▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
"Hey, Joe."
Adam entered the lab, heading straight toward Joe's working space. She nodded her head in greeting, too engrossed in her laptop to actually reply. For the past few days, her focus was solely on updating and reinforcing the encryption used for the data in the Davenport Industries network. This sudden shift in her work ethic was most definitely fueled by Chase who had criticized her position and urged her to start doing something of essence.
"And Leo," Leo added, offended by being overlooked.
Adam spun around to face the boy. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, Leo. But I'm kinda here to talk to Joe."
He got a blank stare from Leo, causing him to sigh. "Alright. Guess I can find some time for you too."
Leo grinned and rose to his feet. Once positioned in the middle of the lab, he inhaled and looked back to Adam. "Attack me," he urged, encouraging Adam to do so with open arms.
Adam grimaced as if he could see straight through Leo.
"Oh, no, no, no. I know how this works. First, you tell me to attack you, I say no and then you taunt me till I snap. It's not gonna happen," he said. Leo, hellbent on enraging the boy, grabbed a water bottle and tossed it at his chest. Adam blinked at the water bottle at his feet. "Oh, it's on, little man," he yelled and moved closer to Leo.
He came to a halt when two floating metal balls appeared next to Leo. There was a whirring sound, and the next second; Adam was shot. He flew across the room, landing just next to Joe's station.
The impact caused him to groan but he sat back up in an instant. "Oh, no. The Christmas ornaments are turning against us!"
Joe laughed, her eyes finally leaving her screen and watching Adam stand. He had taken a fighting stance but lost his posture once the orbs flew away. "No need to worry, Add," she assured.
"You just got pulse-waved by my latest invention, Attack Orbs," Leo announced proudly.
"Huh?" Adam tried to look at Joe for an explanation but was disappointed when he found her typing away, concentrating as if she had never stopped.
"When they perceive a threat within five feet of me, they attack. They're mobile robotic bodyguards," Leo explained and led him toward a desk with all his blueprints and notes.
Adam didn't reciprocate his excitement. "Uh, impressive. But have you ever thought about just lifting weights or working out?"
"I designed them to protect you guys from Douglas and Krane. If I'm going to be a true inventor, I have to start making things without Big D. And if I prove myself, maybe he'll eventually let me be his business partner."
A screen on the wall lit up, presenting Eddy, who had to comment on Leo's goal, "Right, 'cause every billionaire needs an incompetent relative who brings nothing to the table."
"Speaking of," Adam mumbled to Leo as they looked in Joe's direction.
Joe, who was listening in on the conversation while working, couldn't ask what they meant as she sensed a presence looming behind her. She wasn't sure how long they had been standing there but she sure as hell knew they were invading her personal space right now.
The person's breath tickled her neck and before she could lunge her elbow into their stomach, they had reached around her and pointed to a line of code.
"This doesn't seem very efficient. You should know better than using such a technique. Hackers will have a field day."
Joe sighed and turned in her chair to face Chase, "Do you have something useful to contribute or are you just gonna tear down everything I have done and say it's wrong?" She scoffed and leaned back over her laptop. "I just started. I know it's not perfect yet."
"How is it supposed to be secure if the beginning's already full of mistakes?"
"Chase!" Adam exclaimed, pulling his brother's attention from Joe. "Why are you attacking Leo?"
"What?"
Taking advantage of Chase's confusion, Adam grabbed and pushed him toward Leo.
The orbs emerged almost instantly with Leo waving teasingly at him. Before Chase could react, he was shot. Just like Adam, he landed next to Joe's station, grunting and eliciting laughter from the others.
Joe shot them a grateful smile, mouthing 'Thank you'.
"Awesome," Adam laughed and high-fived Leo. However, the orbs hadn't disappeared yet and fired at him, making him land next to Chase. Although his voice was laced with strain, Adam let out a chuckle and shouted, "Do it again!"
Joe, who had already risen and was on her way to give Leo a fist bump, retracted her arm quickly, lacing her hands behind her back.
She stepped next to him instead, keeping her distance. "You know, my offer still stands."
"As does my rejection, thanks."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
A whistle made Jordyn look up from the tablet in her hands. It was Scott's as he had asked her to help with his announcement. He had prepared a presentation on the upcoming contest, mainly to show off, and she got roped into it somehow.
"Listen up, guys. It's time for Tech Town's annual design-your-own-app contest!" Scott shouted across the store.
Jordyn found the timing rather odd as they had customers and should rather tend to them. But she also knew how important the whole contest was to Scott so she didn't bother. It wasn't like she could change his mind anyway.
Bree headed toward her coworkers and settled next to Joe. "Does the fun ever end around here?" Bree asked, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"Yeah. Usually when you show up," Scott sassed, one of his obnoxious laughs following. Joe had to stifle a laugh, not wanting to upset her friend. Her face fell, however, as Chase joined in on Scott's laughter, seemingly copying it.
"Don't do my laugh," Scott shut him down. At this, Bree and Joe exchanged an amused smile. When Joe looked back to the manager, he gave her a nod, which was her sign to show the next slide with the important information.
"All entrants have 24 hours to upload their app to our website. Whoever has the most downloads by Friday wins a $500 gift card." He put his foot on the counter, showing off his socks and pulled out the gift card. "And, please, apply yourselves this year, I am so sick of winning," he grinned, nodding again.
Jordyn sighed and put on the next slide, which showed Scott winning the year before. She swiped repeatedly, every single slide showing off Scott's previous winning apps with a photo of him, his socks prominent every single time.
The crowd dispersed afterward, Scott leaving as well. Chase held him back, however, "Don't you worry, Scott. I'm definitely going to app-ply myself!"
Scott came to a halt, waving his hand to signal him to stop, "Uh, no more tech puns. A lady complained to corporate."
Bree chuckled, "That was me."
