It's A Hard First Day When Your Life's Going To Shit (Jade)

I got a restful three hours of sleep before my alarm went off.

Monday morning, the first day of senior year, and I was half asleep. I made sure to grab my thermos of coffee before I left.

My phone buzzed in my legging pocket as I waited for the bus to pick me up.

I don't want to. Can't we just skip? - Peyton

I almost caved, truth be told I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open, sleep on the precipice of my eyelids. I looked more like a raccoon than a teenage girl at that moment.

My phone buzzed again, this time it was Ryker

Slept in. Are we skipping?

I glanced at the time and bulked.

Ryker class starts in fifteen minutes, you're just now waking up?

Ummm probably because I've been up for thirty-four hours. Were lucky I woke up at all.

Get a move on or you'll miss first period!

Just sounds like one less class to worry about.

I rolled my eyes and shoved my phone back in its pocket.

Above the clouds were starting to form dark puffs, it would most likely storm again.

I jumped as the sequel of the school busses breaks broke me from my sleepy state.

This was not going to be a great day.

Peyton and Hale were waiting for me out front and I took pleasure in knowing they looked as beat up as I did.

"I don't understand why we have to be here. I barely got any sleep," Peyton grumbled and leaned on Hale as if she were a body pillow. Hale rolled her eyes.

"None of us did. Once we're done here I'm going back to Axel's and taking a long nap,"

"Agreed but why wait? No teachers have seen us. Let's just go now," Ryker offered in a long yawn as he approached us.

"I second the motion," Peyton gave slight raise of her hand, her eyelids fluttering.

I clapped my hands in front of her face and they flew back open, startled.

"Lisen up children. This is our first day of senior year, we aren't missing it! So we're gonna suck it up and deal," I told them forcibly, they each rolled their eyes.

"I don't second that," Peyton mumbled.

I narrowed my eyes and she let out a long groan.

"Urgh. Fine Mom, have it your way,"

I gave a pleased smile and the five-minute bell rang, we all filed into the building.

Peyton was telling me about her classes when I felt sparking in my hand, like when it goes numb and starts to slowly wake up. I knew what it was in an instant, magic.

I pulled Peyton aside and used her body as a shield, holding my hand in front of me as I watched a folded piece of paper mature out of the air.

"Woah," Peyton gasped in astonishment and hovered more, making sure no one had a good look.

I whipped my head around but no one was looking and my paranoia seemed for nothing.

Everyone was just milling about wasting time till the final bell rung.

I turned back to myself and started to unfold the parchment because that's what it was. It wasn't printer paper or lined, it was a faded tan color and was written with thin ink and perfect handwriting.

What happened last night? Ivory never came back. We expect you at the manor after your classes are finished.

- Mayline

Shit.

At least that meant that Ivory kept her word about not saying anything. Though it was concerning that they hadn't seen her since she left last night.

Another great start to the day.

Of course, I knew that we'd eventually have to tell them about last night's events, but I was hoping when we did we wouldn't be half-dead with exhaustion. They were the ones who sent us and it wasn't a surprise that they were now demanding answers. They've spent the last decade getting ready for this war and unformal for us we were the chess pieces forced to take and blow the hits.

The only problem with telling them was my trust in them had shaken. The only person our mothers trusted was not part of their sister and brother duo, they had told us our mothers had sent us away with them but that's not true, they put their trust with Caspain, who then put his trust in Jack and Mayline.

While I dint think Mayline and Jack were working with Edward, their intentions to destroy him were too pure, that didn't mean they didn't have their own agenda. How many times did Layla speculate that others would try to come for our power in her journals?

But the same feeling didn't cross over to Ivory. She did seem trustworthy. Worry started to creep in about her, maybe she was just hiding out till we told Mayline and Jack what happened.

My head started to pulse and I crumpled the note in my hand and stuffed it onto my backpack. This was all a bit much for eight in the morning.

Right now I needed to focus on things I could actually control, like making it to chem on time. I needed to compartmentalize and shove all thoughts on magic, covens, secrets, and allies into a faraway part of my brain.

I hadn't realized that Peyton had been starring at me until I looked back at her with a fresh face.

She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head.

