▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
2.5 months left until graduation
Jordyn's heels of her pristine mary-jane's clacked against the dirty tiles of the school floors. The hallway was quiet and empty, allowing for an easy sprint to her locker.
Jordyn was late.
Super late.
With no one to welcome her in the early morning halls, Jordyn resorted to her old habit of arriving just on time. It had worked for the last two weeks. But now, she came to regret her decision of trying to fix her sleep schedule by sleeping longer.
Back to the four hours, she decided.
The lunch break was probably the worst time of the day. It had always been bad, but slightly less agonizing with people around who distracted her from the horrors of the cafeteria.
Jordyn sat down at the table she had frequented with her friends. With the minor change of being completely alone. She heard the people gossiping about her in the corridors, classrooms, toilets, the parking lot – everywhere.
Only few actually dared to come and ask her the question that was hot on all their minds. Where were Adam, Bree, Chase and Leo?
Everyone got the same disappointing reply; they won't come back, they moved. Nothing more, nothing less. No matter how hard her classmates tried to pry some information out of her, she stayed silent. She was good at that. Closing off was one of her specialties back in the day.
The secrecy around the Bionic Academy didn't allow Jordyn to speak about it to anyone yet. Even her parents only really knew half of it. The president wanted to see how it all worked out before announcing it to the public.
After all, if something went wrong, he could always weasel his way out of it and say he had nothing to do with it. That's politics for you.
All in all, Jordyn's school days followed the same pattern. Boring and eventless. Without the Davenports, a sense of normalcy returned to the school.
Bionic Arm
12.03 p.m.
im a student!
A STUDENT!
not a mentor, STUDENT!!!
HOW
WHY
THIS IS NOT OK
HOW CASNDKJASDJ
hello to u too
lovely day, i agree
im doing fine, thanks for asking
i got no time for your sarcasm
WHY DID EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU
LET ME BELIEVE
THAT IM GOING TO BE A MENTOR!??!?!?
to ur siblings defense
they didn't know
they assumed
assumed my ass
lol
wait
THEY didn't know?
THEY assumed?
YOU KNEW!
obviously
HOW DARE YOU
its for ur own good man
oh dont start me with that shit
big d already tried
listen
youve got a bit of an advantage over the others
youve been on missions
im sure youll ace your training
and when you do,
youll be promoted to mentor
i dont need training
ive been on missions!
as much as id not like to continue this convo
g2g
perrys holding auditions
for the next troublemakers
shes desperate without you here
Yeah, that's how it was now.
Perry was hunting for new prey. Without the four troublemakers, Perry got incredibly bored and chose to be cruel to absolutely anyone.
Jordyn alone just wouldn't cut it. Especially because on her own she was too much of a goody two shoes focused on her studies.
The Founders
Daven McDonaldport - Donald
Dougy - Douglas
3.21 p.m.
Daven McDonaldport
Following news:
I have updated the files on the students
so you can go and view who is on which level.
There's a lot more beginners than
anticipated, as well as advanced students.
Also, after getting some direct feedback
students can choose their own names.
It is also marked in the file.
told you they wouldnt want to be called
some variation of donald
Dougy
predictable
Daven McDonaldport
I see no problem with the name.
Donald is a very remarkable name.
It would open them many doors.
There are a lot of famous and successful
Donalds out there.
Dougy
Donald Duck
old MacDonald
everyone knows his farm
Daven McDonaldport
I do not like when you two do this.
Dougy
what dyou mean
Daven McDonaldport
ganging up on me
k
Dougy
k
Daven McDonaldport
Back to business, please.
Next step is the schedule.
Dougy
i do not want to make a schedule for these guys
way too stressful
i mean you gotta keep in mind bionics, levels,
workload of each of the mentors...
wow
never thought id see you care about
someones workload
Dougy
mental health is important, jody!
Daven McDonaldport
I'm just happy I don't have to be the one to figure
this stuff out.
You can upload the plan with the rest of the files.
Have fun, bye-bye.
Dougy
wait what?
no no no
you said youll deal with this
donnie
come back this instant
im not doing this
im a student
preparing for finals
have fun dougy
Dougy
dont leave me with this
jody
please
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Finally home after a long school day, Jordyn sat down at her desk to do some homework.
Math was on the agenda. Mr. Berg once again supplied the students with a heap of exercises. The good intention was not lost on her, but she was not enthusiastic about having to work through everything.
Although one thing wouldn't let her go. Her attention was diverted from the equations by the task of reinforcing the bionic island's security system.
Normally Jordyn could handle a lot of duties at the same time. However, with the impending finals, all she wanted to do was focus on her studies.
A sigh. Jordyn chose to give herself a break and went to cook herself a proper meal. In the middle of her dancing, her phone rang. Based on the personalized ringtone, Joe recognized the caller as her best friend.
She walked over to her phone and propped it up against an unoccupied pot on the counter. Accepting the call led her to be greeted by Adam's face right in front of the camera. Joe took a step back, thinking this would make her see more of him but she was reminded that this was just a Facetime.
"Joe!"
"Add!" She exclaimed, matching his enthusiasm.
Without much consideration for anything, Adam instantly sprang into a lengthy explanation of his last 2 weeks. Unfortunately in the phase of setting everything up over on the island, the Davenports were too busy to find time to squish a call in between everything. Their communication had been reduced to occasional texts.
Jordyn didn't mind. She knew there was a lot going on at their end and she was glad to settle back into her quiet life as well. It provided a far more pleasant transition. This way she could fully concentrate on her finals and not be torn between social and school life.
"Oh, you won't believe it. Everything looks amazing here and the ocean is right there! I'll show you everything. Wait," Adam said and jumped to his feet. The shaking of the camera indicated he picked the phone up.
"Add, hold up. Wait." Adam came to a sudden halt, looking down into the camera with furrowed brows. She chuckled at the sight and put her fork down. "Don't worry. I'm pretty sure your 126 photos gave me a good look at every nook of the island."
He nodded, slowly going to sit back down. "Are you sure? I can go take more."
"Yup," Joe confirmed with a nod and pushed the emptied plate away to give her more space for the work. After her cooking was done, she had opted to move back into her room and eat there. "It all sounds great, you know. I'm happy everything's to your liking. But... have you seen S-81 and S-82? How are they?"
