RNW: This story is Co-authored with my Best Friend, XME, who is once again, not with me at the moment….
Thanks to every one who reviewed! It means a lot to us, that people are actually reading it, since most people don't read things with Ocs in them…. And I'd like to personally apologize for any Cheesyness in the story that involves Jade and Ayanna, but sadly, that is how the two of us actually act, sadly…. We are quite cheesy people…..
I'd like to let everyone know that there isn't any Hotstreak bashing in here, but he does make his first appearance…. And more Static charries will be making themselves know to Jade and Ayanna soon enough.
Disclaimer: We don't own Static Shock.
Unpeaceful Dreamers
Chapter Two: Solitude
"Dinner time!" Mrs. Corrin called. Ayanna moaned, and slowly dragged herself out of bed. She had been lying there all day, ever since she finished school for the day. She was, supposedly, reading, as it was normal for her to sit in her room reading for hours at a time. In actuality, though, she had zoned out frequently, and where she normally would have finished the book by now, she was still on the first page. She had spent most of the day crying.
Jade had left the day before, and though Ayanna knew it wasn't good to just sit and mope all the time, she hurt too much to do anything else. There was a pain in her chest that wouldn't leave, and it kept her from thinking straight. Every time she thought of Jade she would feel like she was going to cry, and since nearly everything reminded her of Jade in someway or another… Well, let's just say that she cried A LOT.
Having reached the kitchen, she sat down in her chair, gluing a perky smile on her face. Her dad said grace as soon as everyone was there, and no one noticed when she didn't add an "amen" among the chatter of other ones. She couldn't, because there was a lump in her throat that made it nearly impossible to talk.
She took as little food as possible, and then picked at it, eating it very slowly.
They were eating asparagus, muffins, and spaghetti. She took a small portion of spaghetti, and one muffin, but completely ignored the asparagus. She didn't like it, anyway. She would have eaten, but the lump in her throat made it nearly impossible, and made her feel sick when she did.
Her little brother loved muffins. She gave him hers, ate the little amount of spaghetti, and excused herself from the table, saying that she wasn't hungry for dessert. In her room again, she continued to try and read her book. The first sentence was, 'She was gone…'
She was gone.
Jade sat in her room, on top of her futon mat. She had yet to unpack much, other than her computers, and a few other small things here and there. Jade had set up both her main computer, and her laptop on a desk that her father had set up for her.
She was lucky…. In a sense… Her dad wanted her to be happy; that meant, she got the second biggest bedroom, her own bathroom, which attached to her bed room, and both computers in her room, internet access included.
She was currently listening to drowning pool, her new favorite band- her dad hated this music-, and doing a internet search on all the newspapers in Dakota City… something to keep her mind off of Ayanna.
Scrolling down the page, she found a picture that looked slightly interesting. It was something about a guy who had been let out of jail for 'good behavior'.
"Francis Stone, AKA Hotstreak, has once again been released from jail before the end of his twenty year sentence, due to good behavior, and on a recommendation from his anger management councilor." Jade read silently to herself. She picked up her Sesshoumaru plushy, and hugged it, "What do you think, Sesshoumaru-sama?" She asked the toy, not once actually opening her mouth… She inspected the picture of the male.
Jade read silently to herself. She picked up her Sesshoumaru plushy, and hugged it, She asked the toy, not once actually opening her mouth… She inspected the picture of the male.He had short bright red hair with blond streaks, and was apparently attempting to grow a goatee. His outfit was baggy pants that, even with the belt, hung off his waist, and a tight red shirt.
Leaning back, Jade continued to stare at the picture, "Wonder why he was in jail?" She was about to imagine what 'Sesshoumaru-sama' would reply with, when a knocking on bedroom door caught her attention. She reached over and turned off her music, and stared intently at the door.
"Jade, why don't you come out to eat?" Came her father dearest's voice. Jade leaned back again in her seat, and waited…. After not getting a reply, her father tried again, "We could go out to eat if you like…. I mean, it would probably be a good idea for you to get out of the house at least once before you have to start school. You could go to the park…. I know how you like trees, and stuff…"
Jade's blank stare turned into a angry glare, as she picked up the thing closest to her, and threw it at the closed and locked door. It banged against the door, and fell with a thud to the floor. "Thanks for reminding me that I'm stuck in a stinky, polluting city! And that I'm completely alone!" Her mind shouted.
