[Rok]

Intended
Natalia Woźniakowska
Chapter 1
Everybody has a person he loves with his whole self. Even if it's your own mother, brother,
cousin, or someone who doesn't know about its existence.

My love was planned long before I was born.

Let's start with the fact that my mother has always been friends with the girl next door –
Bella Flower. I know from the stories that they did everything together.

Bella was never one of the likes, which was the completely opposite of my parent. It started
with an innocent hide and seek , that opened the first buds of their friendship. They sat
together on every break at school, played together with toys, had common colleagues,
shared objects of ridicule and sighs. They grew up equally together, as there was only a few
days difference between them. They celebrated all the ups together and mourned every fall.
Cut into small pieces, photos of the guys who broke their hearts got drunk with a cheap
store orangeade when they both got into their dream high school.

Even over the years, when each of them arranged their lives, got married and found a job,
they were still able to plan things together.

One of the fruits of these plans is me.

Me and Jake Flower.

We were written to make love or even like each other. Our lives were planned in their pink
notebook with a bow. It was clearly written there: "It is necessary that in the future we be
connected by a family knot that our children can tie through marriage. In the worst case, it is
required that these offspring will be at least friends."

Time has shown that we have not been able to soothe the eight-year-old hearts of Bella and
my mother.

We have always hated each other. At least for as long as I can remember.

The day Jake sweep off his feet.

That day I pierced the tires on his bike.

And even the day he destroyed my image.

I never discovered a significant reason why we could even scratch our eyes. I explained to
myself that we acquired this trait during childbirth, and the sentence: "Shut up, Flower." I
encoded faster than "mom".

By my eye, we always (by pure chance) had the most in common.

We have always lived next to each other. I won't even count how many times his hockey disc
hit the window of my room.

We go to the same school, to the same parties, we had the same buddies, we sat next to
each other in English and we both skate.

I would be completely neutral, I wouldn't get in his way, and treated each of his indifferently
if it weren't for the fact that Jake Flower smashed my image into small pieces.

I hate him because he was the one who sent the whole school a video starring me.

In short - I was in a small alcohol amok, wanting to kill everyone who had just entered the
table where I was just seen dancing.

Since then, my high school, arranged life has turned into a real hell that burned my heels
every day. Fact, it was partly my fault, because it was I who inadvertently led myself to such
a state. The circle of friends was quite small, I hoped that as soon as it was found out - it
would disappear so quickly. People in school, after all, are still talking about someone new
every day.

I miscalculated my hopes strongly, seeing the printed screenshots, sloppy glued to my

cabinet.

Every day.

Besides, of course I have friends, I don't care at all about the life of just one person who, on
top of that, destroys my life.

It hardly cares.

Chapter 2

I woke up, rubbing my eyes with my fists to the point of red. The sun persistently shone
directly on my face. It didn't heat up because it was already the middle of August, and it was
terribly irritating. I lay up to a sitting position, looking through an uncovered window. I
noticed Bella, who was just hanging laundry on the balcony from the bedroom.

Despite everything, Bella was a good friend, not just my mom, but my whole family. He
comes for coffee every week on Friday when he finishes his morning shift at work. I always
gossip with her on every topic, I talk to her anyone who gets under our skin. She always said
that Jake and I are two clones whose attitudes towards each other are definitely different. In
this case, I completely disagree. The only thing that doesn't happen to unite me and Jake
Flower is that we both hate each other just as much and don't dream of giving our hand for
permission just as much.

My mother always told me that the smarter one should always give way, but with Jake it
doesn't make much difference.
I waved to her vigorously, rattling and opening the window.

- I thought you were still asleep - she laughed, hanging a pink blouse on a string.

- I would like to - I sighed, correcting the fold on the firance. - Jake has already stood up? - I
asked, although in fact the answer came to my tongue by itself, hearing crackling coming
from the Flower family's house.

In fact, apart from Bella, only Jake, who has no siblings, lived in the house. All it lacked was a
father who always disappears early in the morning and shows up again after midnight. Meg
said that her husband is a terrible workaholic whom she still loves terribly. Apparently he
finds time for his family, if only twice a week, between on duty in the hospital.

- Yes, he got up a good half hour ago - she replied with a clear assumption in her voice. Her
hands trembled quite as she tried to pin the clips to the dress and her forehead flooded with
fine drops of sweat.