Adam squinted his eyes and rubbed his chin in thought. "S-81, S-81... Ah! The short boy? Brown hair?" Joe nodded. "He's Spin now."
"He's what?" Joe was unsure if she heard him right. Spin? That couldn't be his name...right?
"That's his name now. He chose Spin."
Joe pursed her lips, frowning. Did they let the kids really name themselves whatever they wanted? On the other hand, it made sense. "Well, I kinda see it, I guess. What about some other names?"
"Remember S-9? She's Erin. S-4 is Mike. There's a lot of Donalds... Oh, and then there's S-3, Sebastian."
"Sebastian? Odd choice but okay," she stated with a shrug. Then, she redirected the conversation back to where she originally wanted it to go, "And S-82?"
Adam cleared his throat, shuffling in his seat."About that... She's still thinking about a name. Everyone's trying to help her but she refuses to listen to anyone."
"Is she okay?" Joe asked, worry evident in her tone.
Adam shrugged. "No one really knows. She's pretty reserved since coming here. Always wandering through the hallways on her own or standing alone in meetings."
"Maybe she needs some more time to adapt to the new circumstances?"
"Maybe."
A silence enveloped them. Adam watched as Joe brushed her hair behind her ears and sighed. Her gaze was downcast, pondering.
Looking back up, Joe asked, "Can you keep an eye on her?"
"She's grown on you, huh?" Adam smiled softly at the way Joe's face lit up.
"You could say that."
Adam chuckled, leaning back on his chair. "I get that. You see, there's this one super cool kid I found here. He's got super strength and he can fly!"
"Fly?"
"He called it tevination or something, but it's pretty much flying."
"You mean levitation?"
"Nah, that's not it," Adam waved off, narrowing his eyes as he thought about the correct term for it.
Joe let him think and returned to her own homework. Because of Adam's intervention with her plans, she hadn't solved a single problem yet. And there were 23 waiting for her. Sighing, she went back to work and calculated the first result.
Just when Joe thought she could concentrate on doing the maths, a loud bang pulled her back. Her gaze immediately found her phone where Adam had also looked up, somewhere over the camera.
Joe could only make out bits and pieces of the loud complaining the person on the other line had begun spouting. But it didn't take a genius to figure out it was a supposed genius – Chase.
Chase's voice grew closer and therefore became more clear, "The nerve this guy has! He fucks up my whole class then steals half my fucking group to make his own. Let us see how well this supposed genius will train his mates. Fuck."
The irony, Joe thought.
Adam rolled his eyes at his brother and stayed silent. His eyes rather trailed back to his phone and Joe where he used his hand to mock Chase's endless chattering – and surprisingly insults.
A burst of laughter escaped Joe at Adam's hilarious pantomime recreation of Chase's act. In the background, Chase could be seen spinning around while abruptly ending his speech. "Wait, you're on the phone with Joe?"
"Mhm," Adam confirmed with a grin and picked up his phone to better showcase the fuming teen. As Chase cast a glance at the screen he was met with a waving Joe.
He could be seen grumbling something underneath his breath before he spoke back up, "Hey, Bob's searching for you, by the way."
In an instant, Adam stood up, excused himself and left the phone with Joe on the line behind.
Joe shook her head at his behavior but looked back down to her problem. Another sigh escaped her as she saw the next equation and she let her head fall on her desk. After remaining in the position for a few seconds, she pulled herself back up and grabbed for her phone to hang up. However, the image suddenly blurred before revealing Chase in his white mentor suit.
"Hey," he greeted her sheepishly. She could only smirk.
Looking good, she wanted to tease him but decided on a different route.
"Looks like everything's going exactly as I expected." At his confused look, she threw her head back in laughter, putting her pen down. "I mean, Adam finding some kid to do dangerous stuff with. Bree being up and busy, socializing. Leo being upset with the student thing and complaining about it. And you..."
"And me what?"
"You bossing everyone around, causing them to up and leave," Joe finished, grinning.
Chase instantly defended, "I didn't boss them around." Joe raised a skeptical brow and he repeated, "I'm not!"
Joe sighed, shaking her head and letting her hair fall back into her face. "I know you, Chase. And because I know you, I know of your tendency to boss people around. Just look back at our history. I got suspended 'cause I stood up to you when you bossed me around!"
"Sorry," Chase stated, admitting his defeat with pursed lips. "Maybe... sometimes... I may come off a bit... bossy." Joe hummed, nodding along to his words. "But they don't have any respect these days!" Her nodding broke off.
"They were soldiers 'til not even a month ago. They have no idea of rules and order. If you instantly try to push them into a box, they'll rebel," she told him with a shrug. "Think back to that one psychology course we took over summer a year back."
Chase perked up. "You were there?"
"Mhm. I sat in the corner in the very back in hopes of finding a cure for my anxiety in that very course." She chuckled at the memory but shook her head to continue, "Anyway, we had a unit on nonconforming behavior. Instead of trying to assure your dominance, as you like to do it, try being a part of the group. That's how Adam and Bree are doing it. And I haven't heard them complain about it yet."
Chase groaned and let his head fall on the table. "Why is this so hard?" He mumbled, barely audible to Joe.
"Wow, you admit a task is too big for you? Well done, Chase. Now all you gotta do is jump over your shadow, bring your ego down a peg or two and befriend those kids."
"I can't befriend them," Chase muttered, his head still down.
"Why not?" Joe questioned, leaning forward on her hand. Chase noticed the tone of her voice going softer and as he picked his head back up, he saw that her previously narrowed eyes had also lost their mischief.
"It's...um-"
He didn't know how long he looked at her at this moment. She was just so very surreal. Her red hair accentuated by the sun pouring in from her balcony, her eyes crinkled by the small smile she wore on her lips and her signature silver bracelet with all its dainty charms hanging loosely around her wrist – it did something to him.
Chase just couldn't figure out what it was.
"weird," he concluded his sentence. He gulped as the redhead on the other end only tilted her head, awaiting more. "I mean, they aren't my friends, they're my students."
"So?" Joe argued, her position and eyes unwavering.
Chase gulped. She must be teasing him at this point. She was doing it on purpose. It must be one of her tricks to embarrass him, to... Whatever it was that wicked girl wanted to achieve. He had to stop engaging with it. Then she would stop with... that thing she was doing.
