Chapter 9: Chapter 8

“You’ve reached Shannon McCloy. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to answer your call. Please leave me your name and number and I’ll return it as soon as I’m able. Thanks.”

This was the second time Jason’s call to his aunt was sent directly to her voicemail. He tried to call her last night and didn’t think too much of it due to the lateness of the hour, but he thought for sure she would have turned her phone back on or at least sent him a message back by now. Jason felt the desire to panic creep up the back of his mind. There were thousands of rational explanations as to why his aunt wouldn’t be able to respond to him yet.

Her phone could have died and she simply forgot her charger. Jason fought the urge to get up and check Shannon’s room to check that exact scenario. 

Jason got up from his bed and glanced at the clock. He still had an hour before he normally woke up and got ready for school. He almost walked out the door to check his aunt’s room for a charger but stopped himself.

Even if I don’t find the charger, she could have lost it elsewhere. Jason reasoned to himself.

Pacing around his room did little to help but it gave his limbs something to do while his brain ran in circles.

I’ll just call her after school. I’m sure that will be enough time to-

Jason stopped his internal dialog mid-sentence when his eyes spotted an oddity. Overall, everything in his room looked exactly how it had the night before, with one exception. On the top of his laundry pile, where he had expected to find it yesterday morning, sat his new school approved sweatpants.

What is happening? Jason laughed at the absurdity of his situation. Am I just going crazy?

Jason upturned the basket onto his bed and sifted quickly through its contents. Having gone through it the day before, Jason was fairly confident he remembered everything that was supposed to be there.

One of my shirts is gone. Jason frowned at the revelation.

He quietly left his room and crept downstairs. Hayden was still asleep, Jason could tell from the obnoxious snoring and drool leaking out the side of his best friend’s mouth. Careful not to make any noise, Jason rifled through Hayden’s few belongings but couldn’t find his missing shirt anywhere.

I’d have felt a lot better if Hayden had just borrowed it for the night. Jason sighed and examined the nearby front door.

It was locked up tight, as were all of the windows and the backdoor on the ground floor. It wasn’t until Jason returned to his room that he realized his bedroom window was unlocked. He peered out into the dim light of the early morning. His window was stationed right above a hanging garden that ran along the front of the house. There was no easy way for a ladder to be propped up directly to his window and the wood the hanging garden was made from was far too flimsy to hold anyone’s weight.

Anyone my size or bigger anyway. Jason remembered he had climbed out there once as a much younger kid but he knew for sure it wouldn’t support him now.

It’s nothing. Jason locked the window, pulled his blinds shut, and slapped the sides of his head forcefully. You’re only thinking about this because of what you were told last night. No one is sneaking into your room at night to steal your dirty laundry. That’s ridiculous.

Jason decided to chalk up the missing shirt as a failure of his own memory and nothing more. Not wanting to be left alone with his thoughts any longer, Jason turned on his computer and wasted the next hour playing games.

When the time to get ready rolled around, Jason woke Hayden up. Jason felt bad, he was several sizes smaller than Hayden and therefore couldn’t really lend him any clean clothes to wear for the day. In typical Hayden fashion, his best friend brushed it off.

“The two cutest girls in our class won’t be impressed no matter what I try, so wearing day-old stuff doesn’t make a difference to me.” Hayden joked as they ate a simple breakfast.

Though Jason was even more nervous for school today than he was twenty-four hours ago, their train ride proved far more normal than Jason expected. It wasn’t until they approached the school’s front gate that yesterday’s events proved their existence. An incredibly angry Courtney stood right next to the left hand gate. Her fierce amber eyes scanned the approaching students with meticulous efficiency. It would be impossible for anyone to enter without her noticing. The realization of why she would be angry hit Jason like a brick to the chest.

“I didn’t text her.” Jason groaned.

Hayden stopped right beside him. “When?”