"Chase, no offense, but you're clearly out of your league. You're never gonna outshine the master." Scott did some weird gestures and looked behind Chase for Jordyn's approval. She nodded with a grin and a thumbs up.
"The master? You clearly have no idea who you're dealing with," Chase snickered.
Scott was taken aback, stumbling over his words. "How could you turn on me like this? I was your idol."
"Yeah. Well, now you're my competition."
Scott put his hands on his hips, standing straighter to appear taller, "Sounds like you're challenging me. And no one challenges me." He paused, and Chase followed his mannerisms. "Except my mom. She's my ride," Scott admitted. There was another pause before he continued again, "And maybe Jody. Because...she's Jody." Then, he whirled around and left, without looking back. Not even at Jordyn, who was utterly confused.
Chase looked at the girls behind him and turned to face them. His gaze lingered on Jordyn and he crossed his arms. "I'm gonna win this and you have absolutely no chance of beating me," he challenged.
Jordyn nodded, smiling. "You're right. You'll beat me."
"I'm gonna-," Chase widened his eyes and let his arms fall, shocked by her admission of defeat. "Wait, what?"
"I said, you're right. You'll beat me. Because I'm not taking part in the contest," she shrugged.
He raised his brow suspiciously, "But why? It's not like you to not compete."
"Because you know me so well, huh? Nah, never mind. I don't want to get into that." She gave him a pointed look before continuing. "It's just Scott. He'll win, I can tell you already. He wins every time. It doesn't matter how good your app will be, he'll find some loophole to guarantee his victory. Last year, I applied myself to compete and, not taking into account how he wanted to guilt-trip me into giving up, he overshadowed my app by promoting his app wherever and whenever he could. His app was across all screens while mine was on a few phone screens," she recounted the events, not letting on how emotional the topic was for her.
At the time, she wanted to prove herself by applying herself and demonstrating to everyone that she could and would excel in a career in the field. After Scott's victory, she had to fight with serious self-doubts and she was very close to giving up on her dream of making a name for herself in the tech world. However, once Scott got wind of it, he apologized profusely and assisted her in any way he could.
It's bittersweet how his sabotage strengthened their bond.
"You should have complained to the corporate or something," Bree said.
"It was technically fair and didn't go against any rules or guidelines so I couldn't complain about it. Believe me, I tried." She sighed and replaced her frown with a soft smile. "Anyway, I got lots to do for Mr. Davenport regarding the lab's security. So I wouldn't have had the time either way."
Chase snorted, "That's true. It'll take you a very long time to do something right with how you're working now."
Before the situation could escalate due to Joe's reply, Bree pulled her away by her arm. "Not today. Not here. We've got boxes to sort."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
"Okay, you ready?"
Joe hummed and closed her laptop, signaling that he had her full attention. Adam cleared his throat and corrected his posture.
They were down in the lab together, as Joe had retreated there after school. It had quickly become one of her favorite places. Normally, music soothed Jordyn in her room but after a few hours, it always became a distraction to her because she found herself focusing more on the lyrics or beat than her work. The lab, on the other hand, harbored the sounds of devices whirring and buzzing. It relaxed the girl and helped her concentrate on her tasks. However, her room provided privacy, whereas the lab may be invaded at any time. Both her favorite places had their pros and cons but as Jordyn felt sociable, she had opted for the lab today. That's how Adam had found her to finally show her his acting skills.
"Ma'am, you're standing in it," Adam recited. As he was so fixated on his line, he did not notice his strained facial expression, which consisted of deeply furrowed brows, narrowed eyes and a slight pout.
Once she made sure he was done, Joe stood up and clapped with all her might. She let out a whistle and hollered while Adam bowed dramatically. Soon, they were both laughing at the silliness of the situation.
"So how was I?" Adam asked when their laughs faded.
"Great. I really felt the emotional turmoil in your character," she teased with a grin and poked his side. He chuckled lightly and avoided her hand. "No, but for real. Just work on your expression, Add. I could see how hard you were trying to get it right, so try to relax and enjoy the moment. Once you accomplish that, I'll see you in Hollywood."
Adam nodded, noting her criticism and thinking of how to improve. He pulled her in a short hug. "Thanks. You'll be at the play, right?"
"I wouldn't dare miss your big debut. I'll be in the first row to cheer you on. Maybe I'll take my video camera with me so I can act like a proud mom recording you, my son." She reached up and tousled his hair, which made him groan and slap her hand away. Joe chuckled and watched Adam fix his hair in the reflection of a machine. "You know, I'm proud of you for venturing into something new, Add. It's nice to see you enjoying yourself."
They exchanged a meaningful smile.
Soon enough, the squeak of sneakers against the lab flooring disrupted the tranquility.
Leo came running at them. Slightly out of breath, he slumped forward and rested his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
"Wow, is the house on fire or why are you running willingly?" Joe asked, voice laced with amusement.
"Ignore her. What she meant to ask is, you can run? How often did you trip on the way here?" Adam nudged Joe with a chuckle.
As they looked at Leo, he had a bored look on his face.
When he glanced at Joe, his demeanor changed to one of incredulity. "Hold on a damn minute. You are no better. You are even less athletic than I am!"
Joe twisted her face, feeling busted. "Mierda," she mumbled and crossed her arms. "Whatever, why did you run here?"
"Remember my attack orbs?" Adam and Joe nodded. "Well, they are the best thing ever. It was in gym class. I was nonchalantly flirting with Janelle and-"
"You call that nonchalantly flirting? I saw it with my own eyes, and there was nothing nonchalantly or flirting about it," Adam corrected for Joe.
"Anyway. After you and Janelle left, Trent approached me and went for a hug. Yeah, awkward, I know. But then, my attack orbs appeared and shot him. He was shouting and fell on the floor and everything," Leo explained enthusiastically.
Adam clapped his hands, "Oh, I wish I had stuck around to watch."
