A Playboy's Past

Chapter 4

JAEL’S POV

JADEN AND I HAD CELEBERATED MY WIN ON FRIDAY AND HAD ALSO GONE TO THE MOVIES ON SATURDAY. I HAD LEARNT SOME BAKING RECIPES FROM NANNY SUSAN ON SUNDAY AND I WAS UTTERLY TIRED, I THOUGHT THIS WAS WHY I FELT SO DOWN THIS MORNING, BUT AS I KNOTTED MY SCHOOL TIE, I FELT A SICKENING FEELING DESCEND ON MY HEART. MY HEART KEPT ON RACING AND I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND WHY IT DID SO I IGNORED IT. AS I GOT INTO THE CAR TO BE DRIVEN TO SCHOOL, SAM CALLED ME FOR THE FIFTH TIME AND I IGNORED THE CALL AGAIN. I JUST FELT OFF THAT MORNING. AS SOON AS I GOT DOWN FROM THE CAR SAM RUSHED TO ME, I ALMOST DIED OF SHOCK WHEN SHE GRABBED ME FROM BEHIND.

“HEY! WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU’VE BEEN CALLING ME LIKE THE SCHOOL WAS ON FIRE. WHAT’S UP?” I TRIED TO BACK MY BAG WHILE SPEAKING WITH A STERN LOOK.

“UHM…HAVE YOU SEEN THE STUDENT BLOG?” THE WAY HER VOICE SHOOK AND THE THINGS I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE BLOG MADE ME SUDDENLY GRAB MY PHONE FROM MY POCKET WITH MY EYES STILL ON HER. I HURRIEDLY WENT ONLINE; WITH SHAKY FINGERS I HELD MY PHONE IN MY HANDS AS I READ THE HEADLINE FOR THE WEEK.

“JAEL GOLD, WINNER OF HAPPY FEETS PRELIMINARY ROUND HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AS A PSYCHIATRIC PATIENT.”

I COULDN’T GO ON, SAM SAW THE SHOCK ON MY FACE AND COLLECTED MY PHONE KEEPING IT IN HER POCKET I DIDN’T PROTEST, I JUST STARED MOUTH AGAPE UNABLE TO SAY A WORD AS I WAS UNSURE OF WHAT TO SAY, TEARS STAEDILY STUNG MY EYES AS I REMEMBERED HOW MY DAD HAD LEFT ME AT MY FIRST REHAB HOME. SAM SAW MY TEARS AND HUGGED ME, I HUGGED HER BACK AND LET THE TEARS FLOW.

“IT’S OKAY. THAT WAS IN THE PAST WHAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU KNOW THE TRUTH.” SHE WIPED MY TEARS WITH HER THUMB AND SMILED AT ME. I NODDED GRATEFULLY. DEEP DOWN I REGRETTED ALREADY DISMISSING MY DRIVER, I’LD HAVE GONE HOME AND NOT SHOW MY FACE FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL WEEK.

“DON’T WORRY. I HAVE A PLAN. WE WON’T GO IN RIGHT NOW COS EVERYONE IS STILL OUT ON THE HALLS, WE’LL GO WHEN EVERYONE IS IN CLASS, THE STARES AND WHISPERS WILL THEN BE REDUCED TO JUST OUR MATES.” SHE SAID AS SHE LED ME TO SOMEWHERE SECLUDE.

“MONDE WROTE IT, RIGHT?” I ASKED, SHE SIGHED AND THEN SPOKE.

“SHE DIDN’T CARE TO SIGN HERSELF AS ANONYMOUS. SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE WAS READY TO DISCLOSE HER SOURCE IN CASE ANYONE HAD DOUBTS.” I SIGHED AND WE HEARD THE FIRST BELL.

