No matter what Mr. Moon’s orders were, she couldn’t follow any of them. She was so lost in her head for the rest of the night. When the alarm went off, but her and George were still awake. They had said no words to each other for hours. When she finally did speak, if felt alien to her. “Come on, lets get ready for the day.”
She showered, got dressed, and woke her dad up from the couch. “Oh, Jade, I didn’t mean to fall asleep out here.”
“It’s okay dad.”
“I’ve been so busy with work this week. It’s Friday night. Tonight, do you want to go watch a movie? I’ll get home early.”
Jade smiled. A normal thing. “I would love that dad.”
“Look in the paper for the movies. You know what, we will go all out tonight. Popcorn and everything. Celebrate your first week of school.”
Jade looked in the paper, and picked out a funny looking movie. She needed to laugh. Jim promised her to be home early, and they’ll be on their way. Jade walked out the front, and to Mr. Moon’s car. Noah and Mr. Moon were just walking down the front steps. Noah look fine, but Mr. Moon looked awful.
Usually he was a very handsome looking man who looked like he had to all together. But today, he just looked like his leg was tight to a horse and dragged through dirt. “You doing okay, Jade?” Mr. Moon asked.
“Better,” Jade lied. What was the point of lying to Mr. Moon when he could easily read her soul.”
“Sure, yeah,” he nodded.
“You?”
“Best I can,” Mr. Moon nodded. They got in the car. Noah looked lost on what was going on. Mr. Moon looked to him, and said, “We need to talk before we head out.”
“What’s going on?”
“Runin . . . he’s linking with Jade.”
Noah swiftly turned his head to Jade. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, he said to tell Mr. Moon hi,” Jade told him. Mr. Moon flinched.
“So, we are just going to keep an eye on this. You know it’s hard for a Divider to turn, but it’s also Runin.”
“Are you saying I’m going to turn into a demon?” Jade panicked.
“No, you will be fine. We will make sure of it,” Mr. Moon said. “You’ll never be like him.”
Jade nodded. No one said a word as Mr. Moon started up the car, and headed to the school. When they got to school, Jade couldn’t help to look around to the crowd of kids, wondering who was coming after her, who was going to kill her next, who was a demon.
It seemed like for the day, Noah and Jade couldn’t be apart. When class was over, they were glued to each other once again. Jade didn’t want him to go away. She wanted to feel protected. She asked herself in the crowded hallway, “Who is a demon or a Mage?”
No one glowed out.
Was she really safe? If there was a demon among them, how would she know they weren’t just using a spell to cover themselves up, to hide from her til they had their chance to try to kill her just like Storm had.
She needed to stay low, stay quiet. She knew the other kids thought of her as just that one student that didn’t talk, the shy one.
Maybe it was always the shy kids you have to wonder about at schools.
She didn’t mind the title. Maybe if people leave her allow, maybe she’ll be safe. Just stay low, just hide behind Noah.
At lunch, they sat outside with each other. Jade could barely touch her food. “Noah?” she asked.
She caught him with a mouth-full. “Yeah?” he tried to say.
“Can you tell me about the Inbetween, were you grew up?”
He quickly swallowed. “Well, I grew up on the streets in the Capitol. My parents died . . . well, they were murdered by Mages. I had a big brother too, but they killed him also. I don’t remember much. It’s weird. I mean, I was only five when it happened. I didn’t have anyone else to go to. I just learned how to steal food and sleep under bridges. There are billions of people in the Capital. No one really cares about a skinny little kid.”
“I’m sorry that happened.”
He shrugged. “Simon found me. Turned out he was my Teacher, and we connected. Even so, I think he would have adopted me still. He’s just that type of person. He helps everyone.”
“Did Mr. Moon tell you about him being my Uncle?”
“Yeah, I knew he was going to tell you. How does that make you feel?”
“That I’m related to that crazy person?” she joked, making him laugh. “It’s weird. I’m only used to Jim being my family. Now I have an uncle. Though, I can’t tell Jim. I want to tell him, but I can’t. Besides, it may make him feel weird even if he accepted the fact he’s my uncle, you know? Like, Jim may feel like I don’t love him anymore.”
“You really are related to Simon. You’re just as crazy as him if you think that.”
Jade smiled. “Yeah, maybe.”
“Simon hasn’t always been like this, he told me. He said things were fuzzy for him for a few years. He doesn’t remember much, so I think he thinks the worse happened.”
Jade raised an eyebrow. “Was it the war years?”
“No, farther back. He doesn’t like to talk about it.”
“I wonder what happened.”
“Who knows.”
“Do you still steal, like you did when you were a kid?”
Noah laughed and shook his head. “Simon gives me a full stomach and an education, and a house, what else do I need?”
“Do you love him?”
“Of course. He’s the only father figure I have.”
“With your parents, is that why you hate Mages so much?”
“What do you mean?” he asked, his tone going a bit cold.
“Like, them murdering your family.”
“Mages are dirty slummy people. It’s easy to hate them. Even if I still have my family, I still think they are dirty piece of shits.”
“Oh, I see,” Jade nodded. The bell rang, and they went in to finish the rest of the day.
ns 18.68.41.148da2