"No way! That's too good," Joe laughed and held up her hand for a high-five but pulled back when she remembered what happened to Adam when they high-fived. "Wait, do they still attack whoever touches you?"
Leo went for the high-five and his hand froze in the air. He shrugged, "Maybe, I don't actually know." Then, a grin plastered across his face. "Let's find out!"
"Nope," she took a cautionary step back and pulled Adam with her, just in case. "You should work on that. It's a very dangerous tool if not dealt with correctly. You could seriously injure someone without wanting to. Try redefining what's perceived as a danger in the source codes."
Leo nodded, accepting her concern. "Thanks for the input. However, I'm taking it from here. I appreciate your offer to help but I want to do this by myself."
"Sure, I get it. It feels better when you accomplish something by yourself. But don't shy away from asking for help if necessary. I won't push any further, though," Joe assured. She walked back to the desk where her laptop sat and sighed. "Actually, I relate to this so much right now. Chase is constantly on my neck about my programming and I'm sick of it. Every time I try something risky or new, he appears behind me, ready to criticize all my hard work. I-"
Joe cuts herself off when she hears someone enter the lab.
Chase had a pep in his step and placed himself next to Leo. With a wide grin, he held up his phone. "Guys, I just made the best thing ever. It's an app, which scans any item and lists the elemental makeup of its molecular structure. I call it... Structure Scan. Exciting, isn't it?"
Adam yawned, "Exciting for weird nerds. Or old people."
"Or people who don't know what fun and excitement are," Leo added.
"In conclusion, you," Joe smirked and pointed at Chase.
He rolled his eyes, "You have no idea. This will secure my win for sure."
"Wait, that's your submission for the contest at Tech Town? Oh boy, Scott doesn't even have to lift a finger to beat you. His app is fun and a hundred times better than whatever it is you made," she told him. Joe pulled out her phone to show him Scott's game. She was the first one to download it and she had to admit, it was addicting.
"Shit-talking my app won't make you better at programming, you know?"
Joe looked around, confused. "We weren't even talking about my programming skills. Which, for your information, are one of the best."
Chase scoffed, "Oh please. You're telling me how boring my app is but you could never make anything remotely close to it."
"I wouldn't make anything remotely close to it because I would make something so much better. My apps are out of the league of whatever it is you produced there."
"In your dreams."
A ping broke through the tension, making everyone look at Adam, who looked down at his phone. He winced at the glares being directed toward him and pointed at the elevator.
"I'm sorry. They need me at rehearsal." Adam glanced at Joe, unsure of how to handle the situation.
He didn't want to leave her here, arguing with Chase. That would end in chaos. But Janelle didn't allow any outsiders at their rehearsals, so he couldn't take her with him. His contemplation was interrupted by Joe herself.
"Don't worry about me. Go," she stated firmly.
Adam nodded, gave her an apologetic look and left.
Leo stayed. Although, he didn't dare say anything so Jordyn and Chase returned to their previous argument.
"No seas gilipollas. You may think I'm bad at what I do but obviously Mr. Davenport disagrees. Otherwise, he wouldn't have offered me the internship. I don't need to prove myself to you or any other little scumbag who thinks they are better than me," Jordyn glared at Chase, her hands clenched into fists. // Don't be an ass.
Leo was sure if looks could kill both of them would be dead by now.
Chase clenched his jaw, his breathing turning ragged.
He raised his voice, "You're correct. You don't have to prove yourself. By now everyone with half a brain can see your failure, just admit it. You don't deserve the position you were given. You're undeserving! Undeserving!"
"You have absolutely no right to judge. You stick your nose in my business without any consideration. I just started, I'm nowhere near finished. Your claims are outrageous and absolutely unfair!"
"Pathetic. You would do us all a favor by just giving up-,"
"Shut up! You... you... clatty, doolally nyaff!"
"You bossy... stupid... idiot."
"Ye're a wee dobber."
"Cursing me in another accent or language won't change anything. I know all the languages out there. Ha! You idiot."
"Que te folle un pez!" // Fuck you
Their argument developed into a loud screaming match. They got up in each other's faces. Insults and accusations were thrown around carelessly. Every remark was designed to puncture deeper than the last. Accents and languages switching so fast, no one could keep up. Neither noticed Leo disappear and re-enter with Mr. Davenport, who was enraged by what he had to discover.
"Enough!"
The shouts ceased in an instant.
Mr. Davenport drew Chase and Jordyn's attention, but they quickly returned to glaring daggers at each other. Their breaths brushed against each other, their faces only a few inches apart.
Jordyn's throat burned and her vocal cords were strained as she had screamed her lungs out.
Both teenagers took deep breaths after forgetting to do so while fighting.
"I cannot believe I have to break up such a fight between two of what I thought to be my brightest minds. You were supposed to work together, not disagree on everything there is. I'm disappointed. In both of you."
Chase stepped back, Jordyn following. They shifted their gaze away from one other to the ground. Their anger was still visible on their features, but it was joined by another emotion.
Shame.
Chase opened his mouth, but Mr. Davenport held up his hand, "I don't want to hear anything. From either of you. I want both of you to think about what you have done. What have you gained from your grudge? If I find out that you're arguing behind my back there will be consequences."
Mr. Davenport saw Chase's slight smirk and his scowl deepened, "And don't believe I'm going to let you off the hook just because I raised you, Chase. You're both to blame and neither gets to be glorious. This is my first and only warning."
With that, he left. Leo gave them a last glance before following.
"Pendejo," Jordyn muttered, her voice scratchy, mirroring Chase's, "Witch."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
After the incident, Jordyn had quickly gathered all her belongings and left the lab. Chase and she had struck an unspoken agreement to ignore each other's presence, and she was fine with that.
She visited Leo's room, not wanting to be alone, and the two of them spent some time playing video games together. Joe sensed a tinge of uneasiness in the air but chose not to engage with it.
