Loving

Book Series:                Caitlin: The Love Trilogy #1
Title:                             Loving
Publishing Date:         1985
Author:                        Francine Pascal
Publisher:                    Bantam Books, Inc.
Point of View:             Third Person, limited, Caitlin
Chapter Count:           21
Page Count:                 200


Chapter 1- Caitlin patronizes one of her many admirers, a naive young freshman girl named Tenny who has a great idea for a school fundraising activity which Caitlin is in charge of.
Queen Bee of her junior class at Highgate Academy, an elite private boarding school in Virginia where only the super rich can afford to send their little darlings, this fifteen year old junior is described as tall, (5'8") slender, dark-haired, with long black eyelashes and deep blue eyes. She is also the class president. Boys flock around her as she holds court with the rest of her crowd, made up of only the prettiest and most popular girls at the school. Tenny hides any surprise as Caitlin takes credit for her idea and doesn't seem to mind when Caitlin gets her name wrong. You don't mess with Caitlin Ryan, she's much too popular to contend with. Everyone tells Caitlin her fundraising idea is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Two boys amble past, the jock, Roger Wake, and that sexy new transfer student from Montana that all the girls have their eye on, including Caitlin. Jed Michaels! He is tall with light brown, wavy hair, green eyes, ruggedly handsome, with a nice smile and easygoing manners. Caitlin falls into step with them so she can chat up Jed while the rest of her crowd dutifully follows.
The two boys take their leave while everyone has stopped to stare at the expensive, silver, sports car pulling away from the campus main building which everyone knows belongs to Caitlin's fabulously wealthy and powerful mining magnate Grandmother, owner of Ryan Mining, who dotes on Caitlin and gives her orphaned Granddaughter anything she wants, at least that's what Caitlin has led them all to believe. All sigh with envy at Caitlin's incredible luck while Caitlin just smiles.
In reality, Regina Ryan is the meanest woman on earth because she *gasp* has never hugged Caitlin or shown her any physical affection. Caitlin's mother died when she was born and her Grandmother hates her for it while her father did not die in a car accident as she tells her friends but abandoned her at birth leaving her all alone and unloved by anybody.
Poor Caitlin.

Chapter 2- Caitlin enters her dorm room, elaborately decorated and furnished thanks to Grandmother's money, and greets her roommate and best friend, Ginny Brookes, who is not surprised Caitlin is already plotting how to get Jed Michaels to fall in love with her. Ginny grabs a soda out of the mini-fridge. Tall with light brown hair, hazel eyes, Ginny is second-rate in looks compared to Caitlin, not nearly as charismatic or as boy-crazy but well-liked by all.
A message arrives for Caitlin from her grandmother. She wants Caitlin to come home for the weekend to serve as eye candy for a company party she's hosting which means missing the fall dance. Caitlin shrugs it off as her duty to her wonderful grandmother. Passing herself off as a tragic orphan has it's perks.

Chapter 3- Caitlin has stalked Jed and is waiting to pounce as he exits one of his classes. She tells him more about the fundraising committee and hopes he'll participate. Learning both share a love of riding, they agree to meet at the school stables later today. Feeling triumphant, Caitlin heads to her next hour of classes.
Caitlin is leaving her last class of the day just as another boy rushes up to her, whining about being stood up at the tennis court yesterday for their date. Caitlin throws him at Ginny and heads for the school stables where her own horse, Duster, is kept so she can ride him anytime she wants during the year.

Chapter 4- Jed startles Caitlin as she's grooming Duster and talking affectionately to him. They take Duster for a walk. Caitlin shares her tragic orphan story. Jed can sympathize. His parents had a messy divorce that really hurt the family but adds, poor Caitlin has it worse (Really, Jed?). He also has a cousin here at Highgate. Caitlin makes a mental note to meet Emily Michaels and become BFFs right away. They part on agreeable terms and Caitlin congratulates herself. He will be hers. Oh yes. He will be HERS!

