CHAPTER 3
Getting Too Close
^[Ezra in media]^
Ezra grabbed a washcloth and held it under water. Then started to clean up the blood on her wrist. When she was done the cloth was soaked in red. She tied the bandanna back on and pulled on her sweatshirt before she left the bathroom then went down the white carpeted steps.
Ezra walked through the doorway to the kitchen to see Jax with her back facing her, sitting at the island, looking at a laptop.
Their parents currently weren't in the room.
Ezra walked over and sat down in the chair next to her. She looked over at Ezra and smiled.
"You think you can help me with my homework?" She asked with wide questioning eyes.
"Uh... probably."
She turned the computer screen towards her and pointed to the third question. It was simple math. Ezra frowned and looked over at her.
"What grade you in?" She asked confused.
"I'm a seventh grader." Jax responded.
"But you sixteen, right? Ain't you supposed to be in the tenth grade?" Ezra questioned.
"Well, yeah but I didn't start school until I was ten so that was...." She started to count on her fingers, "One, two, three, four, five. Six years ago!" She said, "So I take online classes."
"But why?" Ezra asked as she grew curious.
Jax shrugged.
"My parents didn't send me to school."
"Your parents? Wait... ya' biological ones? Why ain't they send you to school? That don't make no type of sense." Ezra furrowed her brows.
"I'on know. That's why they took me from 'em." She said.
"They? Ya' mean child services?" Ezra asked.
Jax nodded. "They told me my peoples was bad ones. I was put in the system, jumping from home to home. Then I got adopted by yours."
"But I mean....Why ain't they let you go to school?" Ezra asked."Is that the only reason child services took you?" She asked still confused.
"Yeah."
"Really becaus–" Ezra starts but Jax cut her off.
"That's the only reason!" She yells. "Alright? Now can you just help me with this shit?"
Ezra didn't understand. She was obviously lying, but why would she lie about that?
"Right..." Ezra drew out as she looked at the laptop. She began to explain the problem to Jax and when she finished she looked at her.
Jax blinked twice and tilted her head to the side with a lost look. "Is it bad that I'on understand half the shit you just said?" She asked.
Ezra sighed heavily and dumbed it down for her and it was then that Jax understood some.
"Oh!" She exclaimed. "I think I got it!"
She counted on her fingers before shoving them in Ezra's face, "The answer's six!" Ezra glared at her, grabbing both her hands from in front of her face and setting them on her knees.
She explained some more and Jax blinked in confusion again. Ezra sighed in annoyance. "The answer's thirty six." She told her.
She grinned. "Thanks," She said and chose the answer. "And the next one?" She asked.
"You know what? Why don't you get ya' ma to help you?" Ezra stood up, but before she could turn around to leave, Jax got up and quickly wrapped her arms around her. She pulled her in until her head touched her chest. Ezra gasped slightly in shock and stood completely stiff.
"Please! I'on want her help. I want yours."
"But why?" Ezra asked.
"Because I miss you." She said looking up at Ezra. And Ezra cringed. She was way too close.
Ezra shoved her away from herself.
"How in the fuck could you miss me?" She asked confused. "You just met me, kid."
Jax frowned. "I've missed you since I first saw you. There's a picture of you inna' old photo album. That was the first time I knew you existed, I was eleven, ma and pops didn't tell me about you until then. They ain't say much. But they said enough for me to know I love you. Y'know? Even though we ain't met. We still sisters and all. So I miss you." She finished, looking up.
Ezra watched her brown eyes fill with tears.
She awkwardly went ahead and pat the top of her head. She didn't want to see the kid cry.
"I get it. You'on gotta cry."
She sniffled and Ezra withdrew her hand. When she sat back down Jax was already smiling.
Ezra sighed and began to explain the next question but of course, dumbing it down.
"So, seven times seven is forty nine. Seven times seven is forty nine. Seven times seven is forty ni–" Ezra cut Jax off.
"Say it in yo' head." She told her.
"Okay." She said and started to mouth the words and count her fingers.
"Nigga! Just type in the damn answer already."
Ezra snapped.
Jax did as told and kept answering the easy questions herself, counting her fingers.
"Jasmine." Their mother called from the doorway. They both turned towards her. "You finish up with that homework yet?" She asked.
"Almost." Jax responded with a big proud grin. "Ezra helped me out though."
She glared at Ezra as she said, "Oh? She did?"
Jax nodded and Mother looked away from Ezra. "Well, make sure you save your work and grab a warm jacket, we goin' out to eat."
Jax grinned. "You serious?! Can we go to Denny's!?" She childishly begged.
"Yeah." She sighed. "But if you act up, we go straight back home." Mother told her sternly, causing Jax to smack her lips rather loudly.
"I'm grown! I can handle myself! " She declared. "C'mon, Ez!" She said as she grabbed her hand attempting to pull her out the room.
But Ezra knew better than to move an inch as she kept her feet planted to the ground.
"Ezra's not coming." Mother said coldly.
Ezra knew that, but Jax didn't.
"But why?" She frowned.
"Because I'm not hungry." Ezra spoke up with a half lie. She actually wasn't hungry. But that was definitely not the reason why.
"But I wanna go with you!" Jax declared.
Ezra pulled her hand from hers. "I'll be here when you get back. Right? Just go, have fun."
"Okay..." She frowned pretty deep and went off, Ezra figured, to find herself a jacket.
"Stay away from Jasmine." Mother hissed at Ezra as soon as Jax got to a far enough distance.
"Insanity's not contagious." Ezra told her.
She laughed bitterly. "If Insanity's not then how'd you get it? Huh?" Mother asked.
Ezra glared at her. She was smirking victoriously, knowing she didn't have the answer.
"So stay away from her. I don't want my girl being near someone like you." She hissed.
Ezra felt a pang of hurt in her chest. And Jax walked back in the room. "Hey ma, I can't find my jacket. You know where it at?" She asked.
"No, but that's okay, we'll go without it. Now c'mon, father's waiting in the car."
Jax smiled at Ezra again. "Bye!" She said as she hugged her before she let go and left.
"I expect you to be in your room when we get back." Mother hissed and also left.
Ezra already knew, out of sight, out of mind. Ezra thought maybe Jax would forget about her if she didn't see her much. She didn't think it was a bad plan, she thought Jax was just a dumb kid.
TBC
*** ☻