- I think it's time for me - I bale out, looking at the clock. - Have a nice day, Bella! - I threw a
wide smile at her.

This woman sometimes has stress problems. She said that simple things could upset her -
when Jake gets sick, when something under the hood or a minor fault in the washing
machine taps in the car. I wondered what was today's cause for concern

At seven twenty, my friend's burgundy car arrived at my house, which she got for her
seventeenth birthday. Since then, he has been doing for my chauffeur every day, because I
am terrified to drive a car, I never even dreamed of passing a driver's license.

- How's it going, Nic? - I asked, taking a seat in front and giving the girl caramel coffee that
she loved with all her heart. - Gee, what happened to Patrick? I don't remember him ever
being so clean.

Patrick is the name Nicole gave her gift. She always said that her name looked like her, which
is why she was so accepted. Anyway, Nicole has an innate mania for naming dead objects.

- I gave my neighbor ten dollars to earn - she snorted with laughter. - I had cleaning the
agent for free.

- Could it be that some handsome fifteen-year-old without a T-shirt washed your car,
dousing himself with water with foam? - I asked with theatrical excitement in my voice,
putting a pair of skates on the back seat, which I planned to leave in the cabinet that day.

- Just try to put your shoes on the blades on my super polished seat, I swear you won't live
to see coming to school - she joked, leaning back.

- Sure, I'll try - I threw carelessly, wearing my seatbelts.

- Ah, when it comes to a neighbor, it's not a wet fifteen-year-old, but a newly minted seven-
year-old who was looking for a job on vacation.

- Besides, how were your last two months? - I asked, looking at my friend's short hair, which
seemed a little darker than usual to me.

- I beg you, do not look at this bottom color - she grabbed the tips, sighing heavily. - It was
supposed to be sea green, and it came out black.

- Completely black - I said, bringing my hand back to myself.

- I just came back from Florida from my aunt yesterday, I told you.

- It must have been really hot - I murmured.

- And how about your vacation Taylor? Someone teased you? - she asked, quickly sending
me a meaningful look, and then looking carefully at the road again.

- Bizarrely calm. In a sense you know, Jake came twice with his mother from Friday for
coffee. It was not without an argument, my mother was terribly angry. A few weeks later,
Jack had a party in the absence of his parents, the police arrived and it was quite
uninteresting, and for three weeks there has been complete silence as if it did not exist. I
read books lying on the windowsill without fear that someone is about to break my glass. I
have no idea what happened - I told, sipping caramel coffee.

- Why is that, - she began - that whenever you talk about Jack Flower I see a terrible asshole
in front of my eyes, and when I enter school I see the perfect boy, huh?

- Because he's not, Nicole- I frowned.

- I think you're exaggerating a lot, Taylor - she shrugged, trying to park between two tall cars
in the school parking lot. - I mean, I understand that you're very angry with him for this video
and...

- It's not just about this video, Nic .He completely destroys my life - I said in a rather weary
tone, finishing the last sips of the drink.

No one has ever witnessed him stabbing my leg in seventh grade. No one has ever seen the
cards they put in my small pocket in my backpack and no one has ever heard what they said
only to me.

Despite the fact that all my life I thought Jake Flower was a complete moron, it turns out
that he had everything perfectly planned all the time. He blurred the evidence before
creating any.

Maybe it's the part of his perfect life that I haven't seen before?
____

Going to English as well as every previous lesson for the first time in a long time I didn't feel
ridiculed anymore. With the new school year, the cards, jokes and Jake himself, whose
presence in the corridor I did not sense at all, disappeared.

I took the English place assigned to me, took out a notebook and started writing down the
first pages of it so that I could throw out what clutters my mind. Now they were logarithms
that I started two lessons back and still couldn't put them in the right place. In fact, I often
have unarranged in my head, which I have to quickly put on paper to be able to carefully
analyze what is happening.

I once caught myself sitting under my skull often. Jake’s skull. It appears, or rather, appeared
in every part of my day, which completely overwhelmed me. How quickly he appeared in my
mind - so quickly he disappeared.

After all, I can't let such Flower get into my head just right, right?

Although his chances are crossed out right away at the start.

