From Here to Sweet Valley: Part Two!
We’re away this week, but never fear, we won’t leave you without a dose of Sweet Valley madness! Here’s the next part of Anna’s unhinged 2002 fanfic, From Here To Sweet Valley. When we last left the 20-something SVH gang, Liz had returned from Dublin to organise a school reunion. Everyone returned to town, including Jessica, now a superstar with a private jet called the Hershey Bar. Lila, now a grotesque tyrant, arrived at the party with her downtrodden husband, Winston – who finally found the courage to defy his terrifying wife. And as for Todd and Enid, they fled town after graduation when Liz found them in a passionate embrace on her Oracle typewriter, fearing the wrath of the Sweet Valleyans after betraying the town’s most beloved resident. But when they returned to town in disguise and spied on the party, they discovered Liz had never revealed their dirty little secret. And speaking of dirty little secrets, Jessica left the party with none other than Bruce Patman. Now read on….
Lila Fowler’s eyes gleamed with rage as she sped through Sweet Valley in her lime green Triumph. Anger pulsed through her like sparks of fire.
Winston had defied her. And he had won.
That wasn’t what was supposed to happen. Lila was meant to click her fingers, and Winston was supposed to jump to do her bidding. But it seemed that her devoted subject had become a dangerous rebel.
“Not for long,” Lila hissed, gripping the steering wheel with a savage strength. Ever since her last cosmetic operation, Lila had discovered that she now possessed an almost supernatural strength, and while she never usually resorted to violence, she had used her new power as a tool to keep Winston in a state of constant terror.
He’ll be even more terrified by the time I’m done with him, she thought, spinning the car around another dangerous curve. Winston Egbert is going to wish that he never was born!
She had reached Fowler Crest. She flung open the door of the car, and leapt out onto the gravelled drive. Her bizarre form was silhouetted against the full moon which shone over Sweet Valley.
“I’ll get you, Winston!” she cried. “And your little friends too!”
Throwing back her head, Lila Fowler howled.
*****************************
“What was that noise?” asked Jessica Wakefield as Bruce’s Porsche drew up at the crest of Miller’s Point. “It sounded like some sort of crazed wild animal.”
Bruce shrugged, his movement sending a thrill through Jessica’s body.
“I don’t know, Jess, and right now, I don’t care.” He looked at her with a seductive smile. “I feel like a bit of a wild animal myself.”
Jessica returned his smile, and leaned forward to plant a sexy kiss on Bruce’s perfect lips.
“It’s good to see you again, Bruce,” she said huskily. “It’s even better….to touch you.”
Bruce’s strong hands wrapped around her, and he kissed her back with a passion that took her breath away. God, no one could make her feel like Bruce Patman made her feel. No one.
Soon, the windows of the car were covered with steam, hiding Bruce and Jessica’s passion from the other couples who were gathered at the popular make-out point.
“Oh Jessica,” Bruce moaned, “I’m on fire!”
Jessica smiled up at him.
“Well, Bruce,” she murmured, “I’m not going to put it out…”
******************************
The party at the Wakefields’s house was breaking up. Elizabeth stood with her arm around Jeffrey, bidding her friends farewell. Winston and Maria were the last to leave.
“Where are you going to go, Win?” asked the concerned Elizabeth.
“I’m going to stay in my folks’ house tonight,” said Winston. “I haven’t seen them for ages – Lila only let me see them once a year – so I really want to go home. But in the future –“ he looked at Maria, and Elizabeth could see that the pair had fallen in love all over again – “who knows? Bye, Liz. Bye Jeff.”
“Bye, Liz,” said Maria. “And thank you. If you hadn’t come home, Win and I might never have met again!”
Elizabeth smiled. “I’m so glad,” she said. “Bye, you tow.” She waved to the couple as they walked to Maria’s car. Then she closed the door, and turned to her refound love.
“I guess I should go, too,” said Jeffrey.
“I guess you should,” said Elizabeth, regretfully. “My parents will be home soon, and…”
“I know,” said Jeffrey. “But I’ll see you tomorrow, won’t I?” He bent his golden head and kissed her.
“Of course,” breathed Elizabeth.
With one final embrace, the lovers parted.
The house empty, Elizabeth sat on the couch and smiled. What a difference one day could make! That morning she had been wandering through her usual dream of dazed sorrow – now she was in love! It was marvellous, magical. It was so good.
Little did she know that in a mansion across town, a crazed young millionairess called Lila Fowler was planning the destruction of not just Elizabeth – but of all their class from Sweet Valley High…
*************************************************
For a moment, when Elizabeth Wakefield woke up, she couldn’t remember where she was. She was used to being woken by the rain beating against her window, and the cold wind howling through the gaps in the frames. The sunshine which flooded the airy bedroom in which she now lay disorientated the talented young writer. But she wasn’t in Dublin any more. She was back in Sweet Valley, California.
She was home.
Elizabeth yawned and stretched, remembering the night before. What a magical evening it had been, although things had been slightly marred by Lila Fowler’s petulant display. What had seemed terrifying the night before seemed merely like a child’s temper tantrum in the bright morning light. Lila was a bit crazy, but she was harmless. But even so, Winston was much better off without her.
Liz smiled as she remembered the joy of the former class clown’s reunion with his old love. Winston and Maria belonged together. Then with a jolt she recalled that there had been more than one reunion last night.
Elizabeth and Jeffrey.
Together again.
Her mind raced as she recalled their romantic dance, and their passionate garden encounter. Jeffrey was, as ever, a gentleman, which pleased Elziabeth greatly. In fact, she liked everything about him.
More than liked.
