1
"Hey Jade catch him when he comes around the corner, Kai you come with me!" Cole instructed hastily as he fumbles for his rope and makes a noose, preparing to lasso it over to the runner. His determined green eyes pans his environment to look for something to climb over so that he could get over to his destination quicker, which is just over to the other side of this rushing river going downstream. The runner had his advantage of being a light weight man and was athletic which lead him to have the upper hand to jump over the rushing waters, to the other side of the brook. So he still kept his course but then promptly stopped and saw the perfect tree. He then lassoed it towards a steady branch and swung over the river and caught up to the run-away.
"Not on my watch!" Cole mumbled as he saw the runner in his sights just about to escape.
"Kai! Now!" Cole hollered. Kai swiftly nodded and sped towards the runner like never before, before the man in dark clothing, could escape. With just a few hop, skip and a jump, Kai tackled the guy to the ground. Before I could go over to help out, a gunshot was fired and hit my leg as I screamed a high, pitched scream, hearing worried voices.
"JADE!" Then I blacked out.
_____________________________________________________________________________
I woke up. O PHEW IT WAS ONLY JUST A DREAM! My alarm clock rang reminding me I was to get ready for school:7:30am. Though I couldn't get rid of that dream! It was stuck there, the sign of the Dark Rose. We failed to capture him, whoever he was. I sighed. My mother didn't know of my recent involvement with the Police agency, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had let my friends down. They say it's alright that I'm just a teenager and so were they...but I'm playing an important role now! I cannot just let it slide by! If only I looked more closely at my surroundings, then we wouldn't be in this mess. UGH!
I then got ready for school. Wore my short navy skirt, black pants and black blouse with my made school logo printed onto it: Charlotte's High school, with an eagle's wings spread out. I smiled to myself remembering that day at the fair a year ago with my friends making this shirt along with their own devices. I then did my personal hygiene and such, especially my leg that was tightly bandaged only revealing a few blood spurts, now that I have my feeling nerves, somewhat, back. I then came downstairs quite grudgingly, for my breakfast. UGH! School can be so annoying!
"Good morning Jade Jennings!" Father said out loud for me to notice them because my face looked like I was sulking about something which they didn't know what. The dream I had was because I was litteraly there...I had a job...just ONE job and I blew it!
"Morning mom...dad." I smiled lightly, that I am still alive to acknowledge my parents' beautiful smiling faces.
"What's for breakfast? Mmm. Is that pancakes I smell?!" I let out happily. It was an amazing breakfast for my first day out of this house again, because I was resting for half the year, so this just made my day in the slightest.
"Oh yes it is! Hope you like it!" Mom replied back as she set the pancakes before me to eat, then left for the kitchen to cook some more. My dad was reading the daily news paper and just when I lay my eyes on it, the picture of the Dark Rose was printed onto it. My eyes slightly widen, with a shiver that ran down my spine. To make the situation lighter I tasted my food. And with only a small piece it was like heaven. BOY, it was DELICIOUS!
"Thanks mom, it tastes great!" I commented to my mother as I complimented her for the food that she made.
"You're welcome deary!" She smiled cheerily.
"How's your leg?" My father asked trying to put up a conversation.
"It's fine dad, a few more days and I'm healed."
"What happened back then?" He asked curiously behind the magazine. I knew this conversation would pop up so I said, "Oh I guess I was in the way of the shooter I was not looking to where I was going." I laughed it off. He nodded understandingly, and smiled.
HONK! HONK! THE BUS!
"Bye see you later!" I rushed, since I was finished eating by the time the bus came. I then stood up, hugged and kissed my mom and dad rushingly and dashed outside and into the bus, found a seat next to Jay, then waved back to my family sadly.
"Bye Jade have a nice day!" my mother called out to me.
It's good the window on my side was slightly dirty though, so my parents didn't see my mostly, sad face.
"Hey Jade, you ok?" Jay asked concerningly as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked down sadly at my bag that I held tight to as if it was my only teddy bear. I then looked at him: his ginger colored hair was brushed handsomely as he wore his favorite blue shirt, his freckled face was fair and bright, his concerned blue eyes filled with sympathy even in his tone of voice but his facial expressions, said otherwise.
~
The thing is, near the docks of Welmoore, near these boathouses was our main base of operations, or should I say our Police base/hideout where we would meet the other police forces. We have just gotten enrolled by Officer Wu. For us teens we solve the impossible cases of murderous scenes and The Dark Rose was one of them. All we had was a name: Harumi. But her identity was unknown.
The report was, that while a Pedestrian was walking on the passengers' road, all cars stopped to let him pass but one car - or should I say van - didn't stop but kept going. Luckily he saw what was coming and abruptly stopped walking but then cursed as the van sped by. Its plate number was GT5, its model type was a SUV, the color was Black and was quite sleek and shiny. None of the windows were down but a cigerette was flown out of the window. And from what the civillian said, it was as if it was in slow motion, a man's finger dangled out when he wanted to throw the cigerette out - well that's what he remembered - so that was our first lead. He then held out to us a napkin with something inside and indeed it was a cigerette...
~
"EARTH TO JADE! HELLOOOOOO!" Cole's hand waved in front of me.
