want to go with trash like her,” she shot me a dirty look, “then go ahead. See if I care!” She turned and marched away.

“Maybe we should go inside,” Daryn said, taking my arm and steering me inside.

“What’s your last period?” he asked.

“It’s Friday, I’m free next,” I replied. I noticed a lot of people staring at us.

“Cool, me too. You want to spend it together? I mean, I just saved your life and I don’t even know you.”

“Um, sure. Why not?”

Yes, my age old fantasy came true. After that, we dated. Daryn Holt was my boyfriend. Candy was furious at this.

The only imperfection in my new life was that I’d lost Carter. He wouldn’t talk to me, wouldn’t answer my texts or e-mails. But I was popular; if he wanted to be a jerk and act strange, that was his problem.

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“Hey, baby girl,” Daryn said over the phone one night. We’d been dating for about three months. “You want to come over tonight?”

“I can’t; my sister Bambi’s in town. But you can over to my place, you haven’t met her yet,” I replied.

“Cool, I’ll be over in about twenty minutes.”

I went to freshen up; you never know what’ll happen when Daryn’s around.

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The doorbell rang. I rushed to open the door, but Bambi had already done this by the time I’d gotten to the foyer. I ran over to Daryn. I couldn’t help but notice the way they were staring at each other.

“Hey, Jayne, um, we need to talk,” he said.

“Okay, let’s go outside.” He turned, and I walked behind him, ready for anything. Or so I thought.

“Look, babe, these three months together have been great, you know that, but…” he trailed off.

“But what?” I asked, confused.

“I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”

“Why not?” I asked, tears welling up in my eyes.

“I found something better.”

“Who?” I whispered softly.

He didn’t say anything, but looked back at the house. I understood perfectly.

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It was two months after that night. I was a wreck. I’d lost my boyfriend to my sister, they were getting married today, I’d barely eaten anything during this time, and I now had absolutely no friends.

I was fed up with life. I had been cutting myself, and I’d decided today was the day. I would soon be cutting that centimeter too deep.

I was in my room, blasting scream, getting ready. I’d just placed my suicide letter on the banister. My razor was ready.

I looked in the mirror. I took a deep breath and looked down at my wrists. I made a few cuts like before, deep enough to bleed, but not enough to do much else.

It was time for the final cut. I grasped the razor in my right hand and took yet another deep breath. I brought the razor down hard. It hurt so badly.

I was falling down, both literally and metaphorically.

That was the day I died.

That was how it happened.

I don’t regret it for one second.

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Heaven wasn’t as beautiful as I’d thought it would be. Either that, or Hell wasn’t as hot.

And I was lying down; my body felt as if it were full of lead.

And I was wearing the ugliest dress ever. This was definitely NOT Heaven. Darn.

Then I heard a strange noise. It sounded like someone crying.

I lifted my head to see where it was coming from. There was a person at the end of my bed.

“I’m sorry I left you, Jay. Please, just stay alive, I’ll stay by your side forever. I…I-I love you, Jay! I have since we met, God, just don’t die on me, please. Jay, I need you! I-”

“Shut up,” I broke into his babbling. “God, have I ever told you how extremely ANNOYING you can be, Carter?”

“Jay?” He looked up at me. “Jay!” He rushed over to the head of the bed and looked me in my eyes, happy for a second, then furious. “Why did you try to kill yourself?! You scared the crap out of me!”

“I’m sorry, but there was nothing left for me to do. I’ve lost Daryn, and with him went all popularity gained. And you’d left me a long time ago.”

He was silent. “Carter, you should’ve just-”

I was cut off by his lips meeting mine.

That was the day I was reborn.

That was how it happened.

Carter was there when I was truly falling down.

He picked me right back up again.

And you know what? I don’t regret it for one second.