“I’m in love again!” Eizabeth whispered. The words sounded magical to her ears. Love. She thought that Todd and Enid’s betrayal had deprived her of that emotion forever. But she had been wrong. Her heart had been awoken, had emerged like a hibernating bear crawling out of a cave, like the bear that had threatened her and her friends on their camping trip with Chrome Dome Cooper’s nephew. Her heart had awoken for Jeffrey French.
“I’m in love!” she shouted merrily, and leaped from the bed in a single bound. Humming a Pat Benetar tune, she danced around the room, whirling and twirling in a state of near delirium. After so many years, Elizabeth felt alive again.
It felt good.
**********
Jessica’s mouth felt fuzzy when she woke, and when she raised her head from the satin pillow, it ached.
“Where am I?” she murmured, opening one unwilling eye and sqinting about her.
She was in a round bed which stood in the centre of what was obviously a stylish bachelor pad. Framed images of sports cars, painted in an eye-catching air-brushed style, decorated the walls, which were papered with grey and red stripes. The ceiling was covered in mirrors, which reflected the black satin sheets of the bed – and the people beneath them. Jessica – and a handsome dark-haired stud.
“Bruce” gasped Jessica. “Oh my God, I slept with Bruce!”
She felt iller than ever. How could she have gone so far? How could she have let down her guard with Bruce, of all people – the one man who had almost tamed Jessica’s wild spirit? Jessica’s passionate old flame – and her deadly enemy?
Jessica looked in horror at the sleeping form next to her. Suddenly, it stirred.
“Hey, baby,” Bruce mumbled. “Can you fix me a cup of coffee? I feel really bad.”
Jessica glared at her bedfellow. Who the hell did he think she was? His maid? No, she wasn’t going down that road again.
“Get it yourself, Bruce,” she snapped. “I’m going home.”
She got out of bed, taking the satin sheet with her, which caused the suddenly chilly Bruce to yell out and cover his blushes with a pillow.
“Where’s my dress… ah, here it is,” she said, quickly slipping it on. “Right, Bruce, I’m going. This was a mistake. A terrible, terribly mistake. It’ll never happen again!”
And with that, she stalked out of the room.
In the bed, Bruce Patman looked up at the mirror and gave his reflection a saucy wink.
“That’s what you think, Jess,” he said softly. “But I’m going to win you back! I charmed you once, and I’ll do it again!”
*******************************************************
The pool of the fanciest hotel in Sweet Valley was deserted when Todd Wilkins strode out to it on that sunny morning. Running a hand through his dark locks, the former basketball star stared at the glittering blue water.
It seemed that Liz had never told anyone about him and Enid. Perhaps they needn’t have fled. Perhaps they could have stayed here and…
No.
Because if they had stayed here, he and Enid would have had to part anyway. They would have been shunned, treated as pariahs, if anyone had known of their betrayal of Sweet Valley’s most beloved citizen. And his love for Enid was worth leaving home for.
God, he loved her.
It wasn’t the way he had loved Elizabeth Wakefield. But it was a deeper love. A passionate love. And he couldn’t give her up. But maybe, just maybe it was time to come clean. To tell Sweet Valley the truth.
To beg for forgiveness.
Todd heard a yawn coming from behind him, and turned to behold Enid, looking radiant in a pink and grey dressing gown.
“Hey, baby,” said Todd. “How are you this morning?”
Enid’s lovely face was troubled.
“I still feel weird after last night, Todd,” she said. “Liz is home! We saw her! I just don’t know what to think.”
“You want to know what I think?” Todd asked. “I think we need to come clean. I think we need to beg Liz for her mercy.”
Enid looked at him, her big eyes filling with tears.
“You’re right Todd,” she said. “Come on, let’s go to Calico Drive. Let’s tell Liz how sorry we are.”
Todd shook his head.
“No, not now. We can’t just turn up and surprise her; that’s not fair. No, we should just spy on her some more and then pick the perfect moment.”
“The perfect moment,” sighed Enid. “When will that be?”
*****************
Lila Fowler’s bedroom was dim, the thick curtains blocking off all light. But the fearsome heiress was wide awake. She did her best plotting under cover of darkness; the light hurt her sensitive skin and frequently-operated on eyes. She sat in the middle of the room, on her favourite chair, a richly carved and gilded creation that resembled nothing so much as a throne. She rubbed her bony hands together as she thought aloud. Her favourite pet, a hideous genetic mutant monkey she had bought from one of her surgeons who dabbled in genetic engineering on the side, sat on the arm of her chair. His blue-ish face bore an expression of wicked glee all too similar to the expression on Lila’s own grotesque features.
“Winston, Winston, Winston…..so you think you’re free, do you?” Lila cackled. “Well, you won’t be for long. I have ways, Winnie – I have ways of getting my revenge that you can only dream of!”
She leapt from her throne and began to pace around the room, her three inch spiked heels leaving little holes in the plush carpet, which had to be replaced every two weeks because Lila refused to wear flats inside the house. Boo Boo, her chattering monkey companion, danced around her as she strode across the room.
“You think you can dance with that Italian trollop and get away with it, do you?” The heiress’s voice was as shrill as her monkey’s cries. “Well, you can’t! I’ll have my revenge on you, Egbert! And on Maria! And on Jessica Wakefield, my so-called friend, who just stood there and let you betray me! And on your friend, her stupid stuck up sister Elizabeth!”
With a mighty roar, Lila picked up her throne and flung it across the room. It crashed into the wall, smashing into a dozen golden pieces. Boo Boo squeaked in fright, and flew onto Lila’s shoulder with the aid of the curious feathery wings scientists had made grow on his shoulders.
“Come, Boo Boo,” said Lila, in a dangerously quiet voice. “Let’s go to work.”
TO BE CONTINUED!!!