JADELYNN
I just laughed at his antics instead of blushing at the thought of us truly catching up. Nope, those thoughts had to remain safely within my own mind. Thad was my dream guy. He was sexy as hell, hilarious, intelligent, and had a heart of gold. He could have any girl he wanted, but he never gave into their flirtations. Another reason why many of the females hated my guts. They blamed me because he would rather hang out with me than deal with them. Was that really on me though? It was not my fault that he hated desperation and the smell of skank.
Thad had quite the following given that he was the star Quarterback. However, he could not care less about all that. He preferred to give his attention to those he felt deserved it. The Geek Squad was a great example of that. Nobody understood why he hung out here when he could hang out with the cheer-whores and jocks. That was why they would never be able to understand who Thad actually was. He was genuine and could not be bought.
Our usual table had a mixture of personalities. We had the resident Geek Squad who consisted of eight of the most brilliant minds at this entire school. They were currently developing a top-secret tracing program for EterniTech upstate. They were the original members of this group until more people joined.
Tammy and Victoria were amazing theater kids whose parents were big name actors. They were not more popular because they did not live off the back of their parents’ coattails. They chose to make their own names for themselves and had great promise. They certainly had every ounce of my respect for that.
Thad Easton was the school’s Quarterback, resident heartthrob, and excellent sparring partner. He taught me everything that I knew. He was also on track for pre-law to follow in his father’s footsteps of working at the DA’s office. He was hoping to become DA by the time we turned thirty-five.
Then there was me. Jadelynn Rae Murphy. My father was a Historian and professor at Tashings University here in town. My mother was P.R. guru for a top-tier tech company. They always encouraged my passions and fleeting obsessions. They were the best parents I could have asked for. They taught me to be resilient and strong.
“Look, that’s the new girl I was talking about,” Victoria said, pointing to a girl who was looking for a table to sit at.
I raised my hand to get her attention but stood up quickly instead. Pauline was following behind New Girl, and I could already smell trouble. Pauline always had to assert her ridiculous popularity by making sure that everyone knew not to cross her.
Fun fact: I did not care.
Pauline had her hand raised to pour her soda over New Girl’s head. I hated the bitch because she took every opportunity to embarrass others. Nobody, except for Thad and I, stood up to her. The rest just watched on in morbid excitement.
Hopefully, New Girl was forgiving of people touching her. I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to the side just in time to get her out of the splash zone. I pushed New Girl behind me because I did not trust Pauline at all. There was a litany of offenses that she was responsible for, but her corrupt uncle was the Chief of Police. Any report of assault or sneaking drugs into the drinks of girls that she hated or guys that she wanted to fuck all got swept under the rug.
“Saintess Jadelynn to the rescue,” Pauline mocked and sneered at me.
“It would just be Saint. It’s the same regardless of gender, but I will overlook your slip,” I assured her while keeping my voice and face neutral.
Pauline always hated that I was not afraid of her. She could not intimidate me like all the other puppies in this school. Many of them turned a blind eye or encouraged her, but I would not. That was not how my parents raised me. That was not who I was. There would never come a day when I would stand back while others were being hurt, abused, or mocked. I would stand toe-to-toe with the Devil if it was necessary.
Some people become protectors because they were wronged in life. I did not have a sad beginning or a hurt past. What I did have was an innate need to shield others from people who desired to torment and tear them apart.
“You think you’re so much better than everyone else,” she snapped at me.
Did she even hear herself? That had me internally laughing. She angered easily and resorted to intimidation tactics when she did not get her way. I was not one who would ever be intimidated by her. The Trouble Four, as Thad and I dubbed our parents, were the most intimidating people you would ever meet. Pauline was not even a flea in comparison to them.
“I think you are speaking about yourself. Pauline Donner, your dirty secrets may be swept under the rug by your uncle, but they are not erased,” I said, tapping the side of my nose to express one of them.
Her drug issue was not common knowledge. She used it both recreationally as well as to do her bidding. I knew of both. Her victims came to me over the years. I had also been able to covertly intervene a few times, but it was well documented against her. The shade of red that was on her face from my words was very satisfying.