Leo fidgeted with his controller every time there was a loading screen, and therefore some silence. He wanted to ask how she felt but understood she needed some time to let it sink in.
There was also a sense of guilt. He was sitting next to Joe, but how was Chase? Chase was his stepbrother, and he had known him for far longer than the girl in his room. Shouldn't he be checking in with him right now?
He swallowed his distress and chose to enjoy the moment. There was still time to comfort Chase afterward. It was Joe who actively sought him out and he wasn't going to leave her hanging just because they weren't friends for long.
"Wanna grab a snack?"
Leo's question shattered the tension in the room and Jordyn felt herself take a deep breath before nodding. She got up from the beanbag and extended her hand to help him rise.
Together, they entered the living area where Tasha was setting the table.
"Hey, Mom."
"Hey, Tasha."
"Don't 'hey, mom' me, mister," Tasha stopped the boy but gave Joe a short smile. "I got a call from the school saying you tormented the gym teacher with some crazy devices. What have I told you about taking things like that to school?"
"Well, technically, I didn't take them to school," Leo explained.
"Oh, so they just showed up on their own?"
"Exactly. We good here?" Leo tried to pass but she held him back once again, by pulling on his hood.
"Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh. We're not finished," Tasha said, her finger raised in a warning gesture. "We're not finished." She gestured between them.
Meanwhile, Joe had walked to the kitchen and observed the conversation from the counter, eating a yogurt. As soon as she saw Tasha touch her son, her eyes widened. "Oh no", she mumbled to no one in particular.
Her worries became reality when the orbs appeared next to Leo.
"Oh. No, no, no, no, no, no," he repeated.
Tasha eyed the floating orbs. Slightly panicked, she asked, "Are these the devices?"
"Mom, stay 5 feet away from me," Leo ordered.
The tone didn't please Tasha and she took another step toward him.
"Excuse me, you do not tell me what to do. I will stand wherever-"
Her sentence faded into a scream as the orbs fired at her. She was thrown across the room, colliding with the wall and landing on the floor.
"Mom!" Leo screamed and ran to her, eyes wide in shock.
Joe quickly turned to the freezer, searching for an ice pack of sorts. She could hear Eddy's teasing, "It's about time somebody invented something useful around here."
She hurried toward the two and handed Tasha a bag of frozen peas. Together, they carried her onto the couch.
Tasha held the peas to the back of her head and looked at her son. "What just happened?"
"How much do you remember?"
"Leo!"
Joe nudged him to tell her the truth and he sighed.
"Okay, the orbs I invented shot you across the room because they can't tell the difference between a real threat and a Mom threat." Tasha gave him a pointed look and he rushed, "I'm not saying you're not threatening. You're scary."
"I want you to get rid of them. Now!"
"You know..." Joe started, still wanting to help the boy.
Leo snapped, "I'm good."
She raised her hands in surrender and glanced at Eddy's screen, which lit up.
"Good news, Tasha! You went viral!"
They saw a replay of Tasha being blasted across the room, over and over again. Leo pulled out his phone while Tasha let out a screech. They all leaned over the phone and saw the video trending already.
"I don't know why you're so upset. You're gonna knock Puppy Farts right out of the top spot."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Jordyn had gone to work the next day. She was grateful for her shift since it allowed her to divert her attention away from the conflict the day before.
Scott had accompanied her and bragged about his anticipated victory. While breaking boxes in the storage area, Jordyn listened. After she exhausted every possible variation of sounding interested, Scott walked to the front to annoy her coworkers.
Jordyn only heard snippets of what was going on in the store. Although, once she recognized Chase's voice, she decided to investigate.
"Say hello to your new BFF, Cheddy. The virtual assistant who does everything. Hello, Cheddy. What's going on tonight?"
She caught a glimpse of 'Cheddy' on his screen and was baffled by the audacity of this boy. Despite all the shit he gave her because she supposedly was too bad at programming anything, was he really claiming Mr. Davenport's creation as his own?
Jordyn watched Bree argue with her brother and contemplated backing her up. This idea was quickly scrapped as she had sworn to herself to simply disregard his existence. With this, she turned away, walking back to where she came from.
She didn't even notice how Bree's gaze lingered on her retreating figure, nor the confusion the brunette felt. Usually, Joe would have taken any chance to reprimand Chase's behavior, but now she just turned a blind eye to it.
Bree made a mental note to have a talk with her later.
Unfortunately, the backroom didn't provide Jordyn with the distraction she so desperately needed. Soon, Scott invaded her space and complained about Chase and Cheddy; How stupid he was and how he couldn't believe he was losing to that.
Jordyn put away the boxes she was destroying and sat down, patting the seat next to her. The next few minutes were spent comforting her friend. "There's still a chance," she assured, full-heartedly believing her own words.
"That's a lie. You're just trying to make me feel better," Scott grumbled, his shoulders limp.
She objected with a headshake. Little did he know, she had already texted Mr. Davenport and innocently asked if he had given Chase permission to use Eddy. The man was outraged upon finding out about Chase's actions and promised to be there as soon as possible.
"I'm sure everything'll turn out fine. However, I'm off now. My dad should be here any minute to pick me up," Jordyn stood up and grabbed her backpack.
Scott groaned and rose from his seat, "I guess I have to face the shame of losing. Ugh, I can't believe I'm losing to something named Cheddy. At least say hey to Craig for me."
They stepped outside, side to side, and Jordyn noticed the figure entering the store. Bree seemed to notice as well, as she pointed toward Mr. Davenport. She then caught the smug expression of her friend and they exchanged a smirk.
"You got this," Jordyn assured one last time and walked out of the store, ignoring a glare from a person she definitely didn't want to face.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
"Good evening, Miss. Your transport arrived," her father greeted from inside the car, the windows rolled down.
"Greetings, good Sir."
Jordyn climbed into the car's backseat and opened her backpack next to her.