Chapter 5- It's Friday, the weekend! Caitlin strolls into the school's elegant cafeteria (the great hall from antebellum plantation days, now remodeled and part of the school) stopping at a table of boys to flatter them all into signing up for the fundraiser. At her own (unicorner) table, Caitlin joins her girlfriends gossiping about Jed Michaels who just entered with his cousin, Emily and (Caitlin pouts when she sees this) that awful charity scholarship student, a mousy nobody named Diana. They sit at another table by themselves and Caitlin makes sure to speak to both Jed and Emily as she passes by to dump her tray. She flirts openly with Jed, makes pleasant conversation with Emily and totally ignores Diana.
Caitlin's first item of business when she arrives at Ryan Acres for the weekend is a long, luxurious, bubble bath in the sunken tub of her very own bedroom suite, elaborately decorated and furnished thanks to Grandmother's money. Looking over her huge walk-in closet of clothes, she dresses for that evening's party and goes downstairs to help greet the first guests.
When her grandmother enters the room, she pulls Caitlin aside, chastises her for poor selection and orders her upstairs to change her outfit before turning her back on her granddaughter; resuming her role of gracious hostess. Poor, picked on, Caitlin.

Chapter 6- Sunday night, back in her own dorm at Highgate, Caitlin is not pleased at Ginny's report of the fall dance. Jed and Diana appear to be the newest item but Ginny doesn't think Jed's even made it to first base yet; he's too much of a gentleman. Diana is just glowing at the attention. Meanwhile, Ginny got pretty friendly herself with a guy of her own, but she's not telling Caitlin who.

Chapter 7- Caitlin invited Emily and Jed, last Friday in the cafeteria, to meet her at the stables for a ride and they agreed. All three chat comfortably while Caitlin has orgasms every time she looks at Jed who is a natural born horseman.
Whenever Jed is out of earshot, Caitlin grills Emily for information about Diana and Jed.
Caitlin learns Diana is not only the biggest loser in school because she's here on scholarship, she has to *gasp* babysit Ian Foster, only son of the headmaster and his wife, to earn extra money. Jed feels sorry for Diana, as he confided to Emily. Diana lost her favorite brother in a car accident which Jed can relate to because his favorite little sister took their family divorce pretty hard. Jed's mom (who bears a striking resemblance to Caitlin: long dark hair, green eyes and gorgeous) ran away with a Hollywood movie producer, breaking her husband and children's hearts.
The autumn strewn trail is beautiful. Caitlin is perfectly happy. Jed is perfect boyfriend material and they have so much in common as part of the American aristocracy: horse breeding, plantation owning entrepreneurs who made their own way.
Conversation is cut short as Duster stumbles over the next fence jump and Caitlin must walk him back. Jed can't stay and keep her company, he promised to relieve Diana from her babysitting duties so she can study and keep her scholarship. He is happy doing his good deed for the day, he likes kids but Caitlin is furious and vows to get revenge on Diana for ruining her date today with Jed.

Chapter 8- Discouraged, Caitlin sits at her desk in her dorm room later that day and tries to study. Ginny enters and Caitlin tells her the next step in her plan to snare Jed. She's throwing a big, weekend party at Ryan Acres in two weeks, inviting all her friends to come, Jed especially. But not Diana. Ginny smirks at Caitlin's way of getting boyfriends and hopes she knows what she's doing.
A fund raiser meeting is held. Jed and Diana Chasen (we're never told her last name until now) are here too but Diana sticks out like a sore thumb. Caitlin organizes everyone into committees, getting rid of Diana by pushing her into a group so she can take Emily aside and invite her to the weekend bash but when she turns to find Jed and extend the same invitation, he's walking out the gym door; with Diana. Caitlin grinds her teeth.
Monday morning, Caitlin is about to "accidentally" run into Jed again between classes when Diana steps out, Jed greets her and they stroll off together. When another boy rushes up offering to walk Caitlin to her next class, she readily agrees.
Next morning, Emily catches her outside after breakfast. She has good news and bad news. The good news is she and Jed are definitely coming to her party. Bad news, Diana confessed she was feeling lonely and left out so Emily invited her to come along with them to the party. Jed says he won't come unless Diana is included so Caitlin has no choice but to feign her enthusiasm while crushing her OJ container behind her back. Diana is going to be sorry she ever looked at Jed Michaels.