I did not even need to look around to know that everyone was now focused on this display. She started it, but I would definitely finish it. Thad and I were the only ones who stood up against her because she could not touch us. We had to convince our Geek Squad to let us do it because of that fact. They were not comfortable with it because they wanted to protect us just like we protected them, but they reluctantly agreed.
Pauline was 5’10 and put a lot of time into her appearance. The boob job and liposuction made her believe that her looks were superior to all others. Her appearance was just as fake as her personality. Both were pretty vile.
I was 5’6 with a naturally full chest and ass. The muscles in my arms and legs were noticeable, and I liked seeing them because Thad and I worked hard training together for years. Plus, he insisted that they made me look like a badass. He was the only person I ever cared of approving of my looks. My strawberry blonde hair cascaded down to the middle of my back which highlighted my fair skin and made my grey-blue eyes pop. They were certainly my favorite feature.
“You’re nothing but a pathetic loser. The only reason anyone hangs around you is because they feel sorry for you.”
I just barely held in my laughter. She meant Thad. Pauline propositioned Thad many times. She even went as far as to slip something in his drink at a party one time in hopes of getting laid by him. Safe to say that Thad would never touch her even if she was the last pussy on Earth.
“Why not just be blunt with your words? You mean Thad. The one that never fell at your feet no matter how many sad attempts you made,” I said with a slight chuckle.
My words certainly hit her hard. She was an incredibly sore loser and hated to be called out on her shit. She took a step towards me, so I pushed New Girl back towards our table. I heard Victoria talking to her, so I knew that she was free and clear.
“You might want to rethink whatever it is you are thinking of doing. You are not as untouchable as you seem to assume,” I warned her.
Of course, Pauline would never believe that she was touchable. Her uncle ensured that she believed that nobody would dare strike against her. He was the worst enabler of her crimes. The Geek Squad collected quite a bit of nasty evidence on poor Pauline. Evidence that painted not only her guilt but also her uncle’s guilt. The evidence spanned the past two years. We even found connections between her and crimes in her last city as well, but that did nothing for our case now. It was just sickening to know that she was a vile bitch. Once we sent out the evidence, we planned on sending out what we collected to the officers in that city.
“Do your worst. Nobody can touch me. You on the other hand,” she said before she lunged at me.
I stepped to the side to avoid her lunge. She turned on me and threw a punch at my face, but I just closed my hand around her fist and held her still.
Thad and I trained together for the past few years. I was not as great at it as he was, but he insisted that I learned after I got the crap beat out of me when Pauline and four members of her posse jumped me at the same time.
She threw her other fist, but I captured it too. Pauline let out an angry whine and tried to yank her hands away. However, I kept them still because I wanted her to realize that she fucked up and was not untouchable.
“See? Touchable. Leave New Girl alone. Better yet, leave everyone alone,” I said before tossing her hands away from me.
“Or what?” she yelled at me.
Pauline had always lacked emotional control. She allowed them to guide her too much. Being pissed off created a fury that hurt others. Being sidelined like I just did caused her a lot of embarrassment which led to more fury. Jealousy led to teaching others the lessons that she felt they deserved. One time, a girl looked prettier than her, so Pauline roofied the girl and took incredibly embarrassing photos of her while she was knocked out. Luckily, the Geek Squad was able to get them taken down permanently. There was not legally a crime that could be tied to Pauline that time, so we did the next best thing to get justice for the girl. In place of the photos Pauline took, we put up photos that had been taken of Pauline during some of her many sexcapades.
“Or secrets will not remain secret any longer.” I looked her in the eye to make my point clear.
Damn, I really wished that I had a camera. The glare she was giving me was priceless. She was caught, called out in front of everyone, and threatened with something that would do some serious damage. She was fucked either way. It did not really matter if it was her image or freedom.
An arm wrapped around my shoulders, and I was glad that he chose to step in. This made it so much more exciting because Thad hated Pauline just as much as I did. We both saw her for the hideous monster that she was and eagerly awaited the day that she was fully taken down. That was a day that many longed for.