"How was work?" Craig asked, watching Jordyn through the rearview mirror.
"Meh. The contest is messing with the mood a bit. I'm alright. Although Scott isn't," she said while not looking up. She was too busy rummaging through her backpack.
Craig chuckled. "When's he ever?"
"He says hello, by the way."
"Glad he remembered. But Jody?"
The girl looked up to her father, a dress in hand and a questioning expression on her face. "Yes?"
"Can you buckle up so we can finally get moving?"
"Oh, right. Sorry," she apologized and did as told.
Craig started the motor and got on the road. The school wasn't far, only a ten-minute ride away. The father and daughter engaged in a pleasant conversation about Jordyn's car, which should get checked out. However halfway through the ride, Craig heard the unbuckling of a seatbelt.
"Jody, are you mad?"
"D'you really expect me to turn up in my work clothes? Nuh-uh. Keep your eyes on the road and we're good," she told him.
Craig listened and didn't look back but he worried nonetheless. When he saw her removing her belt from the corner of his eye, he scoffed, "Hackit hell! Are ye seriously changing right now? Yer aff yer heid! // You're crazy!"
"Why d'ye think I got into the backseat, not the front, as usual?" Her voice was briefly muffled by the dress she was putting on.
"Couldn't ye jus' wait 'til we got thir?"
Jordyn huffed a little when trying to get out of her pants. "It would be too late. People would already see me and I won't let myself be seen in a bright green shirt by anyone."
"Blimey, Jody. You do realize people see you in the shirt at work, right?" He asked incredulously.
She fake-gagged and shook with disgust. "Don't remind me, please." Adjusting the dress, she wiggled a little and let out a triumphant laugh. "Good news! I'm finished."
"Good. Now, please- Jordyn!"
Before Craig could finish his sentence, his daughter was climbing over the console to the front seat. She quickly fastened her seatbelt and grinned at her father. "You were saying?"
"Sometimes I wonder how ye don't get in trouble more often," he said with a head shake.
They drove into the parking lot of the school and Jordyn grabbed her father's arm. "Before we go in there, here are some ground rules for today."
Craig chuckled, "What. Are you embarrassed to be seen with your father? Is this the point at which you say you'd like to be let out a few meters from school? If so, I'll have to disappoint you because it's too late."
"No, it's about Adam. The play means a lot to him so, whatever happens, be as enthusiastic and supportive as possible. But not too much, because he'll figure out you're lying and become self-conscious."
"Sure. I can do that. Anything else?"
"Bring my car to the shop for me, please?" Jordyn asked with a big innocent smile.
The father shook his head with a sigh. "You've been putting it off for ages, Jody. And I've already told you; your car, your responsibility."
"Worth a try," she shrugged and unbuckled, "Thanks, that'd be it. Come on, now. I can see Leo and Tasha."
They got out of the car and approached the mother-son-duo. Everyone exchanged a short wave and smile.
Tasha seemed surprised at Craig's presence and voiced her confusion, "Craig! I didn't know you were coming today."
He chuckled, "I'm here, of course. Adam's performance is a must-see. After a few busy months, I requested not to be on call for the evening and they were more than glad to let me leave."
Tasha nodded but turned to Jordyn, "Do you know about the others? If I'm not mistaken, Bree, Chase and you all had a shift at Tech Town. Donald said he'd pick them up after looking into something that occurred but I can't get a hold of him."
"Oh, don't bother. There are some issues and they'll probably be late."
"Are they okay?" Leo asked, sharing his mother's worry.
Jordyn nodded. "Yes, they are. It's about the contest. I'll tell you later, Leo."
"The play is about to start. Let's get inside, shall we?" Craig invited them by holding the doors and they followed inside.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
The play was just like Jordyn imagined, boring beyond all else. She had pulled out her phone and texted Bree, but she received no reply. Then, she tried Leo. When he didn't answer, she leaned forward to look past her father and Tasha, only to find him asleep.
Jordyn sighed but couldn't blame him. It would most likely be her if she hadn't drunk five cups of coffee.
"Go smallpox! Come on, people, got to get your hips into it."
Leo's shout gained the room's attention and Jordyn shook her head in embarrassment. She was grateful for Tasha pulling her son down to sit and directed a pointed look at her father, who stifled a chuckle.
Then, Adam entered the stage but her excitement fell when he didn't remember his line and shouted, "Line!"
"Oh, Adam," she mumbled. Jordyn knew how much this role meant to him and the stress seemed to mess with him. She was already prepared to comfort him later.
The curtain soon fell, indicating a break. Janelle was heard yelling about the play continuing in 10 minutes. It was for the best, Jordyn thought.
The group stood up to get some refreshments in the hall. While Tasha and Craig conversed near the doors, Leo and Joe leaned at the table.
"So, the others bailed," Leo deduced from their absence.
"Here's the thing. When I left Tech Town, Chase was about to get lectured by Donald."
"Lectured?"
Joe took a sip of the water and hummed. "Chase must have realized that the Structure Scan app wasn't it, because he introduced another app."
"Did he throw a tantrum because no one downloaded it?" He teased.
"No, no. It was actually a big hit. But there was a problem." Leo rolled his eyes and gestured for her to continue. "The app he presented was the so-called 'Cheddy' app. Derived from Eddy. To win the contest, he passed off Donald's creation as his own," Jordyn recounted with a grin.
"No way! But what's takin' so long? Big D would've given Chase a speech, made a remark about how awesome he is, and then moved on. D'you think it has to do with, you know, your fight?"
Joe sighed. She knew he would bring it up eventually and she knew she should talk to someone about it. He was probably the best person to talk to about it since he was the only one who had seen the full extent of the argument. Nevertheless, she wanted to evade the topic.
Leo became aware that he had hit a sore spot. He regretted bringing up the fight because the silence had taken over. But he saw more than restriction; he saw something that wanted to break free. As a result, he guided her.
