A Better Version of Me (The Destiny Clark Saga Book 2) Read online

  A Better Version of Me

  Book Two of the Destiny Clark Saga

  Cindy Ray Hale

  A Better Version of Me

  Copyright © 2019 by Cindy Ray Hale

  www.cindyrayhale.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Cover design by Cindy Ray Hale

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Dedication

  1. Destiny

  2. Isaac

  3. Destiny

  4. Isaac

  5. Destiny

  6. Isaac

  7. Destiny

  8. Isaac

  9. Destiny

  10. Isaac

  11. Destiny

  12. Isaac

  13. Destiny

  14. Isaac

  15. Isaac

  16. Destiny

  17. Isaac

  18. Destiny

  19. Isaac

  20. Destiny

  A Note to the Reader

  About the Author

  Book Links

  A Better Version of Me

  Copyright © 2019 by Cindy Ray Hale

  Cindyrayhale.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Cover design by Cindy Ray Hale

  Created with Vellum

  Author’s Note

  This is a rewrite of the original series, The Destiny Trilogy by Cindy Ray Hale.

  This book takes place during the events of second portion of Destiny, Book One of The Destiny Trilogy. Scenes and events have been changed and rearranged.

  I hope you love this version of the story even better than the original. But don’t forget, the original story is always available for purchase at smarturl.it/destinybookone.

  For my sister Christy, who inspired much of this book.

  1

  Destiny

  Hannah squealed. “I can’t believe we both made it!”

  I couldn’t believe it either. My head was still spinning from the shock of it all.

  “I wish we could get our packets now,” Hannah complained as we walked out of the room. “How am I supposed to wait a week to see what Mr. Byrd’s putting together for my character?”

  I didn’t know anything about my character. I couldn’t even remember who he’d said I was cast as. All I knew was that her name was French.

  I glanced over at Hannah. “Don’t you have the entire musical memorized anyway?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “Then what do you need the packet for?” I asked.

  “It’s not about learning the music. It’s about the experience.”

  We gathered our books and headed off to our next classes. After Chemistry let out, Hannah caught up to me in the hall. “What are you going to do when you're finally allowed to date after your birthday next week?”

  I let out a sigh. “Nothing.” I had zero plans to date anyone.

  “Are you doing anything fun to celebrate?” She asked as we headed into the crowded hallway toward our lockers. “Now that you’re allowed to date, I could put a good word in to Isaac for you.”

  “You know what? I’m just going to ignore that last comment.” I clutched my arm. “And not much. It’s Wednesday, so I have church.”

  “Oh,” Hannah said with a devious smile. “So your boyfriend Preston will be there?” I rolled my eyes at the mention of my fake boyfriend.

  Why was Hannah smiling like that? I followed her gaze over my shoulder to see Isaac walking with Aspen and Will. They were close enough to have heard Hannah’s mention of my boyfriend.

  Great. Aspen and Will didn’t talk to Michael much, but I hoped they wouldn’t mention my “boyfriend” in front of him.

  Isaac gave us a wave, and I had to brace myself to keep from swooning at his picture-perfect smile.

  She turned to me after they’d passed. “What will you guys be doing at church?”

  “I think there’s a big barbecue and a water fight.”

  “Can I come?” Hannah asked with raised brows.

  “Are you sure your parents will be okay with that?” I remembered her saying they’d turned the missionaries away once.

  Hannah tossed a hand in front of her like she was waving the idea away. “Sure, they won’t care.”

  “Okay, but no funny business,” I said, shaking a stern finger at her. “If you dare say a word to him…” I would die hundreds of deaths if Preston ever found out about the fake boyfriend thing.

  “I’m not going to tell him. Come on? Where’s the trust?”

  That night at dinner we had pork chops and mashed potatoes. I had just cut off my first piece of meat and had it halfway up to my mouth when Michael looked at me and said, “Did you tell Mom and Dad our big news, yet?”

  “What’s your big news, Destiny?” Mom asked.

  “Michael and I got cast as leads in the Primus musical.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Dad gave me an encouraging smile. “It’s especially impressive since you just got into Primus.” His grayish-blue eyes twinkled at me.

  I beamed. Dad was finally giving his blessing on something I cared a lot about.

  Mom tucked a short strand of dark hair behind her ear and wiped her mouth. “What will you be singing?”

  “We’re doing Les Misérables. I’m playing Jean Valjean, and Destiny is Éponine.”

  My thirteen-year-old sister, Olivia, stared at me from across the table with narrowed eyes.

  “What’s so exciting?” Brianna, my eight-year-old sister asked with a mouth full of potatoes.

  Elijah, my eleven-year-old brother, filled her in. “They’re singing in some dumb musical. Aren’t you paying any attention?”

  “Guys, come on, if I’m playing the lead, could it possibly be dumb?” Michael inquired with mock-offense.

