CHAPTER 1

“Well, you have a party to prepare for, so I’d better go home and finish packing my suitcase. Tomorrow I’m going to leave Scarsdale for good.”

              Maxima got up from the comfortable armchair and put on her shoes. Billie Right, her best friend, did the same thing.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come to our party? We would all love that very much,” Billie asked.

“I'm afraid I can’t,” Maxima replied to her best friend.

“Oh, come on, hon. This is going to be our last party as college girls. Well, college dropout, in your case.”

         ‘College dropout…’

         The definition was right, but Maxima didn’t feel like a college dropout. She felt more like a survivor. This part of her school education just wasn’t made for Maxima. She tried with all her might for everybody's sake, but college was just a prison.

         She did her best to be a perfect college student for almost three years, but at one point, Maxima felt trapped. She became the shadow of herself, a perfect ghoul. But after she opened her heart to her mother and Victor, her stepfather, sharing with them her unhappiness, Maxima started living again.

         By talking to her loved ones, Maxima discovered freedom once again.

         She felt motivated to follow her dream of becoming a chef.

“I really can’t. Victor is going to be here tomorrow morning to arrange the last things before going back to San Diego to reunite with Mom and I still have so much to do at home. The real-estate agent arranged an open-house event for Monday, so everything must be shipshape before our departure.” 

“Your stepfather is coming to Scarsdale?! Oh, shit! I forgot you had already put the house on the market… This makes things so ‘official’. Dammit, Max! You know I am happy for you, but I hate the fact that you have to go so far away to find your path in life. Ok, you hate college, but why can’t you stay in the States? There are a lot of amazing cooking schools in this country.”

“You’re right, Bills. But I need this time away. I need this experience. I really feel that Italy is the perfect place for me. Besides, one of Victor’s cousins is living in Florence, and she invited me to stay with her while going to the ‘Italian Cooking School’ there and making plans for my future.”

         They both left Billie’s room and started going down the stairs to the main entrance.

“I see your point, Max, but I hate losing my best friend.”

         Maxima stopped and looked at Billie. Ok, Italy wasn’t just around the corner, but she wasn’t leaving the States for good.

“Girl, you’re crazy! You’re not losing me at all,” Maxima exclaimed.

         Billie gave a sad smile and lowered her gaze.

“You decided to move away, so… Somehow, I feel I am.”

“I promise you I’m not going away forever.”

         She took Billie’s hand in hers.

“Our friendship, our sisterhood, is strong enough to survive this.”

“I’m not so sure about it,” Billie continued. “And there’s this thing you have for my brother… I bet this is another reason why you decided to put a freaking ocean between us.”

“Liam has nothing to do with my decision…”

         But Maxima knew she was telling a lie. Liam Right, her best friend’s brother, had something to do with her decision to go to Italy. But only a small part. She had loved him since she was fifteen, but Liam never looked at her that way. In his eyes, Maxima was Billie’s best friend, just a shabby, insignificant, nerdy little girl.

“Yes, he does!” Billie countered. “You’ve been obsessed with Liam since day one. I know that because I saw the way you used to look at him every time he walked into a room. Maybe it’s time you told him the truth. About your feelings… You can do it tonight, during his ‘Welcome home’ party. Mom is over the moon with joy because her precious boy is coming home.”

“I’m not obsessed with your brother, Billie, so stop with this nonsense already,” Maxima replied in a low, trembling voice. “Come on! I don’t want to argue with you about this. Not now.”

         Billie nodded and lowered her head.

“Ok, Max…”

“Listen, I’ll call you the minute I arrive at my destination. And we will stay in touch while I’m away, ok?”

“If you say so…” Billie replied.

         Both girls hugged. Billie’s mother exited the kitchen and looked at the girls.

“Billie, baby, I need your help with the cake,” she said to her daughter in a gentle tone.

“Ok, mama. I’m on it.”

“Max, sweetheart, are you joining us for the party? I know my Liam would love that,” she asked Maxima.