"How do you feel after the thing with Chase?"
A mere shrug was the response. Jordyn's eyes fell to the floor and found a sudden interest in the floor cracks. Leo waited. He gave her time. He knew she wanted to speak and she would, so he waited until she collected herself.
"It was inevitable. He didn't like me from the very beginning. I-"
She cut herself off and sighed. Her words struck her like a ton of bricks. It was bound to happen. She knew she didn't stand a chance from the moment they met. He never gave her the chance she deserved.
Deserved.
What a funny word.
It felt different after being used so violently against her.
Suddenly, something occurred to Jordyn. She looked up at Leo, who had a pitiful expression on his face. Ignoring it, she asked, "At first, after Donald offered me the internship, I was in your bad books. What changed?"
Leo contemplated his answer for a second. It wasn't a conscious decision he made so it was hard for him to respond.
"I'm not sure. I just didn't let my first impression influence my further judgment. I mean, I was suspicious of you because the last person we let in our group was a complete disaster. The internship thing didn't help your case. But after spending more time with you and recognizing that in the instance of the internship, I should be mad at Big D and not you, I've met a pretty cool person to hang out with."
She softly smiled and they let his words sink in. "Thanks."
Jordyn was relieved to have Leo with her at this time. He was a delight to be around and she appreciated the way he dealt with the situation. She understood his desire to help, but she wasn't ready to open up just yet. Not when she hadn't fully sorted her own thoughts on the subject.
Eager to move on, Joe smirked. "So, how are the orbs?"
Leo chuckled and replied with a headshake, "I'd rather not talk about it."
They nodded in unison, enjoying the calm for some time. It wasn't awkward. It wasn't anything, really. But they were content.
"Thank you."
Leo met her gaze and smiled, slightly confused.
"What for?" He asked.
She shrugged, "Nothing in particular. I guess, for just being."
He chuckled, "Thank you, too."
They exchanged another smile and she nodded toward the gym doors. "Let's go back."
Joe took the lead and entered the gym but after some steps, she noticed Leo wasn't following her anymore. When she turned around, she came face to face with Trent's massive back. Looking around him, she locked eyes with Leo who shook his head, indicating for her to move on. Joe's eyes lingered on him for a second but she did go back to her place and sit down next to her father.
As soon as the lights dimmed, Tasha looked around for her son but turned to Joe when she didn't catch sight of him.
"Jordyn, where's Leo?"
The girl tore her gaze away from her phone and looked back to the doors, which were blocked by Trent. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the parents.
"I'll be right back. He must have forgotten the time."
With that, Jordyn stood up and walked up to the gym teacher. She couldn't quite comprehend how no one reacted to the man's suspicious behavior at the door. Especially as Leo's banging against the doors was very much audible in the last row.
Before she could reach Trent, he noticed her and stepped away from the doors, knowing Jordyn would want to assist Leo.
As a result, Leo barged through the doors and fell to the ground because of the sheer force.
The abrupt noise caused everyone to turn around, and the majority gave them dirty stares. Trent, on the other hand, began to celebrate and cheer, "Ha! Totally fell for it!" He performed a small, very awkward-to-watch dance and wouldn't shut up.
Until the orbs appeared at Leo's sides.
Joe was going to reach out to help him up but backed away as she noticed them. Trent froze, a grimace on his face, as he knew what was to follow. "Oh no. Oh, the flying balls of doom."
Leo's expression worried Joe. He was supposed to be the one in control yet he seemed just as confused as everyone else. "How'd they get out?" He questioned no one in particular.
Trent, desperate to get away, pushed his way through the crowd, sending the guests into a panic. Everyone jumped to their feet and dashed into the hall or hid behind the chairs.
In the meantime, the orbs began firing at Trent, who was moving around. Everything he took cover behind was demolished, therefore destroying the play.
Leo and Joe stood by the doors and watched. Her instincts told her to keep close to him since the orbs wouldn't fire at Leo if they were there to protect him. Trent's calls for help for Leo jolted him out of his daze, and he turned to face Joe, who just shrugged. There was nothing she could do, and he recognized it as well. Leo sprinted to Adam while she hid behind a chair.
"Adam, help!"
"No, you help. Go ask someone what my line is," he replied, not acknowledging the situation around him.
Leo stared at him, completely bewildered by his ignorance, before searching the crowd for Joe to point at Adam in shock. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, sharing his distress. Whatever plan she devised, it was too late. On such short notice, there was no means to reprogram the orbs, no way to deactivate them, nothing. She felt utterly useless and banged her head on the chair's back in frustration.
"Leo, do something!" Tasha yelled.
"Working on it, Mom."
With astonished eyes, everyone watched as Leo leaped onto one of the orbs and was carried through the room on it. People were increasingly more frightened, and screams could be heard all throughout.
"Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry. Get out the way," he repeated to the people below.
When Leo moved toward the stage, Janelle seized the opportunity and stepped forward. "You're ruining my play," she complained.
"I am flying around on a metal ball. Can we please not turn on each other right now?" Leo snapped. Suddenly, realization overtook him. "That's it. I can make them turn on each other."
He whirled around and pointed the orbs at each other, letting go and ducking down to avoid being hit. They detected the threat, opened fire, and exploded. Some of the burned pieces flew through the room, with one landing a few seats away from Joe. Cautiously, everyone got to their feet.
"Good job, Leo," she said and walked up to the boy, patting his shoulder.
At this moment Mr. Davenport, Bree and Chase ran into the gym, looking confused at the destruction around them. "What did we miss?" Mr. Davenport asked innocently.
However, Adam attracted all their attention when he gasped. Smiling, he recited his line, "Ma'am, you're standing in it."
As the audience began to applaud, he bowed. Joe chuckled and clapped and roared loudly with her father.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Unsurprisingly, the play was canceled and rescheduled. The group of now eight went outside into the chilly nighttime air. Craig laid an arm around his daughter and pressed her to his side. "Does stuff like this happen often? You're too relaxed to experience something like this the first time."
