Jazz

Bammm, bammm, bammm and nine more bammms. The big clock in the hall signs twelve o'clock. Midnight, and I am still awake. Not because of a test, or not of insomnia. I'm waiting for my father to come home. I am aware of the fact, that he comes late, since he is at a party with my mother and my older brother, Matthew. The younger one, David is sleeping soundly in his room, at the other side of the corridor. The people of the staff are also sleeping, so I am the only one, who is awake in this mansion. It is not comforting at all, but I need my father's signature, and it is always the easiest to get, when he arrives from some parties.

I am tired and bored, and this combination is not the best one, when you want to stay awake. Sometimes I feel, that I fall asleep in a nanosecond. I can't use my phone, nobody is awake among my friends. My room also makes me to sleep, because it is so boring, a popular designer was redesigned the whole house a couple of weeks ago. The results are, well, I think the design is not my piece of cake. The whole room is pink and frilly, like a chewing gum's box. I wish I was at the Hillards, in my bed in Yvonne's room. Yes, in my bed. I always spend most of my time there, so Uncle Pascal bought one more bed to me. When was it exactly? Let me count… more than ten years ago. My family and I never get along.

More precisely we never get along since we moved to this town, but before, we were an ordinary family. I remember, when dad was reading some economical articles with my brother, while I was beating the box bag. That box bag was bought originally for my brother, but he refused to use. Instead of him, I was the one, who happily started to beat the bag. I was too tiny, so I had to use a chair to reach the bag. I was just three years old. Our dad was swimming in joy, that he had two great kids, despite I was born to be a girl. He was the one, who always transported me by car to the nearby martial arts' club. The coach was originally against to enroll such a tiny kid to his classes, but dad convinced him, that I was clever enough. I went to classes together with him, and I was very happy.

After my fifth birthday, our father got a promotion from the bank, he was working for. The promotion meant to me moving to Harderstown. My parents bought this mansion, and started to keep company. My father was always hanging together with the hunter's club, my mother was adsorbed by the local women's club, and my brother spent his entire time with his new friends. I was left alone – until my mother noticed the local mother-child club, where mothers and children were drinking tea in beautiful, and frilly clothes, and talking intelligently about some boring topics. Well, it wasn't a good idea, me and frilly dress. On the first party, I noticed squirrels at a tree nearby, and went to grab them. Have you ever tried to climb trees in a pink, frilly one piece? Well, in the end that beautiful and expensive dress was in pieces. My mother wasn't happy, and I got some serious enemy among the kids and their mothers.

I couldn't become their favorite after this incident. A few party later it became inevitable, that we hate each other. My mother tried everything, but failed every time, so accepting her failure made her bitter about me. Instead of forcing me to behave, she made a fresh start, and gave birth to my younger brother. David was the perfect baby, and later the perfect child, so the mother-child club welcomed them very warmly. So, after all I was practically forgotten by my family. Not, entirely, I always got enough money for everything I wanted, but nobody cared about me.

Fortunately, I made friends with the Hillards. Their remaining family consist of three people: Yvonne, my best friend, Ivo, my love, and Ivo's father Uncle Pascal. Ivo and Yvonne are cousins, and Yvonne' parents and Ivo's mother were died in the same car accident, when we were five years old. I met them at the local kids' martial arts' club. They came with Uncle Pascal, while I went there alone. Our losses - although my parents were physically alive - forged us quickly, so a little later Uncle Pascal recognized, that he was looking after three kids. He protested at first, but he later calmed down. He became a father-figure to me, instead of my lost one.

The lost one arrives home at quarter to three, with a protesting son, and a dead-tired wife. I wait until three o'clock, while our mother and my brother disappear in their rooms, and father goes to his work room. I go there, and silently give him the paper to sign.

"What is it now?" He asks in a low, tired tone.

"The application form for the national training camp."

"Do you still in love with martial arts?"

