Chapter 3
"I'm taking you to the park today." Jace stated, waking Bentley from her sleep. She lifted her head from the pillow on the ground and started at him. She glanced behind her to the bedside table at the clock. It said 6:54.
"The park? This early?"
"Yes, the park." Jace picked up his skateboard and headed toward the trap door. "It'll be fun."
"It'll be fun," Bentley echoed standing from the pallet on the ground. She straightened her clothing, and ran her hands through her hair, detangling the blonde locks as best as she could.
After Jace had fully accepted the truth of the matter, that Bentley Grace was quite possibly a Genie, he had tried his damnedest to get her to talk more. The most she would reveal was that the earliest she could remember was being the Genie of Aladdin and that she had been the one to send out the Pitbull earlier in the day, since she could since the danger when her lamp had been dropped (which hurt by the way). She told him the bare minimum of what he wanted to know but he had pried for long enough that it had gotten late. When he had started to go to bed, she seemed reluctant to head back into the lamp. He had instead made her a palet on the floor since she refused to take the bed and she had slept there.
Bentley straightened out her clothing, dusting herself off. Jace did a double take, making a once over of what she was wearing. Yes, sometimes girls wore vintage clothing but she was too vintage, she actually appeared as if she was from the seventies. He paused for a moment and then went to his dresser. He dug out a large t-shirt and tossed it over to her. "You can borrow this for now."
She glanced over the shirt quickly and then disappeared. It was like a blink and she was gone.
"Bentley?" Jace asked, checking around the room. He checked underneath the bed and behind his rack of clothing, but he couldn't find her. There weren't many places to hide in his room and he was confused as to where she went.
She then, out of nowhere, reappeared, now wearing the t-shirt.
"Where'd you go?" Jace asked, standing up from his crouched position.
"I changed in my lamp," she answered, her hands clasped in front of her.
"Oh, okay," Jace answered, then heading toward the door. 'She could go inside and out of her lamp whenever she wished, got it,' Jace thought.
Bentley followed after him. Even though the shirt was rather big on her, it suited her, even if she had tucked the shirt into her high waisted pants.
She wasn't sure what to expect from the house, which Jace told her, housed fourteen boys. Bentley expected for there to be a stench that only boys seemed to have but was pleasantly surprised that at the bottom of the ladder, there was a smell of laundry detergent. Granted, it was a mess, that was fairly guaranteed but it had character. The house had four floors, including the attic, and had around three rooms on each floor except for the attic, which was only big enough for one room. The floor below Jace's attic had three bedrooms and a bathroom. The boys who's rooms were on this floor were Nico and Derek, who shared a room, Lee, Vernon, and Cameron's room, and Nigel and Stuart's room. Nico and Derek's room was the only one with an open door, the room empty of any occupants, but all of the other doors were shut, baring entry to anyone wanting to disturb their sleep. The second floor also had three bedrooms, with one bathroom. Jace mentioned that Stephan and Lyle shared one of the rooms, Carson had his own room, and the last room had four of the kids: Glen, Jarmain, Ashton, and Sheldon.
Jace had explained all of this information but the whole concept was just so confusing that Bentley allowed what he said to go in one ear and out the other.
The hallway of this floor was considerably more clean seeing as Martha Connors probably picked up here more. Jace and Bentley were just about to head down the stairs when a voice stopped them.
"Brofer?" The two turned around and saw a sleepy little boy with messy black hair and tired brown eyes.
"Hey buddy," Jace whispered, scooping the toddler into his arms and giving him a kiss of the cheek. "Why don't you go back to sleep?" Jace rocked the little boy in his arms before going back into Glen's room and setting him in his bed. "I'll be back in a little bit."
"Okay," Glen answered, and rolled over in his bed, shutting his eyes and going back to sleep.
"Sorry, about that," Jace bounded on down the hall, Bentley in tow, "he has like radar to know when I'm around, it's a little weird."
She nodded quietly, but the small smirk that flashed across her features let Jace know that she though it was cute.
The bottom floor had a kitchen, living room, and the master bedroom as well as a master bathroom. There were contraptions everywhere, Bentley noticed, and these inventions all appeared to be broken down parts of toys and such. Jace said that Stuart liked to make things like this.
Ben also noticed that there were pillow forts all around the house and Jace said that Nigel liked to adventure, in his own little way. The entire exchange was in whispers and on tiptoes, since everyone was asleep right now. Sundays were considered sleepy days, and everyone would be annoyed if they were waken up before nine.