"Who says you cannot be their friend and mentor?"
He glanced down at his hands. Concentrate, he thought to himself. "I am," he spoke decidedly, hoping to regain some sort of control.
Joe's smile turned crooked and she couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Well, that's the problem then. I mean it. Get off your high horse, Chase. You may be better ability wise but your goal is to bring them up to your level, not tear them down by making them doubt themselves."
That's true, he admitted. Of course, he didn't say it out loud – he wouldn't provide Joe with this kind of satisfaction.
Taking his silence as his attempt to oppose her statement and argue with her, Joe did what she didn't think possible in a million years. Ever.
She pleaded with him.
"Please. At least try." As Chase didn't reply, Joe bit her lip and leaned further down to her phone. "For me?"
Chase looked back to the screen. And oh boy was that a mistake on his end. Once he saw Joe's pout and her wide, hopeful eyes he couldn't but crack under it. With a sigh, he nodded, "Okay, I'll try."
"Yey," Joe celebrated, straightening back up in her chair with a triumphant grin.
"No promises though," Chase warned.
"No promises needed. I know you'll be just fine."
He huffed but smiled. "Thanks."
"No problem," she paused to glance at the clock, "As much as I'd like to stay and talk to you, I gotta catch up on some maths and do those training exercises you sent me. If you need help with the kids or anything at all... I'm just one text or call away. Bye!"
The line broke off and Chase sat there, staring at his reflection on the black screen. He rubbed his face and sighed deeply. What was she doing to him? And why had he the sudden urge to go and rethink his teaching plan for the next few days?
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Bionic Islanders & their trusty friend
Add - Adam
Bro - Bree
Chase - Chase
Armstrong - Leo
6.22 p.m.
Bro
joe youll never believe what leo did
Armstrong
i expected better from you bree
you snitch
Bro
better a snitch than sinking a whole damn island
Add
We all nearly died! :D
errrrrr
i choose to do maths for once and
THATS
what happens
guess im never touching those equations
ever again
damn
Add
You sure didn't count on it!
haha
Bro
lol
good one lmao
but
how did you manage to sink an island leo
Armstrong
it was an accident!
Bro
he was jealous of a ten year old
Armstrong
i wasn't!
he's annoying!
Add
Don't do Spin like that!
damn
he's really fighting a kid
anyway
you're all good now?
Chase
Don't worry, I saved everyone with my group.
u rly waited for ur moment huh
Chase
I did.
But I also saved everyone, so I can.
Bro
think u mean
u, sebastian and your groups saved everyone
Chase
My group.
That's what I said.
Add
Whatever, Joe let me tell you how Leo messed
it all up.
So!
Adam is typing...
Chase
6.29 p.m.
good job!
proud of you
Don't.
I argued with Sebastian beforehand and
nearly made it worse.
important thing is the end result
came out pretty good as I hear
you dont have to be perfect
trying your best is enough
:)
read
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
1.5 months left
Time flies when you have fun. In Jordyn's case, it also flies when you're buried neck-deep in preparations for your finals. The stress and fear of failure had really taken a toll on her.
Everyone in her vicinity felt it.
This gradual change of mood. From structured study sessions to random bursts of energy in between naps. Jordyn had no real motivation. She knew her goal, she still wanted to achieve it but it all seemed so far away now...
A big part of this change was her isolation from all others. Her father was busier than ever and spent pretty much all of his time in the hospital, her mother was halfway across the globe not answering texts, and her friends were teaching bionic kids in the middle of the ocean.
Douglas and Tasha came over occasionally, but Jordyn was sick of their pity. She had told them to return when they were done worrying about her. That's not how it worked, she knew, but she really didn't want to deal with anyone's emotions on top of hers.
Marking the days down in the calendar became daily routine. Every day marking a day closer to her self-proclaimed doom.
To Jordyn's surprise, one day as she was laying on the couch, revising her biology notes, the front door opened. Assuming it was her father returning from one of his shifts, Jordyn only lifted her head to peek over the sofa and meet with his exhausted figure.
However, it wasn't her father she saw.
Instead, it was her brightly smiling mamá who instantly attacked her with hugs and kisses, mumbling about how much she had missed her.
Turns out, Eliana was contacted by Douglas about her daughter's condition and promptly chose to end her trip to support her. How she managed to cut her trip short was a mystery to Jordyn but she didn't pry, just happy to have her mother by her side.
It was a quiet Sunday morning. Eliana and Jordyn sat on the couch, scooping ice cream and watching their favorite telenovela. Getting proposed an escape from learning without having to feel bad worked wonders for Jordyn. She was truly relaxed for the first time in months.
A vibration from the phone on the coffee table caught both women's attention. Their eyes snapped to each other and Jordyn slowly leaned over to grasp her phone. But Eliana's threatening glare became more intense the closer she got. "No phones, muñeca."
"It might be important," Jordyn argued and snatched the phone to her chest before her mother could take it away. Unlocking her phone, she smiled. Bree had sent her a photo – a blond boy laying on top of Chase with a fallen basketball hoop next to them.
Eliana raised a brow at her small giggle, prompting her to show her the photo as well. The woman could only shake her head at the teens' antics but Jordyn could make out a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips.
As Jordyn went to put her phone back, a loud ping traveled through the room. The teen looked at her mother, who pulled out her phone with a groan. "No phones, mamá," Jordyn teased.
"Gladly," she retorted after a short glance at the screen. She threw the phone on the cushion beside her and sighed.
"What's up?"
"Adult drama," Eliana waved off but a glance toward her daughter told her this answer wasn't sufficient. "Tasha's nonstop complaining about Donald having no time for her."
Jordyn cringed. "Yeah, must be tough for her."
Eliana hummed, "Mhm, especially 'cause she's home alone most of the time. She resorted to talking to the smart home system." She paused to drink a sip of water. "I very much hope for Donald that he came up with something good for their anniversary today or Tasha will be mad."
"She's got a right to be pissed about it, sure. But you gotta admit, with the Academy Donald's got a lot on his plate now. He even handed over all his duties with Davenport Industries to Douglas."
"But he has to make time for his wife! My husband is working around the clock and he manages to send me a text anytime he's free."
"That's Dad for you," Jordyn shrugged with a smile. After some contemplation, she rolled her eyes. "Cut Donald some slack. I'm sure he won't forget his anniversary. He isn't that stupid."