Jordyn chuckled lightly and nodded, "Pretty regularly. But don't worry, I know not to run head-first into danger."
Her father cracked up laughing. "Yeah, I know you. And I trust you, Jody. So, when you're in danger, continue to avoid being stupid."
She joined in his laughter and promised, "I may not stay away from trouble, but I'll stay smart about it."
As Craig began a conversation with Donald, Jordyn let her gaze wander. This is when she noticed Chase staring at her. When she tried to turn away, he coughed, forcing her to maintain eye contact. She furrowed her brows, questioning his intentions. He just gave her a nod and motioned her to follow him into the parking lot. She shook her head, signaling she had no desire to talk to him. He did not allow her to dismiss him and repeated the motion. She rolled her eyes and averted her gaze.
Clenching his jaw, Chase took a breath and calmed himself. He couldn't lose his cool in front of Mr. Davenport, but he needed to find out if she called the man on him. He wanted to be sure he wasn't imagining things and had another reason to dislike her.
Chase made his way over to Jordyn, who didn't waver from her father's side. Once he stood directly across from her, he demanded her attention by snapping his fingers in front of her face. "We need to talk."
Jordyn turned her attention to the boy in front of her and snarled, "There's nothing for us to talk about."
"But there is, so follow me." He was about to turn, but her voice stopped him.
"No."
"No?"
"I think you've made yourself very clear yesterday," Jordyn stated coolly.
Chase rolled his eyes, "It's not about yesterday. Stop being dramatic and follow me. I don't want you to flip out in front of Mr. Davenport."
"I do not wish to speak to you anymore, so leave."
Craig was saying goodbye to everyone and turned toward his daughter. "Let's go home."
Jordyn nodded in agreement but was held back by Chase's hand around her wrist. "Please." He mumbled.
Her father noted the action and raised his brow, but didn't dwell on it. "I'm gonna wait in the car. Hurry up." He left the teens and Jordyn let out an exasperated breath, which blew a few strands from her face.
"Look, Chase. I don't want to talk to you. Not today, not tomorrow, not any day. It's truly outrageous of you to believe I'll let you treat me like this. One day you're telling me you want nothing to do with me and wish I wasn't in your life, and the next you're desperately trying to talk to me. I'm not doing that shit. I don't even care what it is you want to talk about. I'm over this flip-flopping. Bye." She spun around and loudly announced her goodbye, running to the car where her father was waiting on her.
The Davenport family waved at the car and made their way to their own. Chase's gaze lingered on the spot where Jordyn stood a few seconds ago and he stuck his hands in his pockets. He felt bad. And he didn't understand why. It was what he wanted, no interaction with her, not having her in his life. But her declaration hurt him somehow. Why?
Probably because he would have to endure her either way as she was such good friends with the rest of his family. That must be it, he told himself. Also, the fact she involved herself in his life even though she preached the opposite.
But he wouldn't let this hurt him.
He shook his head to banish her from his thoughts. She didn't deserve his distress.
Deserve.
He grimaced at the word. Was he maybe too harsh? Jordyn was right. To a degree. Chase was in no place to judge if she deserved something or not.
"You comin', Chase?" Leo lagged behind the family to not leave Chase behind.
Chase sighed and nodded, following the others into the car.
He has made a mistake. A very big one.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
The next days were filled with stolen glances, going unnoticed by the respective other. Chase looked for a way to catch the girl by herself. Unfortunately for him, she was never alone, and whenever she actually was, she was nowhere to be found. Jordyn was well aware of Chase's hunt for her, so she kept his position in mind at all times; an escape plan in the back of her head, fleeing as soon as the others left. She knew she couldn't run indefinitely, but she hoped that if he saw her disinterest, he'd reconsider and let her have her peace.
One day, Chase returned home after a shift at Tech Town. He'd noticed that the schedule had undergone some drastic changes, coincidentally Jordyn switched all of her shifts that she'd previously shared with him.
He plopped down on the couch with a dramatic sigh, no one in sight.
"This is just depressing to watch," Eddy's voice sounded through the empty living area. Chase jumped in fright and rolled his eyes when he recognized the teasing.
"Shut up, Eddy."
"Oh, that's just plain rude. Will you be nicer to me if I tell you who's down in the lab? Alone, might I add."
This made Chase's ears perk up and he slowly asked, "Is it the person I think it is?"
"In the flesh," Eddy answered. His screen shifted to live footage from the lab. Fortunately for Chase, Jordyn was engrossed in her work at one of the stations.
He leaped to his feet but hesitated when doubt overcame him. "Wait, why are you telling me this? You don't help people. You exist to annoy us."
"Ohh, you're right. I'm not helping you. Silly, little Jodster asked me to inform her of your arrival but seemed to forget I don't do favors. And your arguments make for great entertainment. So, go yell at her!"
Chase furrowed his brows in concern but took off anyway.
Before going in, he contemplated his entrance. Should he run in and overwhelm her into hearing him out? Or should he sneak in and block the exits?
Opting for the second plan, he tip-toed inside and made his way behind Jordyn. That way, she couldn't walk around him and would be forced to listen. Only a short distance separated them and Chase was about to speak up when the lab doors shut behind them, trapping the two teenagers within.
Jordyn whirled around in response to the loud noise. She gasped as she nearly collided with the boy, clutching her chest after being startled like that. "What the hell." Her eyes left his and fixated on the wall behind him.
"You can thank me later." Eddy's screen went black so they couldn't complain.
Chase cleared his throat, gaining Jordyn's attention. She faced him, a glare adorning her face.
"What's your bloody problem?" Jordyn questioned.
Chase immediately noticed her reserved posture and crossed his arms. "My problem? How ironic, I wanted to ask the same thing," he challenged.
