A light is gray setting blanketed itself over the interior, casting an modern look on the room like one would be featured in a catalogue. Maggie pushed a fluffed up black pillow under her head as she wrapped the matching quilt to cover herself with.
Snow drifted across the open patio doors, cooling the warmth that weakly lingered in the loft. Silence. Maggie held her breath, exhaling slowly as she thought of Austria. Everyone was in the ski lodges by now, enjoying family time together and the fresh powder falling as she thought. White capped mountains and snow covered trees, the few skiiers heading atop of Stienplatterz and the resort snuggled within a nestle of pines. A cold breeze hit her cheek, a nip of frost kissing her nose making her wrap the blankets closer to her. An image of the mountain appeared in her mind and the sudden impact her skin had against the icy powder made her scream.
Maggie was practically naked surrounded by the darkness of midnight on a mountain top. The popping in her ears gave her a headache, the aching in her muscles sent a shiver thru her body; before her body's temperate dropped to critical the jumper jumped herself back into her apartment, crashing into the living room, the jump impact creating a large crater like break into floor. The polished wood against her flesh caused her to grasp, before she regained self control and jumped herself into the bathroom.
Blankets scattered across the tile, Maggie gripped to the bath, soaked head to toe as steam filled the room.
"You gotta stop doing that Mags," she muttered to herself. "You gotta stop doing that."
------
He walked across the street, the empty street along a quiet neighborhood in Ohio, noting the Victorian styled houses that lined the block before ending at a old post light then continuing to the left and the right. Snow crunched underneath his boots, catching in his hair as he walked a bit further before stopping, picking up a pair of glasses laying on the street.
"She's been here." He mumbled, shoving the shades into his jacket pocket and continuing down the same path again.
Snow silently drifted to the North, it was predicted to stop, but he knew better. God was never predictable. God had other all of them.
------
She was warned not to jump.
But despite the "low cover" she promised to keep and the angry animosity Maggie held for the boy who stole her aviatars, Maggie couldn't help but play risk. Jumping back and forth from the club in LA to the University, down Rodeo Drive and Hancock Park; the determination to find her messy haired jerk seemed...almost childish.
And so once again, Maggie, dressed in her favorite black ruffle dress, Nirvana cut-off tank (underneath) and Giuliana Platforms, stepped down into the lounge of the rock dance hall before pushing on her blue-gray faded aviatars. (Her second favorite pair) A dark, haunting bass began to strum in the background, flashing orbs of white and red lit the different features of the crowd and the lead singer of the local band began his song. A low, deep voice boomed in the speakers, haunting, casting his spell over his captive audience.
If you love me,
Why don't you say it's true
If you need me,
Why do you run away
Let the feeling the inside
emerged and break
Let the remorse fill your veins!
Bodies swayed to the singer's melody. So dark and memorizing, it distracted Maggie from her original reason of spending almost every night at the club. The lights began to dim, lighting the stage with a gray and red tint; the band's only light changing to the tone of the song.
You said I was your only one but you lied just like I knew you would
A hum roared through the floor, the crowd now breaking into a dance (half of which consisted of jumping up and down as the melody deepened.) A quick break to the bar and Maggie slipped her fake I.D to the bar tender. "Hailey Prescott?" He eyed her as she removed the shades and placed them on her hazel wig, twirling a strand of a bleached blonde streak within her finger. She popped her gum, chewed with an annoyed glance, winked at the bar tender then smiled. "Yeah?"
"Birthday?"
"November 7th, 1986. Is there a problem?" She flashed her white teeth once more, before returning to her chewing.
"What would you like to drink?"
"Draught Guinness." He gave her a questioned look before serving her her drink and attending to the next customer. She twirled back to scan the club. The dancing grew and the bass dwell on two strums and a low pitch while the lead singer began to bang his head frrom side to side, his voice growing back to a low haunt.
I know its not the same but how can you just let it slip away!
Maggie's frown puffed her lips, he hadn't shown up .yet. She was sure he would. There was so much she'd wanted to ask him, so much she'd wanted to know. And she wasn't going to take no for an answer.
So let right now change your mind Just let me know how you feel tonight
"Vodka with mint." She slid a ten to the bartender as she took the last swig of her Draught then a few chips. A trick she'd learned from Cancun, drinking on an empty stomach meant serious throwing up and major hang over in the morning.
A flicker in the back of the club caught Maggie's onyx orb's attention. A body (the same body) acquipped with tousled brown locks and green eyes walked down over to the bar and ordered a atomic wash. A drunk. Maggie rolled her eyes. He looked the same as he did the other night. A leather torn jacket, dark faded jeans, and a black t seemed like the only thing he owned (One of the many asumptions Maggie had made on the boy since their last (and only) encounter. ) and the annoyed look he gave every girl who came up to him had him seem quite...grouchy. (funny how she dubbed him that when she didn't even know him)
"You got somethin' to say?" His accent was thick, almost (not slurred but) unconprehindable.