I made a lot of numbers, signs and patterns that poured straight out of the middle of me. I
drew circles that I immediately covered with squares or triangles. I think if I ever got the
opportunity to look inside me thoroughly - I would refuse from the spot.

- Hi Flower, how is it going? Gee, what kind of frame is this? Did you fall on your head? - by
the intention, surprisingly, I was torn out by Jacob's voice, who sits in the bench opposite.

- On the leg, Jacob. On the leg.

Then I saw Jake for the first time in three weeks. In all its glory, with a few curls on the head
less and one broken leg more.

His face was painted with annoyance mixed with the pride he usually wore.

- Yeah, hey Jacob - he murmured. - You can be a little quieter, in the sense you know, my
head hurts - he said bulging, jumping at the crutches closer and closer to the bench.

- Dude, what did you do to yourself? Yes before the opening of the season? Will you wear it
for a long time? - he was flooded with a wave of questions from another teammate who sat
next to him.

- That's why you were hiding like that? - Jacob interjected, as if reading a sentence straight
from my thoughts.

Didn't laugh, said nothing, and didn't even look at him with crooked eyes. I just watched with
my eyes wide open, controlling if I would also open my mouth in surprise.
I live next door, I'm friends with his mother and knew nothing, absolutely nothing. Not that
living next door does not constitute any priority and obligation in finding out about such
matters, absolutely.

Why does a person who wants attention like oxygen avoid it this time?

- I will wear it until mid-October, then a short rehabilitation and I will come back - he
announced briefly, rolling his eyes.

- Are you kidding? The coach chooses the captain in early December - noted Dean, who is
the goalkeeper of the hockey team.

Bella, since Jake and I were five years old, has enrolled us in skating lessons. Over the years,
Flower chose a hockey puck and helmet, and I chose figurines and an empty ice rink.

- Do you feel that the chance to become captain flies past your nose? - Jacob frowned,
swiping his finger in front of Jake's eyes.

- I have everything under control, Jacob - he assured him by putting his backpack on the
ground.

The boy opened his mouth to interject anything else, but the bell for the lessons managed to
thwart his plans. He pulled out a thick textbook, pen and notebook, as if throwing them hard
against a bench.

I continued to look in the direction where the whole scene in which Flower played the main
role took place, meeting his gaze after a while.

- Don't stare, it's none of your business - I read from his mouth, then turning towards the
board.

- I think you just did the same - I sighed, resting my head against your fists
Chapter 3
It was getting colder outside, which was the norm in Michigan. The leaves have long since
fallen from the trees, even though it was only mid-October. After casual lessons, I came to
take care of the school ice rink, pour out even water and control whether the ice breaks
under the blades of skates.

Wondering where my love for this sport came from, I decided that even though my parents
hate any contact with ice - they instilled a piece of what I love in me. My father trained
aerobatic gymnastics in his youth. He always said that despite his great passion, many camps
and countless hours of training - he gave up too early. He succumbed to pressure from his
schoolmates, who often ridiculed his interests.

It works so that if you do something that others wouldn't even dream right away, it's
considered completely strange.
This was the case with him.

My mother always liked to swim. On Saturday mornings, as a kid, she ran away to the nearby
pool and trained all day. She counted each time how many swimming pools she managed to
swim, and wrote down each result on the last page of the English textbook. However, she
too abandoned the sport with her high school, when her high school love of the time twisted
at the news that her passion was counting the length of the pool she sailed.

When I was born, from birth I was enrolled in the first lessons of both of my parents' former
interests. I admit, I liked the classes very much, but I didn't get enough pleasure from them.

Now that I can sail on ice by the way being able to dance freely, without the resistance of
water - I am in love with skating.

For the first time in a long time that day, I was able to get on the ice again and start moving
to the rhythm of music again. There was not a single living soul in the stands as well as in the
whole building. The sound of the blades bounced deafeningly from the walls.

For the first time when I took my first steps on ice, I didn't feel like I completely forgot how
to ride. It was a persistent feeling that accompanied me after every break from the ride.
Then I had to learn to slide on the ice again, which took me too long. Now, I drove ahead
right away. I experienced an inner, private victory that provided me with a dose of
happiness.

