Chapter 14: Something isn't Right

Jazmine DuBois

Tom has been distant lately. While I was used to a parent holding me at arm's length, this was strange. Sarah was usually the one to pull away from me, even when I was smaller. Something was wrong. Then again I have been thinking of Sarah lately. As much as I hate to admit it, she is my mom and I love her, to an extent.

There was a knock at my door then it was opened. Speak of the devil, Tom stuck his head in my room.

"Hey honey," he inched in, little by little coming into my room, " Kasey was concerned, you were being distant recently."

I scowled at him. That was fresh coming from the one who had been distant from me. I shrugged. He came in further, sitting on the edge of my bed.

" Well you know you can tell me anything." he said, making an enormous effort to keep eye contact with me. He was definitely hiding something from me.

"I don't know," I hesitated, "I just been thinking about Sarah, mom," He flinched at the word "mom"; I could barely contain the smirk from spreading across my face. So he was hiding something from me, about Sarah. "I guess I feel guilty for leaving her and not talking to her in so long. What if something happened to her?" I asked, my voice raising in pitch, to express my "concern."

Tom shifted uncomfortably, "I'm sure your mom is fine. It's nothing." He got up and left.

For a lawyer, he is a terrible liar. I was now sure whatever has Tom so distant from me has to do with Sarah. It wasn't like her to not make contact after going so long without me. Sure this was my first time running away to live with my dad but this wasn't my first time running away. Every time, no matter her state of mind, Sarah contacts me, and I would go back thinking she cared for me.

I got out of my bed and went across the room. Opening the closet I moved everything aside until I found my black duffle bag. I opened the duffle bag in search of my old phone. I always kept it for the times when I run away. I grabbed the battery from the zipper compartment and put it in the old flip phone, the type nobody uses anymore. I dialed the number from heart but the disconnected tone played.

I sighed, taking the battery out the phone and placing both things back in their compartments in my duffle bag. I laid out on the carpeted floor. This also wasn't the first time I tried to contact Sarah to find her phone disconnected.

Flashback

13 year old Jazmine DuBois

I was at a bus stop, all I had was my grey backpack from school. It was cold. We had just moved and Sarah already managed to get a new boyfriend. It was the first time I decided I didn't like a boyfriend's of Sarah's as soon as I saw him. It was snowing, not too hard but there was already snow on the ground from the past snow storms.

A car pulled up to the curb and the window rolled down. It was my mother's current boyfriend. He wasn't ugly, just gross. His dreads were messy and pulled back with a sticky looking rubber band. I could see the gold from his teeth. He smiled at me sweetly. I decided his smile was the grossest thing I've ever seen. His teeth were yellow with cigarette stains, his gums brown with a thick white film covering them. He had a couple gold molars that seemed to decay in his mouth.

"You was pretty rude, the way you left little lady. Where you going anyway? Ya'll just got here."

I rolled my eyes, walking away from the bus stop the opposite way of his car.

I heard the screeching of tires, indicating the car was being turned around. I heard the car before I heard his voice.

"You know your mom is looking for you little girl." He said, I could hear the sneer in his voice.

I kept walking refusing to look at him. I pulled my phone out dialing my mom's phone number, the disconnected tone played followed by an automated woman's voice, "Sorry the person you're trying to call is either not in the area or currently unavailable at the moment." I flipped the phone shut, sticking it in my pocket. I tightened my grip on my backpack straps, glanced at the car and ran.

End Flashback

"JAZMINE, DINNER'S READY." Kasey's voice could be heard throughout the house clearly. I got up from the floor and made my way down the stairs to the kitchen. I grabbed a plate, piled some food onto it and made a point to sit next to Tom, to show Kasey I wasn't avoiding him.

"How are you Jazmine?" Kasey asked, spooning some vegetable soup into her mouth.

"Just a little worried, honestly." If Tom wasn't going to tell me the truth then I sure as hell going to make sure he felt bad about it.

"Worried about what sweetie?"

Before I could even speak Tom spoke up, "It's nothing we already talked about it, right Jazmine?"

Ignoring Tom completely I addressed Kasey, "I'm worried about my mom, she usually contacts me by now when I'm away and the fact she hasn't makes me feel something bad has happened."

"Well, I'm sure she's fine." Kasey said but not before glancing at Tom.

They were both lying to me. I have to admit, it hurt my feelings and if this was a couple years ago old Jazmine would have confronted the problem with screaming and anger. But this isn't old Jazmine and this wasn't Sarah lying to me. It was Tom, meaning he thought he was protecting me. Nothing is worse than lying when trying to protect someone, and Tom was fool to think otherwise. So instead of confrontation I played it cool.

"I guess so, it is Sarah." I said shrugging and like that the conversation was over.

Pulling on my black leather jacket and grabbing the keys, I snuck out the house. My hair was pulled up into a ponytail and I was in black sweatpants from the boys' section in Walmart. I made my way to the Hill in the chilly night, staring at the giant oak tree I noticed someone was already there. It could only be Huey, I contemplated going back home but since Huey's company didn't terribly bother me I went on to the hill.

"Hey" Huey must have sensed me coming since his back was to me.

"Hi." I said, my voice a monotone.

Huey raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Don't ask." I sighed sitting next to him.

"Okay." He said.

We sat in silence, but it wasn't awkward it was comfortable.

"What are you always drawing?" Huey asked after a while of just sitting together.

I hadn't drawn in a while, so I was confused as to when he seen me draw. I shrugged, "mostly superheroes and cartoon characters" I said not wanting to elaborate on why. The truth was I love things like superheroes and anime characters. Many of the nights I spent alone were filled with the comforts of comic books and manga. A culture I was extremely fascinated in for years now.

"Oh, I like Raven." He said raising his shirt to show the small black tattoo of a raven tattooed on the left side of his lower abdomen outlined in a blue ink.

I wasn't expecting that but it was a beautiful tattoo. "I like Raven too."

So sorry it took so long to update. I have a new laptop so I will writing a lot more and get this story back on track. I know this was like a filler chapter but I already had most of it written and didn't feel like starting over. Thanks for all the support and I will be updating more with this upcoming break. Also I will start to write on my tumblr account as well as that's the best way to communicate with me so check it out at: .com. They are referencing Raven from Teen Titans and I am thinking of starting a Rugrats and Teen Titans fanfiction for all of you interested. Also more Boondocks to come. Thanks again.