" 'Cuse me?"
"You've been here for five days already. And all ya do is look at me-"
"Oh...what? Oh! Sorry 'bout that."
"Well?"
"Hmmm?"
"Hi. " The pair looked to see the lead singer casually wrap his arm around Maggie's waist bearing a confident smirk as he tossed his bangs to the side. ''I couldn't help but notice you from-"
"Sorry. Not interested."
"Ouch." The singer turned away, the smug look wiped away from his face and once again the two were left as they were. "You're quite cold ya know?" His british accent made Maggie smile.
"Listen about the other night-"
"No need to thank me princess-"
"You stole my aviator shades and I want them back."
"Your aviators? What makes you bloody think I got them?" He sigh taking a swig of his drink, "I don't have 'em. Listen-" He leant in closer to her, placing his hand on her waist. A hot blush betrayed her cool demeanor and she couldn't help but stare into his lush green eyes. "-stop jumping. You're gonna attract attention to ya self. And I ain't no babysitter." The blush she had was gone as quick as it came and the anger she'd felt much like from the first night (the bubbling anger any woman feels when they've just been rejected) emerged.
"Make me." She broke free of his grasp; took a few steps back then jumped.
She landed in Vegas, the same way she'd landed in her apartment a couple of days ago, attracting some attention but as she slipped off her wig, removing some of her theatrical disguise, she heard a crash behind her.
"Are you hard of hearin'?" he's recovery was fast, strangely faster than what to it took it to recover that when she'd not noticed that he was standing right next to her, her heart missed a beat. "You're a red head?"
"Don't touch me." She looked away, reinventing the space he closed between them, tossing the wig into the trash. He stopped her, this time taking a hold of her wrist and pushing her against the wall.
"Stop jumping."
"What's it to you if I don't?" A frustrated look furrowed in between his brows as he gripped her wrist tighter then let go, jumping somewhere Maggie didn't bother following.
"Ugh!" She stomped away too, pushing the elevator button more times than necessary; tonight would be one hell of a long night.
----
She had the worst hangover ever. That draught guiness, bloody mary and few other drinks she scored from partying in the ghost bar in Vegas had left her with the worst rememberance of last night including four numbers written on her arm. Pushing back her messy locks she jumped back to her apartment in Berlin; shutting the curtains to block out the sun which burned her eyes. She kicked off her pumps, stripped herself of her dress, leaving her only in her Nirvana tank top and boy shorts as she sluggishly dragged herself into her room. With a grumble Maggie plopped onto the bed before twirling in a sleepish state to get the covers.
"I'm not sure if I should like this look more than that little dress you wore." He was on the bed next to her, arms crossed behind his head as he turned to her to grin only to see her shove the pillow over her head.
"Ugh.I fucking hate hang overs."
"This isn't a illusion-"
"Go away-"
"And whose to say they'll go away?" A shatter of dishes broke in the kitchen as the male grinned; a whizzing shot of electricity shot past the red head's ear, one of the prongs from the item shot at her cutting her cheek.
"What the fucking hell!" Maggie shot up and dashed out of the room and into the bath room, barely slamming the door in time for the second attack to lodge itself in the wood.
"I told you to stop jumpin'." The tousled haired male jumped into the rest room to find Maggie searching through her laundry for a pair of shorts. "You just didn't listen."
"How in the hell did they-"
"Your jump scar. It's small and fades faster than older jumpers but its powerful." Maggie stared at the stranger in amazement.
"Who are you?" The door broke in and two men burst in only in time for the two have jumped else where leaving only a jump scar.
-------
They landed in London first. Then New Dehli. Then Moscow. Las Vegas. Lima. Rio. San Antonio. Then stopped in Mexico City. They fell to the ground with a thud before Maggie gripped the side of her head, still unable to recognize jumping with her ears popping and dizziness. The cold dirty cement crunched under her weight, groups of cart sellers and beggars stared in amazement, uttering phrases in Spanish.
"Lets go."
"Wait!" He stopped, looking back at her.
"What's your name?"
"Griffin, now lets go." Their pursuit began on foot, running through alley ways and markets, galleries and plazas; then when they were a safe distance away from their last jump spot they jumped again landing in the Pacific Ocean before swimming ten yards to jump again.
They stopped in back into Columbus only to catch a cab in the thirty degree morning temperature. Maggie was shocked, allowing herself small glances out the window as she wrapped her arms around herself,shivering before they got out at an IHOP. Silently they ordered some food, Griffin ordering more than his share.
"Who are they?" Twenty minutes of silence. Maggie stared at Griffin with a new fire in her eyes, stabbing his pancakes with her fork. He eyed her, dropped his fork, then sighed.
"No." And then he jumped.