I started with the jumps I know. Toe loop, euler and loop. I felt like I was landing wrong,
which made me slightly irritated. Again, I repeated the euler, which I had already finished
correctly. Starting the loop, I lost my balance and did not make a spin. Commuing to the
gang I sighed heavily. I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me to go back. Among other things,
because I promised myself that I would learn Axel - the most difficult edge jump that I
dreamed of doing at night.

Suddenly, I heard someone's conversations. I looked towards the stands, seeing a hockey
team gathering with a coach who looked straight towards the ice while talking to Jake, who
was clearly irritated.

I shrugged, correcting my earmuffs. I knew I had to give up ice for the team, so making a trip
and then jumping toe loop - I headed for the exit.

Unfortunately for me, making a jump I scored a painful fall straight on a sheet of thick ice,
which hurts a thousand times more than freshly poured asphalt.

I heard laughter that I know very well. Rising up, I gave Jake a cold look and wiped off his
pants.

- Jake, behave, or I'll completely cross you off the list, sure? - the coach turned to him in a
cool tone. - Hey, what's your name? - he looked towards me, nodding.
- Me? Um I’m Taylor Wilson After all, you know me, I went to your workouts two years ago -
I answered a bit confused, sliding my right skating off my feet.

- Sorry, I have absolutely no memory for names - he explained himself by flipping the pages
in his notebook. - You ride well - he threw briefly, to which I reacted with a wide smile.

- If this is a good ride, then I am a captain without preliminary tests, coach - Jake interjected,
sending me his roguish smile, which I hate.

I sighed deeply, taking off my earmuffs and packing my stuff in my bag.

- Sit quietly, Flower - I muttered under my breath, sending him one last look, then heading
towards the exit.

- I repeat to you for the tenth time, Jake. You won't have any wild card, you know? You
missed a month and a half of training, you are not in shape. How can I let you win when
Mike gives a thousand percent?

- Doesn't the coach see that he does it just for fame?

- So far every year we win the championship - no, I can't see - I managed to hear,
disappearing behind the plastic seats of the stands.

I never thought that Mike Davis would ever dare to take over Jake Flower’s baton on the
team, while getting on his nerves enormously. Actually, I didn't expect that from anyone.
Now that the link is completely weakened, everyone on the team is focused on an easy
target. I see Jake looking at them with envy because he feels that the empty gap in the team
was filled far too quickly.

I can safely say that just as I hate Jake, I feel so sorry for him at this point.
Chapter 4

- I beg you, we have to go to a party in Mike! - I heard Nicole's voice once again.

- I told you, Nic. I don't go to parties - I replied in a weary tone, playing with a paper cup.

Going to parties gave me the most pleasure when I was completely invisible at them. Since
half of the school saw me in an ambiguous situation - I avoid them with a wide bow. I don't
dream of going to have fun outside the house, let alone with people who have recently
laughed straight in my face. Just seeing them gave me unpleasant pain in the stomach area.

Starting high school, I never thought I would ever hate it so much.

- Hey, everyone has already forgotten about your slip-up at the New Year's party! Besides, I
can assure you that nothing bad will happen.

- You don't understand me at all, Nicole. The point is that...

- Please, Tay! I would love to go out with you so badly - Nicole's eyes lit up and my heart
immediately softened.

- This will be the only and last time, okay? - I threw, after a while smiling broadly.

Assertiveness and Taylor Wilson are the greatest antonyms the world has ever seen.

- You're wonderful! - she squeezed me with all her might, not letting me breathe.

I often agree to something that is against me. An example of this is the event eight years
back when I turned ten. Bella Flower invited me on behalf of Jake for his birthday for the
second time in my entire life. I mentioned that Bella has always been like a second mother to
me, so refusal was completely out of the question. I went there, which I regret to this day.
Jake didn't say a word to me at the time. Actually, at every party he treated me like air,
forever. Fact, it comes hand in hand with silence and pretending not to know me, but if I
come deliberately for him I expect that although he will thank me, he will say hello,
whatever.

Besides, I like it when Nicole is happy. I didn't want to agree at all, but I just couldn't refuse
it.

- Very wonderful - I sneered, freeing myself from a deadly embrace. - Do you realize that we
have to dress up as something? After all, it's Halloween.

- Sure, yes - she said quickly, sitting in front of me and looking straight into my eyes. - I
started sewing a costume a week ago - she said with a dose of excitement in her voice.

