Since people actually don't think I'm insane for writing this story, and even seem to like it, I will continue :) And I'm also having a lot of fun with this. So here you go, chapter 2!
It's 5pm and Jade is strolling about the big mansion, picking up various things on her way, and stacking them on top of the pile of bottles and clothes in her arms. Every now and then she drops a piece of clothing or spills some of the liquid of one of the bottles on the floor. She is not happy about giving Judy so much more work additional to all of the stuff she already has to do, but today is special and she definitely needs to keep her busy tonight, at least for a while. And messing up the house is the only thing she could think of.
Sighing, she drops the last shirt in some corner and makes sure to whip off some soil from one of the big flower pots located on the left and right sides of the corridor while doing so. This should do.
She wipes her hands off on her black jeans and pulls out her phone to check the time. It's been an hour since she sat on top of the wall, that had been her cage her whole life, for the first time. An hour since she met Beck. An hour since for the first time in her entire life, she had felt a sprinkle of true hope permeating through her heart. It has never felt this real, this possible before. Maybe today is the day.
And all of this just because of some stranger she just met barely an hour ago. As she slowly makes her way back through the long corridors of the mansion, she realizes that she doesn't even know his last name. And 'Beck' is probably just a nickname too. She knows absolutely nothing about him, except that he has gorgeous hair. Will he even show up? Maybe all of her efforts and excitement were for nothing.
Then again, he doesn't know anything about her, either. And Jade is also just her nickname. And still he promised that he'd help her get out of her gilded cage without asking any unnecessary questions, regardless of her past or looks or attitude, and something lay in his smile that made her believe every word he said. And it's not like she has anything to lose, anyway. He'll either show up or not; if he does, she might finally be able to walk around on her own, be free for once, and if he doesn't... well, then nothing would change really. Except for her faith in humanity maybe, that already is quite small.
The wooden door opens noiselessly and she slides into her large room, carefully shutting the door behind her. Her glance is fixed on the window as she approaches her bed, and she wonders if all of this is a good idea after all. But she decides that this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance and that there is no turning back. It's now or never.
Jade spends the next hour packing up a few things and preparing everything for her (temporary) getaway. It's not like she expects to escape the firm grip of her father forever - she's not one to build up false hopes - but for now she's perfectly fine with the thought of just a few hours of freedom. She sits down in front of her dressing table and pulls out one of the drawers, revealing a black jewelry box decorated in little rhinestones. One of the many gifts of her father, but one of the few she actually likes. Beneath some bracelets and rings she finds what she was looking for - a one-hundred dollar bill. You would expect a spoiled child like her to wallow in money, but she has actually never had any except for this one bill, simply because she had never needed it. If she wanted something, she would ask her Dad to order it for her and she'd get it. No money needed. When she was 14 she found this one-hundred dollar bill stuck between some of her fresh clothes (it probably fell out of one of her father's jackets), and has kept it ever since, knowing that she would need it one day. And today is this day.
She takes the money and stuffs it in one of her handbags. It is only now that she starts wondering why she even has handbags, because she has never actually gotten a chance to use them. Now that she thinks about it, she owns quite a lot of things that are of no use to her, because why would someone who never leaves the house need all these nice shoes or coats or purses? Her lips pressed together to a thin line, she rifles through her closet and pulls out a thin jacket. She isn't sure, but she thinks she might need it.
Eventually, she takes a few pillows and shoves them under the blanket in her bed, forming something that might be mistaken for her body when it's dark. She checks her watch and decides that it's time.
Jade shuts the thick purple curtains in front of her window, then slips behind them, careful not to accidentally pull them open again. She opens the window and takes a deep breath before climbing out. It's almost 6pm. Beck promised he would come, and even though she doesn't like admitting it, she's afraid that he might not.
She sits down on the exact same spot where she had sat two hours ago, and glances down. Beck is not there, and it feels like her heart drops down those ten feet and hits the ground. Hard.
Her watch tells her that he still has ten minutes left to show up and she tries to pull herself together. He promised, she reminds herself. She might not even know anything about him at all, but he promised and even though her father pretty much never keeps his promises and she grew up learning that they mean next to nothing, something inside of her is telling her to believe this boy.
The blue sky is slowly fading to a warm red as the sun gets ready to go down, and a chilly breeze is sweeping across the streets. Jade slips in her black jacket, wrapping the thin fabric tightly around her. The numbers on her phone change to 6:00, and her hope is slowly shrinking as the radiant sun disappears behind the horizon. He won't come. He lied. Liar.
And suddenly, he's there. She sees him rushing down the street, coming closer and closer until he's right beneath her, a ladder clutched under his arm. He beams up to her. "Hey."
"About time," she snaps, but is unable to stifle the smile that forms on her lips. He's really here.
"So, you still wanna get out?" he asks.
She rolls her eyes. "What does it look like?"
"Charming as ever," he sighs jokingly.
"We've barely known each other for two hours, don't act like you know me," she hisses. Then her expression softens. "But I'm glad you're here," she admits quietly, yet loud enough for him to hear, and he smiles.
"Let's get you down from there now, shall we?" He extends the ladder he carried all the way from his home to hers, and places it on the wall.
"Wow, that's so inconspicuous," she deadpans.
"Hey, no complaining," he objects, and climbs up the first steps of the ladder to see if it's stable. "Okay, it's a little too short, but you should be able to reach it anyway."
"You'll be in soo much trouble if I fall," she says, stretching the o.
He grins. "Don't worry, I'll catch you."
She glares at him. "Careful, Mr Player." Slowly, she turns around and lets one of her legs slide down, then the other, trying to find the ladder. She's dangling backwards from the wall now, if she lets go of it, she'll fall. But even if she did, it would have been worth it, she thinks.
"Just a bit more," Beck says. "You're almost there."
"Easier said than done!" Jade grinds her teeth as she loosens her grip on the wall, causing her to slide further down. What if someone sees her. If they catch her. She doesn't even want to think about it. She forces herself to hurry up, because she really can't risk being seen. And right now, she's more than exposed, noticeably dangling from a white wall.
Finally, her feet are touching the brazen ladder and lets herself fall. She quickly takes the steps down, until she's standing in front of Beck. From close up, she notices for the first time how good-looking he is. Smashing, actually, with his slightly messy hair and light-brown skin that reminds her of coffee. They both stare at each other for a short moment, and it's awkwardly silent.
Then Jade starts glancing around, realizing that she's on the sidewalk, on the other side, not behind those walls, and her stomach starts tingling. Because for the first time in her life, she's free.
wishiwasjessiesgirl: Haha! I do watch Glee (or did, before it started getting stupid with the engagement and all), and your review made me laugh :)
I'd be really thankful if you could take 30 seconds of your time now to hit that review button down there and leave me a few words on what you think. I swear, it will make my day.