  Olivia’s eyes were still narrowed. “Who’s playing the guy you’re supposed to be in love with?”

  I hid behind my napkin and focused on wiping my already clean mouth.

  “Isaac Robinson is,” Michael said.

  Wait. My character was supposed to be in love with Isaac’s? I really needed to research this musical.

  “Isn’t he the headmaster’s son?” Dad asked with an edge to his voice.

  I gripped the edge of the table as I braced myself for his disapproval.

  “Yes, sir,” Michael answered.

  “Who’s playing Cosette?” Olivia asked.

  “Aspen Adams,” Michael answered.

  “His real girlfriend?” What did she mean by real girlfriend?

  Olivia smirked. “I can see her playing Cosette. I’ve heard her sing before. She sounds angelic.” How’d she know more about this musical than I did? Was I really that out of the loop?

  “Wasn’t Isaac one of the leads in the musical Primus did last spring?” Mom asked.

  “Yep,” Michael said.

  “He’s an amazing singer,” Mom said.

  Olivia’s eyes slid over to my face, and she smirked behind her palm.

  What was her deal? An uneasy feeling settled over my stomach. She knew something I didn’t, and my gut told me it wasn’t a good thing.

  Hannah came home from school with me on Wednesday. We had a small party. It wasn’t much, just a cake with sixteen candles and a few simple gifts. Mom and Dad got me a couple of sweaters a
nd books, and Hannah got me a silver heart necklace that I immediately fell in love with.

  Mom drove us in the Suburban that night. The closer we got to the church, the more hyper Hannah became, and the more I worried about her blabbing something about my fake relationship with Preston.

  When Hannah and I crossed the parking lot to the pavilion behind the church, we spotted Preston setting up the badminton net with his dad. He faced away from us, his t-shirt stretched across his toned back as he crouched to hammer a stake into the ground.

  Hannah gave a low whistle. “Not bad. I should come to church with you more often.”

  I gave her a stern look. “You promised no funny business.”

  “Funny business? Who even says that?”

  “I do.”

  Preston’s sister Megan was filling up water balloons at a spigot coming out of the ground. “Hey Destiny, could you give me a hand?” she asked through a curtain of light brown hair.

  “Sure.” I took the water balloon from her extended hand, twisted the tight rubber around my fingers into a knot, and added it to the pile in the white bucket.

  Megan looked up, and her green eyes lit up. “Hannah? What are you doing here? It’s so good to see you!” She pulled her into a firm embrace.

  “I came with Destiny. I go to school with her now.”

  I knew they used to be in choir together at Acorn Creek High, the local public school, but I hadn’t realized they knew each other so well.

  “What are we doing with these?” I tapped the side of my foot on the bucket.

  “Water balloon badminton,” Preston said from behind me.

  I took a balloon from Megan and tied it off. “There should be a law against letting you near that many water balloons. Especially, when it’s October.”

  A corner of his mouth lifted. “It’s just a little bit of cold water.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You’re nuts.”

  “You’re so scared you’re shaking.”

  I shook my hips at him. “Bring it on. I can take you,”

  “Yeah, we’ll see about that,” he said, towering over me with his arms folded across his chest.

  I shrugged. “It’s not like I haven’t taken you down before.”

  “Yes, but this is water balloons, not paintball, so it’s different.” Michael, Preston, and I played paintball on my family’s land every year, and more than once, I’d kicked his trash.

  “I guess we’ll have to see about that,” I said.

  “I guess we will,” he said. “But after we eat. I’m starving.”

  “You? Hungry again? Imagine that!” I tied off one last balloon and dropped it into the bucket.

  We joined the dinner line, and Preston turned to us. “Hey. Who’s your friend, Destiny?”

  “This is Hannah. She goes to school with me. Hannah this is Preston.”

  “Didn’t you used to go to Acorn Creek?” Preston asked.

  “Yeah,” Megan said. “She used to sing in choir with me.”

  “I kept telling her to introduce me to you, but she never did,” Hannah said with a flirty smile.

  Preston returned her smile. “Well, it’s taken care of now.”

  After going through the line and getting our burgers, Megan, Hannah, and I settled at an empty picnic table with our food. “I’m dying for a girls’ night. Are you guys up for a sleepover?” Megan asked and then took a big bite out of her hamburger.

  “That would be awesome,” Hannah said, throwing a glance in Preston’s direction as he climbed into the spot beside me.

  “Oh, a slumber party?” he said. “Does that mean we all get to paint our nails?”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Preston, are you messing with my sister again?” Olivia said as she and Preston’s sister Brinlee sat down across from us. Brinlee was like a younger female version of Preston. Witty smile, bright green eyes, and always up to mischief.

  “I would never do such a thing.”

  I grinned at him and shook my head.