She opened her mouth to actually reply, tell him to 'Bite me', but when she tried to speak, she felt this overwhelming fear wash over her… if she spoke, then she lost, right? Then he'd want to know exactly why she was locking herself in her room like this…. She couldn't, no, WOULDN'T tell him anything! Her private- no any of her thoughts, had nothing, NOTHING to do with him.
Finally, her father gave up, and with an exasperated sigh, he left. Jade smirked, and moved to sit with her back completely against the wall.
BackinPennsylvania;
Ayanna couldn't take it anymore. She honestly couldn't go any longer without seeing Jade, or at least having hope of seeing her soon. She knew it was weak to be so dependent on one person, but she couldn't help it- she really DID care about Jade. In fact, she cared about Jade more than anyone or anything, including her family.
She couldn't live with not being able to see her. If she didn't find a way to see her soon, she'd have to do something drastic to stop the pain. Possibly even so far as death. Dying wouldn't be that bad, compared to this- even though she would probably go to whatever form of hell there was for killing herself, if she did.
She stood up and began to pace. There must be some other option. Cutting was out, she had tried that. She would never, NEVER do drugs- even living with pain or dying would be better than living with no future whatsoever.
She had been E-mailing Jade, but it wasn't good enough. It helped, but it didn't stop the ache in her chest. It felt like someone had grabbed something- her heart? That's what people usually termed it- ripped it out, broken it apart, and put it back with some of the pieces.
So her only options were suicide and seeing Jade. She sighed, and slumped down onto her bed. How could she get to see Jade, then? Hitch hiking, possibly- but Jade would kill her if she found out. Still, it would be better than outright killing herself- at least she'd have a chance at surviving.
But any other options would be nice. She thought for a moment. She doubted her mom would send her, so she'd have to run away. She'd need money if she wasn't going to hitch hike- she couldn't walk that far. She had promised not to steal, so she'd need to get a job. It would take her years to earn enough for a plane ticket if she only had her allowance.
Right. So… she'd get a job, earn up some money, then take a plain to Dakota City? But if she couldn't get a job, she'd just have to hitchhike… If she couldn't get one in, say, two weeks or so.
So, the options were now 'take a plane, hitch hike, or commit suicide'… Great.
She decided to attempt to take a plane.
Meanwhile, in Dakota City;
Jade waited till nine, even if her dad wasn't in his room, he would be fast asleep on the couch. Once her alarm clock, which she had gotten out a little bit ago, hit nine o'clock, she slipped out her bedroom door. Sesshoumaru-sama in a black pouch that was attached to her waist by a long dark green ribbon.
She walked down the hall as quietly as she could, trying to avoid stepping on any boards that may creak underneath her weight.
Jade soon found herself in the kitchen. Nothing was unpacked, but as she went through the boxes, she found that they didn't have any food…. Well… they had SOME things, but nothing that interested her….
She peeked into the living room, and sure enough there was her father, fast asleep on the couch, the TV, which was now working, playing Law & Order. She crept into the room, and over to him. His wallet was sitting on the table next to a couple bottles of beer.
Picking it up, she looked at her father, hoping that he wouldn't wake… Seeing that there was nothing that could wake him, she opened the wallet and pulled out forty dollars. "Looks like we're eating out tonight, Sesshoumaru-sama…" She thought happily to the plushy, as she stuffed the money in her pocket.
She quickly dashed up to her room, grabbed a coat and put on her shoes. She looked herself up and down, a pair of normal pale blue jeans with various rips, and many patches; her normal hightops, a baggy lavender tye-dyed shirt; and a black cowgirl hat; and her hair was pulled up so you couldn't see it…..
She walked back down stairs, Sesshoumaru-sama held in her arms, as she snuck out the front door, and made her way down the street.
