Richard West was tired. There was no other words to describe it. These conferences in New York were wearing him down. His client was demanding, and even though he was the best lawyer in L.A here in New York it was different. Everything was just so taxing on him. He sighed and threw the file on his desk and leaned back in his chair. All he wants is for everything to be like it was before. Back when his little girl would be happy to see him get home but now all they do is have quipped conversations. As he mulled over his thoughts his phone rang. Richard considered not answering but he saw the area code of the number and answered with a glimmer of hope that Jade was calling him. After listening a few minutes Richard sat up straighter
"What? Are you sure it's my daughter?" The voice on the other end of the line confirmed it was for certain Jade West.
"I'll be home as fast as I can."
Jade slowly opened her eyes to the bright sterile room. She slowly moves her head to the right and white hot pain soars through her skull and a whimper escapes her lips. It alerts Richard West who abruptly stands up.
"Jade, thank God." He breathes a sigh of relief.
"Dad? Why are you here?" Jade asked curiously with a hoarse voice. Shouldn't he be New York. His job has always been more important than I am.
"I got a phone call last night. They told me everything. Jade I'm so sorry." Richard states as he cups her face with one of his hands, gentle of the bruise flowering across her jaw line.
"But shouldn't you be with your new wife? You've always enjoyed her company more than mine besides-" She cuts off as her voice trails into a barely audible whisper. Her throat burning after every word she spoke.
"Sh, Jade. Speaking right now isn't good, your throat has been damaged. Please. You have always been and will always be my first priority."
"Why do they call it chilli if it's hot?" Cat asked genuinely twirling a piece of her red hair around her finger. Cat looked up and gazed around the room with her innocent brown eyes. Seeing each one of her group of friends smile lightly at her antics. But the usual eye roll from Jade was missing.
"Hey, where's Jadey?" Cat wondered aloud as she noticed the absence of her best friend.
"Probably just late or something." Robbie said to reassure Cat.
"But I haven't heard from her since yesterday at school." Cat whined.
"Maybe she's skipping?" Offered up Tori half-heartedly. But something wasn't sitting right with her either. Jade hadn't responded to any of her texts with her usual snap, she didn't even respond at all.
But Beck knew she wouldn't skip today. Today was the day the whole class was going to read her script. She wouldn't miss handing that in. But he couldn't say that. He wasn't allowed to be a part of her life where he knew things. Things that were important to her. But he had a feeling something had to be wrong.
As soon as the strange bell rang through the room, Sikowitz entered the room in a regular manner for once. But he still had a smile for the group of his students minus one.
"Good morning my group of large babies!" Sikowitz exclaimed.
"Sikowitz where's Jadey?" Cat begged. At the mention of Jade his smile fell.
"Do you children not know?" Sikowitz asked gently.
"Not know what?" Trembled Tori as she clutched her chair in anticipation.
What could he mean by that? Beck thought. His smile disappeared and now he's asking us if we didn't know. She can't be dead. Right? No, she couldn't be. That's not possible. Not Jade. Not his Jade.
"Jade is in the hospital." He said seriously.
"WHAT!?" Beck shouted as his chair flew backwards behind him. Everyone surrounding him giving him strange looks. He knew he shouldn't have burst out like that. She might only be there for a minor reason, like a cough or something.
"But why is she there man? C'mon tell us Sikowitz." André asked urgently, he needed to know if his friend was okay.
"I cannot give you that information. She may not even want you to know. It's up to her." Sikowitz turned and began writing on the whiteboard "Now acting-"