Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction mainly based on the ABC network daytime soap All My Children. All the characters that are recognizable from belong to ABC, and I am just borrowing them for my own amusement. Any other character most likely belongs to me. No profit is being made from this page or the previous and/or latter pages. Also since, I'm impossibly broke...if someone feels the need to sue me, he/she or they will be sadly disappointed.
Enjoy my dreams!!!!
The Saga Begins
by
Dreamweaver
Scene One- Pine Valley Bus Station
Instinctively, she squeezed her eyes shut against the painful glare of the sun effectively managing to bump the edge of her overstuffed suitcase against the opened door of the bus. Not that the darned thing wasn't already badly worn enough, she grimaced.
She couldn't think of one thing she hated more than buses, besides bus fumes and the smell of the old man who'd sat next to her for the better part of the trip. A man who insisted on telling her his entire life story before they'd even pulled from the last station. It amazed her how the man continued to drone on, totally unaware of the greenish pallor of her skin as she fought to hold down what little food she's managed to take in before the trip. And impossibly unaware of the fact that he smelled like burning ammonia and unwashed feet.
Now all she could think about was locating a hot shower and a half way descent bed. Quite a step down from the usual. But then everything about the last eight days had been unusual.
Since she knew there was no one who would be arriving to pick her up with open arms and welcome smiles, she immediately maneuvered her way around the throngs of people, straight past this bus station that looked remarkably like every other station she'd been through in the past few days and paused outside on the side walk.
"So, this is Pine Valley." she said with a smirk, as she took in the quaint picturesque little scene of a tree-lined street and adorable, all most old fashioned little storefronts. In the distance she could even see a small park with wrought iron benches and lamp posts. "I'll bet everyone even lives in pastel painted houses with white picket fences out front."she mumbled under her breath.
Laboring under the weight of her baggage, she eventually made it over to one of those cute little benches and haphazardly tossed her duffle bag down, following with an exhausted flop of herself. Looking cautiously down the walk, she scooted her suitcase partially under the bench. None of the few people passing by appeared to be any threat. As far as she knew, they hadn't even noticed she was there but you never knew. After living on some of the seediest streets in L. A., one thing Micheala Monroe knew that no matter where you were, you always had to watch your back..
A light peal of feminine laughter drew her attention, causing her to turn her head in the direction of the park behind her.
"Look out." another voice called out, this one masculine. A bit too late.
A flying brown object was spinning through the air, headed at almost lightening speed straight towards Micheala's nose.
"Ohh.";she cried out, attempting to duck out of the way of the speeding missile. Fortunately, her movements redirected the ball's target and she was only grazed on the shoulder. Brushing her thick brown hair back in disbelief, she stared down at the ball as it landed at her feet with a soft thud.
"In this town fifteen minutes, and already my modeling career is about to be shot down before it even gets off the ground.", she muttered under her breath as she moved to pick up the hated brown ball.
"Hey...",a male voice called as her ran over to her. "Are you okay?"
Micheala looked up quickly, ready to read the guy the riot act for nearly breaking her nose. One look at the guy and she froze.
He was tall, at least 6'3 she figured from her seated vantage point, with blondish brown hair and gorgeous sparkling blue eyes. On their own accord, her eyes trailed the length of his body taking appreciative account of the washboard abs that greeted her under the cut off sweatshirt he wore. He was hot and sweaty and sexy as hell. And Micheala knew that he knew it.
So did the petite blonde beauty with him, if the catty gaze she shifted Micheala's direction was any hint.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Micheala said, finding her voice effortlessly as she tossed the ball she was holding back at the guy and giving a mental shrug. So the guy was gorgeous, so what. The two of them looked like Ken and Barbie.
"I'm really sorry about that."the guy said, offering her a smile that could melt icebergs as he effortlessly caught the ball.
"No, it was my fault. I should be apologizing." the blonde said, noticing the intense eye contact being exchanged between the two of them and not wanting to be forgotten.
"No problem."Micheala shrugged, giving him a quick smile and her an even quicker one before she shifted her attention back to the uneventful scene in front of her.
Obviously, the guy couldn't take a hint she noticed as his hand shot out in front of her.
"I'm Ryan Lavery and this is Greenlee Smythe."