  Preston poked me in the side. “Hey, you. Isn’t it your birthday today?”

  I squirmed away from him but couldn’t hide my smile.

  “Yes, and she’s totally available and dateable now,” Olivia said with a grin. “Just in case you were wondering, you know, for yourself.”

  I rolled my eyes and hoped my cheeks weren’t too bright as I avoided Preston’s gaze. It was a really good thing Olivia didn’t know about the fake boyfriend thing.

  “So are we gonna play or what?” Michael said, coming up to our table.

  After a soaking wet game of water balloon badminton—in which my team smashed Preston’s, thank you very much—we all pitched in to clean up the area. I stooped over to pick up a red balloon scrap when freezing water cascaded over my head. Shrieking, I pushed the wet hair from my eyes.

  I twisted around and saw Preston laughing, a discarded white bucket lying in the grass beside him. “Preston!” I grabbed for the bucket, but he swung it away before I could reach it. He held it up high above my head, and my hands barely missed it. “Ugh! Why do you have to be so tall?” I grabbed for the bucket several times, but couldn’t get my hands on it. Finally, I lunged at him, plowing into his midsection. He took a step back in surprise, but I wrapped my arms around his waist, tickling both sides. He doubled over, squirming, and I spun around, whisking the bucket from his now-lowered grasp.

  “Hah!” I said, waving the bucket in his face.

  He reached for the bucket, but I swept it from his hands. His lips curled up on each end.

  Olivia snatched it from us. “Enough flirting. It’s time to go, Destiny.” I turned to see that we’d drawn a bit of an audience and blushed furiously.

  Hannah stood with her arms crossed and an intrigued expression on her face. She grabbed my arm and led me back to the Suburban where my siblings were climbing into their seats.

  “He’s cute, huh?” Hannah said, while still out of earshot of the carload of curious ears. “I can see why you picked him as your fake boyfriend. You guys have chemistry.”

  “I guess.” I shrugged. “I’ve known him since I was eight. It’s kind of weird to think about him like that,” I lied. I’d totally considered what it would be like to date him for real. And anything could happen at this point.

  2

  Isaac

  “Uncle Stephen, your barbecued chicken is seriously the best.” Hannah sat on the porch swing with a paper plate of food balanced on her lap. Hannah’s mom, Bethany, was my dad’s sister. Today was his birthday, and we’d invited our closest friends and family to help us celebrate.

  We were on the deck that overlooked my family’s landscaped backyard. Dad was obsessed with gardening, and it showed.

  Even though it was his birthday, Dad insisted on manning the grill. He said he enjoyed it, but I suspected the real reason was that he didn’t trust anyone else to get it right.

  “You sure do know how to get on my good side,” he told Hannah with a grin. Yeah, on the days she wasn’t making him crazy.

  Aspen snuggled into me, and I breathed in the coconut smell of her hair. Although technically she wasn’t one of Dad’s friends, I’d still invited her. Between football practice and my duties as student body president, it felt like I never got to spend enough time with her. Dad loved Aspen, so it wasn’t like he was going to complain that she was there. He always welcomed her to the house with open arms.

  Josh swung open the back door with a football tucked under his arm. “Hey, Isaac, you wanna practice some?”

  “Sure thing, Bro, just let me finish this last piece of chicken.” Aspen disentangled herself from me so that I could continue eating. I cleaned the last pieces of meat from the bone and tossed it onto the plate. I clapped Dad on the back as I passed. “Awesome chicken, Pops.”

  “Go ahead and show Josh how to throw a football.”

  “I heard that!” Josh called from the yard. “I already know how to throw a football.”

  We threw the ball back-a
nd-forth several times. Josh’s form was totally off. I waited a few throws to give him a chance to correct himself, but when there was no sign of improvement, my patience wore thin. I gripped the football and said, “If you want a good spiral, you need to twist from the waist.” I demonstrated it in slow motion. I uncoiled my body as I released the football, and sure enough, it arched in a perfect spiral.

  Hannah gave a low whistle from the deck. “Very nice, Isaac.”

  “That’s exactly what I just did!” Josh insisted.

  “No, you didn’t. You’ve been throwing too much with your arm.” I imitated a slightly exaggerated version of his form so he would get the point. “Your entire body has to follow through.”

  “That’s not what I was doing!” Josh caught the ball and threw it back hard at me, this time uncoiling his body perfectly.

  “Josh! You did it!” Hannah cheered, leaning over the wooden railing. I scanned the rest of the deck but couldn’t see Aspen anywhere. She must have gone back into the house.

  I turned back to Josh. “That was the best spiral you’ve ever done. Keep it up, and you might find yourself a spot on the varsity team.” I threw the ball in his direction one last time and then went to find Aspen.

  As I passed Hannah, she muttered to me under her breath, “You should make him mad more often. It worked better for him when he put a little anger behind it.”