10She was perfect and everybody loved her. There were no flaws about Ashley Seigel. She was pretty, popular, and smart. She could get all A's and play any sport better than any guy or girl around. She wasn't stuck-up or snobby. She was caring and generous. Everyone loved Ashley.
Everyone except Jake Barnes, that is. While everyone greeted and admired Ashley for her perfection, there stood Jake, unnoticed in the crowd, with a glare of death.
"There goes Miss Perfect." Jake muttered to himself. He watched as 'the Queen' herself, walked down the hall with all her glory and fame. And then he glared. Jake was alone with his hate for Ashley. No one could ever hate someone so perfect as her.
As Ashley stopped to talk to a teacher, Jake silently turned, clenching his fists with anger. He leaned against a locker, and tried to control his anger. But it seemed as if it could not be controlled. He slowly sighed, with a racing heartbeat.
"Hi Jake." A voice called from behind him. He turned around, slowly, knowing whom he would be facing. There stood Miss Perfect herself.
"Hey." Jake muttered, keeping his cool. He avoided eye contact with the beautiful, blonde queen. Ashley and Jake had been friends. Until Jake's hate erupted. Ashley knew nothing of his feelings and still considered him a friend.
"Tomorrow vacation starts!" Ashley exclaimed with happiness. "I can't wait for Christmas! It's only on Monday!"
Jake mentally cursed at her stupid ramblings.
"Yeah." He muttered.
"What are you doing for winter break?" Ashley asked, with a huge stupid grin on her face.
"Hanging around." Jake replied.
"That's nice." She said. Her millions of other friends seeked her attention so she departed from him with a quick 'goodbye.'
Jake glared at her as he watched her walk away. He could feel the anger swelling up within him and hit the locker in frustration.
"Bitch." He muttered to himself.
"Who's a bitch?" asked a voice from behind. Jake looked over his shoulder to see his best friend, Eric.
"Hey, man." Jake said, casually, slapping his friend 'five.' "I was just thinking about Ms. Joy. Our math teacher."
"Oh, right." Eric said, nodding. Jake couldn't say what he really thought, even in front of his best friend. Every guy in the school had a crush on Ashley and every girl wanted to be Ashley. Everything was always about Ashley. "So, you excited about Winter Vacation?"
"Yeah." Jake said. "Very excited."
He looked back at Ashley, who was giggling happily with her friends. He turned back and looked at his friend.
"Me too, man." Eric said, with a grin. "I'll be getting a new snowboard. Hell yeah!"
"Good for you buddy." Jake said, putting on a fake smile.
"You getting what you want?" Eric asked. Jake thought for a moment, before a smirk appeared on his face.
"I hope so." He said, not before glancing at Ashley once again. "I hope so."
The next day, Saturday, winter break was now in session. It started to snow and conviently enough; Jake's parents were going away to visit his grandparents.
"Now, we'll be back by Christmas." His mother assured him. Jake smiled and nodded.
"You better be."
"We will honey. You know where to call if you need us."
"Yep."
"Come on, let's go." His father said, entering the room. "We're going to be late."
"Okay, okay." His mother looked back at him. "Be careful."
"I will mother. Have fun, you too." Jake said to his parents as they heaved their stuff out the door. He shut the door behind them, his smile fading instantly.
His parents were out of the picture and out of his mind. He only had one thought to consider now. One thought that kept circling and circling through his head. Ashley Seigel. He sighed at the thought of her. She was ruining his life.
"It's either her life or my life." He muttered to himself, heading upstairs. "And it's not my life."
He closed the door to his bedroom and laid down on his bed. As he stared at the ceiling, he tried to figure out a way to fix everything. He had to do something about her. She was driving him crazy and making him upset. The anger inside him was going to explode.
The phone rung, interrupting his thoughts. He jumped off his bed and hurried downstairs to answer it. He picked up the phone and said,
"Hello?"