Chapter 9- Jed, Emily, Diana and Caitlin are all riding together to Ryan Acres in the chauffeured car, her grandmother's Bentley, which comes complete with its own driver who has been with the family for years. Caitlin arranges it so Jed rides up front with Rollins so she can humiliate Diana in the back, making her squirm at her low socio-economic status that didn't include horseback riding and private tennis lessons like all of Caitlin's other guests. Oh, dear. Jed will dump Diana for sure now.
Caitlin turns to Emily and they converse happily while Diana is again treated like one of the pieces of luggage stowed in the trunk.
When Grandmother is introduced to Caitlin's new friends, Emily is greeted pleasantly as her father has done business with Ryan Mining while Jed's outdoorsy charm and charisma wins immediate approval but when Diana's turn comes to be introduced to the formidable matriarch, she is treated with the same disregard the rest of the 1% club views her with.
Jed picks up on this, commenting about it later to Caitlin as she and the servants show the guests to their rooms. Caitlin had planned on showing Jed to his room personally, but a servant offers to lead the way. Jed is already carrying everyone's luggage, except Caitlin's, because he's a nice guy and since her suite is in a different wing in the huge mansion, she hurries off to meet Ginny who will be sharing Caitlin's room for the weekend (Caitlin has twin canopy beds, thick rose carpet and long windows facing the front lawns). First she'll take her usual bubble bath, then pick out just the right (slut) outfit to seduce Jed away from Diana.

Chapter 10- The guests mingle in the rec room containing all the latest 80's home entertainment technology-projection TV, VCR, Hi-Fi stereo and huge record collection. The room overlooks the outdoor swimming pool (As opposed to the indoor?). The boys shoot billiards. The girls huddle, giggle and gossip. Diana is a wallflower.
After dinner, Caitlin masks her dismay as Jed takes a seat next to Diana instead of her for the movie. An impromptu dance forms afterwards and while her guests mingle, Caitlin hurries Diana over to a group she knows has nothing in common with Diana so she can have Jed all to herself, at last!
Back in Caitlin's room, none of today's actions were lost on her BF who feels sorry for Diana and warns Caitlin to play nice as everyone knows Diana is the sweetest, most guileless person at Highgate which is exactly what Jed prefers which is exactly why Catilin is so determined to steal him away.
Next day, Jed announces after he discovered Diana is the only guest who won't be going riding, he's staying behind to keep her company; Caitlin wants to scream as she balls her fists and mentally curses Diana. Her perfect weekend has been ruined.

Chapter 11- Back at school, Caitlin goes out with other boys to make herself feel better, but none of them are named Jed Michaels. She throws herself into the school fundraising event but at dress rehearsal Jed is nowhere to be found. Everyone assumes he's with Diana. Caitlin is putting out fires everywhere until she gets to the last issue. A prop is needed for a boy's costume and the school maintenance shed is the only place to get it. Caitlin sighs wearily and makes the trek across the campus to the backyard of the Foster home where she sees little Ian playing by himself. Caitlin fumes, knowing Diana is supposed to be babysitting the little brat and assumes the minx is probably in the house making out with Jed.
No one sees Caitlin as she unlocks the shed, retrieves the item, closes the door and (this is very important people) FORGETS TO LOCK THE SHED DOOR!!! Caitlin can't be bothered with such simple tasks as locking a door when her mind is currently imagining what kind of positions Jed and Diana are getting themselves into. Diana is going to pay for stealing Jed away from her!
Back in the auditorium, rehearsal is still underway when sirens are heard in the distance. Everyone looks outside and sees emergency response vehicles surrounding the headmaster's large brick home. Something happened to Ian while Diana Chasen was babysitting him. That's all we know for now.

Chapter 12- At the hospital, Diana is in shock as one blow after another makes her the scapegoat in this freak accident with all the incriminating evidence pointing to her as the guilty party: Ian is in a poisoned induced coma and concussion from the fall he suffered after eating the powered-sugar-like chemicals which no six year old can resist (the kid's an idiot) and everyone blames Diana for letting him out of her sight for five minutes while the doorbell chimed and the phone rang off the hook. Who else left that shed door unlocked but Diana?
Emily's father takes Diana back to his home. Emily and Jed are there. Diana is off in left field, can't even remember when she last ate or slept. Jed urges Diana to the couch where she falls asleep with her head on his shoulder.

