Page 1 of When love and Hate Collide

I’m not exactlysure where I should begin.

I suppose I could start by introducing myself, right?

My name is Jeyla Jenkins, but my close friends and family call me Jey or despite my complete disinclination—Jeykins. I know, it makes me cringe too, but I’ve begrudgingly learnt to live with it.

I’m here to tell you my story, so I suppose I should start from the beginning. I’m your typical, average twenty-two-year-old girl blessed with a close-knit and loving family. I have a sister eight years my senior, Jessica, and an older brother, Jaden—who is the eldest at thirty years old and loves to remind us of that fact. Notice a pattern? Yes, my parents are indeed obsessed with the letter J. Their names are Jenna and Jason and apparently, they wanted to make it a tradition and have everyone’s names start with a J. Actually, it was my mother’s idea. My dad just went along with it to keep her happy, as he always does. He’s been with her long enough to know that once she sets her mind to something, there isn’t a snowball's chance in hell he’s talking her out of it.

His motto: Happy wife, happy life.

Yeah, they’re hella cheesy, but it’s also admirable. I aspire to be as happy and in love as they are someday.

Now, let me tell you about our neighbours—The Reyes’.

The Reyes’—Taylor and Nathaniel—have two sons and a daughter; the eldest Oscar but prefers to be called Oz, and the twins, Ashlyn, and Dean. Both families immediately hit it off when the Reyes’ moved next door to us back in the early eighties. My siblings warmed to the other three almost instantly, and I hit it off with Oz and Ashlyn too, but Dean and I, not so much. Why? Well, here’s what happened…

Seventeen years ago.

“Come on, sweetheart. Come and meet our new neighbours.” My mother says pulling me toward the house across the street directly opposite ours. At five years old, I’m a very shy child and hide behind my mum who continues to drag me along with her.

“Mummy, I don’t want to make new friends.” I whimper tugging my arm out of her hand and crossing them over my chest with a pout. My mum looks down at me, her green eyes wide in warning, silently informing me to stop whining and be polite. I catch the look she gives me and sigh as we continue to walk across the street toward our new neighbours.

“Dean,” The little boy’s mother says perching down beside him. “This is Jeyla. She lives across the street. Say hello, honey.” She urges, sweeping his dark brown hair out of his startling green eyes. Dean scowls, seemingly not pleased about meeting me either. I offer a faint smile and utter a timid ‘hello’ only to earn myself a blank stare in return.

“Jeyla darling, why don’t you show Dean where the playground is and get to know each other?” My mother suggests smiling down at both of us.

I look over at Dean hesitantly, “Um okay,” I reply taking a step back and walk off toward the playground just behind our house.

A few steps in, I peek over my shoulder and notice Dean is following me but is keeping a distance between us. I wait for him catch up and begin walking beside him, an awkward silence between us. “So um, how old are you?” I ask sneaking a look at him.

Dean shrugs without emotion. “Probably older than you,” he utters somewhat frostily.

I frown. "How do you know? I could be older?” I answer, put out.

Dean suddenly stops and sighs just as we reach the gate to the playground. “Look, Jenna or whatever your name is. I don’t play with girls, okay. I didn’t want to move to this neighbourhood in the first place. I want to go back home to my real friends. I don’t want to be friends with a girl. I don’t need any more friends, and I don’t need you. So, leave me alone.” He asserts huffily and skulks off in the other direction.

“I… okay.” I stammer, watching him walk away. My bottom lip trembles and tears begin to fill my eyes while standing at the gate all on my own.

“Hi,” a small, girly voice chirps from behind me. I spin my head and look over at her, she’s my size, with long dark hair and big bright green eyes, almost identical to Dean’s. The smile on her face vanishes when she notices I’m crying. “Oh. Why are you crying?” she questions chewing on her lip.

I sniffle and wipe my tears away on my arm. “That boy said some mean things to me.”

“Oh,” she pouts. “That’s my brother. We’re twins. He’s always mean to me too, but I don’t cry, you shouldn’t either. Dean’s just mad at my Mum and Dad for making us live here now.” She explains with a one shoulder shrug. I nod. “I’m Ashlyn, but everyone calls me Ash. What’s your name?” she smiles again.

“Jeyla,” I answer, nervously fumbling with my fingers.

“I like that name. Do you want to be my new best friend?” she offers with a grin.

I blush and chew on my fingernail, “I’ve never had a best friend before.” Ashlyn nods happily.

“Now you do. I like you and you’re so pretty.” She gushes, reaching out to touch a silky ringlet of my brown hair.

I grin back at her and nod enthusiastically. “Okay.” I chirp happily bouncing on the balls of my feet. “You’re pretty too, I like your dress,” I say, pointing at her pink fluffy princess dress. Ashlyn beams and twirls around once, giggling.

“Come on, let’s go play.” She says taking my hand and we both skip off to the playground together. “Dibs on the swing!” From that day on Ashlyn and I got on like a house on fire. We have been 'besties' ever since. We literally grew up as one. Same school, the same university, we even live together. Up till this day we are still inseparable.

Are you ready to hear the rest?

Okay, let me take you back to the summer of 2004…

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