- You can always go without me too. It's better than the company of a person who will not
have fun there at all - I said in a tedious voice, lazily resting her elbows on the table. - I heard
that Olivia wanted to go.

- You won't turn yourself off, the handle collapsed - she smiled significantly, taking out her
lunch.

I looked ahead, wandering through the nearby tables. I noticed a blonde approaching, whom
I recently managed to mention. I waved to her, pointing out the blank next to Nicole.

- Hey, are you going to this party? Everyone is talking about her - she asked with slightly less
interest than Nic.

- Oh, hello Olivia. Sure, it does. I even managed to persuade Mal to her, you know? - she
corrected her quickly, taking a few almonds in her mouth.

- Don't make fun of me Nicole - she looked at me with penetrating eyes.

- It's true - I sighed, still getting lost my eyes between the students.
The blonde somewhat reconciled to my words, then hitting her forehead and making a soft
squeak.

- I would forget! - she yelled, paying considerable attention to herself. The girl turned red on
her cheeks, feeling more than one look on herself. She grabbed her hair from her forehead,
leaned over to us and started talking again, but already turning down the tone of her voice. -
Look, Flower no longer has plaster.

I turned my gaze to Jake sitting a few tables to the right of us. He was not alone, it is obvious.
He has always surrounded himself with a small group of friends who sat with him for lunch,
followed him on breaks and came to his training. Now he was sitting with Jacob, who fiercely
took notes something in a notebook, Dean and a girl who had been sitting on his lap for
some time playing with his chestnut curls.

- Jake Flower returns to the team, he will train again. Do you think he will become a captain
or Ben will surpass him? - she raised one eyebrow funny, wrapping a strand of hair around
her finger.

Nicole snorted, biting another dose of nuts.

- It's clear that Ben will win.

- Jake has always been a good captain, I bet on him - shrugged blonde.

- If he's going to deal with several things at once - I redirected my gaze to Jake's table. - Yes,
he will certainly win.

- You mean the girl who sits on his lap? - Nicole laughed, knowing the answer to this
question very well. - Sophia White, freshman - said quickly, sipping carrot juice.

Not that I am unpleasant. I just think the boy I'm currently on the languages of the whole
school is the same problem, right?

_____

After an English lesson that was last in the plan for the day, I packed my stuff in my bag,
grabbing my hair by the ear. The class was almost empty that day, most people went to
cheer for the school chess team, so the attendance list was empty, as was the classrooms. I
sighed deeply, reaching for a backpack with skates.

Then someone pulled me by the frame, attracting me.

- Miss Wilson and Mr. Flower. Wait a minute - I noticed a raw expression on the hockey team
coach's face. I didn't know what to expect. There were too many thoughts in my head to
think rationally.
- Something happened, coach? - asked, without hiding Flower's surprise, frowning.

- You became, Flower - the man took a deep breath, jumping on us with his eyes. - I need
you.

- Don't talk about us as something common - I murmured under my breath, rolling my eyes.

- It just so happens that you will not avoid it, you do not even dream - he said with happiness
in his voice.

- What do you mean, coach? - asked Jake irritatetdly, shooting bones in his hands.

- You, Wilson. From today you will give additional lessons to Jake in driving. I will give you
some exercises written on paper that you will have to practice with him - he said with stoic
calm.

- Neither do I dream. I'm sorry, but I'm forced to refuse - I answered almost immediately,
going a bit into the man's opinion.

- I didn't know I would ever say that, but I support you Wilson. You work wonders, coach. I
really have to go now, can I?

- Exactly, we are in a hurry.

- If you disagree, Flower, you are excluded from the candidacy for captain. And you Wilson
won't get enough points for an annual rating. Now I explained myself more clearly? - he said
firmly, frowning his gray eyebrows.

- Why exactly her? Why couldn't it be Sophia? She also skate - he asked with palpable anger.
- Even better, a hundred times better - he added tentatively after a while.

Something caught me in my stomach. I assume it's irritation and disgust for Jake Flower, who
saw nothing but the tip of his nose. I clenched my fists, swallowing saliva quickly.

- Okay, no problem

No Flower will ever compare me to someone like Sophia White- i thought

To be continued….