Chapter 13- Next day is the fund raiser, which will go on despite yesterday's tragedy. The evening is a great success and Caitlin is congratulated by all, everyone that is, except her grandmother who never bothered to show up and Jed isn't here either.
Caitlin is so depressed by this she skips the after party and returns to her dorm where Ginny finds her, hours later. Caitlin insists she's fine. Her sixteenth birthday is coming up and she knows her grandmother will make it up to her then. But Caitlin cries herself to sleep that night. Poor lonely, unloved Caitlin.

Chapter 14- Two days pass and Jed is worried about Diana. She's not snapping out of it but growing worse, sinking into a deep depression; not talking or eating. Nobody is suggesting therapy or medication. Even the doctor has brushed off Diana's condition as female hysteria.
The phone rings. Ian is coming out of his coma. Hearing this, Diana insists somebody drive her to the hospital but when they arrive, Mrs. Foster screams at Diana, blaming her for everything while Ian beams at his favorite babysitter until he discovers he can't move his legs. He starts screaming at Diana too. Diana collapses in Mr. Michaels arms, sobbing so hysterically the doctor has to sedate her. Diana is carried away from the hospital, back to the Michaels' residence, again.
Jed proves chivalry is not dead as he carries the poor girl inside the house and tenderly lays her on the couch, planting a soft kiss to her brow.
Diana's parents arrive, freak out at the condition of their daughter and all the accusations against her declaring they are taking Diana home and she is never returning to this horrible school for snobs. They can just mail Diana her clothes. Good bye, forever!

Chapter 15- We haven't seen Tenny since chapter two when she attended the planning meeting in Caitlin's dorm room where Caitlin took all the credit for her idea but never mind that now, Jed is coming. Caitlin excuses herself from Tenny's company to go talk to him.
Jed is sworn to secrecy about Ian's condition. All he can say is, it's not good. Caitlin pretends to be concerned for Diana. She feels so bad they'll never see her at school again. (Not!) Jed tells her he wasn't even at the Fosters when the accident happened, the details of which are still under wraps. He got so caught up in homework he never made it anywhere that day and feels bad he wasn't there for Diana.
Nobody wishes Caitlin happy birthday that Saturday at Ryan Acres. She wakes up to pouring rain and an empty house (the staff serving her breakfast and freshly pressed morning paper don't count). At the breakfast table, Caitlin is shaking out her napkin over her poached egg when she notices the headline. As Caitlin reads, she realizes she's going to be sick. Ian Foster's full condition has been released to the public along with the accident details: after entering an unlocked maintenance shed (Hey, Diana, it's all your fault!) and stuffing himself with poison resembling powdered sugar, Ian collapsed on the back steps until his babysitter, a Highgate student, who was occupied elsewhere, found him. The boy is paralyzed and still recovering in the hospital.
Now it is Caitlin's turn to go into shock. She was the one who left the shed door unlocked. The accident was HER fault!
Caitlin runs to the stables, saddles a horse and rides wildly out into the rain, despite the stable hand's protests. Caitlin beats herself up during the wet ride. She returns hanging limply over the horse's head, barely conscious and has to be carried inside. The staff puts her to bed and there she stays for several days, running a high fever.

Chapter 16- Five days later, Grandmother is there when Caitlin wakes up one morning but she has no sympathy for her granddaughter who behaved very immaturely, making such a fuss just because no one remembered her birthday. It's her own fault she caught the flu but the doctor says she'll recover. Her friends sent cards and left messages which she'll need to return. See you later. Caitlin rolls over in bed and wants to die.
Caitlin doesn't return to school until after Thanksgiving break and she is a different girl: withdrawn, quiet, but all her friends, including Ginny, just brush it off as melancholia. Ginny persuades Caitlin to attend a frat house party where Ginny's crush is hanging out in a room. Caitlin gives her friend the push she needs to go make the first move. It works and Ginny and Bart Burt Simpson spend the rest of the evening together talking.
Caitlin wanders into a semi-dark, seemingly empty room and is relaxing on the sofa until a voice startles her. It's Jed! They talk, intimately, for the first time since the accident. With Diana out of the picture, Jed is realizing he only liked her as a friend or sister, he was never attracted to her romantically. Jed is also impressed Caitlin isn't out there, hogging the spotlight, flirting with all the guys, snubbing those less popular like Diana to get attention. Instead, she's in here. With him, making him "feel" things. Maybe he misjudged her. Caitlin can only gawk at him. He's going back to his dorm now but maybe, after the Christmas break, they can make a date? Hardly able to comprehend this miracle fate has bestowed upon her, Caitlin agrees.