Jason shook his head. “After I went to the café with Jess yesterday. Courtney told me to text her as soon as I was done and I never did. I was too preoccupied with Jessica being arrested to remember.”

Hayden’s eyes bulged in their sockets. “Jessica was arrested? How did you not tell me about this?”

Jason wanted to explain, but at that exact moment Courtney made eye contact with him. Eyes narrow, nostrils flared, Courtney stomped her way through the crowd directly towards them.

“I’m going to go ask around and find anyone that can help us with that hard drive.” Hayden announced as he made a hasty getaway through the crowd.

“Hayden!” Jason reached after his friend but he was already too far gone.

“You!” Courtney lifted an accusatory finger and drove it directly into Jason’s chest. “You have some nerve showing up here today after blowing me off last night.”

“I’m so so-”

“I don’t want to hear it.” She snapped.

Jason winced and prepared for some form of retribution to be unleashed on him. Something did indeed hit his chest, but far softer than he expected. It also stayed right there against him and didn’t move. Jason glanced down, surprised to find Courtney hugging him tightly.

“You can pay me back now. Hug me.” She ordered.

Jason slowly lifted his own arms and wrapped them around Courtney. He didn’t put much pressure into his embrace, but Courtney still shivered in response to his arms making contact with her back. Neither party said a word for a few seconds. The blush in Courtney’s cheeks deepened to the point where she buried her face into Jason’s chest to hide the full extent of her embarrassment.

“You don’t… hate me.” Courtney said so quietly that Jason almost didn’t hear her. “Do you?’

She lifted her face up to look into Jason’s eyes, tears forming in her own. Their faces were close, even closer than the day before. Jason could feel her cool breath against his neck, her shapely body pressed firmly against his own, he could even feel her rapid heart beating in her chest. Courtney began to flex her toes. Her lips rose slowly, her eyelids drooping down, and her hands clutched onto Jason firmly.

Jason couldn’t think. He’d dealt with obsessed girls before, he’d even learned how to kiss back in middle school, but this… this was far more than anything he’d experienced before. His body felt warm against Courtney’s. The way she was pressed up against him made it so he didn’t ever want to push her away. Her lips looked incredibly soft, so delicate, that even though he knew it would be incredibly bad for things to continue, he wanted them to. Jason felt his own muscles relaxing. He brought his own face down towards Courtney’s rising one.

“NO!”

An incredibly strong force took Jason off of his feet and spun him away from what might have happened. Courtney’s slender arms had been replaced by much thicker, extremely toned arms that were wrapped around his chest. Jason blinked a few times as he tried to regain his ability to understand his surroundings. He turned his head and saw Courtney standing a few feet away. The young woman tucked a highlighted strand of hair behind her head with an amused expression on her face. Gone were the tears from moments ago. She didn’t look upset at all. Jason twisted his head further and saw that he was currently being lifted by the girl who he had watched be arrested the day before.

“Jessica?” Jason felt a small bit of relief flow into him at the sight of his friend back at school.

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Jessica ignored him. Only now did Jason realize that she was absolutely furious. Her face was twisted in a ferocious scowl and Jason became aware of how much her arms were shaking in anger.

“Stay. Away. From. Him.” Jessica’s glare could shatter ice.

Courtney’s smile grew wider. “Jason could have stepped away from me any time he wanted. Isn’t that right Jason?”

Jason swallowed hard but remained silent.

“The question you have to ask yourself, Jessica,” Courtney spat her name out like it was vile, “Is why didn’t he want to step away from me?”

“Might I suggest.” Courtney placed a contemplative finger against her chin. “It's because, deep down, he already knows that I’m a far better match for him than you are.”

Jessica dropped Jason and he immediately knew why she wanted her hands free. Spinning in place, Jason placed his hands on both sides of Jessica’s face.

“Stop.” He instructed her firmly.