Bentley almost walked right out the door until Jace stopped her. "You're going to need a jacket, it's November after all." He gave her a black leather jacket and helped her into it. He then grabbed a brown one, his considerably more worn than hers was, and then headed out into the bitter cold. The sun had decided to take a vacation today, as it typically did, and the wind chill was dropping the temperature considerably compared to yesterday.
Jace was far more prepared for this kind of weather as opposed to the mixture that was yesterday's weather. But Jace could tell that Bentley was instantly cold. Maybe going to the park at the beginnings of winter wasn't the best idea that he had had but he had to think of a way to get her out into the world that she hasn't seen in a while.
"You ever ride a skateboard before?" Jace asked, tossing the board down and looking expectantly at Bentley. She shook her head, crossing her arms as she looked at him. "We should really change that." He offered her a hand and she hesitantly and gingerly took it. He gestured for her to step on the board and she shot him a look of fear. He nodded again at the board and gave her a smile.
She placed her foot on the board, causing it to slide forward. She recoiled with repeated no's, pulling her hand from his. "Oh, come on," Jace teased, reached and catching her hand back in his. "I won't let you fall."
Bentley allowed him to pull her back to the board. This time he put his foot right in front of the wheels so that the board wouldn't move forward. Bentley tried to step on it again, and she was able to figure out how to get on it. She was shaky, the board slightly moving back and forth and her free hand shot out and grabbed a handful of his jacket. He grabbed her elbows and steadying her.
"This is terrifying," she whispered and Jace started to laugh.
"You'll be fine, I've got you," Jace wrapped an arm around her waist and started to walk with her down the sidewalk. "So, I notice that you've got a lot of clothing from the seventies, you like that era especially or-" he trailed off waiting for an answer.
Brows furrowed, her grip on his jacket growing tighter. "I don't remember."
"Is that a "I don't want to tell you" I don't remember or a "I actually don't remember" I don't remember?"
"What?"
"Nevermind."
They traveled down the street a little ways and Jace struggled to make idle chit chat with Bentley. She wasn't very willing to talk about herself.
Jace paused, tensing up. Bentley shook as she stepped off of the skateboard and held onto Jace tightly as she did. Around the corner, two girls started to walk down the same sidewalk. One girl had black hair and the other with light brown hair. The one with black hair had green eyes and had black lipstick on. She's fairly pretty, her tall stature with her curves, and the confidence she exuded. The girl with black hair wore a black jacket with a pair of skinny jeans and a white shirt underneath. The other girl didn't seem as confident but was very pretty. She wore a dress that was light blue but she wore tights underneath to guard against the cold with a pair of boots. Her hair was curled and she wore a light dusting of makeup. They seemed to be almost opposites but walked close enough together to suggest that they were friends. The brunette had a rather large stack of notecards in her hands and was quizzing the girl with the black hair. They continued to walk forward, not noticing Jace and Ben.
Jace picked up the skateboard and wrapped an arm around Ben's waist. The girl with the black hair noticed them first and stopped in her tracts. She quickly brushed her hair with her fingers, and readjusted all of her clothing. The brunette didn't notice for a bit longer, until she looked up from the cards.
Jace gave a hesitant wave to the two girls, and this seemed to prompt the two girls to continue walking toward them, both relaxing. "Hey Jace," the brunette stated, her arm looped firmly through the black haired girls.
"Good morning Alice," he nodded at the brunette, "Cynthia," and then he nodded at the girl with the black hair. His grip on Bentley's waist grew tighter, and she was pulled more firmly into him.
"I didn't expect to see any Connors out this early, especially on Sunday," Alice remarked, returning Jace's smile, "I couldn't imagine Carson being up before nine."
"I guess that it's a good thing I haven't changed my last name to Connors then. I would feel like I was breaking some kind of rule," Jace joked, his eyes glued to Alice. They laughed, Bentley noticing that Cynthia didn't look away from Jace.
"Are you ready for our test over A Clockwork Orange on Wednesday?" Cynthia asked, her fingers playing with the hem of her shirt.
Jace tore his gaze from Alice and gave Cynthia a smile. "I've read the book. That's about as prepared as I'm going to get."
There was a moment of silence, and Bentley stood awkwardly, pressed to Jace's side and could feel that the two girls were both trying to be discrete with their glances at her. "Oh sorry, this is my friend Bentley Grace." Jace introduced her and she offered the two girls her hand and they both shook it.
"Hi Bentley, I'm Alice and this is my friend, Cynthia." Alice smiled at Bentley, though the smiles seemed a little forced. Bentley felt slightly uncomfortable but smiled back.
