(The "me being swapped with the villain" plot aside, I have to make an important note)
Hi Sixers. I'm really sorry about what has literally been my longest hiatus ever. But,
*Interrogation Room. Blinding light, strapped to a chair, the works*
Q: So what exactly is your explanation for this?
A: I had horrible writers block. Like, not even kidding. I tried plugging and chugging situations and outcomes, but nothing seemed to fit with what I had planned out. It got to the point where I forgot my story (the important parts) and had to go back several times. I'm 18 now, do you see what 15+ year old me was writing? Thanks for even sticking around!
Q: So why didn't you update after you read?
A: I still couldn't put the pieces together to make a sensible outcome. I was also cringing, a lot at most of my work. Things didn't make sense, the whole fantasy crew thing (it was fun, kinda cute, but a little weird looking at it now in other fics. I can do this on my own.), lack of devices, school- it was crazy. I thought about rewriting chapters- if not the whole story (like TM1). It was practically impossible.
Q: What made you come back?
A: Now I'm going to college, so I should practice my passion for class (and a stress relieving hobby) anyway. Also, I'd never abandon a fic just like that. I haven't done that yet and I don't plan to. Besides, a little challenge might be fun. Let's see if I can still floor people with my plots. *tries to flip hair but fails* No really though, this might be bumpy but I'm trying to make do. The first half of this chapter delated btw, so this is also making do. Let me know how that went.
Q: Cool, so are you back now?
A: Until the next note (that I don't plan to write anytime soon), yes. I'm back. For real this time.
Q: Great! So let's get back to business!
If there's anything 90's and early 2000's babies had, it was quality television shows. So with Martha, Zeke, Kelsi, Ryan, Jason, Sharpay and her daughter Ashley, along with Troyella and their twins (and of course Jasmine) it was even better. Isn't it every parents' dream to be showing their kids childhood memories and compare them to the bland shows of the present? It didn't get better than this.
Well,
"I'm just saying, that it would be way better to watch Raven find out this guy is playing her, with some ice cream." Sharpay said. That could make it better.
Gabriella gently nudged her leg with her foot. "Brat." She teased. They got along quite well now, especially since they hadn't married the same guy.
"I prefer, decisive." Sharpay smiled.
"He's definitely using her, but I'd like ice cream." Ashley, age 7 said.
"Me too." Madi admitted. Everyone else followed.
"Alright, alright! I'm going to the garage to get more ice cream." Chad announced to the room, standing up. He chuckled. "I've seen this episode hundreds of times anyway." Jasmine switched cuddle buddies to her aunt Martha.
Traitor.
"Okay you guys?" Chad teased. They couldn't stop watching the show.
"'Kay!" They replied, some sparing a brief glance before their eyes were glued back to the TV. Jordan however, replied from the kitchen behind them. She was treating herself to a small treat, red wine. She smiled at Chad lightly.
Chad smiled back and made his way down the hall to the garage door. After walking through it, he saw his freezer and went to walk to it. Before he could finish taking his first step, he was pulled back. A hand covering his mouth muffled his yell of surprise. He struggled to get away from his captor and their vice grip. Well, that was before he heard:
"Shh shh, it's me! Calm down!" a female voice hissed.
Jordan?!
"I'm going to let go now, but only if you promise not to make a fuss over this." She said quietly. "Do we have a deal?" He nodded, and she kept her word.
Chad stood up and slowly turned around. "What. The. Hell, Jordan!" He said softly, but incredulously nonetheless.
"I had to talk to you." She said.
"Well you can do so without scaring me half to death!" He said, his voice gradually raising.
"You promised to keep your voice down!" Jordan whispered harshly.
"Well I'm sorry I'm trying to calm down!" Chad hissed.
Uneasy silence.
"Well?!" Chad hissed, still coming down from fight or flight mode."Are you going to say something? Anything?!"
She sighed softly. "I'm sorry." Jordan mumbled. "I just...I couldn't do this normally. Didn't want to cause trouble."
"How would you accompanying me like a normal person cause trouble?" Chad said. "What's going on?"
Jordan seemed very hesitant. Her breaths were shaky, and she was visibly trembling. "...I've been lying."
This statement made Chad pause. He quirked an eyebrow at her odd behavior and quietly walked to a nearby couch, leaning against the back of it. "Okay...what about?" He spoke again, gently crossing his arms and looking at her.
No response, just her eyes trained everywhere but him. What could possibly make her so uneasy?
"What is it?" He chuckled softly, trying to make the situation less tense. It couldn't be that bad. "You're not in love with me are you?" Her head snapped up and she met his eyes with what seemed to be disbelief in hers. He blinked. "...Are you?" Chad mumbled, obviously uncomfortable with the very thought of such a predicament.
Jordan looked at him, slightly gawking in astonishment. "...No!" She whispered, irritation lacing the word.
Ah, good thing the feeling was mutual.
At this, Chad Danforth breathed a sigh of relief. Okay, that was good. So what was the matter? He gasped when an absolutely horrible thought crossed his mind. "Are you in love with Kevin?" The disgust was evident, though he tried to conceal it.
"No!" Jordan said again. "It's nothing like that!"
