Mini skirts, Hot Chips and M15's
Jasper flicked her coal black hair behind her and concentrated on not being seen as she passed the stores security cameras, a semi hard thing to do being one of the only Japanese locals in her town, most stores had gotten wise but she had the knack to blend in and act natural, a flick of the wrist and that new CD she wanted was in her bag, a couple of smooth moves and Jasper was out the door and into Ashford Place Mall's food court.
After spending the last five quid her father had given her on stale pizza and warm lemonade she walked out of the complex and to the bus where she sat next to an old woman that spent the next half an hour ride home talking about cabbage and her turtle, rolling her amber coloured eyes Jasper (or Jazz to her friends and family) pressed the button when she saw her stop and then shoved her way off the bus to walk the five minute stroll home where she climbed the dank smelly stairs to her foster fathers apartment.
Forgotten her keys yet again Jazz banged on the door and waited… and waited, "Frank" she called through the mail slot "FRANK" she called again, no doubt he was asleep on the sofa, beer in hand and ashtray balanced on his giant gut, she supposed Frank was ok as far as dads go but he sure wouldn't win any awards.
Giving up on the door she tucked her denim mini skirt into her fluoro orange tights and swung a slim leg over the balcony railing, climbing across to her bedroom window she shoved the dirty glass up and climbed into her room, leaving the window open she walked across to her door and slammed it shut automatically locking it.
Putting on her new CD Jazz danced a bit to the music then pulled her book bag over to her desk, working on her homework was a doddle as always she finished in an hour and cleared the desk, opening her beat up laptop that she had nicked from another kid in the library (served them right for leaving it there in the first place) she fired up her internet explorer and chat client.
"Jazz…Jazzz…Jazzzz" her friend Holly typed to her when she had signed in "How did your "shopping" go?". Jazz smiled and was glad she could share her achievements with her best friend, after all who had taught Jazz to nick things? Holly her self, Jazz typed back "Hey you, how's it going? Shopping went well, got the CD fine, no mall piggy's today" piggy's meant the mall police of course, Jazz had dealt with them a few times but had been a quick learner and was now better than Holly at it.
After chatting about boys and classes the girls signed off as Holly had to go to dinner, Jazz unlocked the door and walked through to the lounge room "Frank" she thumped the arm of his sofa "watcha want for tea?" she said as he rolled himself into a sitting position and looked at her blearily "I dunno luv, grab me another beer will yer, there's a good gal", Jazz watched him her almond shaped eyes studying his bloodshot ones "how many is that today?" she scoffed and strolled to the small kitchen.
Throwing Frank a beer she then pulled out some fish fingers and chips from the freezer and nuked them in the microwave, when they were done she squeezed on the ketchup and vinegar and took one plate to Frank and the other to the table, eating in silence Jazz then did the washing up and grabbed a glass of milk from the fridge and headed back to her room.
Bored with homework and gossip out of the way Jazz lay down on the bed with a book she was reading for English class "The Diary of Ann Frank" she didn't mind it so far but reading never took up much time, Jazz often read whole books in a night "speed reading" her teachers called it, "Jazz was quite bright and could do very well" her teachers all said "but she never applies herself " that was the downside, she got so bored with school and often acted up to amuse herself or so she told Frank and being Frank he did nothing.
Her eyelids grew heavy and the book slipped out of her grip, sometime later Jazz looked at the clock two am the lights blinked at her, "shit" she had fallen asleep in her shoes and clothes, Jazz struggled out of her skirt and shoes and stayed in her tights and top she managed to get back to sleep and woke again to her alarm at six am, slipping out of bed she stripped off and wrapped a large towel around her.
Heading to the bathroom Jazz spotted Frank still on the sofa, she shook her head and continued on , she showered and brushed her teeth quickly then moved back to her room to get dressed, pulling on a pair of black tights and a red mini dress with her red converse sneakers Jazz studied her reflection, always a fashionable dresser she stole the clothes she needed (god forbid Frank give her any money) so she always had the hottest stuff, combined with her funky Japanese looks Jazz quite liked what she saw in the mirror.
Heading to the lounge with school bag in hand Jazz thumped the sofa on her way past "Frank I need lunch money", she waited for him to throw her some cash but he was dead to the world, "FRANK, you lazy git" she thumped the sofa again and stood in front of him, reaching out she shook his shoulder then jumped back in shock "Agahhhh" she screamed and jumped away some more, she wasn't a hundred percent sure but she guessed Frank was pretty much dead.
After calling the police Jazz sat down at the table and planned, she made a mental list of the things she should tell the police, Frank was no health nut, the drinking, smoking and fatty foods, it was a miracle (depending on who you asked that he made it this long! She wondered where they would send her. She guessed another group home or foster family if she was lucky, Jazz jumped up and grabbed Franks wallet from the coffee table, inside was one hundred and fifty quid she stuffed it into her pocket and then went and opened the door for the police.
"So you're the foster kid?" a tall, skinny copper asked her while looking at a clip board "Jasper Aomori, female, aged 12?" he read for himself, "uhuh" Jazz replied and played with her hair "where are you going to take me this time?" she asked bored, Officer Holden looked at her and smiled "just let us look after you luv" he patted her head and then proceeded to ask her a few questions about Frank and what they had done the night before..