"Well? What did it say? Please don't keep your audience in suspense," she deadpanned obviously annoyed that she wasn't able to read the message as well.

I shook my head at her bratty behavior and glanced at the clock down the hall.

"Tell you at lunch, come on were going to be late,"

I made it to chem - barley - and by some miracle found a seat in the back.

It took me all of five minutes to completely lose it and the mental barriers came crashing down, my thoughts flooded and crashed inside my head.

Mr.Fostor was droning on and on from his five paged syllabus and two pages in I cracked.

What I really needed to do was talk to Layla straight on, she, I knew I could trust. I'd spent most of the night and morning reading her journals, it gave me a glimpse into Peyton's powers, to dig into someone's thoughts and memories, to see them spread out before in a timeline. Sure it may have been an overstep in personal boundaries but I needed answers and I wasn't exactly sparse on time.

Not once in those journals did Jack and Mayline's names come up, which meant one of two things. One, they simply were so unimportant they didn't warrant a word to be written about them or, two. they were a problem she never thought would ever pose an actual threat.

Those ideas only sent me deeper, leading me to more questions and problems. I was surprised I was able to keep my body so calm, that the overflood in my head hadn't caused any ticks, I wasn't even bouncing my leg. Still, as a marble statue, which actually might be a different kind of problem.

"Miss Fell, perhaps you can answer the question?" Mr. Foster prompted, staring at me like I was a mouse about to set off a cheese trap.

I could only imagine the stupid look on my face as I snapped back into reality and realized everyone was starring at me.

Mr. Foster gave a please smile and broke the eye contact.

"Thank you for proving my point Miss Fell, any lack of participation will automatically result in five points off your grade,"

I hated the way my cheeks flushed at the embarrassment. He'd obviously been waiting the right moment for that one, asshole.

I let my hair fall around me in a curtain and slushed back in the chair, only half-listening to the rest of his class as I doodled on my copy of the syllabus.

My siblings were right, we should have skipped this stupid fucking day.

Lunch couldn't have come sooner, I piled my tray high and set out to find my siblings. I found Peyton and Ryker at a table near the windows. I sat down next to Peyton and she looked at me with wide eyes.

"About damn time, haven't you checked your phone?" she pestered, sitting up straighter.

I sat down my tray and pulled out my phone, sure enough, there were several unread texts from Peyton all about this morning.

I turned and frowned at her.

"You really have no patience do you?"

She shook her head gave me a 'what are you gonna do' look.

"It's called anxiety, now spill," she whined and poked my side. I swatted her away and looked to Ryker for help.

He just raised his hands in surrender.

"Don't look at me, I'm a big advocate that women can fight their own fights,"

I rolled my eyes and caught the empty chair next to Ryker.

"Where's Hale?" I asked.

Peyton scowled and noted my change of subject, but joined me in looking around the cafeteria.

There was a commotion going on near the football players, who were all dressed the same in jeans and their varsity jackets.

I couldn't imagine who was stupid enough to start an argument with them, everyone knew they were steroid junkies. They were getting into fights all the time, you would have to be a complete idiot to go up against them.

There was a loud smack and then one of them went down, landing roughly on his knees.

With his body gone I got a clear view of the idiot who just upset a group of testorne fueled boys, I frowned as I got a full look of, oh would you like at that, my idiot.

Hale was looking smugly down at the boy, ready to deliver enough blow, to just to his face, but also his ego. Which normally I would be down for but not when this could get Hale suspended or worse expelled.

I jumped to my feet and pulled Hale behind me. I plastered a sweet smile on my face and in my best diplomatic voice, I purred.

"So sorry, she's had a bad day. We're just gonna go over there, and leave you, boys, to your lunch,"

I dragged Hale along with me and plopped her down in her chair, where she scowled and crossed her arms like a child.

"What the hell is the matter with you? Are you trying to get sent to the principal?" I scowled in a hushed tone.

She shifted and curled in on herself, she almost seemed a shade paler.

"They were hitting in me," she grumbled.

"Then ignore them and walk away. You know violence isn't always the answer."

Hale's eyes snapped up at that and she leaned in closer to me.

"With men like that, violence is always the answer," she snarled and then leaned back in her chair. Pressing an earbud to her ear.