"It's nice to meet you." She spoke, nodding similarly like Jace did.
"So where are you two headed?" Cynthia asked, turning her attention back to Jace.
"We're headed to the park, just needed to get outside for a while. And you?"
"Alice is helping me study," Cynthia answered, giving Alice's arm a squeeze.
The awkward silence then resumed, and Bentley wanted nothing more than to disappear into her lamp. Jace also wanted to get out of there and when he realized how tense Bentley was next to him, he knew that they needed to end this conversation.
"I'll let you two get to it then." Jace nodded and then waved as he faired them goodbye. He pulled Bentley along with him and they continued down the sidewalk. The girls then headed in the opposite direction, and the two could hear Cynthia reciting information from notecards as they walked away.
Jace and Bentley walked in silence for a time before Bentley was able to gather the courage to ask the question on her mind. "Do you like her?
"What?" Jace asked, but it had a chuckle hidden behind it.
"Alice, do you like her?" Bentley watched his expression and surprisingly, he began to laugh.
He finally pulled his arm out from around Bentley and switched which hand was carrying the skateboard. "Is it really that obvious?"
Ben shrugged, but was still impressed by his relaxed reaction. "Not really, I just thought that you might."
He ran a hand through his hair and smiled. "Yeah, I started liking her three years ago." He mindlessly kicked a rock that skidded down the sidewalk a few feet.
"Then you should ask her on a date." Bentley felt slightly embarrassed, her cheeks starting to glow red. She worried that she was so dated, that these wasn't the terms that people used in this era.
"Oh, I mean, I tried when I was fourteen but- its kind of complicated." Jace sighed shoving his free hand in his pocket.
"I get complicated."
Jace smiled again, this time with only one side of my mouth. "My older foster brother, Carson, and I have been competing since I was younger over everything. When he found out that I liked her, he asked her out. They've been going out since."
"That's not that complicated," Bentley teased, lightly bumping his side.
"I'm just not that keen on talking about it." Jace replied, staring down at the ground. He then lightly bumped her back. "I don't know, it's just a little pathetic."
Bentley stepped in front of Jace, catching his eye and gave him a smile. "I don't think that it's pathetic."
Jace laughed, looping an arm over her shoulders leading her toward the park that had finally started to appear down the street. "You should smile more, it suites you."
The park was empty, it was too cold and early for anyone to want to be out. It was around 7:30 in the morning, and the sun was spreading its light over the park. There was a jungle gym and a field off to the side.
Jace headed to the jungle gym and leaped onto the monkey bars. He yelled at Bentley to join but she was nervous. She hadn't ever done anything like this and so she did follow him but at a walk and tried her best to copy what he did as he ran around.
They ended up sitting across from each other at the top of the slide. Bentley felt warmer now that she had run around for a little bit and she snuggled deeper into her jacket, her cheeks having grown red in the cold air.
"What do you like to do?" Jace asked, excited to see that Bentley was having a fun time. She was smiling which didn't happen that often and he was glad that she seemed to be enjoying herself.
But when he asked her that question, she shut down. Her smile disappeared and she looked down, staring at her hands.
"There has to be something you do in that cramped lamp of yours between partners." Jace nudged her with his knee and she glanced up at him.
"Partners?"
"Master makes it sound like I own you. I prefer to think that we're partners in crime." Jace titled his head up and breathed out, his breath swirling in the cold air and floating away.
Ben felt a smile creep back on her face but she suppressed it. "I like to read."
"Really? Whose your favorite author?"
"Jane Austen."
Jace nodded as if he was expecting that as her answer. "Of course you do."
"What does that mean?"
"Every girl who reads has to like Jane Austen."
"Maybe it's because she a good author."
They sat in a comfortable quiet before Jace turned to better face her.
"Do you remember any other partners you've had in the past?"
Bentley thought for a moment and then chose out a story and a person she thought would interest Jace. "Can I show you something?"
Jace smirked and nodded.
She moved forward and pressed the heel of her palms to his temples. She closed her eyes and he followed suite. Then she started to show him a memory.
He felt the world around him melt away and a new world materialized around him. He was in a city, a city that strangely looked like London but it felt different. It was grittier, the air felt dirtier. The streets weren't paved, instead they were cobbled. There were horses tied to carriages and men wearing suites. Woman wore dresses and carried decorative umbrellas. There were dirty children that ran through the streets, dressed in rags, no shoes, and with oily hair.