“THAT’S OUR CUE, LET’S WAIT A WHILE THEN WE GO IN. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP, KEEP FIGHTING. TRUST ME IT’S GOING TO END SOON.” SHE SAID REASSURINGLY. SHE DIDN’T BOTHER TO ASK FOR THE EFFICACY OF THE STORY BUT SHE SEEMED TO NOT CARE WHETHER IT WAS TRUE OR NOT. I SMILED AT HER AS WE WALKED IN. JUST AS EXPECTED THERE WAS BARELY ANYONE ON THE HALLWAY. SHE HELD MY HAND AS WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER AND SQUEEZED IT COMFORTINGLY, I BRACED MYSELF FOR IT. I WALKED IN FOLLOWING SAM WITH MY HEAD BOWED, EVERYONE LOOKED UP. I DARED TO LOOK MONDE IN THE EYE AND SHE GAVE ME A DARE DEVIL SMILE. I SAT WITH A DAMPENED SPIRIT PRAYING THAT OUR HISTORY TEACHER WOULD WALK IN BUT I KNEW THAT IT WASN’T GOING TO HAPPEN HE WAS INDISPOSED AND WE WERE YET TO GET A SUBSTITUTE SO FOR THE NEXT ONE HOUR I HAD TO LEAVE WITH THIS FEAR. I WAS ABOUT TO PUT MY HEADSET ON WHEN SOMEONE SUDDENLY GRABBED IT, SHE MADE SURE I WAS LOOKING AT HER BEFORE SHE THREW IT ON THE FLOOR AND THEN STAMPED ON IT. I STARED AT THE PIECES UNSURE OF WHAT TO DO.

“C’MON DON’T HOLD BACK. DO YOUR WORST.” SHE SAID, TWO OTHER GIRLS HAD JOINED HER AND SAM WAS ALREADY ON HER FEET, I HELD HER HAND TO PREVENT HER FROM DOING ANYTHING. SHE HAD MAINTAINED HER COOL UNTIL NOW, I DIDN’T WANT TO BE THE REASON FOR HER TO START GETTING PICKED ON AGAIN. LAURA, THE GIRL THAT WAS HELL BENT ON PROVOKING ME, TOOK THE COMIC BOOK THAT I HAD BEEN TRYING TO OCCUPY MYSELF WITH AND BEGAN TO TEAR IT IN SHREDS, THE OTHER GIRLS KEPT ON CHEERING HER ON.

“C’MON, GET UP AND FIGHT YOU PSYCHOPATHIC SLUT.” I STARED AT THE SHREDS WITH TEARS, THEY WERE THE LAST GIFT MY MOM GAVE ME BEFORE SHE LEFT. AFTER SHE HAD TORN THE BOOK HALFWAY, SHE DROPPED THE OTHER HALF TO THE GROUND PROBABLY TIRED OF SHREDDING AND STOOD ARMS AKIMBO. I KNEW THAT SHE WASN’T NECESSARILY FIGHTING MONDE’S CAUSE, SHE HAD ALSO ENTERED THE CONTEST BUT HADN’T WON FIRST PLACE. I BENT DOWN TO PICK WHAT WAS LEFT OF MY COMIC WHEN SHE SUDDENLY GRABBED MY HAIR AND STARTED PULLING WILDLY, I KNEW I SHOULDN’T FIGHT BACK BECAUSE THAT WOULD ONLY GIVE THEM THE CONFIRMATION THAT I WAS A PSYCHOPATH.

THE HAIR PULLING, FACE SCRATCHING CONINUED FIERCELY AND I SUFFERED MOST, I WAS TRYING TO WARD OF FIVE GIRLS AND ANOTHER ONE WAS FIGHTING FOR ME, I KNEW I WOULD PASS OUT IF A MIRACLE DIDN’T HAPPEN BUT I NEEDED TO BE STRONG. AMIDST THE EFFORTS TO SEPARATE US, MONDE AND DEJA SAT THERE HAVING THE LAUGH OF THEIR LIFE AT EVERY TEAR THAT FELL FROM MY EYES.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” A VOICE COMMANDED; I HAD EXPECTED IT TO BE JADEN BUT THAT WASN’T JADEN’S VOICE IT WAS…OH NO…JAY.