"Then what is it?" Chad laughed, both in relief and uneasiness. "What lie have you been hiding, that is so terrible that you had to manhandle me in my garage before I could even think to cut the light on?" The sun coming through his garage's small windows made up for it.
Jordan closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "...I saw something. Something bad."
"Okay...what was it?" Chad looked at her with concern.
"A few weeks before the banquet," She began. "You'd come to take Jasmine out for the day. I'd voted to stay home and relax. I did anything but."
Chad listened and nodded. "And...why was that?"
"Kevin was making a mysterious phone call in the hall. Whoever he was talking to seemed to be working for him. He was very demanding, but also very quiet. Very secretive. Naturally, being me, I decided to spy on him." She groaned at herself in her mind. "Quite literally...spy on him. Outfit, stakeout, lipstick-"
"The works." Chad chuckled in brief amusement, surprised at his friend's antics.
"Haha yeah." She rolled her eyes. "Either way, I did it. He drove to J Towers and parked in front of one of the back doors in some alleyway. Had some goonies pack up a truck."
"So he stole something?" Chad was taken aback by that part of the story.
"I thought so at first, but then his stupid henchmen wore security badges. That means that they obviously passed necessary protocol." She replied.
"So...he works for them." Chad said.
"I guess?" Jordan gave a light shrug. "I don't know." She admitted, sounding helpless. "But he saw me and this whole highway pursuit went down. I crashed my car, and he forced me to head back with him."
His eyes widened. "Oh gosh, are you okay?!"
"Sh! Obviously!" Jordan whispered. "But I wasn't at the time…"
Chad's eyes narrowed. "What happened?"
"He told me to keep quiet. Choked me until I agreed even…" She continued before a visibly upset Chad could break in. "I know I should have said something, I know that. But when Taylor asked I brushed her off and went to my room. I figured she would assume I was back into the partying habit and leave it alone. Sadly, she did. But that same night I got an unknown call with a very specific message. I was to keep quiet about what I had seen, and if I told anyone there would be consequences. Ever since then I've had all different kinds of people following me around. To the store, back home, to work, I even think they followed me here-"
"Why didn't you tell Taylor the truth?!" Chad said, understanding the reason for quiet now.
Jordan laughed incredulously, lightly, "Um, I'm sorry do you think that didn't cross my mind once? Twice? My 'stalkers' were subtle but obvious. A grocery store clerk, random people on the street, a hot dog guy! Even a cop Chad. One day I decided to just tell, so I ran into the police station and told the counter guy my situation."
Flashback
"Hi, I've been followed by someone for about a week now? I know I should have said something but I was threatened. I'm really scared and I would like to file a report." Jordan said, out of breath.
He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Followed? By who ma'am?"
"Kevin Jones? He's my sister's fiance, we had a disagreement a few nights ago." She replied.
"Hm…" He seemed to be writing something down. "And are you sure you're not imagining it?"
Jordan blinked. "Why would I do that?" She laughed shortly, a burst of air.
"I dunno ma'am. My question is, why would you tell?" He said softer, handing her what should have been a slip to write a detailed report. Instead, the paper already had words on it. One word actually,
'Don't.'
After seeing that she went home as fast as she could. It was a miracle that she got a warning call that night.
Chad was spooked.
"They go about their day, but they all have the same look. It got to the point where I couldn't determine who was and wasn't checking up on me. Why do you think they're not so obvious around her place?" Jordan said, looking frightened again.
"Because Kevin already has stuff set up...himself," Chad began
"And probably sound systems." Jordan completed his sentence with him. "Best to just act normal."
"Why are you saying something now?!" Chad hissed.
"This is the one place I never go." Jordan said. "Jasmine gets dropped off by Taylor but I never step foot here without purpose. I may push the line with Taylor, but that's a little too far. We've been here for awhile, no one has come to the door, you stepped out here so I took an opportunity." She seemed to shrink. "Which I probably shouldn't have done…"
"Of course you should have!" Chad whispered, giving her a hug. "But what do you think is going on and what do we do?"
"I don't know."
"He got access to J Towers, everything seemed okay, so does that make Ms. Jamison guilty?"
"I don't know."
"He couldn't be stealing Eileen's inventions for her because then she wouldn't need Taylor to assist her in her case. No one would hire and deceive their lawyer detective for the heck of it. How do these connect?"
"I'm thinking...that Kevin is stealing the inventions and reselling them. Probably on the black market." Jordan said. "That I do know. I'm being followed so that he makes sure I keep my mouth shut. As smart as she is, Taylor would look for her bad guy everywhere-"
"But she would never suspect her guy." Chad mumbled, finally getting the ice cream he came for.
"That, I do know." Jordan said softly. "So now, we tell Taylor."
"I know that we will, but what about you?" Chad asked, as Jordan grabbed the door handle. "If they find out you told-"
"I'll just stick to you and you won't act suspicious. We'll leave right after the show. I assume you trust Troy and Gabriella to either keep the party going or shut it down?" She questioned.
"That I do." Chad said. "Where would she be right now though?" She turned to look at him once more.
"Didn't you hear? Wedding rehearsal moved forward again. Looks like we're gonna crash it."
So this is also making do. Lol, let me know how that went. (Please, tell me if this can be saved to an ending xD)