Jace turned around and spotted a boy who appeared to be twelve or thirteen with fiery red hair dressed in rags who was racing down the street. A girl was right on his heels, her hair long and brown, reaching past her waist. She was also covered in dirt.
Jace idly watched them pass until he saw that Bentley was calmly following them. He then jogged to catch up to Ben. She continued to follow the two children as they ducked into an alley and ran to the brick wall at the end of it. They turned to the left and disappeared into the wall. First, Jace was confused. But as he neared the spot where they disappeared, he could see that there was a small hole that they disappeared into.
Bentley didn't seemed phased by how small the hole was and reached back to grab Jace's hand. She then walked right through the wall, the once very solid wall dispersing as if she was wind scattering leaves and stayed scattered until Jace had passed through, then forming back together to appear solid once again. The building they entered was huge like a warehouse and had boxes stacked everywhere. The two kids had disappeared but Bentley kept walking, knowing exactly where to go, pulling Jace behind her. She didn't avoid any boxes, the boxes doing the same thing that the wall had done as they passed through.
"Why are the boxes doing that?" Jace whispered, scared that if he talked any louder, he would break something.
"It's only a memory," she replied and stopped only a foot away from the two children. They were sitting on the ground and emptying their pockets. There were watches, coins, and small jewelry. The kids giggled and sorted out the goods. Jace found it awfully ironic that they were little pickpockets like he was back when he was younger.
"Show me the magic again," the boy whispered, expectantly watching the little girl.
The girl smiled and rubbed her pudgy hands together before snapping. The valuables on the ground began to hover above the ground a couple of inches before floating back down.
Jace looked at the girl and then looked at Bentley. They had a similarity in the face but the age were completely different. "Is that little girl you?"
She nodded.
"Why are you so young?"
Ben looked back at him, and she slowly let go of his hand. "I change my appearance so my master is more comfortable."
"Partner." Jace corrected and turned his attention back to the two kids on the ground. The boy clapped and little Bentley laughed.
"Abideen," the boy whispered, "I've decided what my first wish is."
"Abideen?" Jace asked, turning back to Bentley.
"That was my name a long time ago," she answered, her eyes glued on the two children.
Little Abideen's face fell slightly before she was able to catch it. She thought that they had been having fun but it always had to come to an end. "What is it?"
"I wish I could fly."
The memory started to scatter around the two teens and they slowly came back to the park, sitting at the top of the slide.
Jace was beyond giddy as he opened his eyes and he was once again in the park. "Was that who I think it was?"
"Who do you think it is?"
"Peter Pan?" Bentley nodded, a small smile growing on her lips. "Bloody hell." Jace laughed, excited by the prospect that one of his favorite books was a real event.
"Here, I want to show you something." Jace then slid down the slide and Bentley followed. He grabbed his skateboard and headed over to the sidewalk. "Watch this."
An image flashed through Bentley's mind. There was a boy wearing a hospital gown and had his hands cupped together and held out to Bentley, a small fire dancing above his skin. "Watch this."
Bentley snapped back and shook her head, not sure where that image came from but choosing to ignore the fact. Jace jumped on the skateboard and started to perform a series of tricks standing in place. Bentley watched in awe as he continued to perform his stunts. She clapped when he finished and he grinned, bounding back to her. He lifted his wrist and checked his watch. It was 8:30. Jace wrapped a lazy arm over Bentley's shoulders and started to guide her back toward the house. "You want to have breakfast with my family?"
Ben turned her head and nodded, her hands jammed in her pockets. They started to head back toward the house but Bentley's mind was turning and she felt like she needed to ask him again.
"Have you thought about your wishes?"
"Yes," Jace answered, continuing to gaze forward.
"And?" Her stomach was tumbling and flipping horribly. It was going to happen again. She was going to get shut away in that damn lamp again. Jace Tempal was going to be another master that was going to use her and throw her back in that prison just so that the cycle could start again. And again. And again.
Jace thought for a moment before answering, feeling Ben tensing next to him as she awaited his answer. "I know that you want to get away from me as soon as possible but I want you to hang around for a bit longer." Bentley stopped and this caused Jace to stop as well. He looked over at her and cocked his head. He had a moment of panic where maybe she didn't want to be his friend. But his fears were rebutted when she continued to walk and allowed herself to smile for a moment.
"Could I ride it again?" Ben gestured toward the skateboard and Jace nodded, setting the board down and helping her on. She then rode the skateboard all the way back, her hands clutching onto Jace's jacket the entire time.