It took a while, but she finally found a place to eat. A small café, with very few people in it… The problem was… how was she supposed to order? She didn't want to talk.. they would want to know who she was, and why she was there… that would lead to more things…. No, talking was completely out of the question… But how would she order then?…
Taking a deep breath, Jade stepped into the café and looked around, she quickly found a small booth in the back, almost unnoticeable. When she sat down, she heard the bell on the front door ring, and her curiosity got the best of her. "Curiosity killed the cat…" She could hear her plushy say in her head, even though she knew it wasn't real… "But satisfaction brought him back." Was her reply.
She turned in her seat, and saw the boy in the newspaper- what was his name again? It started with an 'F' didn't it? Or was it an 'E'?
Anyway, he turned to look at her, feeling eyes on him, and his emerald eyes locked with her amber ones. As he stared at her, she blushed and turned back around… Maybe he would just ignore her, what reason would he have to talk to her…. Right?
How wrong she was…. He walked over to her, and sat down without saying a word.
Jade sat up straight, and moved to sit on the edge of the seat, if he tried anything, anything at all, she would run.
A waitress came up to them, she looked worn, and tired, not to mention upset…. She was probably just about to get off her shift…. "What do you want to drink?" She asked them, as she set two menus down for them…
Jade blinked, and looked up at the male nervously, if she didn't say anything, then that would cause him to question her… but if she did say anything, he would ask questions too… what was she supposed to do?
She pulled her plushy up, and held it tightly to her chest, while she tried to think….
"A coffee, black. And a coke for her:" The male told the waitress.
Jade looked at him with a confused look on her face, but said nothing, naturally….
The male looked at her, he stared at her for a moment, before finding interest in the menu he had been given.
Jade follow his example and picked up her menu, reading it… She knew what she wanted, but didn't know how she would order. She didn't know any sign language, and the waitress probably didn't either, so it wouldn't have made any difference.
Maybe she could point it out on the menu? No…. The thought of doing that made her blush…. But she refused to speak to any of them! But then how could she do this?
Jade looked over the top of her menu, and at the red head across from her. She couldn't remember his name, but that didn't really matter, she wouldn't speak to him either...
Biting down on her bottom lip, she set down the menu, and looked out the window and out into the dark street.
The male set down his menu, and stared at her, causing her to squirm and blush underneath his gaze. "What are you ordering?" he asked, trying to get rid of the silence.
She turned her amber eyes to him, and just stared at him.
His eyes traveled down to the strange doll that she clutched in her arms, she looked like a little girl that was lost. Maybe she wasn't allowed to speak with strangers? But then, she probably wouldn't be sitting with him either…. "Do you have any idea as to who I am?" He asked.
Jade shook her head weakly, she had a small idea… he had been in jail, and he had been let out early for good behavior, but that was all she remembered. She leaned back in her seat, and stared blankly at the table.
Two drinks were set down in front of them, causing both to look at the waitress. "Are you ordering anything else?" She asked them.
Jade opened her mouth as if she were about to answer, but remembered that she couldn't trust these people, and shut her mouth instantly.
"I want a cheeseburger and a fries…" The red head stated, handing the lady his menu. He looked at Jade expectantly, causing her to, once again, squirm.
Jade picked up her menu again, and glanced at the waitress, before leaning over the table towards the male, and opening it. She pointed to some things, before sitting back down and waiting.
"She'll have cheese burger, and cheese fries." He told the waitress, who nodded and wrote it all down before leaving them alone.
The male looked at Jade, "What's wrong with you? Can't you talk?"
Jade shook her head no…. then yes…. Then no again….. She paused, getting confused, she could physically talk, but did he mean physically, or WOULD she talk?
"Well?" He asked, "Yes, or no. It can't be both." He was starting to sound agitated now, making Jade wince and slid down in her seat, and clutch her plushy tighter.
She shook her head no. Jade sat back, and just listened to his voice…. It was quite calming…. Even though it was angry at the moment. She hoped he would get mad at her. She hated it when people yelled… It made her really nervous, and scared…. Whether they were yelling at her or someone else.
"What's your name?" He asked, leaning back himself.
