1 The Encounter

"Crap!"

My early morning dialogue whenever I wake up late for school.

" Jadis! Come on down. You'll be late "

That's mom. My super sweet mom.

"Yeah, be there in a few minutes "

I've never been the type to plan for what I wear to school or what I should put on my face for makeup. So after the bath and the brushing, of course, I went down to eat breakfast and head for school.

"Okay, headphones on, world out"

That has always been my habit whenever I'm going out alone heading to school. People find me weird, anti-social, and an eyesore.

Why?

Cause I don't fit into anywhere in society.

Smart? X

Pretty? X

Sexy? X

Popular? X

Talented? X

I guess my grade would be a perfect F in all those departments.

I just wear what I want, when I want, where I want. Good thing there's a thing called uniform. The equalizer.

People in this school are way too much for a normal girl like me.

"Jadis! Jadis!"

Oh. This is my bestfriend, Heleina.

"Heleina, good morning! "

" Morning! Ready?"

"For what?"

"Pop Quiz!"

Even in my studies... I'm always on the average. At least I'm not failing it.

"You still have 30minutes to study. Come on, we need to pass this."

" Yeah Yeah, okay. "

Heleina is one of the few friends I have in this school, you see, Heleina is pretty and smart but not athletic. Most of the guys in our class have a crush on her or hitting on her. But she's all books no boys type of girl. Which in my case, is a very good friend.

"Thank God, you are both here, we need to study, you know, this can make or break our grades and free us from the exams. "

This panicking chic here is Chloe. Nerdy but also pretty though her braces are a big turn off for men, some still find her charming.

"Okay, relax. Jadis, start browsing on your notes starting on the first week!" Bossy Heleina again.

"What?! That long? My gosh!" I can't say No. These two will kill me if I don't study.

After all the reading and the pop quiz, I actually passed the test.

"Great! Thanks, guys! " I am really grateful for these girls.

"No prob," Heleina said.

"Well, actually, I... I mean we have a favor to ask?"

"ask away"

" We are going to confess to a guy."

That's confusing.

" What do you mean we? Do you have the same guy you like?"

"Yes, apparently, Chloe here have a huge crush on the same guy I'm crushing on, too"

Heleina said with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Wait?! What? I don't believe it. You and Chloe? Crushing on some guy? I thought you guys are all books and no boys? When did this happen and how come I'm not informed."

I was in the middle of mad and glad.

First mad, of course, because they are hiding something like this from me and glad because at least they didn't argue over some guy. Well, I guess they handled it perfectly.

" We thought so too. But you know, it comes in the most unexpected way."

I don't know if I will puke or what.

"So who is he then?"

I saw them blushed harder this time. I was looking at Heleina and Chloe, looking in the same direction, not saying a word but just staring in that direction.

I looked at them for awhile waiting for them to say the word, but they just stared, so I looked in the same direction and saw what they were both drooling for.

JAZ FORD

"Seriously? " was all I could say.

"Yes!" they answered in unison.

"No, there's like a hundred more girls who are head over heels in love with him."

My head starts to hurt.

"Please understand, Jade. We know it's hard but we really like him. "

I can't believe what they are saying so I need to excuse myself.

"I'm going to the washroom. "

I walked as fast I could so I could stay away from them.

I barely look on my way and accidentally bumped into something.

Or...someone.

I was about to fall on the floor when someone grabbed my arm and caught my waist. I hoped it was just some random school mate, but to my horror, it was the guy I never wanted to catch me.

KARLEE BENZ

"Oh. I'm sorry. "

From up close, he has very nice eyes, serious and deep.

"look at where you walk. "

He spoke so cold.

"Yeah. Thanks for the catch"

And he left. Just like that.

No wonder he's so popular with the guys in school. Because of the way he talks, he moves, he's scary.

After a moment in the washroom, I went back to my friends and saw them still talking in a weird way. Like there's a secret.

"so, where were we? Oh, yeah, what is the favor that you both want to ask me."

"Promise you will do it?"

I was in doubt at first but, I trust my friends.

"Yes. Promise "

"You will be the messenger of our messages for him. Gifts and other things?"

"NO!"

That's never going to happen. I don't want to be part of girls following him around.

"You promised. No taking it back. Or are you going to break your promise, Ms. Chrysler?"

I'm trapped.

The next day, my friends are all so excited, and I am so bored.

"Jadis! Ready? "

What?! This early in the morning.

"Yeah. So what's the first? "

I'm now heading to my grave. Those girls around him will surely rip my hair out.

"Excuse me." a girl turned to me and looked at me from head to toe.

"What do you want? " she was blowing her nails as if it's new.

" Nothing from you. But something for that arrogant guy, you fangirls are crowding right now"

"Who are you calling arrogant?" as he was walking towards me.

"You, of course. Here, for you, from my friends."

I looked back and saw my friends waving at me...or at him maybe.

I looked at him again, gesturing for him to get the package I have for him.

"Tell your friends' thanks. And, next time, they give it to me personally. "

"Got it." and I walked around to return to my giggling friends.

"so, what did he say?"

"next time you give it to him personally, that's what he said."

"oh, ok. But that would be a problem."

"Why?!"

Ok, I swear these girls are way over what I thought.