Chapter 17- Sure enough, after spending a very lackluster, formal, stuffy Christmas with no one but Grandmother for company at Ryan Acres, Jed phones Caitlin almost the minute she gets back to her dorm room for the new year. They go riding and talk about many things, including Jed's feelings for Diana which he's beginning to realize had more to do with his coping strategies after his parent's divorce than developing a serious relationship with someone like her. A sweet girl, but not for him. He's ready for some serious hook up now and he's ready to do it with Caitlin.
Again, Caitlin silently thanks whatever Karma made this happen. It worked! Jed has fallen in love with her, and why shouldn't he? She's the most popular, sought after girl at Highgate. He kisses her and fireworks explode for both of them.

Chapter 18- Three months later...Jed comes home with Caitlin to spend the weekend at Ryan Acres for the first time since they became an official couple. Jed will be formally introduced to Grandmother as Caitlin's boyfriend. They go riding and don't see Mrs. Ryan until dinner that night where she's in a bad mood thanks to those environmental people always after her about irresponsible strip mining. Jed suggests they do have a point and Grandmother nearly bites his head off before relenting. She gets her revenge after dinner, trapping the kids into listening to a long lecture about her mining business, which Caitlin is being groomed to run in her place one day. Grandmother insists on walking Jed up to his room so he and Caitlin don't even get to share a goodnight kiss. Denied!

Chapter 19- Next day, Caitlin and Jed spend the afternoon together by taking a long walk with a picnic lunch. They sit atop the grassy knoll and break out the sandwiches and cokes. Jed expresses concern for Caitlin's homelife. It's obvious her Grandmother is a tyrant.
Caitlin bursts into tears. It's true. She spills it all to Jed about her Grandmother never forgiving her for being the cause of her mother's death in childbirth while her deadbeat father has nothing to do with her. She's the loneliest person in the world with nobody who really loves her.
Jed takes her into his arms and declares his love for her.
Ecstatic, Caitlin responds eagerly to his kisses and they nearly end up having a roll in the hay, "Oh, Caitlin," Jed pants, "you make me feel so good." Creepy!
All at once, Jed sits up, he can't take her here, not yet. Caitlin needs to come to Montana first to meet his family. Caitlin loves the idea. They walk hand in hand back to the mansion.

Chapter 20- Emily is happy for Caitlin and her cousin. She herself is also blissfully in love with Terry whom Caitlin introduced her to. Nobody has heard any news of Diana. Until today. Emily just received a letter in the mail from her father, asking Emily to send all of Diana's personals along. Her parents transferred her to another school which they just as abruptly pulled her out of. Something's wrong but nobody knows what. Caitlin hides her shock. She knows Diana's emotional and nervous breakdown was all her fault. She must tell Jed soon about the part she played in Diana's misfortune.
Back in her room, Caitlin does the stupidest thing she can, she writes a letter of confession to Jed, because she's too much of a coward to tell him in person.
It's a long, wordy letter with every other line pleading understanding from Jed because she was so afraid of losing him if he discovered the truth about her-that she's a calculating, manipulative bitch all around bad person, who will do anything to get her way. It's a shame about Diana but she was so angry at everyone, including Jed. How could everyone like Diana so much? She was so undeserving compared to the special little snowflake that is her, Caitlin Ryan, who got so tragically sick the day she learned about Ian's accident and by the time she could explain it was she who left the shed unlocked, Diana was gone and Jed was ready to be her boyfriend. What's a popular girl to do?
Caitlin signs the letter, begging Jed will forgive her will continue to love her, despite her mistake. She'll give the letter to Jed tomorrow.

Chapter 21- But Caitlin chickens out and squirrels the letter away in a book where no one will ever find it. This relationship is still too new and fragile for such soul-bearing. Maybe later when she and Jed know each other better. Then she'll spring the truth on him.

Satisfied, Caitlin skips out the door and into Jed's waiting arms.

The End