She was just there.
One minute they were sitting in the Mayweather's living room talking about how Elle was a total badass winning her trial today, and the next Selena stood before them in a green dress. She looked stunning. Not what Jayden would expect to see if he was looking at someone who had been a prisoner the last couple of weeks.
She was confused at first. The look on her face when she saw them on the couch let them know that she didn't know this was coming.
"Please don't let him take me-" she pleaded before she disappeared again.
And then all hell broke loose.
"Selena?!" Judah screamed as he ran forward to the spot she originally appeared. He searched around the living room. He flipped over the coffee table, the recliner, and the couch as if she would magically appear under one of them. "Selena!" Judah screamed.
He shouted over and over again. Jayden's heart began to beat quickly. Anxiety rose in his chest. He imagined a tea kettle on the stove finally reaching the boiling point. Judah's screams were the same as that high-pitched whistle.
"Stop it," Jayden whispered.
Judah continued to frantically scream Selena's name and fell to the floor. He pounded the ground with his fist. "She was right there!" He screamed. "I felt her! I held her!"
"Stop it," Jayden said louder.
Asher looked over at his friend and gave him a confused look. Why was Jayden always the one who had to hold himself together? Why was he surrounded by people who constantly made stupid mistakes? Between Asher's impulsivity, and Judah and Elle's illicit affair, Jayden was left alone to be the one who made sure everyone kept themselves afloat. He was tired of it.
This was not what he signed up for.
"Stop it!" Jayden finally screamed.
The room went silent and everyone stared at Jayden. He bit his lip and turned around to face the back wall of the living room. Everything seemed to spin at that moment, and a line of sweat appeared on his forehead.
3, 2, 1. You got this Jayden.
He turned back around and looked at everyone in the room who was still staring at him. The living room was destroyed. Couch cushions scattered, and the coffee table flipped, Jayden was surprised he stopped Judah in time that he didn't try to flip the entertainment cabinet.
"Look at yourself," Jayden said to Judah. "Look at this place! This isn't even your place."
Shame fell over Judah's face as he curled up into a ball. His wild mass of hair covered his face as he quietly shook with sobs on the ground.
"Get up," Jayden said as he walked over to Judah and grabbed him by the arm. Judah resisted and shook Jayden off. He felt his temper rise as he reached down again and grabbed Judah by the shirt. He lifted him off the ground and sat him in a kneeling position. "I said get up! It's time for you to get a grip."
Jayden turned to talk to Elle and Asher when he felt a strong force slammed into the right side of his jaw. Jayden felt his mouth shift to the left, he felt spit leave his lips, but most of all he felt shocked as he turned to Judah. "Did you just sucker punch me?" Jayden asked him. He grabbed his jaw and shook it from side to side. He wasn't sure if that was what you were supposed to do, but he always saw people in the movies do that. "Did you just fucking sucker punch me?"
Judah wound back his arm and swung at Jayden again, but this time Jayden was ready for him. He stepped to the side and let Judah fall forward. Jayden shoved him in the back and Judah collapsed on the floor.
"Jayden don't hurt him," Asher cautioned.
And Jayden had reason to be careful. Jayden was strong, he had an athletic build from years of training, and compared to an average guy like Judah he could do some damage. His first reaction was to pummel him why he was on the ground. Instead, he took a breath and looked at the group.
"What the hell is going on with everyone?" Jayden screamed. "Our world is falling apart, and instead of banding together, this is how we're doing things?! Sucker punching each other? cheating on our significant other and best friends with each other? Why am I the only one who seems to understand the situation we are in?! We don't even know for sure that was her! How do we know that wasn't Gedeon?!"
He couldn't help the anger that fell out of his body. Every word he spoke wreaked rage and frustration. Each word was meant to leave a lasting impact on all of them. Because all of the people in this room had done something stupid that jeopardized them at one point or another.
"I'm not a parent," Jayden said. "I'm not getting paid to watch you guys. But when you're over here acting like a fool over your girlfriend in the house of the girl you're cheating on her with? You made me feel like the parent." Jayden hissed at Judah.
"When you cheat on your best friend with their man and then play the victim and vent to me about it? It makes me feel like a parent." Jayden said to Elle.
"When you sell us out to our enemies and tell your very non-magical girlfriend about all of our secrets and powers it makes me feel like the fucking parent!" He screamed at Asher. He knew it wasn't fair. The metaphorical hatchet that Asher and he needed to bury had long been six feet under, yet, at this moment. He didn't care.
The three others in the room looked shamed as they looked back at Jayden. Elle opened up her mouth to talk but Jayden held his hand up. "I don't want to hear it. I don't want your excuses. I want us to stop what we're doing in here and think with our heads. Something has to be done. Instead of acting like a damn fool," he glanced at Judah. "Maybe we should take valuable time and put this living room back together and then go find someone who can help us. Like Elora?"
Judah stood up quietly. He didn't look at Jayden. Instead, he walked over to the coffee table and flipped it right side up. Elle and Asher helped put the rest of the living room back together before Jayden walked out of the large house and into the driveway. He paced back and forth and wished that he could make all of this disappear.