EVERYBODY STOPPED WHAT THEY HAD BEEN DOING, INCLUDING THE FIGHTERS AND FOCUSED ON HIM. DEJA LOOKED LIKE SHE HAD JUST SEEN A GHOST.

“JA…JAY.” HER VOICE DRAWLED. HE WALKED IN, HANDS IN POCKET, HIS EYES ON ME. DEJA WAS NOW ON HER FEET, MONDE JOINED HER AND THEY BOTH STARED MOUTH AGAPE.

“ARE YOU OKAY?” HE SAID AS HE CROUCHED TO MY LEVEL ON THE FLOOR AND HELPED ME UP THEN HE LOOKED BACK AT THE EVIL DOERS.

“YOU CALLED HER A PSYCHOPATH, DIDN’T YOU? AREN’T YOU GUYS THE CRAZY ONES? ATTACKING AN INNOCENT CLASSMATE ALL BECAUSE SHE IS OBVIOUSLY BETTER THAN YOU? ALL OF YOU, AS SOPHISTICATED AS YOU MIGHT THINK YOU ARE, YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM THE LOW LIFE CRIMINALS WHO ENGAGE IN FISTICUFFS BUT YOU WANNA KNOW THE ONLY DIFFERENCE?” HE GLARED AT LAURA’S SHRINKING SIZE WITH THE FIERCENESS OF A LION ON ITS PREY.

“THEY HAVE A MINUTE SENSE OF SANITY IN THEM TO HURT ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE THEM WRONG BUT YOU HAVE LOST EVEN THE MOST MINUTE SENSE OF SANITY THAT YOU ARE EVEN HURTING SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG.” LAURA WAS RED AS FIRE BY THE TIME HE FINISHED HIS TIRADE, HE TURNED TO DEJA AND MONDE AND IT SEEMED LIKE DEJA REALLY FEARED HIM.

“EVEN IF THE REST OF THEM WERE ACTUALLY NOT WHAT THEY PORTRAYED THEMSELVES TO BE, THE BOTH OF YOU ACTED MORE DESPICABLY. FOR GIRLS AS BEAUTIFUL AND AS SMART AS YOU I NEVER IMAGINED THAT YOU WOULD STOOP THIS LOW JUST TO SHOW YOUR HATRED FOR SOMEONE. GOSH! I’M SO DISAPPOINTED.” HE TOOK MY HAND AND DRAGGED ME OUT OF THE CLASS, THE LAST SCENE I SAW WAS DEJA SLUMPING INTO HER CHAIR, HER FACE DRAINED OF COLOUR, I REALLY DIDN’T GET WHY JAY AFFECTED HER SO MUCH.

“GOSH! WILL I ALWAYS HAVE TO COME RUNNING BECAUSE YOU WON’T FIGHT FOR YOURSELF?” HE SAID AS SOON AS I WAS FACING HIM ON THE FIELD.

“I DIDN’T ASK YOU TO COME. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE ANYWAY? YOU DIDN’T TELL ME YOU ALREADY ARRIVED.” I SAID TRYING TO MAINTAIN A SMILE TO HIDE MY THROBBING HEADACHE.

“YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN IF YOU PICKED YOUR CALLS. I SAW THE ARTICLE ON THE STUDENT BLOG AND I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE NO GOOD. ARE YOU OKAY?” HE WAS REALLY ACTING CONCERNED. I NODDED WITH A SMILE AND HE SIGHED. IN TRUTH I HAD RECEIVED MRE THAN FIVE CALLS THAT MORNING AND I HAD PICKED NONE. I JUST ASSUMED THAT THEY WERE ALL FROM SAM AND I DIDN’T NEED TO WORRY BUT NOW I REALLY WISHED I HAD PICKED THOSE CALLS.

“HOW IS SHE?” I ASKED AND SAW THAT HIS MOOD DAMPENED.

“GOOD, I GUESS. FORGET THAT FOR NOW OKAY? DIDN’T YOU MISS ME?” HE SAID OPENING HIS ARMS FOR A HUG, I FELL INTO IT AND RECALLED HOW IT FELT WHEN JADEN HUGGED ME. WAIT! WHERE WAS JADEN ANYWAY?

