But you'll fight and you'll make it through
You'll fake it if you have to
And you'll show up for work with a smile
And you'll be better and you'll be smarter
And more grown-up and a better daughter
Or son and a real good friend
"So like vampire Anne Boylen, or Ching Shih?'' Bella was hardly listening to Jade as picked out Halloween costumes. Her thoughts were on Edward again. It had been a rough month. October was always his favorite month. He said he could go out more without exposing himself. He could act like a human he would say. She didn't even face Jade, she looked out the window to the woods. Sighing, Jade climbed into Bella's lap blocking the view of the window.
"Thinking about Eddie?'' Jade asked. Bella brought her arms to her friend's waist and buried her head in her back. Jade refused to even say Edward, she avoided the name like the plague. Bringing Jade closer to her body, she felt Jade relax in her grip.
"You wanna talk about it?'' Her friend asked. Adjusting herself, Jade turned her small body to face Bella, her knees digging into her legs. Over the month they had become increasingly close. There were rumors at school that they were together, but both denied it. They were nothing more than friends. Bella watched as Jade brushed brown hair out of her face. Jade made a face as poked and prodded her face with a disapproving look on her face.
"Yeah I am… and what are you doing?'' A ghost of a smile appeared on Bella's face as Jade looked at her with a frown. She was like this, always fussing over her when she thought about Edward.
"You haven't been using the cream I gave you.'' Bella pulled Jade's hands away from her face and let them drop to her lap. She watched as Jade pouted her lips and sat on her lap. The two sat in silence watching the leaves fall onto the ground. Bella wrapped her hand around Jade's giving it a small kiss.
"Edward always liked October, it gets darker and colder. He felt more like himself, like his old human self. He thinks his birthday was in October. Probably around Halloween. How funny is that? Today is your birthday, and you might share with that Edward.'' The mention of her birthday Jade tensed. She and Trixie were supposed to go trick or treating a little and then go to the tavern to have a little party with her family, but Chole had mentioned that Charlie had invited them to a bonfire in LaPush.
"Why would I want to share a birthday with your dumb ex?'' Jade wrinkled her nose and tried not to imagine sharing a birthday party with Eddie.
"It's just a thought, I think you should go with Ching Shih, vampires are kind of dumb,'' Bella said. Nodding, Jade got up from Bella's lap and went over to the bed where her custom lay.
"Is it okay if I change in here?'' Bella nodded, she turned away from her friend to give her some privacy while she changed into her custom for the night. Digging in her desk, she looked for the present she got the other day after school. It was wrapped in black paper with a red bow on it.
"Are you decent…" Bella started but stopped as saw Jade dressed in a white long sleeve white tunic shirt with a corset extenuating her curves. It pushed up her chest, leaving little to the imagination. Her mouth going dry Bella felt the present drop to the floor. When did Jade look like that? Jade cocked her head to the side as she watched Bella gap at her like a fish.
"Uh, Earth to Bella? Are you okay?'' Bella nodded, picking up the present she got up from her chair and handed the present to her.
"It's your birthday present… Happy birthday Jade.'' Jade gasped and hugged Bella, sitting down on the bed she tore off the paper and saw a black book titled Ladies of the Mists: Untold Stories of Witches in History. A squeal erupted out of Jade. She jumped down and tackled Bella nearly knocking her into the wall. Bella hugged her back, giving her a small smile.
"I take it you like it? Chole mentioned you were really into the occult. I was gonna get you some tarot cards, but they were really expensive.'' Jade hugged the book to her chest and kissed Bella on the cheek.
"Like it? I love it. Isabella Swan, you are the legit best!'' She had wanted to get that book for months. Letting of Bella she opened the door and shouted,
"Charlie! You have the best daughter ever!'' The girls heard Charlie laugh and tell her that Lucifer would come and pick her up in a few minutes. Jade grabbed the makeup bag that was sitting on the bed. Bella watched as her friend did her makeup, carefully applying white face powder, then applying bright red lipstick, then some blush on cheeks. Turning around the full-length mirror Jade nodded and seemed satisfied with her look.
"So how do I look? Do you think I do Ching Shih justice?'' Getting out of her chair Bella came up behind her and wrapped her arms around Jade, placing her head on Jade's.
"I can't say you do her justice but it looks like you walked out of a pirate movie.'' Jade smiled and gave Bella a kiss on the cheek. A knock at the door separated the girls, Bella opened the door to reveal her Charlie standing there. He gave one look over at Jade with a questioning, but amused look.
"Jade your dad's here, and let me guess pirate Mulan?'' The police chief asked with a smile. Jade shook her head and seemed to think about the answer for a moment.
"Close, I'm Ching Shih, the most successful pirate of the South China Sea. Trixie wanted to do pirates this year. I think she's either Grace O'Malley or Anne Bonny'' Jade explained. She hugged Bella and thanked her again for the gift.
"Are you sure you don't want to come? I heard that LaPush is the best place for trick-or-treating, at least according to Trixie.'' Bella shook her head, as much as she wanted to be with Jade she just needed to be by herself for the night.