"That was quite the show in there," said a voice behind him.
Jayden didn't have to turn to know who the voice belonged. He turned to face his grandfather and threw himself into the old man's strong arms. He clung to him like he did when he was a kid and let the worries and the cares melt away. If only for a brief moment.
One of the benefits of Jayden's power was the ability to communicate with the dead. Most of the time Jayden saw his grandfather was in the Dead World, but this seemed right. Like his grandfather never passed on.
"They're so stupid."
"Yeah," laughed his grandfather. "But so are you. Teenagers have a way of being stupid. You let your anger take over you in there, boy." Jayden was glad that it was nighttime as he talked to his grandfather. He didn't want his grandpa to see his face turn red. "I know that you're dealing with a lot right now. I've been so proud of how you've held yourself together. And honestly, your friends needed a quick kick to the rear to get themselves in check," His grandpa placed his hand on Jayden's shoulders and squeezed. "But you're better than the temper you displayed in there."
"You're right," Jayden said. "This just isn't fair."
"I'm always right!" His grandfather chuckled. "And who came up with this life isn't fair nonsense? No rule book says life is cheating when things get hard. It is just what it is. You have to roll with the punches. That's why you have friends. It's why you have a family. When things get hard that's what you count on. That's what makes things 'fair'."
His grandfather looked up at the sky. "You know, my momma used to look up at the sky and tell me that my possibilities will be limitless in the future," his grandfather smiled not taking his eyes off the stars. "I never really understood what that meant until I saw you. Even before I knew about this magic stuff, I was so impressed by you. You always had a good head on your shoulders. You worked hard. You did the right thing."
Jayden felt tears well up in his eyes as he listened to his grandfather. "So be the leader I raised you to be. You five have a greater destiny than any of you know. You just have to prepare for what's to come. Part of that is keeping your cool. I love you, Jayden."
"Don't go-"
His grandfather disappeared as Judah, Elle, and Asher emerged from the front door. Jayden quickly wiped his eyes and sniffed before he turned to them. Judah looked at him, and before he could even open his mouth Jayden wrapped him in a hug. "I know," he said.
Judah collapsed into Jayden. More silent sobs filled the air around them and they stood like that for a minute. "We're going to get her back." He glanced at Elle who looked hurt. Tears welled in her eyes, but she quickly swallowed them and gave a sympathetic smile at Jayden when she noticed him looking.
Always playing the appearance game.
"You were right in there," she said when Judah finally broke apart. "We need to get our heads out of our asses and start acknowledging the reality." She looked at Judah and bit her lower lip. "Even if the reality we're in sucks."
Elle grabbed her keys and unlocked her car. Jayden got into the front passenger side, and Judah and Asher got into the back. Elle and Jayden saw tears welling up in her eyes again. He reached over and put his hand in hers and she squeezed it. "Let's go save our friend," he whispered.
Elle pulled out of her driveway and started on the familiar path to the beach. Saffron was quiet tonight as they drove through the small town. Not many cars were on the road. Jayden reflected on his grandpa's words as they drove in silence. Small shops and diners whirled in a collage of lights as they drove down the main street. His grandfather always had a way of saying what you needed to hear whether you wanted to or not. Jayden might not like holding the group together, but they all have a role to play. Maybe when Selena comes back she'll help him handle this crazy group.
Who was he kidding? She's just as crazy.
The silence continued as they walked to the clearing where they summon the portal to the realm they were originally from. When they walked into the trees they looked around to make sure that no one was there.
"Ready?" Jayden asked. "Remember, think of Elora."
"Aperta," they said in unison.
A blue portal opened in front of them and they stepped into it. When stepped into it they arrived in a small cottage about the size of Chantel's studio apartment. It was entirely made of wood. A small fireplace burned in the corner of the room. The dining room table sat in the center of the room, and on the opposite wall sat Elora looking confused on her bed.
"Is everything okay?"
"Selena," Judah whispered. "She..."
"She showed up at my house," Elle finished. "But she was taken back almost immediately."
Elora frowned and folded her arm across her chest. "He's wanting us to get reckless," she said. "He's playing on your emotions to get you to make a move. We can't do that. She deserves more than a half-baked scheme."
"So what's the plan?" Jayden asked.
"Well," Elora said holding up a brown envelope. "This was just delivered from the Fairy Realm. Judah, I think your trial is up next."
"Why only think?" asked Asher.
Elora opened the envelope and pulled out a beautiful white and gold piece of paper. "Dear Queen Elora, you and you're four guardians are formally invited to the Fairy Queen's Ball. The ball will take place tomorrow night at the start of the moon's rising. My fairies will join your guardians tomorrow to help them meet the dress code."
"So I guess we should expect to go shopping tomorrow?" Asher asked.
"Something like that," said Elora. "Remember, if we want to get Selena back, we need their help."
All eyes went on Judah.
No pressure. Jayden thought.