JADEN’S POV

I HADN’T BEEN ABLE TO LEAVE CLASS SINCE THE FIRST BELL. I HAD WAITED ON THE HALLWAY JUST TO SEE JAEL BUT SHE WAS EITHER NOT COMING TO SCHOOL OR WAS RUNNING LATE. I COULDN’T FOCUS IN CLASS, I KEPT ON HAVING THAT GUT FEELING THAT JAEL WASN’T OKAY. THE MOMENT OUR

TEACHER STEPPED OUT I RAN OUT OF THE CLASS TO THE 11TH GRADE AND WAS SURPRISED AT THE LEVEL OF EXCITEMNT IN THERE. I SCANNED THE CLASS FOR JAEL BUT COULDN’T FIND HER, I BECKONED ON SAM TO COME OUT AND SHE DID HURRIEDLY.

“JAEL IS WITH JAY. HE SAVED HER FROM GETTING BEATEN UP.” SHE SAID WITOUT BEING ASKED. THE ONLY THING THAT ALARMED IN HER STATEMENT WAS JAY. JAY…WHY WOULD HE RESUME SCHOOL AND THEN SAVE JAEL A NEW STUDENT FROM BULLIES?

“WHICH JAY?” I ASKED UNBELIEVING THAT IT WAS ME WHO JUST ASKED.

“SAME JAY…JASON. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE WAY HE STOOD UP FOR HER LIKE HE WAS HER BOYFRIEND OR SOMETHING, HE REALLY SAID MEAN WORDS TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HURT JAEL.” SHE SAID NOT HESITATING. I COULDN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE. IF JAY WAS THE SAME JAY THAT I KNEW AND HE WAS GOOD FRIENDS WITH JAEL THEN THERE WAS AN ISSUE. WAIT…HE MIGHT NOT BE FRIENDS WITH HER, HE PROBABLY OVERHEARD THEM SAYING MEAN THINGS TO HER AND STOOD UP FOR HER. JAY WAS THE ONE WITH THE SAVIOUR COMPLEX. HE WAS THE GOOD ONE.

“DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE THEY WENT?” I ASKED ABSENTMINDEDLY

“YH…PROBABLY TO THE FIELD. THEY…” I DIDN’T WAIT TO HEAR THE REST I RACED TO THE FIELD AND I WAS SHOCKED BY WHAT I SAW. JAEL HUGGING JAY. NO! PLEASE.

SHE PULLED AWAY FROM HIM SMILING, HE SAID SOMETHING TO HER SMILINGLY, RUFFLED HER HAIR AND THEN RAN BACK INTO THE HALLS THROUGH ANOTHER ENTRANCE. I WAS SO ENGROSSED IN WATCHING HER SMILE AT HIS RETREATING FIGURE THAT I DIDN’T REALISE THAT I WAS CRYING. I WAS ABOUT TO TURN AND LEAVE WHEN SHE NOTICED ME.

“HEY! JADEN!” SHE CALLED OUT, THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD RUN AWAY BECAUSE ON IMPULSE I HAD TURNED THE MOMENT I HEARD HER VOICE. I SLOWLY CARRIED MY LEGS TO WHERE SHE WAS AND PLASTERED A SMILE ON HER FACE. I REALLY COULN’T UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR MY SADNESS, THE WAY SHE HAD SMILED AT HIM? THEIR HUG? OR THE FACT THAT IF JAY KNEW ABOUT JAEL AND I, HE COULD RUIN IT BECAUSE I HAD RUINED HIS SISTER?

I DECIDED TO TAKE THOSE THOUGHTS OF MY MIND AND THEN I NOTICED JAEL’S FACE. SHE WAS THOROUGHLY BRUISED.

“WH…WHAT…WHO…WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE? I SCREAMED IN A WHISPER. SHE SEEMED TO BE TAKEN ABACK.

“IS…IS IT…THAT OBVIOUS?” SHE SAID TOUCHING HER FACE WITH CONCERN. I BROUGHT HER CLOSER TO MYSELF AND THEN LOOKED DOWN TO HER FACE.

