Jade was pissed at Michael. Who the fuck did he think he was giving stupid nicknames that she clearly didn't want? Who did he think he was trying to act like a friend? He was an asshole, that's what he was.
But more than anything, Jade was pissed at herself. She had let her guard down in front of him. She had made the stupid mistake of looking weak in front of them all and now they were going to use that to their advantage.
It was all Michael's fault. If he hadn't guilted her into going up to the platform, then none of this would've happened. The remaining class period, Michael didn't try to say anything idiotic. Maybe he knew that Jade was reaching the point where she would eventually lash out at him.
Thankfully, gym was the last class that they shared together and when school ended, Jade made her way to Ashton's car in the student parking lot. Ashton was no where to be found. Jade slumped against the passenger door and waited.
A few cars down, she saw Michael climb into a sleek, black Range Rover and she shook her head. Of course, the rich bastard would have an expensive car.
Just as she was about to look away, Michael glanced her way and held her gaze. From a distance, he looked intimidating enough. His hair was a crazy blue, his clothes were dark, he had both his ears pierced. But the second you talked to him, he showed his true idiotic personality.
But he hadn't been an idiot today. Sure, he shouldn't have forced Jade to get up on the platform, but when he saw how much it was troubling her, he had seemed genuinely concerned. Or maybe it wasn't concern, maybe it was guilt. Or worry. Worry that Jade might pass out and he would be the one to blame. Because, honestly, why would he care about Jade? Rich, pretty boys like him didn't go for girls like her.
She had been stupid and naïve to think that he actually gave a shit about her.
"Earth to, J," Ashton's voice said loudly in her ears. "If you're done ogling Clifford, I'd like to get going."
Jade ended her staring contest with Michael and turned to Ashton, hitting his arm lightly. "I wasn't ogling him. He's hardly what I would call eye candy."
That was a fucking lie and Jade knew it. She didn't want to admit it, but Michael was gorgeous. But he was also stupid.
"Whatever you say," Ashton laughed as he walked to the driver's side and Jade got in the car, strapping the seat belt around her.
They drove in silence, humming along to All Time Low's Therapy and A Love Like War. Finally, as Pierce the Veil was playing, Ashton spoke up.
"What's up with you? You have that look on your face that says 'I might look like a sad puppy but I want to claw your eyes out.' Whose fault is it now?" His tone was light and teasing, but Jade knew him enough to be able to hear the underlying worry.
Jade tried, again, to raise one eyebrow but failed. Fuck it. She could never do it. "I look like a puppy?"
Ashton nodded and chuckled. "A really badass, pissed off puppy. Now tell me why."
They pulled up outside her trailer but stayed put. Jade wondered whether or not to tell Ashton about the disaster that had been her gym class. He was the only person she could confide in. She wanted to share things with her mom, but more often than not, her mom was either drunk out of her mind or high. Sometimes both.
Jade sighed. "I fucked up."
Ashton pulled out a cigarette and Jade smiled a bit. At least Ashton was a constant in her life. "What did you do?"
Jade leaned back in her seat. "I broke down, Ash. We had to do stupid trust exercises and I failed them, Ash, I fucking failed them. I let my fear take over and I failed."
The defeat was so clear in her voice that it surprised even her. This was why she didn't ever want people counting on her.
"You didn't fail, J," Ashton said. Jade didn't believe him. He had no idea what had happened during class. He hadn't seen any of it.
"I did, Ash," Jade insisted. "Michael saw me lose my shit and he looked at me like I was some fragile doll and he-" She was about to tell him that Michael had called her Ariel and Little Mermaid, but decided it was too embarrassing.
"And what?" Ashton offered her his cigarette, but Jade turned it down. That was a first.
"And I don't want to see him again. It's humiliating."
Ashton sighed. He knew all about Jade and her trust issues. Jade knew that he considered himself lucky, because he was literally the only person in the world whom she trusted. Ashton also knew about Jade's bizarre need to keep up her reputation of the scary chick. He teased her about it and Jade hated it.
Because if she didn't keep up that reputation, then people would know that she wasn't scary. She was just scared.
"J, you can't avoid him. Especially now that he's in two of your classes."
God damn Mr. Baker to the deepest pits of hell. If it hadn't been for him and his perverted jokes and glances, Jade wouldn't be in any class with Michael.
"Tell you what," Ashton smiled and turned in his seat to face her. "You keep up your tough girl act and be a bitch to Michael and he'll leave you alone. How's that sound?"
Tough girl and bitch. Sounded just like Jade.
But Jade got a better idea. "I'm putting my nose ring back in," she said. "Along with other things."
Jade used to have multiple facial piercings, but she had taken them all out when her mom just about begged her one night. Jade couldn't even remember the reason why. But those piercings were her armor, they made her feel safe, and she needed them.
Ashton's smile grew bigger. "That's my girl."
And then they were quiet again. Ashton smoked his cigarette and Jade closed her eyes against the car seat. Their friendship was the only peaceful thing in Jade's life.
Jade walked in the trailer an hour later. She had fallen asleep in the car and Ashton didn't wake her, saying that she looked like she needed it. So he spent his hour in the car while Jade slept.
Now, Jade's mom was passed out on the small couch, with an empty wine bottle next to her. Jade sighed and draped a thin blanket over her, bending down to kiss the cold skin on her forehead.
Jade changed into her work uniform and met Ashton back in the car, who was smoking yet another cigarette and still waiting. Sometimes Jade felt bad about making Ashton her own person chauffeur, but Ashton said he'd rather drive her around than anyone else.