"I'm good. Have a good time, I'll see you later okay?'' Jade gave her friend one more hug before leaving.
Rain fell as the Morningstars drove up the LaPush Community Center. Tricking-or-treating had been canceled for the evening, but a Halloween party was being held. Trixie flew out of the car with Chole yelling at her to stay with the car and wait for the rest of the.
"Come on Detective, where would the Urchin go? Into the woods? It's Halloween. The only night of the year, where I don't get blamed for anything. Let her have some fun.'' Lucifer said. Chole gave her fiance a look, the Devil raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Luci you know we have rules for a reason. We don't know anyone here, I only came here because Charlie it would be good to start building a relationship with the locals. They might have insight on the missing hikers.'' Lucifer gave a frustrated sigh.
"All work and no play with you Detective.'' Chole hit Lucifer on the shoulder making him pout playfully. Jade got out and followed closely behind her parents, she gripped her father's hand. Normally she would be thrilled at the prospect of going to a party, especially a Halloween party, but her anxiety was creeping up on her. Heart hammering, her brain giving off an alarm of things that aren't there. Her father looked down expectantly at her with a quizzical look on his face. She rested her head on his arm pretending to be tired. Maybe I should have just stayed home with Bella. Then you would have never heard the end of Trixie. Who knows maybe you'll make a new friend… not that being friends with Bella is bad, you love Bella, and Bella loves. But what if I do make a new friend, and we start to hang out? Would she be mad at me? She felt her father squeeze her hand, he gave Chole a look signaling that he needed a moment with his daughter. When they got into the community center Chole made a beeline toward Billy Black and the rest of the elders, with Lucifer and Jade taking up residence near the drink table.
"You want to tell your old man what's wrong?'' Jade refused to look her father in the eyes. Those eyes draw out any desire a person had. A trick he had never used on her, but one these days he probably would.
"It's nothing Father. I just… there's a lot of people.'' Lucifer got a cup full of punch and took a swig of it. Making a face he threw the entire cup of it into the trash can earning looks from the party-goers. Taking out a flask, he took a sip out of it and put it back in this coat pocket.
"You never call me Father unless you are upset with me or you're anxious. Tell what is wrong or will draw out of you I am making myself clear?'' She hated when her dad went into actual "dad mode''. His hard brown eyes bore into her as Jade searched for an answer. It felt like the entire community center's eyes were on her.
"Dad it's just a lot of people, please can I just stay here… I'll just wait in the hall'' Lucifer concedes. He wouldn't push his daughter. She was fifteen now, nearly an adult. He wouldn't pry unless he had to.
"Fine just go. Stay around the community center.'' Lucifer gestures to the entire room. Jade nodded before leaving her family to mingle with the others. Going into the hallway she fell against the wall and ran a hand through her hair. Her original hair color was coming back so she would have to dye it again soon. She wondered if baby blue would be an acceptable color. She couldn't be seen having a breakdown. There was too much at risk, her reputation, her father's image. She was Euridicye Jade Morningstar, the confident nothing wrong in her life, daughter of the Devil. Thinking back to what Dr. Martin said about upkeeping the persona that she kept up online, and being in the shadow of her father,
"You are your own person Jade, just because you have your father's name doesn't mean you have to live in his shadow. From what I've seen you have a wonderful career as a model ahead of you, you said the school is going fine. So what makes you think that you have to carry the Morningstar name?'' Dr. Martian asked during their last sessions together. Jade crossed her legs and leaned back on the couch.
"Because Father is his own brand, people expect me to be the same as him. People have said "You have his looks!'' "You have his smile'' "You act just like your father.'' I get comments like that all the time.'' Jotting something down in her notebook, and looking back at her.
"So because people compare you to your father you feel like you have to keep that infamous Morningstar reputation up? Let me ask, what do you like to do outside of the sphere of Instagram, Facebook, and Ticktock. When do you feel most like Jade?'' Dr. Martin asked. Jade riffled through her hobbies, the mental image of her room covered in clothes, the old tarot deck that was left to her by her mother. Her astrology books and grimoire lay open to spells and potions.
"I like anything spooky, and I like learning about magic and the occult,'' Jade said. Dr. Martin smiled and looked at her from over her glasses that were perched on her nose.
"You're saying that learning about the occult and just being spooky in general makes you happy?'' Dr. Martin concluded.
"Yeah, I guess it does." Jade agreed
"So what's preventing you from doing sharing this interest?'' Jade didn't know how to answer.
The sound of boisterous laughter drew Jade out of her memory. Still laying on the floor she saw the doors swing open, and three annoyingly attractive guys without shirts much less walk in from the cold rain without a care in the world. Holy. Fuck. were Jade's only thoughts, even looking at them upside she couldn't deny that were ungodly attractive. Groaning she slowly got up from the floor, the laughter stopped, all three of them were looking at her, one of them with honey brown eyes looked at her as if he were in a trance. She looked at him and gave an uneasy smile before running back into the safety of the gym.