Peyton let out a long breath and then turned to me.

"That was fun, now please, before I lose my mind, the note?"

"What note?" Ryker spoke up and his eyes narrowed finally interested in our conversation.

I started to pick at my food unable to handle being tired and hungry.

"Mayline sent me a message this morning. She wants to know what happened last night. They are expecting us this afternoon. Ivory didn't go home last night. They don't know where she is,"

They each shared their own expressions at that, not one was the look of calm and trusting.

"I'm sure she's just waiting for us to make our move. Let's not worry yet," Peyton offered, biting on her thumbnail.

I nodded in agreement, but my stomach was still twisting in knots.

"And what are we telling them?" Ryker asked, moving the conversation along.

"Why don't we ask Layla? She's still at Lev's," Hale added.

"That's what I was thinking," I agreed, picking at my food.

We all seemed to be in agreement and above us, the bell rang to signal that our twenty-minute break was over.

"Fine, but then I'm taking a freaking nap," Ryker mumbled following after us.

It was drizzling when school got out. I pulled up my hood and picked up my speed, I wanted to drop off my stuff before going to see Layla, my new textbooks were starting to kill my shoulders. I tossed my keys on the side table near the door and let my bag drop to the floor, then I flung myself onto the couch.

How badly I wished I could just cuddle up in one of my Mom's crochet blankets and go back to sleep, but unfortunately I wasn't allowed to take naps, it messed up my sleep schedule too much and next thing you know it's two in the morning and I'm ready to start my day, so reluctantly I pulled myself off the couch and that's when I noticed that my Dads work boots were still by the door, along with his jacket and helmet.

That was odd, he shouldn't be home for another couple of hours.

"Dad? Are you home?"

I walked into the kitchen and spotted an empty bottle of whiskey and a stack of photos from Dad's and Mom's wedding. I bite my lip and turned to the calendar on the fridge. My stomach sank as I noticed the date, it was their anniversary. How could I be so completely clueless?

I pulled out my phone and started to dial.

"Hey Pete, it's Jade. Is my dad there?" I asked hoping this wouldn't turn into a bar-hopping adventure.

"Yeah kiddo, has been for about two hours,"

I sighed and rested myself against the kitchen counter.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes,"

I hung up and went back to grab my keys and grabbed an umbrella this time.

I shot a text to Peyton telling her I was going to be late and to talk to Layla without me.

The bar was empty, not surprising since it was three-thirty on a Monday.

My dad was slumped over a glass fullied of an amber liquid. His eyes were puffy and red, a look a rarely saw on my dad. Sure I'd seen him plastered more than a few times but usually, he kept his emotions to himself hiding them from me.

I frowned and took the barstool next to him, rubbing his arm as not to startle him.

"Hey Dad," I greeted.

His eyes slowly met mine and he gave a small smile, he rose his glass and tipped it to me, like he was making a toast.

"Twenty-seven years and I've celebrated almost half of them without her," His voice was groggy and slurred. He finished the drink in one motion and then set it back down on the car with a thud.

"I know, I'm sorry Dad. But it's time we go home though, yeah?"

He nodded and reached into his jean pocket and left a couple of crumpled tens next to the glass.

I took his hand led him up the stairs and to the street. I clutched his hand tight as I hailed down a taxi.

My phone buzzed and I took the time to read it as a cab started to pull over. It was Ryker.

Layla trusts Jack, were heading over there to talk to them. Met us there when you can.

The stress over that allowed some weight off my shoulders.

I opened the cab and let my Dad slide in first. I leaned up to the driver who tilted his head back to hear me.

"Three blocks up the first complex on the right," '

He nodded and pulled back onto the street.

I watched as Dad slumped against the window, half asleep and drunkenly mumbling to himself.

We were passing through an intersection, which gave me the best view to see a delivery truck come hurtling down the road. My heart quickened when I realized that it wasn't slowing down for the red light, no quite the opposite, it was speeding up.

The driver looked just as shocked and then I was out of time. It rammed into us in a perfect T-bone.

The taxi flipped, once, twice, three times. Glass sprayed everywhere, I felt my foot get caught, and when we landed upside down.

