From Bully To Beloved

“Oh, wow, can’t believe I fell asleep,” Cherrel yawned. “It’s all that studying, I tell ya. Makes a girl tired.”

“Sure, that’s it,” Bianca chuckled and rolled her eyes. Cherrel, naturally smart, rarely needed hours of study to do well.

The girls gathered their bags, disembarking at the Winterside station after a little over four hours. The quiet station exuded a familiar charm. Inside, Mitch, the trainmaster, greeted them amid Christmas carols and a sparkling tree.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Aschmidt and Ms. Ashton,” Mitch stood up. “Great to see you both back home for the holidays. Mr. Aschmidt is waiting outside.”

“Thanks, Mitch,” they said in unison, heading out to find a big Range Rover. Jaxon, standing beside it, was on the phone. Catching Bianca’s eye, he hung up, welcoming the girls.

“Jax!” Cherrel hugged him, dropping her bag. “Thought Dad was meeting us. You’re looking way too handsome for a hardworking man. It’s not fair. Why didn’t I get your gorgeous thick hair?”

Bianca approached more cautiously. “Hi, Jax,” she greeted shyly. His towering figure, jet-black hair, and sparkling blue eyes always made her feel a mix of comfort and awe.

“Bianca,” he smiled, hugging her. Their bodies pressed together, igniting warmth in her. His lips on her cheek left her longing for more, contemplating a strategic move.

“Come on, guys,” Cherrel interrupted. “It’s only been a year, not a decade.”

Reluctantly stepping back, Bianca smiled at Jaxon, noticing his frowning gaze.

“Well, seems like a lot can happen in a year,” Jaxon’s voice turned gruff. “Bianca, you’ll have to fill me in on everything you’ve done.”

“She’s not going to tell you who she slept with, bro,” Cherrel teased, punching his arm.

“I said everything she’s done, not who she’s done, sis,” Jaxon replied, grimacing. “I can see I don’t want to ask you about your love life.”

“Don’t be a hypocrite, Jax. You must sleep with a woman a week. I can have some fun too,” Cherrel teased him.

“I’m 30, Cherrel, and you’re 22. Big difference,” Jaxon’s voice was gruff. “And I don’t want to hear about my little sister having sex.”

“Oh, Jax,” Cherrel laughed, claiming the front seat. “Shotgun. You can get shotgun next time,” she told Bianca.

“That’s fine, Cherrel,” Bianca said, slipping into the backseat, hoping Jaxon would share more about his love life. She was curious about whether he had a girlfriend.

As they drove to the Aschmidt manor, Bianca enjoyed the familiar scenery, smiling at the lush green countryside and cows munching on grass. Jaxon watched her through the rearview mirror, curious about her laughter.

“What are you laughing about, Bianca?” he asked, smiling.

“I was thinking about the time Cherrel and I feasted on grass to figure out why cows enjoyed it so much,” she laughed. “We spent the whole night pretending to be monsters.”

“I remember that. And Jax stayed up, making fun of us,” Cherrel added.

“I called you both the Gobble-Geeks, and I got you to do my chores for days,” Jaxon grinned. “I’ll never make fun of your snotty nose again.”

“Jax,” Cherrel stuck her tongue out at him, turning to Bianca. “I’m so glad you came home with me, Bia. This way there will be two of us to gang up on Jaxon.”

“I’m sure he’ll be too busy for us,” Bianca weakly smiled, hoping to be seen as a beautiful siren rather than the pukey Gobble-Geek Bianca.

“Oh yeah, forgot he’s helping Dad run a multi-billion dollar company. Best not lose my fortune, big bro,” Cherrel said, noticing Jaxon’s tensed shoulders.

“Maybe you’ll join us when you graduate and actually help earn the dollars you spend,” Jaxon said seriously.

“Yeah, sure. One day,” Cherrel replied. “Oh, but if you have any positions going, Bianca’s looking for a job.”

Bianca groaned and tried to hide her blush as Jaxon looked at her with interest. “Are you really, Bianca?” he asked.

She nodded slowly, unsure about working around the man she loved.

“We have an internship program starting in January, leading to a job this summer, if you’re interested,” Jaxon offered.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“Well, I guess so. When would my application have to be in?” she asked hesitantly, aware that top corporations had likely closed their internship programs long ago.

“I guess that’s a benefit of knowing the boss. No application needed,” Jaxon said as he parked the car. Cherrel rushed into the house to greet her parents, leaving Bianca standing next to Jax as he locked the car doors.

“I’m serious, Bianca. Come talk to me after dinner if you want to start,” he said, locking eyes with her. Bianca worried that her true feelings for him might be evident.

“Thanks, Jax. That would be great,” she replied, fidgeting with her skirt and putting on her backpack. It rustled against her tee shirt, lifting it slightly to expose her stomach. Quickly readjusting, she looked up to find Jaxon staring at her intently, a dark smile on his face.

“It’s good to see you, Bianca. You’ve definitely grown into a beautiful young woman,” he commented, licking his lips before walking away. Bianca waited for a moment, then followed him into the house. Jaxon was irresistible, and Bianca couldn’t help but desire every little thing he did. She sighed, realizing it was going to be a challenging two weeks if she lusted after every move Jaxon made.