Jade stared at him for a moment, she couldn't give her name, she didn't know him! It wouldn't be a good idea!…. "Jade… and you have a really nice voice…" She thought in reply, though she wouldn't dare say it out loud…
Back in Pennslyvania(again);
It turned out that a ticket would cost $556 if Ayanna wanted to get to Dakota City from Pennsylvania. She decided that she'd leave in early May, when her aunt and cousin came to visit. They'd be coming in from Oregon, so her family would go to the airport then anyway. That way she wouldn't have to hitchhike; she could just slip off and onto her flight.
The only problem? It was April now- how was she supposed to get six hundred dollars by May? She only made thirty dollars a month in allowance- more than enough under normal circumstances, but even with the seventy dollars she had already, she'd never make enough by then. She would only have a hundred dollars- less than a fifth of what she needed.
So she'd need to get a job. She could probably get a job at the pet store her sister used to work at- Sarah had earned thirty-six dollars a week, so that would be a hundred and forty-four dollars, plus the hundred she'd already have, so that would be... $244. STILL not enough... if she took on a lot of babysitting jobs, she could make that $344, maybe even $400, but that STILL wouldn't be enough.
By that point she'd be working every day before school, plus at school, and then three or four afternoons a week. So she'd have fifteen or twenty hours a week of free time... She could probably make another hundred or so if she did odd jobs around the house and for the neighbors for the next month...
But if that was the case, she'd be doing lots of hard work, all of the time, for a whole month. She'd be exhausted by the time she had enough money... It'd be like boot camp or something! Did she REALLY want to do this...? She mentally cursed, the answer coming to her quicker than she would've liked.
This would be a LONG month...
Back toDakota City;
Jade smiled at the boy, who she had now learned the name off, Francis… They had ate in relative silence… the fact that she didn't speak seemed to make him happy, which in turn made Jade feel joy. She loved making others happy, and had many times gone out of her way to at least try….
Though she had never thought that by her refusal to talk, it would make someone else so happy…. Maybe her father was more happy with her not talking? Would it have made her mother more happy? What about Ayanna, would she had been happy about it?
Part of Jade's mind screamed that her friends and family enjoyed her talking, and that on many occasions had depended on her voice…. Like when Sarah- Ayanna's step sister- had broken down about her Grandfather being in the hospital, and needed Jade to tell her it was okay, that it would be fine, and even to relate in words the feelings that she herself had felt when her own grandfather had been in the hospital….
The other part of her mind, reminded her of all the times she had created awkward silences by saying something that made her and Ayanna laugh, but no one else understood, or the times she had said cold and mean things, causing great pain in the people around her, on the few occasions where she would lose her temper…. Or the times where she would accidentally say something so idiotic or stupid that she would regret it for weeks after…..
When the Waitress took their food away, Jade snatched up the bill that was left behind, before Francis could get his hands on it, not that he had tried to get it.
She placed the money for the food down on the table, and left a couple extra dollars for tip, before nodding her head at Francis, pulling her plushy closer, and standing to leave. She wanted to get home soon, after all it was getting late, and she wasn't sure she would be able to find her way home.
She had left before Francis could say anything more to her, and it took him a while to realize that he hadn't gotten her name….
End Chapter Two….
RNW: Well, that was Chapter two. I hope everyone liked it…. Now, on to Shout outs….
lt. commander richie: You were our first reviewer, so a special thanks! And sorry for the whole grammar problem, mostly with the spacebar… We wrote this on XME's computer, and when we sent it to mine, it got a little messed up on the formatting, I hope we did better in this chapter….
Kellalor: Thanks! I'm happy you like it.
Snake Mistress: EE! You did review! You really do care, Hebi-chan! Don't worry, your romance will be getting in here soon enough, especially if me and XME/Neko-chan get to work on it Wednesday.
anacsadder: lol… sorry we didn't get to bashing him in here yet, but we'll try to get some in for you on the next chappie, okay?
Moonjava: Awesome! I'm glad you like it more then you thought you would…. To tell the truth, we didn't think it would be working out this well, but it is…. In fact… we never even planned on actually writing this… it was just something we plotted out while bored…..
RNW
And
XME
Signing off!