"Hey Jake. It's Eric."
"Oh, hey man."
"I was just wondering if you would want to go skiing with me and my family."
Jake frowned. But, suddenly his frown faded. A brilliant idea hit his head. "No, thanks. I've got something else to do. But thanks for asking." Jake said, eager to get off the phone.
"No problem. See you later. Bye." Eric said.
"Bye." Jake said, hanging up. He smirked and headed back to his room.
"Who knew getting revenge could be so easy." He said to himself. "Maybe Christmas will be fun after all."
Jake thought to himself and organized a plan of action. He told himself over and over in his head.
"I'll make it a Christmas Eve that bitch will never forget."
Ashley Seigel happily helped her family haul all the groceries in for the Christmas party that night.
"Sunday is a wonderful Christmas Eve." She said, happily to herself as she carried a few bags in. "Tomorrow is Christmas. I'm glad to be with my family."
She headed into her kitchen and put the groceries on the Christmas table.
"Who is coming tonight?" Ashley asked her mother, happily.
"Grandma and Grandpa. Both of your aunts and uncles. Your 3 cousins and some family friends." Her mother answered. Ashley smiled.
"I can't wait. Tonight's going to be so fun." Ashley said, cheerfully.
Her father entered the kitchen and greeted both Ashley and her mother.
"I have to go pick up, Jill. I'll be back soon." Her father gave her mother a quick kiss and headed out. Ashley smiled.
"Shoot!" Her mother exclaimed. She hurried over to her mother.
"What's wrong?"
"I forget to get flour." She said, upset.
"Hey, I'll just walk over to the store and get it." Ashley said, happy to help.
"Your a lifesaver, dear." Her mother gave her a quick hug and Ashley set out.
She didn't know that decision would lead to her destruction.
"There's no way I can lead Miss Perfect from her wonderful home. She'll stay there all day." Jake muttered, angrily. He drove through his small town, toward the direction of her house. "I'll just check it out."
He drove on. Suddenly, he saw something that almost made him crash into a tree. There was Miss Perfect walking outside, all by herself.
"Thank you, God." He said. He slowed down his car and started following his prey. "Now how to catch her."
As if it were fate, she turned and went onto a private street, you couldn't even tell was a street. It looked more like a driveway.
"Yes!" He exclaimed. He started driving fast in order to beat her to the exit. He'd take her by surprise then. He parked his car at the exit of the street and grabbed his rope.
"Kidnapping Ashley 'Perfect' Seigel is easier that I thought." He said, getting out of his car. He stood there waiting for her to arrive. He saw her in sight and smiled. It was almost time. Soon she would be led to her doom.
She saw Jake and smiled. Happily, she headed over to him.
"Hey Jake!" She said, with a smile. "What are you doing here?"
He didn't answer, but he smirked. Her smiled faded.
"Jake...?" She asked, with concern. "Are you okay?"
Before she could go on, Jake punched her as hard as he could, knocking the girl out. She fell to the ground, unconscious. There, he quickly tied her hands and legs and then blindfolded her. He picked her up and threw her in his back seat.
He jumped into his car and sped away. He drove fast, manically, trying to find his destination before she could wake him. He saw the mountains in view and smiled. His parents had a cabin up there. The perfect place to hold his hostage.
It was probably an hour before he got there, and he had to battle the snowy ways and the traffic. But he did succeed getting her there without her waking up. He parked his car and grabbed her body, carrying her into the small cabin. It was sunset, and almost dark.
Jake put her body on the couch and started to set some candles on fire for light. He pulled up a chair in front of the couch and awaited her revival. That's when the real fun would begin.
And by the time she woke up, it was dark out. Night had begun. She stirred before letting out a scream.
"I can't see!" She called out. "Where am I? Where am I?"
Jake smiled at her struggling. "Now, calm down Ashley."
Ashley stopped screaming. She paused. "Jake? Is that you?! What's going on?"