'Ah, small town charm at its best.'Micheala mused. "I'm Mick." she replied, offering them both a reserved grin as she hoped they'd soon get the message and leave her alone.
"Mick." Ryan repeated, with a little laugh. " I never would have figured you for a guy."
Micheala squinted at him in annoyance in response to his lame joke.
Beside him, the blonde's jaw dropped and shut twice, her eyes wide suddenly.
'Maybe', Mick thought 'Barbie swallowed her gum.'as she eyed the girl suspiciously.
"Oh....I don't believe it." Barbie-girl suddenly shrieked.
Inwardly, Mick cringed. She already knew what was coming. It had happened far too often in recent months.
"You're that Deception model, aren't ....?"
"No, I am not." Mick cut her off.
Greenlee,,however was not to be dissuaded. "Yeah...you are her. Ohmigosh."she gushed.
"Geez." Mick sighed, more annoyed than ever.
"Who?" Ryan asked.
"Brenda Barrett!! The face of Deception girl." Greenlee clarified.
Mick just rolled her eyes. How many times a day did she get that one?
"Oh, yeah...";Ryan chirped in after he'd stared at her for almost a minute.
"I promise you guy's, I'm not who you think I..."
"Hey, wait...didn't she die in a plane crash a while back?" Ryan interrupted.
"Yes she did. Which makes it pretty clear that I'm not her." Mick informed them.
"Well, you could make a good living as a look alike." Greenlee chirped.
' I'm sorta countin' on that.'
"I take it you're new to Pine Valley, Mick?" queried Ryan. "If so let me be the first to welcome you."
He smiled that awesome smile at her again, flashing his boyishly cute dimples. Mick allowed her gaze to meet his for a few moments longer than necessary and immediately knew the score. He was definitely not too attached to this Greenlee character. Mick couldn't help but smile back.
"Thanks, Ryan."
"Maybe we should introduce her to Hayley, Rye.....I'm sure Hayley would jump at a chance to have a supermodel look-a-like appear on her Style show." Greenlee chimed with a toss of her sleek hair.
Mick's smile faded, "Look, it was nice to meet you guys but I really need to get going." She made a move to pick up her duffle bag.
Ever the gentleman- when the situation called for a gentlemen, Ryan moved to stop her. "That's a lot of stuff to be lugging around. Where about are you headed."
Mick shrugged. "Just the nearest dirt cheap motel. I'm sure there's one nearby."
Ryan and Greenlee shared a quick look, a slight flush crossing his face and a sly little grin on hers.
"Well, I got a better idea." Ryan said after a moment. "I know a nice, reasonable place you'll love.";
Mick was a bit hesitant to respond, considering her cash was running low. She was determined only to use her credit cards for necessities if possible.
"Exactly how reasonable is this place?"
"Let's just say I'm cool with the owner." Ryan replied, flashing her a grin. "I'll tell her you're a friend of mine."
"Ryan?"Greenlee interrupted beckoning him over to her. Ryan flashed Mick a quick apologetic smile as he moved to chat his little girlfriend.
About a foot away from where Mick stood, Greenlee was pouting.
Mick watched the exchange between them in half interest, poised to just take off. As she watched their body language she couldn't help but wonder what this guy saw in her. She seemed to act way to young for him, childish and selfish. One look at Ryan Lavery and Mick immediately knew he was well beyond the age he appeared to be, she wouldn't have been surprised if he'd had as hard a time with life as she had.
"Ryan, I thought we came to the park to hang out." she purred at him.
"This will only take a few minutes, Greenlee."he said, trying to keep his annoyance out of his tone. "I'm going to drop her by Myrtle Fargate's and speak to Myrtle Fargate for a minute and then you can have me all to yourself for the rest of the day."
Greenlee flipped her hair back, tossing him her most seductive look. "I don't want to share you for a sec' Ryan....I mean the Pine Cone's not that far away."
"C'mon, Greenlee. Be nice. I'll drop her by Myrtle's then we'll come right back here and I'll see if I can't show you how to catch a few of those tosses." he paused, "Or," his tone dropping a bit lower as his gaze traveled down her body suggestively "We'll go someplace else and see what you can teach me."
That won the argument quickly. The two turned back to where Mick had been standing, and found her and her suitcases gone.
Disappointment flashed across Ryan's face. He did not catch Greenlee's satisfied smile.