Jessica froze. Internally, Jason heaved a sigh of relief that physical contact and speaking to her directly was enough to stop the heated physical response Jessica was ready to send the other girl’s way. All around the trio, a crowd had formed. If Jessica took a swing at Courtney right now, she was done. While that might limit the number of obsessed girls around him during the day, Jason was far more afraid of what being removed from his presence would do to Jessica. It might push her over the edge and lead her to do something drastic. That’s not what he needed right now.

“She’s just trying to rile you up.” Jason told Jessica, still holding the sides of her face. “If you get into a fight you might be taken away from me. I don’t want that.”

Jessica blushed fiercely but nodded. Jason removed his hands but gave the shy girl a quick hug of reassurance. Jessica’s trembling arms hugged him back. Behind him, Jason heard Courtney click her tongue, clearly disappointed at the outcome of her encounter. Jason turned around just as Courtney folded her arms across her chest.

“Well. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

As Courtney turned to leave, Jason thought he caught a glimmer of disappointment and hurt in Courtney’s eyes. Jason lifted a hand, but with no clear idea of what to say, Courtney walked through the front gate and disappeared into the school. A bit of guilt filled Jason as he watched her leave. At the end of the day, he really didn’t want to hurt either of them. One of the worst things about this ability was everyone he’d ever come across that fell victim to his powers was honestly a girl that he would absolutely be interested in dating. Courtney was no exception.

“Thank you.” Jessica’s voice brought Jason out of his thoughts and back onto the street.

Jason turned to the still blushing athlete and smiled.

“Don’t mention it.”

“You were right.” Jessica nodded. “Courtney wanted me to hurt her. I can see that now.”

  Two of Jessica’s fingers pinched a small portion of Jason’s long sleeve.

“I want to keep going to school with you too.” She added shyly as she held onto his sleeve.

She’s really cute when she’s like this. Jason thought. Though, I seem to remember this potentially being an act…

He remembered how quickly Jessica’s behavior had changed the day before when she allowed herself to be escorted away. Courtney may be a professional manipulator, but maybe she wasn’t the only one. Gazing at the blushing silver haired beauty next to him wasn’t giving him any answers. If she truly was acting, she was good at it. Jason vowed to be more observant of his childhood friend as the pair entered the school grounds to begin their lessons for the day.

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I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. 

Courtney repeated the phrase over and over again as she sat down in her assigned seat. She had been so close. So close to freeing Jason from the clutches of that muscle headed freak.

Why did he stop her from hitting me? Does he really not want to see me in pain that much? Courtney realized that had to be the truth. Jason only said those things to her because he didn’t want to see me hurt! Oh, I’ve been an idiot!

It had been so thoughtless of her to do that. Courtney never wanted to put Jason in such a situation again. Her mind raced through other potential solutions. Deciding on one, Courtney flipped out her phone and dialed a number out by memory. It rang twice before a hoarse male voice answered.

“Miss Tiggs! This is a surprise. What can I help you with so early in the day?” The man asked cheerfully.

“I have someone for you.” Courtney stated simply.

“You, have someone, for me?” The man sounded aghast. “Well this is certainly a first, does your father-”

“My father wouldn’t tell me no and you know that.” Courtney snapped.

“No I suppose he wouldn’t.” The man chuckled, a hint of nervousness entered his voice. “But you have to understand that these kinds of things are delicate. What we do always has a purpose and-”

“Will you do it or not?” Courtney didn’t want to hear the man try and weasel around her request anymore. “It doesn’t matter who you are or how long you’ve been working for the family. If you hesitate to follow orders you can and will be replaced. Am I understood?”

There was silence over the phone for several seconds.

“Yes ma'am.” The man responded without any reservations in his voice. “Who’s the target?”

“I’m sending it your way now. See that it’s done quietly.” Courtney ended the call and punched out a quick text message containing Jessica’s name.

Courtney smiled. After seeing Jason hug that disgusting girl and treat her in a way that should be reserved for Courtney only, she was actually glad Jessica would be dead.