I groaned and felt blood matte my hair and slip down and into my eyes. I slowly was able to move my body and was able to move my hands to the seatbelt. To my surprise, it unlocked and sent me to the top of the cab, into a sea of glass. I hissed. But the worst part was when my leg was let free with a stomach-churning crack, I breathed out a scream, blinking back tears.

"J-jade? Jayden?"

I whipped my head to see my Dad. My throat was too constricted to scream. Blood and glass coated his face, deep gashes marred him. The cab door was intertwined in his body, the worst was the thick shard of glass that was stuck just a few inches away from his heart, not that it was much of a silver lining since it was resting in his lung.

"No, No Daddy, No," I croaked out sliding myself over to him, giving myself a bunch of new cuts.

I undid his seatbelt and he fell into my lap, my own body screamed at the impact but I shoved it down. I held him close to me and he was able to inch his hand into mine. I squeezed so tight like if I held on tight enough he wouldn't be able to leave me.

He tried to hold his gaze with mine but it was in and out.

"Please Daddy doesn't leave me, don't leave me too. Please, I don't want to lose you too," I pleaded in between sobs.

No, this was not going to be my last memory with my dad, not in some random cab, in a pile of glass, bleeding on each other. No, I would not let this be how we left each other.

His eyes fluttered and I gripped his hand tighter, it wasn't as warm as it should be.

"No, please,"

I buried my head into his chest like I did when I was scared as a child.

"Not like this, please not like this,"

Then summer sun was heating up my skin, the crunching glass was now soft green grass. I picked up my head and we were now far far away from the crash.

I shook my dad till his eyes opened again.

"Look it's Mom's hiking trail, the one she forced us to every summer, and we had our picnics,"

His eyes widened at the memories and he reached his hand up and stroked my cheek.

"It's going to be okay Jade, I love y-"

His hand dropped from my cheek and his eyes rolled lifelessly. A cold stillness shot through me and the scene faltered.

"No, no, daddy, hey. Come back to me no, please..." I sobbed and shook him but he didn't blink, he didn't let out a single breath.

I buried my head into his shoulder and cried until I fell too.

My head pounded to the beat of some faint beeping. Though my eyes were closed I could tell the light was harsh, with only added to the ache in my brain.

I let out a groan and it made my throat feel like it was made of sandpaper. I moved to roll to my side but I was pulled back my arm was connected to something that didn't leave a lot of wiggle room.

I forgot about the light and headache and my eyes flew open and I tugged at whatever was restraining me.

I pulled something off my mouth and nose and took what felt like a fresh breath of air and then started to yank things from my arm and fingers- which hurt like a bitch.

That sent that beeping into a full-on alarm.

A door flew open and Ms. Giffren ran in, a group of people also in scrubs followed her in. She gave a look of relief as she saw me and then turned to the mob behind her.

"False alarm, go back to your rounds, I can handle this,"

Once they were all out Ms. Griffen came over, pushing her brown curls out of her face.

"Oh, Jade what did you do?" She asked as she looked at the tubes and monitors I'd yanked from myself.

I was finally able to process things in my head again. I was in a hospital, which meant I had been hurt.....

That sent my brain into a frenzy. Ignorant bliss was interrupted by the devastating memories of life. The car crash, the blood, and the pain. Holding my father, watching...watching him die.

"No," the word was a breath that led into historic sobbing. "No, no, no, no, no.... please no,"

I clutched my arms around myself and felt the pain throbbing in my heart. Arms enveloped me and stroked my hair.

"Jade I'm going to need you to calm down or I'm going to have to sedate you," Ms. Griffen whispered in a mothering voice.

"He's dead," I cried into her shoulder.

"I know, sweetie. I'm so sorry,"

She let me cry into her until I was able to control myself. Tears still streamed down my cheeks, but my lungs were calm enough that Ms. Griffen took sedation off the table.

"Jade I know your heart and body are in a lot of pain but there are things we have to talk about regarding your own health. You may have survived but you didn't come out unscathed." her tone was much more professional and she drew back so she could look at me.