He asks me with alcohol-fogged brain. It is doubtful, that he is aware of who I am. I simply nod, and he signs the paper. I want to disappear from the room, but father stops me. He opens the drawer of his desk, and takes out some banknotes. He doesn't count, just grabs a handful, and gives to me.

"I suppose, there is a fee."

I nod, get the money, quietly thank for him, and run back to my room. This is the common choreography. I count the money in the safety of my room. The amount is four times more, than the required fee, but I don't plan to give the remaining money back to my father. Well, I am not a good girl, and I deserve my family after all.

I get some early breakfast in the morning, carefully avoiding my early bird little brother, and flee from the depressing mansion of my blood-related strangers. When I reach the small forest, I become liberated. I could finally fill my lungs with some fresh air, it boils my blood and this makes me run with happiness. I will definitely move into a small house in the middle of a forest, after I reach adulthood. But now I just reach the other end of the forest, where Ivo and Yvonne are waiting for me. Just like every occasion when I spent the night at home, in the past 13 years.

I feel warm with their welcomes, and tell them I succeed in getting the sign. They both are glad, we could finally enroll to the camp together. Ivo hugs me, and he whispers some words to my ear, unheard by Yvonne. That we could finally be together like that. It makes me red with embarrassment, and then white with refusal. I let out a loud laugh to cover my feelings.

The day continues with surprises, we get a new classmate, Taylor Moore. I don't really care of her, the girls from the snob families surrounds her, and sure give some comfort in the new situation. My nose is in the math book, and Yvonne tries to explain the problem and the solution, but it seems to be Mission Impossible. So we are very surprised, when all the class become silent, and stare at us.

I am irritated. "What?"

"She wants to join the martial arts' club." A brave classmate tells us in disgust.

"You are welcome." It is Yvonne, who smiles at Taylor Moore.

We don't have time to chitchat, the lesson starts, and I have more complicated problems than a newbie in the club.

It comes to my mind after the last lesson, when Yvonne goes to the new girl, and informs her about the training schedule. We walk together to the gym in silence, none of us want to talk. I, for my part, take a thorough look on Taylor Moore. She is not very muscular, and smaller than me. Her figure is more feminine than mine. Well, we'll see, what she knows, I am basically happy to have a new opponent, but don't care so much. I just hope I won't be too tired in the end of the training. Morishita-san promised me to start teaching me the basics of boxing from today. I finally take my first steps to be a streetfighter, so I am very very excited.

But I notice, that Yvonne tries to communicate with the new girl. By the time we arrive to the gym from the dressing room, they are immersed in a lively chatting. I don't really mind it, just impatiently wait for the end of today's training. Although my nerves are vibrating. Vibrating like something wouldn't be right. I look around, but everything seems normal. The boys are playfully fighting, the little girls gathers around Yvonne and the new girl. However Morishita-san is not here.

He never lates! What's happened? It has to be a big thing, judging by my nerves make my whole body trembling.

The lock of the door of the gym click, so quickly we sit down in lines, as always. The door, where Morishita-san is used to enter the gym, opens and the headmaster comes in with a woman, who is dressed in judo-clothes.

"Good afternoon everybody!" He greets us cheerfully. "Morishita coach left us because of family matters, so I am pleased to present you a new coach: Savannah Moore."

He continues the speech, but I don't hear a word anymore. Morishita-san left. He doesn't even have a family, so he left because of the new coach. Moore. Savannah Moore, and Taylor Moore. I have the urgent feeling, that run after Morishita-san. I stand up and start to leave the gym. The next minute the new coach is standing beside me.

"Where do you want to go?" She whispers to me, while she grabs my lower arm.

"I want to talk to Morishita-san."

"You can't. He left early in the morning. Please sit down."

"Let me go! Why did you edge him out of his job?"

I cry out loud the latest words. We both lurch – Savannah Moore is with my arm in her hand -, and a loud crack is being heard. At the first moment I wonder about the sound, the strange angle of my arm, and looking up I recognize Savannah Moore's frightened facial expression.

I don't understand anything, until the sign of pain reaches my brain.