"He better not be."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Chase
1.43 p.m.
Joy, help.
Adam's out of control.
that could mean a lot
be more specific
Can you tell him to stop goofing around?
With Mr. Davenport away
he's acting irresponsibly
and endangering all the kids!
endangering the kids
that could also mean a lot
be more specific
Bellyflop contest in the ocean!
oh
i see
he havin fun?
I guess so.
bad news then
no chance
he wont listen
What?
Why?
Can't you at least try?
dude
adds puppy dog eyes refuse to let you
utter anything but approval of his ideas
Over text?
HE CAN DO THEM OVER TEXT
Wow.
sorry
its just infuriating how i cant say no to him
1.55 p.m
hey
youre not mad or anything
right?
Ah, no.
Sorry for not responding.
Got another problem now.
?
Leo brought Janelle over.
Why don't we just all do whatever we want
on this fucking island!
whoa
chill man
u gettin too comfortable with your fucks
whats the big deal
janelles chill
Something will go wrong!
cause janelles over?
She's over before you are!
Is this not even slightly upsetting to you?
nah
Seriously?
was one of the first people on the island
saw it before all of you did
i helped plan it
remember?
Oh
relax
im sure itll be ok
its one weekend
less than
just make sure u have all the others under control
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
In the afternoon, Joe sat on the bed in her room, her books spread out before her as she was trying to memorize everything she needed for the incoming test on Monday.
She was stressed knowing she had to go the last stretch without Adam, Bree, Chase and Leo by her side. However, she reminded herself that up until a year ago that has been how she always dealt with situations.
The problem; now that she had a taste of being nonstop surrounded by friends, she didn't want to go back to her prior life. She missed the spontaneous trips to the Davenport household, the visits to the mall, the movie nights.
Although the group tried to uphold contact with each other, they often found themselves too busy. Their schedules didn't match up anymore. When Joe finished school, they were still in class, or when she made free time in the evening they were off to train or plan their next lessons.
It was frustrating but that was life.
She was scared of what was to come next when she would graduate and take a job where her free time would be a lot more restricted.
The only thing she was looking forward to was her upcoming birthday in a little less than a week. Maybe it could be special this time around.
Just when Jordyn was in danger of trailing off in what-ifs, her monitor lit up. Her brows creased. She stood up and went to investigate the curious case.
Upon sitting down at the table and moving her mouse, Jordyn was met with a face of a young boy. His hair was short and blond, resembling the boy from the picture she was sent not long ago. More remarkable about his appearance wasn't the familiarity but the giant headset he was wearing in surroundings which she recognized as a cockpit.
"Hello?" He spoke, squinting somewhere below the camera.
Pulling out her own headset, she greeted back, "Hello to you too?" She was unsure of what to say as it was still a puzzle to her how he managed to connect with her like that.
"Hey," the boy exclaimed, smiling widely at her voice. "I'd like 80 pizzas, please."
Joe's brows shot up. "I'm sorry?" She must have misheard.
"I need 80 pizzas. Big," he repeated, not losing his smile.
"Um, this is no pizza place, dude."
"You're not Joe's pizza place?"
"I'm Joe. But no pizza place."
"Oh. Well, can you redirect me?"
"Where to?"
"The pizza place."
"Why do you want a pizza place?"
"To order pizza, duh," he retaliated, rolling his eyes in a friendly manner. It was hard to be stern with someone grinning throughout the conversation. With his behavior, the boy definitely reminded Joe of Adam.
"I get that but aren't you in a cockpit right now?" She slowly inquired while tilting her head. There was no way this was the boy from the picture, right? He couldn't be on a plane. Joe's eyes fixed on the background and she gasped as she spotted the face of Mr. Davenport on the wall.
The boy looked around and shrugged, "I think Adam called it a jet."
Upon the familiar name, Joe gasped, "Adam?"
"Yeah, my buddy."
Joe narrowed her eyes at him and pulled out her phone to check something. Scrolling up some messages in her chat with Adam she found what she was looking for fairly quickly. "Bob?"
It was the boy's turn to gasp in utter shock, his eyes wide. "How do you know that? Can you read minds?"
"No," Joe shook her head and stopped herself from steering off, "Look, what are you doing on that plane?"
"It's Mr. Davenports, I wanted to do what we normally weren't allowed to. That's what Adam told us to do."
"Of course he did." A heavy sigh escaped her. "Hold up, I'll see what I can do."
Without further ado, she pulled up the private communications network that Donald used to contact her or Douglas on business. It was a lot more secure and easier to oversee than normal means were. Bob must have accessed it directly through the jet which was automatically tied into the network.
Joe ended her call with Bob, connecting him with the Academy instead. She had managed to include the Academy in the network only days prior which now proved very useful.
Looking into the mirror to her right, Joe regarded her messy state. This wouldn't be how she would meet with her friends for sure. She stood up to change her shirt into one with less visible coffee stains and put her hair up. More or less happy with her looks, she sat back down and joined the call between Bob and the Academy.
Her joining caused multiple confused faces which she ignored. "Chase, you know how I said you should have all the others under control? What exactly made you think Bob doesn't count into that?"
Chase's face turned sour as he was confronted with their earlier text conversation. "I can't control all eighty of them. At least it's only one."
"Hey, Joe!" Adam greeted, waving at her with a wide smile.
Ignoring him, Joe groaned and rubbed her face. "Get him out of that plane. I'll go over to Mr. Davenport and see what we can do."
"Wait!"
"No!"
"Don't!"
A sinister chuckle left Joe as she disconnected the call.
There was no way she was actually going to contact Donald over it. She didn't want any part in this debacle. She just wanted them to panic.
Panic somehow always resulted in them being more productive and effective in their plans.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Not even an hour later there was a ringing of the doorbell. Seeing as her mother was currently in the shower, Joe threw her sheets aside and sluggishly made her way down.
Opening the door bore a major surprise.
Adam and Bob.
The taller one was the one to speak in a sheepish tone, "Can we stay at yours for the night? Mr. Davenport doesn't want to drive us back to the hydroloop."
After letting both boys inside, Joe offered them some leftovers from dinner. It wasn't much but a nice gesture at least.