"There was some permanent damage to your ankle, In the best-case scenario, you'll have a permanent limp, worst case you won't be able to put any weight on it. The doctors are hopefully though,"

Hopeful? Hopeful? My life had just been hit with a sledgehammer. The last few weeks had sent me into some new changes, but I could deal with those, they brought some good things with them, but this? This was nothing but dark grey grief. so no I was not hopeful.

" Other than that, you have a minor concussion, some cuts that shouldn't take too long to heal. We should be able to release you within the week,"

"How long have I - " I couldn't;t finish the sentence, I didn't want to, luckily she understood.

"A day and a half. To be honest, I wanted to keep you under longer, but I'm just your nurse, not your doctor,"

I nodded and felt the slight sting of my ankle trying to fight whatever painkiller they gave me.

"Peyton, Ryker, and Hale have been giving the staff a hard time, they haven't left the hospital since you've been admitted. They are out in the hall,"

My heart leaped, in my sorrow, I had forgotten I was not alone. No, I had siblings waiting for me, who cared about my health. Who was stirring up trouble to make sure I was being taken care of.

"Can I see them?" I asked, my voice cracking, now just realizing just how dry my throat was.

Ms.Griffen nodded and handed me a paper cup from the stand next to the bed.

"Only if you let me put back in some of the equipment," she bargained with a raised eyebrow.

I succumbed and agreed.

She stood up and went to the door and turned the doorknob, luckily she took a step back because the door flung open, and in barged my siblings, Peyton in front.

She rushed to my side and carefully wrapped her arms around me.

"You're okay! I mean they told us you were fine but for doctors, they aren't that well versed in anxiety," She huffed and started to detach from me. I gave her my best impression of a smile I could gather up and she took a step back.

"I'm fine, minor damage to my ankle, some cuts, and a little concussion. Nothing time won't heal,"

Expect maybe the ache in my heart. And maybe the end of my dancing career.

Tentivly Ryker aproched me and envolped me in a hug. I didn't let my surprise ruin the moment.

"I don't know how to help," He told me in a whisper.

I squeezed him tighter.

"This is perfect,"

I rested my head on his shoulder and opened my eyes enough to see Hale standing at the end of my bed. I knew better than to expect a hug from her, the one from Ryker was already a miracle. But the look of focus and veiled concern told me everything I need, she cared about me.

She caught my staring eyes and gave a passive nod.

Ms.Giffren finally shoo'd my siblings away from my body so I could uphold my end of our deal.

She stanized the IV needle then stuck it back in my arm which I looked away from. Then she clipped the monitor back to my finger and the machine started beeping out my heart rhythm.

She stepped back and grabbed my chart and started to scribble things down.

The door opened and Ivory walked in, looking more then concerned. She came right to my side, keeping a watchful eye of Ms.Griffin.

I was the one in the hospital bed but I was relieved to see she was okay, last I remembered no one had seen her.

She bent down to my ear.

"Jack and Mayline are freaking out. They were at the scene, It's not good Jade. They say there is a small trace of magic other than yours. They think someone caused the crash, your the only one who survived,"

My stomach coiled. So much pointless death.

I nodded and pushed the grief aside to deal with later.

"I can believe that the driver looked surprised like he was losing control. So who do they think it was?" I asked keeping my voice low.

Peyton eyed Hale tuning into the conversation while Ryker distracted his mom so we could talk.

"They are trying to pin it on Edward, but it doesn't fit. Your no good to him dead, not to mention the magic signature didn't match, which by the way is a thing,"

I rubbed my eyes and let out a long groan.

"Great so someone else with magic is trying to kill me,"

"At least our lives aren't boring," Peyton said with a forced laugh.

We all snickered and then Ms. Griffen cleared her throat.

"Not to interrupt your secretive conversation, but Jade needs her rest.

"Yeah sure thing. Just one more second," Ivory smiled and took my wrist in her hands, waiting for Ms.Griffen to look away. Then she put a metal band around wrist, matching my siblings. It gave a light shine from Ivory's own magic and then she stood and squeezed my hand.

"Feel better, I have to get back to the shit show I left at home,"

I frowned and looked back at my siblings.

"We'll be back tomorrow, get your rest," Peyton gripped my hand and we said our goodbyes.

Then I was the worst place anyone with grief and trauma could be. Alone.