The Purity Project

Chapter 1

"Jada Stone! You cannot go out like that!"

Jada sighed and closed the front door. She glanced up the stairs where her mother was standing with her arms crossed. She was dressed in her office clothes, and her face was stern.

"You know the rules, young lady. All girls are supposed to wear their hair in a tight bun secured-"

"Secured with a black bobby pin. I know, Mom." Jada rolled her eyes and followed her mother to the bathroom mirror. 

Jada despised the hairstyle. It made her feel uptight, which was the exact opposite of her personality. She preferred ponytails; she loved the feeling of her hair swaying back and forth in the wind. But she had to follow the rules, because that's what a "perfect student" does.

"I can't pick you up from your volleyball practice today, so you'll have to walk home with your brother," Mrs. Stone said.

"Okay Mom." Jada watched her mother as she undid her ponytail. 

They looked so similar, her and her mother. Dark skin, coal-black curly hair, slim nose. The only difference was Jada's crystal-like, jade green eyes, which was how she had gotten her name. Jada smiled as she remembered the story. She looked back up at her mother, and her smile faded as she noticed her mother's eyes, which were glistening with tears. Jada immediately knew what was troubling her.

"Mom, don't worry about Malcolm. He might seem distant now, but he'll come around." Jada assured her.

"I know, but I just wish your father could have been here for him. Maybe then we'd feel more like a family," Mrs. Stone replied as she pushed the pin through Jada's bun.

Jada looked down, not knowing what to say. Her father had passed away from an illness when she was only four. She had always had a bond with Malcolm, but four years ago, Malcolm began to drift away from her and her mother. He started coming home late, and he'd leave for school early in the morning. Jada would stay up, praying that he would come home safe. She'd always tell her mother that he was just hanging out with friends, but she would never mention the broken glass she had found in the trash can, or the blood she had to clean off the bathroom sink.

"Bye Mom. I love you." Jada kissed her mother on the cheek, then grabbed her bag and left for school.

Jada walked down the sidewalk, counting every step she took. She would do this every morning to distract herself from her worries. She watched as a crowd of students crossed the street up ahead. She rushed over to them and scanned the crowd for a familiar face.

"Jada!" a girl with large, purple glasses frantically waved her hand in the air.

"Hey Gabby!" Jada ran over to join her friend.

"Are you coming to practice today?" Gabby asked. She was a year older than Jada, and the two of them had bonded over their love of volleyball.

"Wouldn't miss it!" Jada laughed, trying to shove away her troublesome thoughts.

                                                                                             ...

"That's a wrap! You're dismissed girls," the volleyball coach said, walking away.

Jada walked with Gabby over to the locker room, along with the rest of her team. They all chattered excitedly about their upcoming game. Jada pulled off her sweaty headband, patting her head to make sure that her bun was still in place.

"I can't wait for the game! We're going to destroy the other team!" Gabby exclaimed. She thrust her fist into the air, an ambitious look painted across her face.

"Definitely," Jada said, stuffing her practice clothes into her bag. A flash of movement caught her eye. She turned her head and saw the team captain, Ally, climbing onto a bench.

"Alright, girls. Our game is this Saturday. You can't miss it, and there are no exceptions. Remember to get lots of rest. Go Oakwood!" Ally said, clapping her hands and stomping her feet. The team cheered.

Jada had always wanted to be team captain, but as a freshmen, she was lucky to even have made the team. Ally was a senior, so another team captain would have to be selected by the end of the year to take Ally's place. Jada smiled, as she fantasized herself being selected.

"Jada, isn't your brother waiting outside for you?" Gabby's voice interrupted Jada's thoughts.

"Oh right. I almost forgot. Bye Gabby! See ya tomorrow!" Jada said, waving to her friend. She rushed out of the locker room and down the hallway. She pushed open the school doors and stopped running when she realized Malcolm wasn't waiting for her.

"Malcolm!" Jada called out for her brother. No response. She sat down on a bench, hoping that he'd show up eventually. Suddenly, Jada noticed movement in the parking lot. A boy with dark skin entered a red car. She recognized the bag that was strapped across his chest.

"Malcolm?" Jada stood up and made her way toward the car. Before she could get closer, it drove away, but she caught a glimpse of the person in the passenger seat. It was Malcolm.

Jada's heart started racing. Why didn't he walk home with her, she thought. Did he forget about her? Where was he going? She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She looked back at the school and saw the doors open. The volleyball team emerged from the building, the sound of their excited chatter carrying across the parking lot. She could walk home with them, but her curiosity got the better of her.

She ran after the car.