"It's called revenge, love." Jake said, happily.
"What?" She asked. "What are you talking about? Can you take this blindfold off?"
Jake ripped off her blindfold. "I kidnapped you."
"What?"
"Yeah, that's right." Jake said, happily.
"What? Why? Why are you doing all this?"
"What's with all the questions?" Jake said. "You'll see in time. You'll see."
Ashley stared. Tears streamed down her face, silently. She couldn't believe what was happening. She couldn't believe she was kidnapped. Kidnapped by Jake. Her friend!
"What's wrong, Ashley?" Jake asked, smirking. "Why are you crying?"
"You kidnapped me!" She screamed. "Why would you do something like this? Why, Jake?"
"Patience. Patience now, Miss Perfect."
"You're crazy!" She yelled out. "Crazy. When they find us, you're going to jail! You need help, Jake!"
"Me? Need help? Well I'm not the one tied up, am I now?"
They were silent once more, except for the sobs of Ashley.
"What are you going to do to me?" She asked, crying.
"Get my revenge." Jake answered, simply.
"What did I ever do?" Ashley asked, not to Jake. "What did I do to deserve this?"
Jake couldn't take her crying anymore. He couldn't take any of it anymore. He had finally snapped. All in one movement, he stood up, pushing his chair back, grabbed a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Ashley's head.
"What did you ever do? I'll answer that for you!" Jake yelled. "You were perfect! PERFECT! Everyone loves perfect Ashley! Everyone wants to be like Ashley! You might as well be the queen of the world. But you'll pay for what you did to me."
Ashley stared hard at the gun, her heart racing. She stayed calm.
"What did I do?" She asked of Jake, softly. "What did I do to you, Jake?"
"Everyone loves you." Jake muttered to himself. "And you had all your friends. I was your friend once you know. Friends. Ha. It was Thursday. Everyone gave everyone presents. Everyone got a present from their friend Ashley. We were friends, Ashley! But you couldn't even afford a stupid Christmas Card for your friend. RIGHT? Right, Ashley?"
"What are you talking about?" Ashley asked, confused.
"Guess, we never were really friends. I didn't even get a card from my friend. Not even a card. You're a bitch!"
"What? A card? I sent you your card." Ashley assured him.
"Yeah, right!" He said. "You're such a liar."
"But...I did. You are my friend."
"Shut up!" Jake screamed, before pulling the trigger. A gunshot was heard through the woods. The candles went out and all was silent.
Jake woke up the next morning. Christmas morning. He smiled. He got out of bed and headed downstairs to see his parents having coffee.
"Good morning, Jake." His mother said, happily.
"Hey." He said.
The three had their Christmas breakfast and then quickly exchanged presents. Jake couldn't be happier.
"Oh, Jake." His mother called out.
"Yeah?" Jake asked, curiously. She pulled something out of her coat pocket. It was an envelope.
"This came for you a few days ago. I forgot to give it to you before we left. Hope you don't mind."
"No problem." Jake said, as he grabbed the envelope. He hopped off his chair and headed upstairs.
Lying on his bed, he opened the envelope. Out fell a Christmas Card.
"What's this?" Jake muttered. He looked at the card. On the front was a picture of a snowman and the writing "Merry Christmas."
He opened the card to see writing. He started to read.
Dear Jake,
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. You deserve the best. You're a hard worker and great person. I'm glad we're friends. You did well during football and I hope you have a great basketball season. You are always so nice to me. Especially in History when you help me with the work. I wish I were as smart as you. It's great to know you. I can always talk to you. Sometimes I wish I were as perfect as you.
Your friend,
Ashley Seigel.
A/n: Well that's the end. I hope you enjoyed. I wrote this especially for Christmas too! Who knows what drove me to write this madness… Please REVIEW and tell me what you think. Thank you. And have a Merry Christmas and HAPPY holidays! (Whether it be Chanukah or Kwanzaa or none!)