ATTENTION : If chapter 9 is still unaccessible (grrr) you can have access to it by adding a slash at the end of the URL. Thanks to The Name Changer for the hint…
Okay, it's short… *sigh* I know… The nest chapters will be switching between Remy and Jade, so please don't be confused… And yes, Jade is back in New York. Yes, that happens to be miiiiiiiiiles away from New Orleans. Please don't hurt me. Oh and I didn't proof read this… I wanted to post it asap to see if it fixed the bug with chapter 9…
The Name Changer : It seems you are the only one who had access to chapter 9… lucky one… Even I couldn't go check it out!
Panther Nesmith : I have to be careful in this comment, since you probably didn't read chapter 9 yet… But am I yanking your chain? Huh huh!!!
ishandahalf : sorry about chapter 9, maybe posting chapter 10 will fix this… And about your theory about Jean-Luc or Henri… *cough cough* I can't really *cough* answer *cough cough* without telling away the story but… *cough* And YES, JADE LEFT REMY!!! SUE ME! I knew you'd be mad! But it's too much fun, it makes your reviews even longer! *evil laugh* But wait! What's going on in this chapter!?!?! Let's go and see, shall we?? Muahahahahaha!!!
Enjoy!
Chapitre 10
She dropped to her knees and opened the maplewood door, and mumbled to herself while fumbling in the cupboard. She finaly found a suitable frying pan, and straightened up, bumping the back of her head on the counter in the process.
"Shit!" She dropped the frying pan on the counter and clutched her head with both hands. Looking at her hand, she saw blood, and swore even more. Raven popped her head in the kitchen door, wet locks of hair hanging in her face.
"Everything's like you want it, Jade?" she said, smiling at Jade's glare. Jade turned to the sink and washed her hands, then picked up a towel and soaked it with cold water. Applying it to the sore spot behind her head, she looked at her roomate, and frowned.
"Yah're goin' out?" Raven blushed.
"Yeah, well… remember that guy we met in New Orleans?" Jade frowned, and Raven added hastily, seeing it. "His name's Bobby, we met him at the bar, the second night...*" she turned away, a large towel drapped around her body. Jade hastily looked away when she saw the small, round pink scar on her friend's shoulder blade.
"Oh, yeah, Ah remember, Ah think." Jade turned to the frying pan and took it with her free hand, the other one still holding the wet towel on the growing bump on her head.
"I met him in the subway yesterday morning! Isn't that incredible?" Raven's voice was coming from the bathroom now, and she was yelling over the sound of her hairdryer.
"Incredible" Jade whispered to herself. Another night alone. She put the pan on the oven, turned on the heat and turned to the fridge to get some butter.
"I'm sorry if you had something in mind for diner…" Raven was back in the kitchen door. Her hair wasn't entirely dried, the wet locks still standing on end on the left side, making her look like a speepish-eyed Cruela DeVil. Jade laughed.
"Ah had, but Ah don't mind. Got get ready for yah date, sugah. Yah don't wanna be late." Raven gave her a smile, and got back into the bathroom. Jade sighed and broke the eggs over the frying pan, the sizzling sound of melted butter covering the sound of the hairdryer. It would be a long night.
~~
She doesn't remember at which point in the boring movie she stopped watching it and dozzed in a light sleep, but she opened her eyes when she heard the front door opening.
"Raven?"
"Jade? You're still up?" She sounded very surprised, and Jade looked at the clock. Half past 3 in the morning.
"No, Ah fell asleep on the couch." She yawned and sat up on the couch, leaving some place for her friend. Raven came by and fell on the couch, opening her arms with a deep sigh. Jade looked at her warily. "Had a nice date?" Raven tilted her head and looked at her with dreamy eyes.
"A nice date? You've just asked me if it was nice?" She smiled and closed her eyes. "It was a dream. That guy's great."
"Ah'm glad for yah." She really was, but felt a pang thinking that she could have had that, if only she hadn't left New Orleans. She pushed the thought to the back of her head, but it seems Raven didn't. She was looking at Jade with sad eyes, and Jade knew she was going to ask that damn question again. Only this time, she would have to answer.
"Why did you leave, Jade? You could have been so happy…"
"Or not" she interrupted, looking at her hands in her lap. Raven hands came on her arm.
"You never told me why. You can, you know. I won't judge you, you know it. You know me." Jade sighed. She looked at the surroundings, a beautiful loft Raven had since her half brother died. She had come to live with her best friend years ago.
"Ah couldn't leave yah to pay all'o this yoself, Rav." Raven looked dumbstrucked, and suddently began to laugh.
"I own a restaurant, Jade! I could pay three appartments like this by myself!" Jade blushed, she knew she was right. But it was an easy answer. "Jade…I'm not sure I like the idea that you blame it on me that you left New Orleans."
"Ah don't blame yah!"
"Then why did you leave?" Raven wasn't smiling anymore, and Jade sighed.
"Ah was afraid." Raven frowned.
"Did he hurt you? Force you?" Jade's head snapped up.
"No! No, Ah wanted to…" Raven's mouth fell open.
"You slept with him?" She was squealing again, and Jade flinched at the girlish sound.
"Please, Rav…"
"You slept with him, and left him the morning after? God, Jade, that's horrible!" Jade closed her eyes when Raven finished, enjoying the suddent silence.
"Ah know" she finaly whispered after a long moment. "But Ah was afraid of what he is." Raven frowned.
"What is he for you to run away?"
"A dangerous man, the head of the Guild of Thieves. Ah was afraid of the world he's livin' in. Ah thought about it all night, and Ah really liked him… But… Now Ah think it's stupid." Tears were welling to her eyes, and she felt Raven's hand on her shoulder.
"Of course you do, dear. You always do." Raven sighed and rubbed her back as silent tears rolled on her cheek. "Jade, why are you so afraid of being happy? You run away at the first sign of hapinness like it was a raging dog." Jade opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't find any words. Simply because she didn't know why.
"Ah… Ah don't know." Raven sighed again, and her hand left Jade's shoulder. She got up, and looked down at her.
"I'm off to bed… dear, please think about this, okay? Promise you will?" Jade nodded, and Raven left the living room, leaving her with her thoughts, her regrets, and her doubts…
To be continued…
* See chapter 2 if you suffer from amnesia.
I know, that was awfully short… But like I said, I have to cut off the chapter in order to go slowly… I want things to make sense!