"Cut the crap. You wanted to talk to me for days, now you've got the freaking smart home system to help you and you continue to beat around the bush? Nuh-uh. Not with me. Spit it out," she snapped.
His eyes narrowed to slits, "Did you call Mr. Davenport on me about Cheddy?"
Jordyn nodded, crossing her arms. "Yes, I did," she admitted directly. It was to be expected that he would find out so there was no point in denying it.
Chase didn't respond, only displaying a confused expression. He had anticipated it would be more difficult to get the truth out of her but here she was. Simply admitting to her actions. The silence urged Jordyn to speak.
"That's it? You creep on me for days to ask if I called Mr. Davenport. Seriously? It was obviously me. It takes no genius to figure it out. And still, you chase me around. Boy, you're obsessed with me."
A glare overtook Chase's features and he grew angry. "You're such a hypocrite. Telling me to stay out of your life while you interfere with mine."
She scoffed, "Maybe I am. But you're a bigger one. You didn't need to seek out this conversation with me."
He clenched his jaw, urging himself to not freak out like the last time. Jordyn took a step back after observing him and noting his balled hands. No matter how much they disagreed, they both agreed that it couldn't get out of hand. Mr. Davenport had warned them and neither of them was ready to face the consequences of their actions.
She sighed as memories of her conversation with Leo surfaced. Although their previous argument had ended in disaster, she might be able to salvage this one. There were so many questions plaguing her mind, that she had to ask.
"You make no sense, you know that? Since the very beginning, you have been rude to me. You judged me even before our first chat. Why?"
Chase examined the girl in front of him and thought about his answer. She was trying. Her tone was soft and calm. The opposite of the storm raging inside of him. He was angry at her. So, so angry. For everything she had done.
But what had she actually done?
He huffed, his frustration taking the better of him. "You wanna know why? Chase stepped away from Jordyn, not breaking eye contact. With a loud voice, he explained,
"Out of nowhere, you waltz in our lives and act as though you've known us for years. Two months ago, we didn't even know you existed and suddenly you're best friends with not only Adam but also Bree and Leo. Everyone adores you, and you have them all wrapped around your little finger. Everything is thrown in your lap, and you don't have to put in any effort. Undeserving..." His voice trailed off at the word and his head fell to look at the ground.
The silence lingered for a second but Jordyn didn't say anything. It was a lot to take in. She felt overwhelmed. The worst part was that she knew this wasn't the end. The girl wasn't wrong. However, she was mildly surprised when Chase's voice was a lot softer and calmer than the first time.
"You haven't done anything to earn your position like the rest of us. We had to prove ourselves. Through training, through determination. But not you. You press a few buttons and are immediately hired since your mother, who is trustworthy all of a sudden, put in a good word for you. You are instantly liked after exchanging a few words with everyone. You ruin the entire team dynamic we've established. It's always Joe this and Joe that," he mimicked, "Oh, Joe, you're so smart. What a blessing it is that you are so smart."
Chase sighed and his shoulders slumped. "They praise you for your intelligence. Meanwhile, I get ridiculed for mine. I don't make sense? Make this make sense!"
Jordyn was taken aback by the sentence. The source of the difficulty that is obstructing their development. The reason for his behavior.
"Everyone thinks you're such a joy to be around. They should just call you Joy," he chuckled bitterly at his own joke. His eyes left the floor and met Jordyn's.
"I get it," she said, her face devoid of any emotion. Chase was unsure if he angered her. "But it's no excuse for your treatment of me. You may have had your reasons to dislike me but you never gave me the chance to prove otherwise. You never attempted to get my side. If you did, I would have told you that I didn't choose to be treated like that. I accepted what was offered to me but I never asked for it. I was just as surprised as you were."
Chase nodded, taking in her words. She was right, he had known so for quite some time. But admitting it was difficult. "I'm sorry, for being so rude and never giving you a chance. For calling you undeserving... and pointing out all your mistakes. For everything, I guess."
Jordyn nodded, accepting the apology. She wasn't forgiving him just yet, he had to deserve her forgiveness, but he seemed genuine. It was only fair to give him a second chance. They lingered in silence for a few moments before Jordyn chose to break it with a smirk.
"So...All in all, you were jealous of me?"
Chase's head snapped toward her and his eyes widened. He stammered, "No, no, no. Who? Me? Jealous of you? Never." He scoffed and rolled his eyes to emphasize his point.
Jordyn chuckled at his defensiveness. "Sure."
Crossing his arms, he narrowed his eyes and grumbled, "Maybe a little."
"What was that? I couldn't hear ye," she teased, holding a hand to her ear. Chase gently slapped her hand, causing her to giggle. "I'm sorry as well. For making you feel that way. My insults and passive-aggressiveness were unnecessary. But I can't change how others treat me. Talk to them about it if you can."
Chase nodded and reached up to scratch his neck. "To be completely honest, I don't actually think that your work is that bad. Sure, there are some mistakes here and there but I genuinely wanted to help when pointing them out. Your way of thinking is unique and quite admirable," he complimented, all of a sudden feeling shy.
Jordyn tilted her head lightly, searching for any ill intention but didn't find any. Her expression relaxed and she smiled softly, "Thank you. I would appreciate your criticism if it is in a more constructive way. Don't be such an obnoxious know-it-all and you're good."
"Of course," he returned the smile and extended his hand, "Friends?"
Jordyn glanced at his hand and gave him a cheeky smile with a headshake, "We'll see."
With that, she grabbed her backpack off the ground and left the lab, leaving a perplexed Chase behind. He didn't even notice the doors opening again.
He wiped his hand on his pants and chuckled, "Oh Joy."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
i'm actually very pleased with how this turned out
hope you like it as well
i needed a bit more time for this one as i wanted to make sure to do it right and i think i accomplished that
what do you think about this chapter
and what do you think about jordyn and chase
let me know
hope you have a wonderful day
with love, honeytale