*•*•*
Work was awful. Not because of any nasty customer, but because Jade herself felt awful. It was almost 5 pm and the sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach was only growing. It felt horrible.
She wasn't hungry, she was well hydrated, she wasn't face to face with Michael. She couldn't figure out why she felt the way she did.
One more hour, she reminded herself. She could do it.
That was until the floor rushed up to her face and everything went black for a second. Then she heard the commotion around her and felt the pain just above her eyes.
"Jade, can you hear me?" she heard a feminine voice say.
She tried to open her eyes but the light was so bright. It hurt.
"Jade?" This voice was different, but Jade recognized it.
She opened her eyes, only to find another pair of green ones staring at her worriedly. "What?" Her voice was shaky.
Michael immediately looked relieved and so did Judith, Jade's manager.
"Thank God, sweetie," she said soothingly. "How are you feeling?"
Shitty. "Okay."
Judith got up and Jade noticed she was sitting at one of the tables.
"You can take the rest of the day off," Judith said. "Go ahead and call your friend. You're free to go."
Jade thanked her and pulled her phone out from her pocket.
"What happened?" Michael asked when Judith was out of sight.
"I fainted," Jade said as she typed a text to Ashton, asking if he could pick her up.
"No shit," Michael said. "Why?"
Jade looked at him, frustrated already. "I don't know and it's none of your business. Leave me alone, please. My head hurts."
Her phone vibrated.
I'm going home with Harry from the doctors. Are you okay? I can come in a half hour.
Shit.
Jade didn't want to stay there. She wanted to go home. Back to too small trailer. She felt awful.
I'm fine. Stay with Harry I'll get back.
She would have to walk back. It wasn't that long of a distance. Twenty minutes, maybe.
Michael cleared his throat and Jade looked up again. "Do you need a ride?"
"Yes," Jade said and Michael smiled. But it dropped with Jade's next words. "But not from you."
Michael frowned for a second and Jade couldn't help but think that he looked better smiling. And the cocky smile was back in that instant. "Don't you want to know why I'm here?"
"I already do. I'm not stupid," Jade said easily and rubbed her temples. "You're my own personal stalker now."
"A very hot, sexy stalker," Michael said and Jade shook her head, not even bothering to correct him. He wasn't lying to begin with.
Jade got up from the table. "Bye, Michael."
She walked away, but Michael followed her. Well, wasn't he stubborn. "I asked you very nicely to leave me alone," she said. "That only happens once."
"Great," Michael said, not sounding the least bit concerned for his safety. "Now you won't ask me again."
Without even looking at him Jade could hear the grin. She kept walking and so did he. But he grabbed her wrist when they walked past his huge car.
Jade really didn't like people touching her, especially the ones who annoyed her. She pulled away from him.
"Look, your buddy isn't here right now and I don't mind driving you," Michael said.
Jade held his stare. "I can manage it on my own."
Michael sighed. "I'm not trying to pull anything on you, Little Mermaid. I'm just being nice."
Jade took a step forward. "Don't call me that."
Michael tried to bite back his stupid smirk. "How about this? You let me drive you and I'll stop," he negotiated.
Jade considered it. She didn't want to walk, but she also didn't want Michael to see where she lived. But maybe it would be a good thing. Maybe Michael would see that she wasn't rich and he would move on to whatever girl he had in mind next. She gave in.
"Call me Little Mermaid one more time and you're dead."
Michael smiled and it was the kind of smile that could light up the whole room. But Jade had nothing in her to smile back. She still felt like she wanted to puke. "Let's go."
Michael played Green Day on the way back and neither of them talked unless Jade was telling him where to go. The silence was entirely comfortable, but it wasn't unbearable, either. It took them only ten minutes to get to Jade's trailer. Jade didn't look at Michael when they got their. She didn't want to know what his reaction was.
"Hey, um can I get some water?" Michael asked.
Jade scrunched her eyebrows together. Was that all he had to say? "Yeah, give me a second."
She got out of the car without a word and walked to her pathetic excuse of a home. When she stepped inside, her mom was still in the same position that Jade had left her in. She hadn't moved. At all.
"Mom?" Jade walked slowly, cautiously. Checking for signs to make sure she was okay. Or as okay as she could be. Jade crouched down and felt her heart drop to her stomach.
She wasn't moving. "Mom. Can you hear me?"
Jade put a hand on her mother's still chest and saw her world crumble around her.
Why isn't she responding to me?
Jade got up and ran out of the trailer, fumbling out her phone. She typed a text to Ashton with shaky fingers.
Help.
Michael was already leaning against the side of his car and he straightened when he saw Jade.
"What's wrong?"
Jade stopped in front of him and didn't know what to say. Or how to say it. There was a rock in her throat and she was shaking and nothing was making sense.
"What is it, Little Mermaid? You're scaring me." He grabbed her shoulders and made her look at him.
"My mom," she whispered. Her lips trembled. "Michael, there's something wrong with my mom."
Her phone buzzed with Ashton's text.
I'm coming.
Michael wrapped his arms around her and Jade pushed him off.
"Don't just stand there!" she said hysterically. "She needs help, Michael. Please. Help her."
-
Ashton is such a good friend and Michael isn't a dick he's adorable and yes her mom might die omg I just wanna hug her litTlE meRmAid
Okay yeah please vote and comment I wanna know how you guys feel and if you liked this chapter then comment here and tell me whether you ship Jade with Michael or Ashton
This chapter is dedicated to lili aka ofmusics bc she made the amazing drawing of Jade
Also thank you for almost a thousand reads in just 5 chapters you guys are fucking amazing
Tweet me @micahlclifford bc I wanna know you guys and until next time -S