"I'm shy to even go near Jaz. I'm going to pass out " Heleina doing the dramatic hand on the forehead pose.

"Yeah, same here, I would faint in front of him. " Chloe looking worried.

Seriously! ~_~

"Ok fine. I'll still be the messenger but this time, I decide when to give it to him... I don't like to be drawn to his swarming fangirls ok?"

"You're such an angel Jadis!"

They said in unison.

Every day, they would send him gifts from pens to shirts to chocolates and all. It was bothersome but I just want to think of it as a challenge.

I would put some in his locker, or his desks, or sometimes in his bag. I would always put notes on who is it from.

"Ok, I'll go home first, all done right "

"Yeah, thanks, Jade. "

I thought this day is going to be another day not until,

"Hey, you " a girl, who I can actually see that she is a Jaz Fanatic.

"Me?"

"Yes, you bitch"

Ok? I need to control my anger

" Tsk...what do you need?"

"Stay away from Jaz."

"Ok? Why should I do that? "

Of course, you need to stay away from a distraction like him. But I'm doing this for my friends

"Well, if you don't want to get hurt." Her other fangirl friends slowly walked towards me as if they plan to gang up on me.

" Oh, ok. You're crazy."

Then as quickly as she can, she charged into me and tried to hit my face and grab more of my hair.

"Seriously?! " I moved to the part she is struggling for and locked her arm.

"You don't know who you're dealing with"

I can hear her screams of pain but I can't stop, she got into my nerves. The other fangirls are trying to come to her aid but I coldly stare at them making them back off a little bit.

Suddenly, a man appeared and unlock us both.

"Enough!" This arrogant voice is very familiar.

JAZ FORD

Wow good timing.

"What are you doing to her? He asked while checking up on her fan girl.

Strangling her, trying to break her arm. That is what's in my head. But I have to hold my tongue. I need to calm down.

" She started it." the other girl said.

"Whatever, I'm leaving " I started getting my stuff .

How is it that I started something alone? Obviously, 3 against 1? They still won't win.

" Wait...I want to know one thing," he said.

I already walked passed him when he stopped me.

"What?" I pulled my arm away from him and glanced at him . I think he didn't notice it.

"Give me your name." I can feel that he is closer . I can smell his perfume already.

Why would I? He's weird.

"I can't. You won't remember it anyway."

I walked away from him. My heart was racing because I feel scared but I have to compose myself and make sure he won't notice my fears.

The next day was another rough day. My friends won't stop bugging me about sending stuff to him. I am not in the mood.

I saw this girl from yesterday have bandage her arm. She deserves it. Messing with me has consequences.

And just when I thought the day would end quietly, unexpected situations came up.

SLAM!

"What the hell? Why did you lock the door?" I was actually in a raging mood now. No time for kidding around.

" Jadis Lauren Chrysler. Sophomore, Taekwondo ranked second in school. " So he did some research about me.

"So? It doesn't mean anything, you knowing my name, my year, and my status in school."

"I know, but at least I know the name of my admirer "

What admirer? I am not his admirer

"Excuse me, me? Your admirer? You're making me laugh "

" Don't deny it. I can see it in your actions. You were just using your friends to get the chance to get me. You could just ask, you know"

He is so fucking arrogant and I want to kick his damn face for it.

" Who said I want a chance with you? " I will control this anger in me. I don't want to kill this bastard.

" Well, you." his face is nearly in my face. I can smell his perfume, can smell the mint toothpaste he used, and his eyes closing up to mine.

I put one finger into his forehead and pushed it hard so he can feel the nails and the pressure of my finger on his forehead.

"For your information, I don't like you, not your looks, your scent, your attitude. I am not them. So don't lump me in with them."

After saying that, I kicked the door open, I put all my anger in that kick then head straight to the principal's office to confess about the broken door.

The nerve of that guy!

After getting a detention slip good for 3 days, I went home with the letter for my mom about the door.

If today's not the worst day ever, I am now searching for the car key.

Suddenly I can hear loud banging on the corner of the building. Sounds like a fight. I went to the corner to see if could help them.

To my surprise, 3 men were punching and kicking KARLEE BENZ?

"Hey, what are you doing to him?"

"None of your business, now walk away "

"Three men against one? that's not fair"

I recognize them as part of the basketball varsity team.

"You don't want to be involved in this. You'll get hurt"

Me? Get hurt? Hahaha you're making me laugh

"No, I really don't but I don't like seeing people beaten up unfairly "

Then the spiky-haired guy walked towards me.

He grabbed my collar and spoke near my face.

"You'll be next if you don't shut up"

As he loosens up his hand on my collar, I used my foot to trip him.

The other two then approached me gesturing to punch me. So I dodge and do some MMA move on them.

Karlee stood up and helped me fight them.

He was actually bleeding from all the hits he got but he looks calm, not hurt at all.

After some kicking and punching, the three men ran away having their own black eyes and bruises.

"You okay," I asked him but he didn't speak a word. Just a nod.

"You want to go to the hospital? "

"No. Leave me alone"

Tsk. Another arrogant bastard. If I didn't come to help you, you'll be soaking in blood.

"Ok. No need to thank me, mister," I was being sarcastic.

"Yeah, don't wait for any"

I left him there. I need to fix my own bruises.

Now I need to face the horror of my parents.