Bob was taking in the house to the fullest. Whenever Joe glanced at him, his eyes were fixated on another corner of the house. It brought a small smile to her lips seeing the boy be so excited about something so simple.
Once Eliana had finished her shower and came upon the guests, she went off to prepare guest rooms for the two. In the meantime, Joe was getting caught up to date on the plane story and their fall. She was left speechless after hearing the whole story.
As Bob was sent to bed, Adam followed Joe into her room where they made themselves comfortable. "I've got a bit of a mess going on, ignore it," she warned before opening her door.
Stepping into her room, Adam halted before nearly bumping into a tower of books. His eyes swerved to the array of books and papers spread on all surfaces of the room. Table, dresser, vanity, bed – everything was covered.
Not at all like he usually knew Joe. This uncharacteristic mess gave him an insight into the mental state of the normally organized and tidy girl.
The stress must be getting to her.
Adam helped Joe make space on the bed for them to sit down. As they did so, he couldn't but notice Joe's shaky hands reach for her notes. Halfway through her motion, he caught her wrist, prompting her to lock her wide eyes with him.
"How much coffee did you drink today?" Adam inquired, his forehead creasing in worry.
Joe, knowing where this was going, shook her head and picked up the paper. Without answering, she moved to her desk and sorted her notes – her foot sneakily kicking her bin out of sight.
This didn't go unnoticed by Adam. He bent down to take a look at the bin which was overflowing with empty coffee cups. Straightening, he raised his brows at her and awaited one of her justifications. When none followed and she kept her back turned toward him, he walked up behind her. "Talk to me, Joe."
The redhead squeezed her eyes shut, his close proximity suddenly overwhelming her.
The last few weeks weren't easy on Jordyn; that much she could admit to. However admitting to the reason behind all her stress and fears – wasn't something she wanted to go over.
She was so deep in thought she didn't notice Adam slowly leading her back to her bed and sitting them both down. Only when she felt the comfort of his arm around her shoulder did she realize her surroundings and instantly give in to his warmth. Laying her head on his shoulder, Joe was ready.
"It's hard without all of you, y'know?" Adam's hum encouraged her to continue, "I don't want to get too much into it, honestly... but I'm scared of the future. What it holds for us."
"What are you scared of?" Adam whispered softly. Joe appreciated how he tried to understand her instead of shrugging her concerns off with reassuring words – like the adults had done previously.
"How often have we really spoken in the last week?" Adam opened his mouth to speak but upon realizing the answer he stopped. A bitter chuckle escaped Joe. "It's so hard keeping in contact with you guys. All of us are busy with our lives somehow and we all live on different schedules. Now imagine what will happen if I start working properly..."
Adam pulled her closer and sighed. "I see... I'm sorry I didn't talk to you much over the last few weeks."
"It's okay. That's life. And I guess we have to get used to it."
Silence enveloped them and Joe closed her eyes, relaxing into his arms as she listened to his heartbeat. Suddenly his even breaths turned into sniffles and Joe raised her head to watch his cheeks adorned by streaks of fresh tears. Her hands instantly found their way to his face and she pouted at his fallen features.
"I don't want to lose-," Adam's quivering was broken by a sob.
Joe shushed him, climbing onto his lap and pulling his head down to rest on her shoulder. "Shh, it'll be okay, Add. You won't lose me," she reassured through her own doubts. "We'll find a way. It'll turn out fine. Shhh."
Adam's sobs grew louder. "I'm useless, Joe. I'm a terrible mentor."
His sudden admission stumped Joe. This took an unexpected turn. She pulled out of the hug, keeping a hold of his shoulders while catching his downcast eyes. "Why would you say that?"
Sniffling, Adam brought the back of his hand to wipe his nose. "I-," he broke off. He groaned and let his head fall into his hands. "Bob nearly died because of me."
"And?" Joe asked to keep him talking.
"Don't act like it's not a big deal to make me feel better about myself. I know I messed up."
Joe nodded and confirmed, "You did." Adam raised his head from his hands to look at Joe and knitted his brows at her expression lacking any resentment or hard feelings. Sensing his confusion, she smiled and went on, "You messed up but it doesn't make you useless or a bad mentor." She cocked her head. "Why would you think that?"
"I mean... this all comes so naturally to Bree and Chase. Since the Academy started they've actually done stuff with their students while I just do whatever. I don't have a plan, I don't have a clue about what I'm doing. And it feels like whatever I do is wrong. I don't think I'm a good mentor, I can't teach the kids anything but hitting stuff."
A hit to his biceps startled him and he let out a quiet "Ouch". He looked at the scowling girl and returned her glare. "What was that for?"
"For thinking like that. Adam Charles Davenport, you better never doubt yourself ever again. Especially when it comes to such unsubstantiated claims!"
"Un-what?"
"There's no reason for you to doubt yourself."
"Ahh."
"Add, you're one of the best people I've ever met and you've taught me so much over the course of our friendship. You've been a great mentor to me even though you might not have realized this. No way in hell would I be where I am now if it wasn't for you and your motivational speeches. The kids can learn so much from you. Although you might not see this yourself, your kindness, courage, loyalty and optimism are truly inspiring. You grant a one-of-a-kind perspective on life which teaches your students so much. You can put a smile on anyone's face. That's a talent not many possess! You're a hero and you're a great teacher to those kids.
Granted, your approach differs a lot from your siblings but it is no less. Being a mentor doesn't come naturally to everyone, believe me. Chase definitely isn't a natural. Remember the first few days?" She stopped herself before airing out more of Chase's initial difficulties and her hand in its resolving. It wasn't her secret to tell. "Don't compare yourself to your siblings, Add. Everyone has their own methods and there's a reason your students picked your group. And I guarantee you, it's more than them just wanting to mess around.
You're all your own individuals with your own minds and your own ways to relay information. Remind yourself of how you learned to use your bionics."
"It was by accident."
"Learning doesn't equal no fun. Add, you had no fun in school. Why not try to force those supposed accidents? Accidentally learning while having fun," she paused to throw him a convincing smile. "This is your chance to improve on the aspects you've hated and teach them the stuff the way you wanted to be taught."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
1 month left
Party Island
Add - Adam
Bro - Bree
Cheese - Chase
Looley - Leo
12.00 a.m.
Add
Happy birthday Joe! :DD
Bro
happy birthday joe
Looley
congrats joe!!