Jazz was told to pack her stuff and bag up whatever wouldn't fit in her suitcase, walking into her room she packed clothes and shoes, toiletries and school stuff then her laptop and CD's, she didn't have much and looking around the now near empty little room Jazz said a silent goodbye and brought the suitcase and three bin bags to the lounge where Officer Holden directed another officer to take it to the car.
After Paper work and an hours drive Jazz was taken to a group home, dumped into a shared room with a girl called Shirley who had a body odour problem Jazz curled up on her new bed, the mattress springs cut into her ribs and she closed her eyes and tried not to cry, Frank had been lazy and cheap but at least she could do whatever she wanted and had her freedom.
After two weeks of bad sleep and smelly kids Jazz was ready to run away she had saved Franks money and she reckoned that was enough to survive a few weeks till she stole more, taking only the things she needed Jazz made a run for it, she found her moment on a Sunday when the group home monitors were having a little break.
Jazz escaped with her suitcase and money, she caught the first bus home where she showed up on Holly's doorstep, Her mum answered and looked at Jazz with hate "Get out of here you little brat, your no gud for the like of my daughter" was the explanation she received before being threatened with a call to the police.
Alone Jazz headed to across the street the her old block of flats and stopped in the park next to them, hiding in the kid's play tunnel Jazz huddled into a ball and for the first time in years she had a good cry "Stupid fat lazy Frank, why did he have to ruin everything by dying" she asked the roof of the play tunnel. After a few hours she was hungry and cold, walking to the local chippy she ordered a four pound bag of hot chip's and sat in the heated shop scoffing her food.
When she had finished Jazz walked back to the park and her tunnel, bulling out a cheap sleeping bag she had nicked a few years ago when Holly invited her camping Jazz curled up and tried to block out the English chill. She slept for about three hours when she heard voices, stuffing her sleeping bag away she crouched in the tunnel listening, it was a few kids from the council flats, three boys, two that she knew from school and one that she had never seen before, she tried harder to hear them.
The boys talked about school, girls and footy. Jazz stifled a yawn and had almost dozed off when two of the boys left, the last unfamiliar boy sat on the swings and smoked a ciggie, curious Jazz poked her head of the tunnel "give us a drag" she called surprising the boy into falling off his swing "oi who are you? Watcha doing creeping around like that?" he called to her.
Jazz laughed and walked over "Im not creeping I was trying to sleep before you gits came along" he looked surprised and then looked her over "you a street rat?" he laughed and walked closer "You look like a runaway" he studied her closer. "what's it to you" she moved back and looked around as if bored "gonna give us a ciggie or what?" she scowled.
"All right brat hold up" he murmured pulling a new cig out of his pack and lighting it "so come on tell me your story, what you sleeping in the bleedin park for?", Jazz took the smoke and had a drag "me foster parent died a few weeks ago" she began "got stuffed into one of those homes, didn't like it much and here I am" she summed up and looked over at him "so what yer name then?" she smiled.
"Brett" he held out a hand "and yours?", "Jazz" she shook his hand "nice to meet ya" Jazz grinned and sat back on the swings "what you doing out here then, I told you my story, now spill yours?" crossing her legs she tipped her ear to listen. "Well Im in a kinda group home myself, but they are fairly relaxed, you should come back with me and see about being re assigned there?" he looked at her sleeping bag and suitcase "its gotta beat sleeping in the park". Jazz thought about it for a minute "yer go on then" she nodded "lets go".
The new home was a lot better than the last, single rooms and flexible rules with rewards for good behaviour, Jazz and Brett got along ripper and was soon swapping stories of their adventures and getting into mischief, Jazz showed him the tricks of her trade and Brett caught on fast, but three months after living in the group home Jazz and Brett got caught by the coppers for theft, As they were young they got cautioned and sent to a counsellor Jazz laughed it off but looking at Mrs Hodge her laughter disappeared.
Sitting in a too hard plastic chair Jazz started to get worried, Mrs Hodge was strict, veryyy strict. She asked Jazz loads of questions and never seamed happy with the answer, but after two hours of "therapy" Brett was called in. Jazz was surprised when her came in and sat next to her with a smile, Mrs Hodge and Brett then slowly started to explain.
"Mrs Hodge is my boss Jazz" Brett broke the news with a laugh "you're not in trouble, the police and all that was just to stop people talking" Jazz looked confused "ehy? What's going on?" she looked from Brett to Mrs Hodge. "Hodge and I belong to a agency of sorts, we want you to join" Brett said happily, Jazz freaked out but only for a minute "What kinda agency?" she yelled "Im not going to be in mafia, or prossie" she bellowed "Im a good girl, I wont cause you noo….." Jazz wanted to say more but the needle Brett had just stuck into her neck kinda but an end to that.
Five hours later Jazz woke up…
She stretched her back and looked around "what the bleedin hell is going on" she said grumpily as a woman dressed all in white entered the room.
"Hello Jazz, Im Genny" she leant over the bed and helped Jazz upright "I will be taking care of you here at Cromfords".
"to hell you will, what am I doing here?" Jazz stood and backed into a corner, Genny smiled and looked like she had seen this all before "sorry bout the secrecy and stuff but we couldn't have you knowing where you were going, at least if you refuse our offer now you wont know where you have been"