“Damn Jae. Our private training sessions sure paid off. Solid 10/10. Did you have an answer to my question from earlier?” he asked, flashing me that smile I loved so much.
He was asking for two reasons. He wanted us to truly make a go of it just like I did. It would also set up a knock-out moment for Pauline because she hated me for having his affection and attention. Those were the two things that he gave nobody else but me.
“The answer is yes,” I said.
His smile was breathtaking. I was thankful that he could not hear how my heartbeat pick up. His arm slid from my shoulders to around my waist and pulled me into him. It caused Pauline to huff as we turned our backs on her, showing her that she was not even worth our time.
“Great. I will pick you up on Friday and wear something as gorgeous as you are,” he said while Pauline was still in earshot.
New Girl was sitting next to Victoria. I stole Thad’s delicious hazelnut iced coffee. He tossed me an annoyed glare, but I knew it was fake. I took a sip and handed it back to him with an eye roll.
The tension from earlier today was completely gone. I felt happy sitting next to him. I really did know that we could make a go of this. We trusted each other more than we trusted anyone else. That was what I was missing last year. I got so caught up in being insecure that I forgot that Thad would never do anything to me that would hurt me which included the fact that he would not ask me out if he did not care about me in that way.
Pauline played my emotions once, and it would never happen again. For that I was certain. While this summer sucked for the both of us, since it was the first one apart since I met him, I believed that it made us more committed. If anything, Pauline did us a favor.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked as he handed me the last of his coffee.
The look he gave me needed no words. It translated into ‘Not telling. Have some fucking patience.’
I rolled my eyes at him and punched his shoulder for being a sweet jerk. I had no idea what I would do without him.
Pauline's animosity towards Jadelynn grows throughout the story. Let me know what you all think so far!
JADELYNN Thad’s arm was laced around my waist as we walked towards the waterfall. It was one of my favorite places to go in this entire place. Georgia had gorgeous scenery that we both thoroughly enjoyed. There were many places on our bucket list to see one day, but this was the one of the most beautiful places that I could have ever thought about living. This waterfall in the in the middle of the woods was a place of true beauty. There was a power and brilliance in the tranquility it provided. The rushing water as it plummeted down had a lulling effect. You could see through the water as if it was a piece of glass. It cascaded down the rocky outcropping into a deep pool below. Founder’s Peak Waterfall was the first and only one I saw in person. However, I doubted that many could compare to this one. It was my eighth birthday when our parents brought us out to this waterfall for the very first time. We had a little camp out which turned out to be more fun than I had anticipated. I l
JADELYNN Pauline had been avoiding me like the plague since Monday. It was now a glorious Wednesday, and I felt great about it. She realized that she was treading dangerous waters with me. Perhaps others would not fall underneath her boots anymore. It was too much to hope for, but who knew what the future held. Pauline used the same tactics to get others to follow her rules: intimidation, fear, and bullying. I became the voice for those who were too afraid to speak up against her, and I would never give up being the voice for those who needed it in life. “World peace,” Thad said with the best Miss America voice and a smirk. The past hour was spent on interview prep, but I felt no closer to being prepared for it. You would think that I would feel more prepared but nope. We were nestled on the couch at the Java Javs since I was not scheduled to work until Monday. My head was in his lap while he played with my hair. It was something he knew relaxed me which I needed right now with th
THAD Jadelynn’s declaration of her feelings for me really made me happy. I waited patiently for her because I knew that she needed time, and she was worth every moment of that wait. She put up a strong front up for everyone else, but she was not completely hardened to the bitchy rumors and sneers from those who were threatened by her. Jadelynn was the shield for everyone else, but she refused to let anyone shield her but me. I would never push her past her limits and respected her decision to pause things last year. It sucked, but I respected her wishes because I always would. Until today, she was unaware that I knew about the crap that Pauline fed her. I had not made a move sooner because I was not sure how Jadelynn would react. We were extremely close, but I feared that she would never see me the way that I saw her. I would rather be in her life as her best friend than not in it at all. I could not lose her from my life. Jadelynn was fucking gorgeous inside and out. Her heart was