I then snapped out of my thoughts then out of the blue I blurted out, "By the way, what did the analysts say about that ciggerette? Was there a notice?" I then looked to him- But not too loud (dont' worry).
"Oh umm, it was said it was really a man who held the pot...so yeah...you ok? 'cuz we're here."
"Oh sorry I guess I am more or trying to become more cautious and-" I rambled on but was cut off by a familiar voice.
"Hey it's not your fault." Lloyd said squeezing through the crowd, as he came up to us then Kai, Nya and lastly, Zane, as we stepped down the bus' stairs and started walking towards our school. Luckily we got there early and there was not much people there so we got lucky and there was time to discuss something if we were going to.
"Yeah! So don't punish yourself too hard- OW! My knee." Kai comforted but was cut off by something scratching his knee to the bus's door, which was the result of not looking to where you're going. I chuckled slightly. Everyone looked my way.
"THERE'S OUR JADE!" They all said in unison.
"Seriously? Just when I hurt myself? What a good friend." Kai remarked sarcastically, but laughed it off anyway.
"I know I shouldn't worry but..." I looked back down sulking again, "I had a role and I BLEW it, and almost got you in danger! And I worry so much about you, guys!" I replied while a single tear slid down my soft cheek, as I kept having those flashbacks of me not doing my job. I then vowed from then on that I will protect my friends and be there for them...
"I-I'm so sorry..." My voice cracked as I forced it out of me. Nya then came up to me and lovingly hugged me.
"Hey it's alright Jade. Kai my brother is right! *for once..."
Kai perked his head up and gave a death glare to Nya shaking his head as she smirked and resumed to what she was going to say.
"...Don't be so hard on yourself we were all careless...we didn't see them coming..."
"Yeah, so you ok now?" Zane asked comforting, but hurrying because students were coming in again, going to fill the silence with a pack of their own noise and Zane didn't want the students to ask about why I am crying. So I quickly ran to the ladies' restroom along with Nya to settle down my tears.
'I PROMISE YOU GUYS I WILL PROTECT YOU ALL WITH MY WHOLE BEING!' I vowed.
"You OK now? Or you want me to give you some time to yourself?" Nya asked sweetly.
"No, it's alright..please stay with me." I lovingly smiled until three girls came. They were the annoying or better yet, our enemies ever since freshmen year now that we were seniors things went downhill from there. One of them called Heather the leader of that group came up to us. I bet they saw me crying and followed us here.
"Wow you want her to stay with you? Thought you were never scared of anything." Heather blurted out annoyingly.
"It's none of your business Heather." Nya spoke out, anger flaring within her eyes, while clenching her teeth.
I mean, you can actually feel the tension in the air. Though Heather wasn't afraid and that was going to take time. Seeing Heather not afraid meant she had been through this a lot lately, I guess. I rolled my eyes. Like, can she just leave already? I mean what did we ever do to her?!
"Ha, you think I would back down that easily? Remember I am the principle's daughter, I can put you all in trouble so you better watch your mouths!"
I rolled my eyes again that's how she deals with people who stand up to her like what Nya did or if she was afraid of Nya, because Nya's anger could keep every person's mouth shut.
So, Heather just strutted away smirking like an idiot and walked like a proud peacock, who had just grown much more feathers for her to show to the world her superiority. To me though, it was like she was walking like a duck.
"Just leave us alone will you!" I shouted back as she left the bathroom, not caring to look at us a second glance. 'Watch your mouth' my foot. We are not her random servants or something.
"O, she gets on my nerves every time!" Nya blurted out when no one else were in ears reach, because mostly everyone would root for Heather and there would even be an army for her if anyone spoke "out of turn" against her.
"*sigh* I sometimes wonder how did we get into this school and this mess." I lowered my voice and shook my head disapprovingly, glaring at the door where Heather had left, as if I could just burn the door by my own two eyes. My wish of a power, I must say.
"Anyway, we better head back to the others. They might be waiting. You finished?" Nya replied filling the gap of tension but she still was frowning. Sighing as well.
"Oh, yeah sorry... Yeah let's go back to the others. Luckily it is late start every Monday." I sighed relieved, wiping my tears one last time. .
"Ha, tell me about it." Nya smiled again. I love it when my friends smile again. So we left the bathroom and went back out to the courts meeting the others again.
"Hey, girls took you long enough! How are you now, Jade?" Kai perked up when he saw us coming. I chuckled lightly.
"I'm fine now Kai, thank you for your concern." I said smiling.
"Wow, no one gonna ask how I was? I'm good as well, thank you very much!" Nya rolled her light brown, hate-filled eyes, sarcastically.
"Woah! What got you so worked up? Sorry for not asking!" Kai her brother, crossed his arms.
"Heather. It was all on her..." I trailed off giving the others a hint on why, then we dropped it causing the others to make 'O' shaped mouths and now focused on getting our happy Nya back.
"So, Nya wanna get some ice cream after school?" Jay asked in concern and her head perked up smiling. What a change of mood!
"Yup! Cool!" She yelped. We laughed a bit but it came to an end because the start of class came and off we went to our first class...English. My favorite class!