Cheese
Joe, happy birthday!
ur all too sweet
thank you!
Looley
how does it feel
being 18 now?
considering ive been 18 for barely
a minute
alls pretty much the same
Bro
shocker
yeah
like i dont suddenly grow
5 inches?
disappointing
Cheese
It's not like you'd need that height.
Add
Aww, is it jealousy I hear?
You afraid Joe will outgrow you?
Cheese
No.
yes
Cheese
I'm not.
sure
just like it isn't my birthday today
;)
Cheese
...
Looley
ohhhh
he's intimidated
by my clear superiority
of course
Add
Agreed!
Looley
agreed
Bro
what they said ^
Cheese
Guys, I'm not intimidated by her.
She's not superior to me.
sure am
Cheese
What would that be?
im superior to you in not only height
but also beauty and education
Cheese
I'm the smartest man alive.
I don't need to graduate to prove that.
Also, we're the same height and I would
call myself rather attractive.
Bro
tell that to ur dating history
Add
Joe's superior!
Looley
we been knew
thank u lovelies for ur kind words
and support
going to bed now to rest
gotta make sure i dont fall asleep
in the bowling alley
gotta show my parents my superiority
in bowling ;)
Add
9.04 a.m.
Heyy :))
I know I've already said happy birthday
but I have to make it propperly
I wish you only the best because you
deserve everything good to happen to you
I hope all your wishes come true too
I couldn't wish for a better best friend!
You're always there for me whenever I
need you and I can always count on you
having my back or doing something
stupid with me
Now that you're finnaly 18!! we can do
a lot more dumb stuff
I've got a lot prepared so be ready haha
I'll give you a big hug later
See you! :D
Bro
10.27 a.m.
so excited to see u again bestie
i got u a rly cool gift
hope u didnt get it urself already
but prob not knowing u
i wish u all good things and hope u
start carin bout urself as much as
u care for others
im so grateful havin u in my life
and that u always help me escape from
my brothers
and that u always have my back
u bring some normalcy in my life that
i always lacked
ily
Looley
10.54 a.m.
hey, sorry i just woke up
i wanted to write you one of those
sappy texts for your birthday
but no idea how you girls do that
so
all the best luck for your future
that you reach all your goals
but i know you don't need luck
cause you're an amazing coder
best one out there
100%
no doubt you could hack some
government data
actually...
why don't you?
anyway, let's get together and play smth
again soon
Tasha
7.33 a.m.
Happy birthday, sweetheart
I hope you have an amazing day spending it
with your parents!
We should be there at approximately 5
If something comes up I'll text your mom, ok?
thank you and no problem
bring some of those delicious cupcakes
please :(
Don't worry, I made sure to make some for
today.
Dougy
8.42 a.m.
cant believe youre 18 now kid
stay out of trouble yeah
prisons no fun
speaking from experience
but joking aside
happy birthday jody
have a good one
ty <3
never heard kinder words
advice you should take to heart
take care
i will
u coming later?
wouldnt miss your party for nothin
Donnie
12.09 p.m.
Happy birthday Joe!
thanks old man
bit bland but ill take it
I'm making it up with my present.
now we are talking
Scott
8.55 a.m.
Happy birthday to you,
Jody!
Did my gift arrive safely?
heyy thanks scotty
it did!
the new headphones are very
much appreciated
Uncle Arch
10.21 a.m.
Happy birthday kiddo
Can't make it today but I hopeyou have some funTold your old man to relay mypresent to youIf he doesn't let me know
very impressed you rememberedthanks
Rose
2.23 p.m.
Jordyna!
I wish you the best birthday
Tasha told me about your special day today
I cant come but Im sure you wont miss an
old lady
Kisses
naww
the party will miss some pizzazz without you
but thank you nonetheless!
looking forward to eating those
pastries youve sent me!
Jordyn sighed, staring at the lonely notification on the screen she had been ignoring for the past few hours. But now that the last of the congratulations she expected were read and replied to, she had to confront the last one.
Cheese
12.46 a.m.
Joy, I wish you the world.
I can't tell you enough how thankful I am
for everything you've done for me in the
last few weeks.
As rocky as our beginning was, I appreciate
what we have now.
Stay the way you are because you are
wonderful and deserving of
everything and more.
Happy birthday and have fun.
3.53 p.m.
damn
you really ace everything in life
even fucking congratulations
thank you chase
means a lot
:)
:)
*contact name changed*
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
0 months left
Finals had come and gone, Joe mastering them all like a pro. Her ceaseless learning sessions, stress and anxiety all found an end. It was a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. Even with the difficulty of being left alone, it was an easy deed for a prepped student like she was.
A few weeks of slight uncertainty later, her results were a well-received gift. She wasn't the best, yet slightly above average – therefore reaching her previously set goal.
Her graduation had evoked a sense of inner peace in Joe as she was now free to forge her own path in life. The prior fear of the future had left altogether by now.
At the news of her passing and graduation, Eliana and Craig had seemingly made it their mission to embarrass Jordyn wherever they went – telling everyone about their 'accomplished daughter' and how proud they were. As grateful as Joe was for their love, she could've done without having to be stopped by her neighbors who congratulated her on the streets.
Joe's graduation night would be forever engraved in her mind. It was one of her happiest moments walking this earth. The Davenport-Dooleys had joined the Soto-Barkeleys and together went to Joe's favorite Mexican restaurant. Truly a heartwarming memory.
"Can you imagine?"
"Mhm."
"He really asked me if he could do something on the next mission."
"Uh-huh."
"Pff as if. Who does the guy think he is, right?"
"Uh-huh."
"And then, Bree called me a control freak!"
"Uh-huh."
"Joy, I get the feeling you're not listening to me."
With a loud gasp, Joe snapped her gaze from painting her nails and cautiously put her hand over her heart. "Me? Not listening to you? Never!" Chase's deadpan expression brought a grin to her face. "Joking aside," she paused, blowing on her nails and contemplating her next words, "Sebastian's kind of right, to be honest. And I gotta agree with Bree too, you do like to be in control at all times."
"But-"
"Nuh-uh, you don't have the talking stick," she said, narrowing her eyes while wearing a small smile, "You're a control freak. End of argument. So what?"