JADELYNN “Mom,” I called out once I got home from school. I had completely forgotten to let my parents know that I had a date tonight. It was a date that I was thoroughly excited for. Thad and I were able to slip back into our normal routine as if there had not been a break last year at all. We were giving ourselves a clean do-over, and it was exactly what we needed. I found her in the kitchen, furiously typing away on her keyboard. She worked her ass off to get where she was today, and I could not have been any prouder of her. I really looked up to her and longed to be even half of the badass woman that she was. Mom was a PR guru for a tech company. Most people expected her to fall on her ass, but that just made her work even harder to prove that she had what it took to get the job done properly. It did not take long before everyone was eating their assumptions. “Hey, baby. What’s up?” she asked, pausing what she was doing to give me her undivided attention. I grabbed a water fro
THAD We walked up to her room quietly. I knew she was freaked out. I heard her voice when she whispered that she felt it again. She was scared. Tonight, was the first time that it occurred with us being together, so I had no idea how she dealt with all of this on her own. I felt horrible to know that she ever had to deal with that by herself over the summer. “Why don’t you go get ready for bed while I go steal something of your father’s to sleep in?” I asked her. She hesitated for a moment before she nodded and went into closet and headed into her bathroom. She looked back at me for a minute with a pained expression that she was trying to keep off her face, but I still saw it clear as day. “Mind if I keep the door open?” she asked quietly. I saw the worry on her face. She knew something was really wrong, but she also trusted me to keep her safe. I would do every single thing in my power to keep her safe. “Not at all, Jae. I will be right here when you get out.” I smiled reassu
JADELYNN It was oddly satisfying to float along a ribbon of reds, blues, and yellows. The colorful ribbon could extend on for eternity, but sadly the end drew nearer. My body began dropping, that feeling right between dreaming and wakefulness. That feeling that everyone hated before their body was plunged into reality. It took a minute for the feeling to subside before I could open my eyes. I must still have been sleeping because the walls in the room were white instead of lavender. Confusion swept through me when my body refused to take me back to my room and back to my own reality. I fell asleep in Thad’s arms as he held me tightly and ensuring that everything would be okay. Thad was not here. That was when I remembered him explaining to me about the warnings that the feelings were. I had them so intensely. Now, I was not with him. My body sprang up quickly, causing my head to spin. Everything was different. It was not just the walls. A plain white bedspread replaced my silver on
THAD My parents came out to talk with me after I calmed down as much as possible. In reality, I was not much calmer because my girl was missing, and something dangerous had been after her this entire time. I never should have fallen asleep last night. It was true that whoever it was had to have knocked me out, but that did not change how I felt about it. I still blamed myself because I could have saved her if I was awake, or I would have died trying because my life meant nothing without her in it. I would gladly lay down my life to save hers. Where was she right now? Was she okay? I hung my head and balled my fists together tightly. Jadelynn was the strongest person I ever met, so that would have to be my focus right now or else I would just completely lose it. I did know one important truth out of all this. Whoever took her had another thing coming if they assumed that Jadelynn would just cower to them. My girl had a fire inside of her that would burn all of her enemies down. That
CAMDEN Dominique used a portal to place Dent and I a couple of towns over from the Murphy’s home. It was possible that Vanosti was still keeping tabs on their house, so this was to minimize standing out. We needed to keep him in the dark about our involvement in order to protect her. That was why it was only Dent and I going in. If anything, we looked like the average people who would be checking in on a worried family. Dent was kind enough to drive while I reread the case notes from the initial sweep of the premises. There were many interesting details in it that did not fully add up to paint the picture that I needed. Two places had traces of his magical essence. Magical essence was the calling card which showed the specific DNA of his magic and was just as unique as his actual DNA was. The power that he collected simply enhanced the magical essence instead of altering it. It was the same way that Dominique’s was specific to her as well. A fingerprint of the essence was left behin