“I’m afraid I can’t, Mrs. Right. I must take care of some things before leaving Scarsdale,” Maxima replied, and a sad smile appeared on her lips.

“Oh, right… You’re leaving us for Europe… Well, say hello to Vic and your mother from us. And you, young lady, be good and do good, ok?”

         Maxima nodded and watched Mrs. Right re-entering the kitchen. She opened the door and turned to face Billie again.    

“Listen, maybe you’ll come by later…? For a half an hour?” Billie asked slowly.

“I’m not making promises, but I’ll try,” Maxima answered and left her best friend’s house knowing she wouldn’t be a part of the party welcoming home Liam Right, the man she had loved since she first saw him.

                                                                         ****

         Sitting on the porch, Maxima was looking at the last guests leaving the Right’s residence. The party was over. According to Billie, her brother was preparing to join one of the greatest insurance companies in the country, so this party was also a “good luck” party in his honor.

         Her phone rang and Maxima knew right away who was calling her.

“Hi, Bills!” she replied, smiling.

“‘You didn’t come to the party…’”

“I’m sorry, I just finished cleaning the house.”

“‘But you promised you’d come.’”

“Nope! I said I’ll try, babe. So, how was it?”

“‘It’s been an absolute drag! Every member of our family, every friend was all over Liam, congratulating him on his new job… Like he’d won the Nobel Prize or something.’ ”

“Well, working in New York is a huge deal! Manhattan is the right place for someone like Liam,” Maxima said, sitting comfortably in the swinging chair, Victor’s gift for the first birthday celebrated together with Maxima and her mother.  

“‘I know, and I’m happy for my big bro, for his great achievement. Nonetheless, he acted like a damn prick the entire evening. Like all this attention was getting on his nerves. I told him to suck it up since Mom worked all day to prepare everything. He gave me a jerky smile and kept acting like a prick.’”

         A short pause followed that last remark.

“Well, I know how much you love him even if he acted this way.”

“‘You love him, too. Come on, Max! Let me talk to him about you. About your feelings for him… Maybe he’s interested in you, too.’”

“Don’t you dare!” Maxima exclaimed in the most determined tone. “Besides, there’s no point in doing this. He’s going to New York, and I’m going to Florence.”

“‘Max…’”

“Billie, to him, I’m just your best friend. A nerd who used to help him with math… To him, I was Laney Boogs before Mackenzie gave her the makeover. He’ll never see me as a woman…”

         She and Billie both loved the teen rom-com “She’s All That” with Rachael Leigh Cook as Laney and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Zack. Nonetheless, in the movie, after the makeover, Laney and Zack, her love interest, end up together. While, in reality, at that time, Liam, who was a college student and a total hunk, had no interest in a stupid little high school girl.

“‘He used to make so much fun of us and our insane obsession with that movie… Of our insane fixation with Paul Walker. Those were great times…’”

         Maxima smiled. They both used to fantasize about him.

“Yeah, they were… I’m extremely thankful for your friendship and the fact that, during my high school years, you stood by me when everyone else was avoiding me. The new kid in town… literally.”

“‘I needed a sister, and you came into the picture… So, I’d say we’re even.’”

         The Indian summer breeze caressed Maxima’s face and she sighed slowly. Feeling her distress, Billie said something that took a weight from her heart.

“‘Max, I have a favor to ask…’”

“What is that?”

“‘Call me only if you feel it’s absolutely necessary. Don’t think of this place, of your mom, or me… It would only make things extremely hard for you. Focus on your thing and show everybody there how tough and determined American girls are. And the moment you decide it’s time for you to come back home, promise me I’ll be the first person you'll call… after your mom, of course. Deal, Chef Davenport?’”

“It’s a deal, Counselor Right!”

“‘Well, babe…This is it… I’ll see you when I see you…’”

“Dito,” Maxima replied, smiling sadly, and ended the call.

         She took a deep breath and put the cell phone next to her. Billie’s words gave her some ease, but the sadness was still so present.

“This adventure is going to hurt like hell, but you cannot turn back now. The only way is forward. So, start marching, future Chef Maxima Davenport.”