Chase leaned back, his hands running over his face and his hair tousled in a display of his frustration. "Not in front of students! Especially Sebastian. And to defend him no less!"
Her gaze returned to her nails as she shook her head. "I don't get why you feel so threatened by that boy. I mean, sure, the guy's good and excels in his training but he lacks the experience and knowledge you've gained." Joe held her hand closer to the window, examining her clumsy work before continuing, "There's nothing for you to worry about. After all, you are the smartest boy in the world, right?" A mocking wink accompanied her statement.
"Man," Chase corrected.
"Turn 18 and then we'll talk, little one."
An eyeroll followed her teasing. "You're older by a few months."
"Still, I'm 18," she pointed at herself, then at her phone, "You're not."
A barely noticeable pout appeared on his face as he struggled to think of a comeback. However, not even 5 seconds later, his features warped into a small smirk and he mimicked her gestures, "I have a job. You don't."
Opposite to his expectations, Joe sported an even bigger smirk than himself. "Who said that?" She inquired, leaning forward.
"Wait. You have a job?" Her nod confirmed his statement and in turn, amplified his confusion. To his knowledge, Mr. Davenport hadn't gone over to her yet to present her with his proposal.
"Well...," she trailed off in thought, biting her lip. She wasn't sure if she wanted to reveal it already. Her plan was to inform everyone of the job offer she had gotten once they all met up the next weekend. But now, confronted with Chase's expectant gaze, she faltered. "D'you remember how my family was late to the graduation dinner? I was actually held up by Creevey himself."
"Michael Creevey?" Chase exclaimed in utter shock. She hummed in approval. "Creevey, Mr. Davenport's competitor?"
"It's a great job!" Joe quickly defended upon the obvious discontent that came with her reveal. His reaction was to be expected, and honestly, Joe was stupid to think others would be happy with this prospect of hers.
"How did he even hear of you? And why'd he come personally?"
Joe shrugged, not having put much thought into it. "Don't know exactly but I think Scott has some contacts."
Silence ensued. A light jingle, presumably of Joe's bracelet, brought Chase back to reality. His knitted brows didn't disappear, though.
"Will you take it?" He asked her.
She pondered the question, acting as if she didn't think about it nonstop since being presented with the opportunity. Her head swayed from left to right and she ended with a small shrug.
It was a very good position, coincidentally the very same one she was rejected from by Davenport Industries. At the same time, she had to consider the fact it was Mr. Davenport's biggest competitor they were talking about. A rapidly-growing one. Wouldn't it be somewhat of a betrayal to the people she called family? Would she be seen as a traitor? Adding to that, her own mother was an investor in Davenport Industries, so how would it look if her own daughter joined the competition?
Choosing between career and family.
"I'm not sure yet," she admitted, sighing, "I'm definitely considering it. It's a good deal. Fantastic even. Training as a software developer with a stable income from the get-go with a good chance of entrusting me with a team if I do well."
Chase pursed his lips. The girl was right. It was a good offer. He himself would probably accept that offer in her place. "Do you have other offers?" He inquired.
"I applied for some jobs and gotten some replies but nothing's quite as good as Creevey's," she explained, shrugging. She watched as he shook his head and lifted his head, showing off a softer gaze than before.
"For what it's worth, I'm happy you're getting recognized for your talents."
She was taken aback by his genuine compliment for a moment but quickly regained her composure. A smile overtook her features as she sheepishly replied, "Thank you, Chase."
Their eyes both focused on the person on their respective screens and Chase couldn't ignore the sudden heat traveling to his face. Clearing his throat, he scratched his cheek and looked away, hoping Joe didn't realize anything.
Luckily, she didn't. Alas, she still gave in to the urge of teasing him. "For what it's worth, I'm happy you're getting a grip on your ego and not bossing the students around anymore."
He sighed, "Trying my best."
"Good," she stated and raised her hands in front of her to examine her work. "Now, I gotta go and grab the possible contract from Creevey's."
Chase watched as she stood up to grab a jacket. He suppressed a chuckle at the struggle with her hair getting caught on the hood. She was about to bend down to end the call and say goodbye when an idea popped into her head, prompting her to sit back down. "Hey, can I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure."
"Check on 82, please. Adam, Bree and Leo couldn't get through to her and I'm worried. You're really my last hope."
A smile tugged on the corners of his lips. "I will, don't worry. Good luck."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Party Island
1.45 p.m.
Bro
CODE PERRY
REPEAT
CODE PERRY
Add
What's code perry?
Looley
i hope that's a joke
Ace
Believe me, it's not.
It sadly never is.
didnt u flee to escape perry
y u got a code perry
she swam all the way over?
Add
Ahahhahhahaha
Good one! :D
Bro
she jus arrived and wont leave
mr davenport and i r tryin our best
Looley
do better then
ive seen enough of her for more than
one lifetime
this island was supposed to be
an escape from the perry horror
oh damn wait
shes rly there
man
shouldve believed her when she
told me bout her plan at the finals
Ace
2.15 p.m.
Hello, friend.
How are you?
I hope good.
I'm great, now that we're working
together.
ehh
what did i miss
have i accidentally done an uhhuh
too many in our convo earlier?
Uh-huh.
no i didnt
cant believe youd try to manipulate me
like that
smh
I'm not Bree, stop with these stupid
abbreviations.
im no grandpa who types grammatically
and orthographically correct
Haha.
ps:
u are that grandpa
I got that one.
u never know
Anyway.
Can you help me with a simulator?
We have too many students to tend to
at once so I'm gonna build a
simulator to make the process easier.
hmm
somethings fishy here
u never ask to work together
u dont like working with others
y would u deliberately ask someone
Two minds are better than one?
ok
thanks for confirming that its mr
davenport who expects u to work with
someone
y me tho
You I can tolerate working with.
what a compliment
rly flattering
now the truth pls
Mr. Davenport wants me to work with
Sebastian...
ahhh
thats great!
No, it isn't.
it is!
working with him on the simulator allows
you two to work out your differences at
the same time
its a bonding opportunity!
I don't want to bond with him.
you didnt wanna bond with me and now
look where we are
itll be fun
just try
Fuck, ok.
If something goes wrong, it's on you
its on me
I hate you.
i know <3
By the way, I couldn't find 82 anywhere.
