Chapter Two

New Orleans, Louisiana

A party of drunk frat boys stumbled down Toulouse Street, tripping over their own feet. One broke off from the group and stumbled up to the uneven sidewalk. Before he could plant his face in her breasts, Jessie shifted along the wall in time to watch the guy meet a brick wall. She chuckled as she took another sip from her beer. People laughed as the drunken idiot was helped back up to his feet by his friends. Tourists took pictures to treasure the memory of their time in the Quarter.

While the drunks continued heading down their destructive path, the streets were flooded with bodies since it was tourist season in New Awlins. Then there was the Quarter which attracted most of the business. Anyone who'd been born in the Big Easy knew where to make a quick buck when summer came swinging around.

Jessie du Bois was born and raised in this great city. She was legally a du Bois on her dad's side while her mama was a Beauvillier. There was this crazy tradition on her mama's side that anyone born from the Beauvillier family kept their last name no matter what. Jessie's mama didn't follow the tradition so her last name was from her dad and no one told her why. Although, the Beauvillier family was a stubborn family with a bunch of stubborn women. Papers didn't matter because Damiane Beauvilliers always called her grandbabies Beauvillier no matter what.

The Beauvillier family was considered one of the oldest families in New Awlins. Having migrated from France in the late sixteen hundreds, the family explored the territory until the day the city was built. Most of the family still lived in New Awlins while a few lived further out. One would think they all lived in the city considering they were practically everywhere. Hell, Jessie's grams owned a shop her cousins oversaw while the old woman did readings at Jackson Square. As for the du Bois family, they were more scattered than together. Jessie had to think really hard when she last had a get-together with someone from her dad's family. Sad to say her life was mostly surrounded by Beauvilliers. Made one hell of a birthday party for Jessie and Jamie.

Finishing her beer and watching the colorful crowd, thinking of her twin Jamie brought back some unsavory memories. Main culprit was of Jessie's dad. The bastard hated her since she could remember while he cherished her little brother. Just thinking about the man had her wanting to bust his skull with her bottle. Good thing he hadn't graced her with his usual hypocritical calls. In fact, she hadn't heard from her dad the day Jamie went to MIT and him going on his two year tour to who knew where. Good. There was just so many of those damn calls she could take before becoming destructive.

She shook her head clear of the mess and tossed the bottle. Tonight was her night so thinking of her fucked up father-daughter relationship wasn't part of the agenda. The doors to One Eyed Jacks was open so the music blaring could be heard outside. Jessie checked her phone to see it was barely nine at night. A smirk appeared on her lips. Only three more minutes and it would be her turn.

As Jessie was about to pocket her phone, it started vibrating in her hand. Some number she'd never seen before popped up. Not wanting any weirdo calling her in the middle of the day, she intended to tell them to lose the number when she answered. The words were right on her lips but died as soon as she heard the person.

"Sis?"

No matter how loud the streets were, there was no way in hell Jessie could ever forgot her twin's voice.

"Jamie?"

"Yep, it's me."

Jessie leaned back against the brick wall and propped her foot up. "Well, well. Been a while since you called. I was beginning to worry."

"Sorry. Things have been busy here."

When Jamie didn't continue speaking, something cold ran up Jessie's spine and it wasn't the beer stained wall. She hadn't heard from her twin in a full year and now he called out of the blue. Jessie knew Jamie should've graduated from his fancy school by now because she'd been watching her mailbox for a graduation invite. No invitation would've given her dad a reason to call her. That man wouldn't miss his son's graduation even though he missed her from LOYNO. Now that really stung. What stung more was when she didn't seen Jamie around.

"So what you up to?" she asked.

"Uh, nothing really. Just trying to get some studying done."

Now she felt insulted. Getting some random call and being lied to by her twin brought the nasty side of Jessie out. It was the thought of how she was finally talking to Jamie that cooled her temper. Besides, if she went bat shit crazy right now, she'd end up on some tourist's home page or something. She wasn't ready to go viral just yet.

"Well, I graduated before summer started. Didn't see you there."

When Jamie didn't say anything, it was a clear indicator that he was thinking up a lie. It sounded pathetic when he said, "Must've gotten lost in the mail. I'll make it up to you, I swear."

Jessie lowered her phone and touched the dark screen. The strange number popped up again. Instead of the 617 area number she was used to seeing, 973 showed up instead along with a whole bunch of different numbers.