“WHO DID THIS?” I SAID, MY VOICE SLIGHTLY SHAKY. SHE SEEMED TO BE REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH HOW CLOSE MY FACE WAS TO HERS AND FREED HERSELF FROM MY HOLD THEN TOOK A STEP BACKWARD.

“C’MON, I’M PRETTY SURE IT’S NOT THAT BAD YOU’RE JUST EXAGGERATING? I’M GOING TO BE FINE.” SHE SAID WITH A SMALL BLUSH. I SUDDENLY REMEMBERED MY PROMISE TO PROTECT HER AND FELT LIKE IT WAS MY FAULT BECAUSE I COULDN’T DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT HER. I LOWERED MY EYES FROM HERS AND THEN TALKED IN A LOW WHISPER.

“I’M REALLY SORRY. I…I PROMISED YOU THAT I’LD BE THERE AND I…” SHE PLACED A FINGER ON MY LIPS AND SMILED AT ME.

“IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT. I SHOULDN’T HAVE LET THEM BEAT ME UP. IF JAY HADN’T WALKED IN, I MIGHT HAVE PASSED OUT BECAUSE I REFUSED TO MOVE A MUSCLE TO DEFEND MYSELF. IT’S JUST THAT I FELT LIKE IT WAS NO POINT SINCE THE HEADLINE WAS ACTUALLY TRUE.” SHE SAID HER FINGER GRADUALLY SLIDING DOWN FROM MY LIPS AND THEN HER VOICE CRACKED A LITTLE SO THAT I KNEW THAT SHE WAS ABOUT TO CRY.

“IT’S OKAY. IT’LL PASS. SEE YOU AROUND.” SHE SAID SURPRISING ME AND RUNNING OFF, SHE SEEMED TO LIMP A BIT. I SIGHED AND THEN WORRIED MYSELF ABOUT JAY.

JAY’S POV

“CAN WE PLEASE TALK?” DEJA SAIS AS SHE CORNERED ME AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CAFETERIA. I SIGHED HELPLESSLY, I HADN’T MEANT TO RESUME SCHOOL TODAY ANYWAY AND I WAS HERE FOR JAEL SO I MIGHT AS WELL SORT IT ALL OUT. I FOLLOWED HER INTO THE CAFETERIA, IT WAS EMPTY.

“WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?” I SAID WITH A NONCHALANT TONE.

“JAY, I KNOW THAT WHAT MONDE AND I DID WAS REALLY WRONG AND I’M REALLY SORRY. PLEASE DON’T BE ANGRY WITH ME ANYMORE.” SHE SAID SINCERELY. I KNEW SHE MEANT IT BUT I FELT THAT IT WAS DISRESPECTFUL TO JAEL WHOM THEY HAD REALLY HURT.

“WHY?” I SAID SHOCKING HER, SHE LOOKED AT ME BEWILDERED.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” SHE SAID

“WHY ARE YOU APOLOGISING TO ME. YOU SHOULD BE DOING THAT TO JAEL.” I SAW BEADS OF UNEASINESS FORM ON HER FACE. I DIDN’T WAIT FOR HER TO THINK OF AN EXCUSE BEFORE ADDING SALT TO HER INJURY.

“I GUESSED AS MUCH. YOU ARE NOT APOLOGISING COS YOU FEEL GUILTY FOR HURTING JAEL. YOU ARE DOING THIS COS YOU DON’T WANT TO BE ON MY BAD SIDE BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IF YOU HAD BEEN ON JAEL’S GOOD SIDE YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW IMPORTANT SHE WAS TO ME AND TO WHAT LENGTH I’LL GO FOR HER. SHE COULD HAVE HELPED YOU BUT YOU HURT HER JUST BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS INSIGNIFICANT. DON’T EVER FORGET, THE WORLD IS A SMALL PLACE, YOUR WORST ENEMY MIGHT BE YOUR SOULMATE OR YOUR LIFE SAVER.” I SMILED AND LEFT. THIS