Do you mind if I handle the simulator first?
ugh sure
Sorry.
no its not u
im frustrated
i wanna be there for her but no one
can even get her on the phone with me
bc she always runs away from everyone
i miss my little flower :(
I'll talk to Sebastian about it.
Donnie
2.23 p.m.
I'll come over at 4.
Is that ok with you?
can't sorry
How about tomorrow then?
delivered
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Waking up the next day was no easy deed.
In an attempt to ease herself of her guilt, Joe had spent the previous day sending out applications to more companies than she could count. Throughout the process, she must have fallen asleep as she found herself awake with her head resting on the keyboard at her desk.
The culprit of her untimely awakening was no other than her phone clutched in her hand. It was a miracle how she hadn't let go of it in her slumber.
Prying her eyes open and straightening her aching bones, an unsatisfied grumble left her. Just her luck that the one day she had nothing planned her sleep was so easily disturbed by something so minuscule.
Joe stood up, reaching for the high ceiling in hopes of relief from the tension in her shoulder. Simultaneously she cast a look at the phone still remaining in her hand. There she found a notification. Her lips curled into a smile upon the good news from Chase – an all-clear that Sebastian wasn't as horrible as feared after all.
After shooting him a quick message back, in which she couldn't hold back a slight tease, she yawned and made her way downstairs.
In the kitchen, a stack of pancakes caught her gaze. A small note was attached to the plate, relaying a short message. Enjoy, Dad. Her heart skipped a beat at the rare occurrence of being cared for by someone else. She couldn't remember a time when one of her parents had made her breakfast – even with her mother at home, she was the one preparing breakfast for everyone.
The sound of the doorbell drew her back to the moment. She furrowed her brows, not expecting any guests. Nonetheless, she advanced forward and paid no mind to the possible dangers as she swung the door open. To her surprise, she was greeted by Donald Davenport.
"Good morning. I hope I didn't wake you up," he said, his gaze trailing down her pajama-clad body.
Jordyn shook her head, stepping aside and inviting the man inside despite her initial confusion. "Don't worry, Chase made sure to ruin any prospect of sleeping in," she said as the man passed and went to the living room. "What's the reason for your sudden visit?"
Donald didn't sit down, clutching a briefcase in his hand that she only now realized he carried. Instead, he put the briefcase on the sofa and flipped it open.
Meanwhile, Joe shut the door and entered with crossed arms and a raised brow. "Shouldn't you be on the island, making sure no one steals your plane?" She inquired again, hoping the teasing would encourage a response.
"First I gotta make sure no one steals you away," he answered in a rush, digging through his bag.
Joe sighed, understanding the insinuation immediately. "So I gather Chase told you about the offer?" A hum and nod confirmed her suspicion. She shook her head. "And here I thought I could trust him."
Donald momentarily ceased his search and pursed his lips. "Don't blame him. He only told me to show the urgency of me coming forward with my own offer," he stated, going back to his bag.
"Your own offer?" Joe questioned. To her knowledge, the refusal of accepting her into his company was made very clear some months ago.
A triumphant "Aha" sounded as Donald plucked out the documents he was seeking. With raised brows, his gaze traveled to the confused girl and fixed on her. "Did you seriously think I'd let you walk off to another company just like that?" He gave the girl no time to answer, taking a step forward with the papers extended to her. "No. I see a bright future for you in this field, Jordyn. And for selfish reasons, I hope you'll reach it by being part of my team."
Accepting the pages, Joe skimmed its content. It didn't take long to figure out it was a contract. Her wide eyes met with the watchful glance of Donald. His features softened at the excited look reflecting in the girl's eyes.
"I have to warn you, though. It is not for software developer," he stated, seeing Joe's expression falter before reemerging to its prior extent. "I don't think that's the optimal path for you to pursue. I'm offering you a 2-year training with the subsequent guarantee of a position as either an Administrator or Programmer Analyst. I also give you the ability to work from wherever you'd like and flexible work hours as long as you get the work done when it's due."
Joe's jaw had gradually fallen while her brows rose throughout the man's proposal, leaving her with her mouth agape and brows retracted in her hairline. Her head slowly dropped to the documents she was holding in her hands. As if a switch was flipped, she frantically flicked through the pages to find a certain number.
Her mouth dramatically shut and her brows retreated to their natural position. Her gaze was fixated on the dollar sign. A nervous tremor caused the pages in her hands to go blurry before her eyes and she cautiously held up the page to point out what must be a mistake. "Is this...?"
Donald squinted his eyes, leaning forward to examine the document. With a chuckle, he nodded and said, "The annual wage, yes. Keep in mind there's always space to grow depending on one's performance." At her stunned expression, another chuckle left him and an arrogant smirk appeared on his face. "I believe Creevey offered less?"
Joe shook her head, back to staring at the promised money. "By far."
"Well," Donald exclaimed, clapping his thighs, "I'm going to leave you to ponder my offer. I'll give you until the end of the week to call me with your decision."
"I'd be stupid to not accept this offer, Donald," she snorted.
"Oh, I know. That's why I offered it. You see, as the boss I can make decisions by myself without treating to the board. They might not be pleased but who cares, right?"
Chuckling, Joe freed her hands of the contract, laying it down on the coffee table. "You got yourself a deal, old man."
Donald's grin fell, replaced by a glare. "Call me that again and the deal's off," he warned. However, the exchange of handshakes immediately after the warning went against his threat.
"You wouldn't risk losing my skills over my teasings," Joe correctly assessed, a toothy grin present on her face.
Donald shook his head but agreed to go over the contract together with the girl. They cleared any uncertainties Joe found herself confronted with in the wording of the documents and discussed her future prospects in the company.
Still, Joe was wary of instantly signing the contract and letting the man have it. As much as she trusted Donald to not exploit her inexperience, it was always better to be safe than sorry.
That's how the man left the girl, contemplating her decision.
The door slammed shut behind him and Joe instantly ran up to her room. There she did what she had hoped for ever since the graduation night.
She carefully put the contract on her desk and collected all the papers scattered around her desk. Then, she threw them all in the bin except for her new future.
⌨⌲
so excited to be sharing this new chapter (hehe)
in Joe's life
all's well that ends well, right?
what are you hoping for this season/part?
what may be some of your predictions?
don't forget to stay hydrated
til next time
HoneyTale