When her dad is offered a job, it's off to America for Jade. She meets Jake and Marco, but these two don't seem......... right, to her. So they have their secrets, doesn't everyone? Even Jade, who holds a secret that could change everything.........
My name is Jade. I can't tell you my last name, or even if my name really is Jade. I could just like the name. And there's no way you're knowing where I live now. I will tell you though, that I used to live in Australia. We moved, along with my brother, when the weather was swelteringly hot. Forty degrees celsius, and plus. And since this was a trial job for my dad, we left my mum and my two little sisters back at home. We moved from absolutely boiling weather to below freezing. And let me tell ya, that wasn't easy. The moment we left the airport, I felt like I had stepped into the ice age.
"It's sooo coold here!" my brother Ryan whined, huddling close to me as we waited for our shuttle to the hotel.
"Look on the bright side kids, we get to see snow now" My dad stepped up beside us, trying to smile. He was fairly tall, to say the least, with brown hair and grey/blue eyes.
My brother and I both had his hair, but I got my mothers green eyes instead. I also got her shortness. Ryan, who was only ten, was up to my shoulders already.
"Yeah right" I muttered, shivering "We could've seen snow in the mountains"
That's when I saw it. A black bird, flapping around in circles a few miles up. What the.........
"Hey look!" So, Ryan noticed it too "What's that bird doing here? I thought they all went north. Or south, or whatever"
"Maybe it got lost" my dad offered, looking up as well.
"Yeah, lost" I looked up at it, hoping for both our sakes that it wasn't.........
"Here comes the shuttle" My dad interrupted, and for a second my attention was drawn away from the circling bird. When my eyes darted up again, it was gone.
Stupid little.........
Our hotel, thankfully, was warm, and all three of us were pretty pleased with that. Only, my attention kept going back to that bird. I had a funny feeling I knew that bird, and I knew it would be dead meat if it was.
The next week, my dad started his job. It was only a trial period of about a month, maybe more, but he still insisted we go to school. He signed us both up, me for the nearest high school, and Ryan for the closest primary. As I went in the double doors, I caught about half the people looking at me like I was an alien.
Oh well, to them maybe I am...I thought as I wandered through the hallways, the strap of my bag over one shoulder, like I usually did. I wasn't about to change for others, especially not now. I had gone through too much to.........
"Ooof !" I was so distracted that I bumped into some guys back. He turned around, and it looked like he wanted to pound me.
"You got a problem?" He snarled.
"No, I don't" I went to walk around him, but he grabbed my arm. So, this guy wanted to fight hey? Well he would regret it when.........
"Chase, hey! What's up?" I turned to see another boy walking up to us. Almost immediately, the other guy let go.
"Well, uh........."
"Sorry about that, I just wasn't looking" I forced a smile, moving around him and continuing on my way down the hall. Right, maybe I did have to be careful. I didn't want to start fights with everyone I met. Not good if dad heard about it.
I got my schedule, found the spare locker they assigned me to, and opened it to shove what I didn't need in it. When I shut it though, I found the second boy next to me. He was tall, cute, and seemed like one of those guys you could turn to for help if you were in trouble. Not like I needed help though.
"Hey, you ok? Sorry about Chase, he's just one of the school bullies" He smiled a little.
"Yeah, well, thanks for that. I guess he likes to pick on the new students huh?"
"Uh-huh. Too bad you had to bump into him on your first day"
"Uh, oh yeah. Don't worry, it's nothing. I'm used to school bullies"
"So, where you from?"
"I just arrived from Australia over a week ago"
"Wow, that's pretty far"
"It's not too bad" There was a short silence before he introduced himself.
"My name's Jake"
"I'm Jade" He shook my hand, and when I shut my locker he walked with me.
"I'm guessing you're still not used to this place yet"
"No, not really. Especially this weather, since we came from over forty degree heat"
"Farenheight?"
"No, celsius"
"Ah" we walked in silence for a little longer before he changed the subject.
"So, what class do you have now?"
"Uhhh........." I looked at the sheet the office had given me "Science, I think" He showed me where my room was, and even at lunch he invited me to join him and his friend Marco. Marco seemed like the complete opposite of his friend. Short, happy-go-lucky guy that I would've probably dated at any other time.
If only they knew......... I thought as I watched them debate over this and that, adding me in every now and then. Two girls joined us, I don't remember what their names where, because the most of the time my focus was outside the window, on the black bird that I knew was no black bird.
That afternoon, the Animorphs gang headed to Cassie's barn to talk about the new girl. Tobias and Ax came along, and for they were mostly quiet as they all started talking.
"She's a bit......... strange. But then again she's just moved here from Australia, so it could be taking her a while to get used to the change" Rachel put in as she helped hold down a deer that Cassie was working on, rewrapping the bandage on it's leg.
"No, I think it's more than that. Did you see the look on her face at lunch? She was looking out at that bird like she wanted to kill it" Jake said as he helped the two girls. Marco, as usual, was lying back on a bale of hay, a distant look in his eyes.
"She's so beautiful. Those amazing eyes........." He mused as the three found a way to get the kicking deer back into her cage.
"Well, that bird did look a bit unusual flying around out there by the window for so long" Cassie told them, looking from Tobias to Ax.
"Guys?"
Hey, don't look at me. I like my own body just fine thankyou Tobias retorted, ruffling his feathers.
I am sorry, but I was working on my tail blade fighting He told them, his stalk eyes continuously moving.
"But then what could........."
"And she's got such nice hair........."
"Uh, Marco?" Rachel questioned.
"And not bad skin either........."
"Marco?" Jake waved his hands to try and get his attention.
"I wonder if she'll go out with me........"
Marco, have you considered she might be a Yeerk? Tobias asked him, turning those fierce hawk eyes on him. Immediately, Marco snapped out of his daze.
"Thanks a lot. Actually, no I haven't"
"But what if she's not" Everyone turned to Cassie, who was now wiping her hands on an old cloth.
"Do you know something we don't?" Jake asked, but she shook her head.
"No, it's just a......... feeling" She replied, coming to join their circle.
"Oh here we go, Cassie and her 'feelings'. Just what I need" Marco said gruffly, not looking happy at all.
Well, we can always spy on her for three days Ax offered, and Marco smiled.
"I don't think that's........." Rachel started, but Marco cut her off.
"Hey, great idea! And if she's not, I'll ask her out" He said, and they all groaned.
"Jake?" Rachel looked to him for support, but caught him smiling.
"I think he's right. I mean, what if she's actually a high ranking sub-Visser or something? It could be useful to check her out"
And so, they set up the three days needed for future surveillance.