Clicking a button to save the number, Jessie made a mental note to go visit a friend tomorrow afternoon. Her schedule mainly involved her waking up in the afternoon, working at night, and sleeping during the morning. Besides, people she knew lived by the same schedule as hers. Only the weird lived in this city.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just come up to MIT and we can celebrate there."

Jamie did another one of his ominous pause. "No thanks. I mean, you don't have to do that. Besides, I kind of miss home. A trip down would be a good thing." There was some shuffling around like a door was pushing against something hard. "I got to go. My roommates back and he's not in the mood. I'll call back with a date. It was…it was good talking to you sis."

Jessie stood there with a disconnected phone against her ear. Once the beeping got irritating, she stuffed it back in her pocket along with her hands. She blew back a lock of indigo blue from her face. After graduation, she had the stripes dyed in her dark chestnut hair. One of her cousins tried to talk her into getting a tattoo or a piercing. Jessie was good with the basic ears piercing she got when she was ten and there was no way in hell she'd get a tattoo.

Someone leaned out from the door to tell her she was up next. Thanking the girl for the reminder, all Jessie could do was make it through tonight so she could worry tomorrow. It would've been better if Jamie never called her. Sure, she'd been worry for her twin since the day he left for collage. A part of her blamed the whole big-sister-syndrome even though she was older by three minutes. Jamie had been the shy one growing up which made him an easy target on the school yard. No one picked on him after they got their asses whooped from Jessie and her cousins.

The chip on her shoulder was thanks to being the only girl in a generation of twelve boy cousins.

Taking in one deep breath, she tossed her head down and up to fluff her already messy hair. Thick and wild, only a miracle could tame her hair with a brush standing victory. Today was one of those days where Jessie said screw it and went out as it was. Brushing it out of her face, she patted her torn jeans and smoothed out the long black halterneck. Her ankle boots hid under the flare of her jeans so she tapped the toes against the concrete. The last thing she did was pat her back pocket to make sure her wallet and keys were tucked all the way down. Once she was sure nothing would come falling out, Jessie twisted around and entered the bar.

Bodies swarmed around the bar stand and that was before entering the main room. Some bartenders waved at Jessie who she waved back while making her way through the room. Slipping through the doors leading to the main room, hundreds of people were up against the stage while some either chilled at the bar in the center or at the side tables. Because Jessie wasn't part of some band, the owner of the bar managed to get some guys together to perform with her. They were already up on stage checking their instruments before it was go time.

Jessie maneuvered her way over until she hopped up on stage. None of the guys knew her but greeted her anyways. She even gave the guitar player a fist bump before checking her mic. With a test, all sounded good with the eager crowd pressing towards them. The previous band must've pumped them up with the help of alcohol in their system.

Soon the lights in the room dimmed. Scream of excitement reached to the ceiling and could probably be heard outside when the stage lights came on. Jessie stood in the front with the mic in hand. Once the crowd calmed down, she glanced over her shoulder to check on the guys. They all nodded as a sign that they were ready.

"Good evening!"

So much for silence. The entire bar erupted in cheers.

"Now I have to ask. Who's here for the first time?"

Hands and full cups swung around in the air. The guys behind her laughed from the sight. The grin on Jessie's face grew wider.

"Alright, alright. First order of business, let's give it to the band before us."

Jessie whispered which song they were doing first to the bass player as the crowd screamed their heads up. He gave her a thumbs up before passing the message around. With the band up to speed, Jessie waved her hand once and gave a series of numbers with her fingers for the tech guy to read. The lights by her feet began to dim until a steady dark light illuminated the stage.

"Now let's have some fun."

The lights then died out. Seconds later, green, blue, and purple lights flashed behind the drummer. With the crowd jumping and pressing against the stage, Jessie wrapped her fingers around the mic as she leaned against the stand.

"Get down with the victim
We both know you need them
You're stuck in the middle
Of all irrelevance
And your heart is beating
Cause you know that you gotta
Get out of the middle
And rise to the top now"

"When you've made it
Won't ya tell me what to do
Cause I'm playin' it all wrong
When you made it, when you made it
Won't ya tell me what to do
Cause I'm playin it all wrong"

Lights flashed the stage in an instant. Jessie removed the mic from its stand and strode right up to the ledge of the stage. More lights flashed behind her with each beat and note the band played. Bending down and reaching out with her hand, Jessie sang her heart out for the crowd who was dying to hear her perform.

Just any other ordinary night in New Awlins.