Connor Stoll
"Whatcha watchin?" asked Connor. He currently walked into his cabin and saw it completely empty except Jasmine who was watching something on her laptop.
"Nothin" replied Jasmine, closing her laptop.
"Sooo…"
Jazz raised an eyebrow. Connor was being awkward.
"Connor, Are you okay?" asked Jasmine suspiciously.
"Of course, Jazz. I just want to know more about my favorite sister. Tell me about yourself"
"Connor, I think you've been hanging out with Albany a bit too much."
"Just talk Bays"
"Okay. What do you want to know?" Jazz, gave up.
"When's your birthday?"
"January 11"
"Age?"
"thirteen"
"Favorite superhero?"
"Batman"
"Color?"
"Black"
Connor raised his eyebrow, pointedly. A smirk playing on his lips.
"What?" defended Jazz
"Nothing" Connor shook his head.
"Did you ever hate life?"
"Yeah" she answered very slowly.
"Did you ever, oh I don't know, start cutting?"
"Since we're playing twenty questions, here's one for you. Who told you I used to cut?"
"Uhm.." Connor started sweating. Rat out his girlfriend or lie to his sister… "You talk in your sleep"
"righhttt."
"Why? Why did you do it?" asked Connor. Jasmine stared into Connor's eyes and seemed to be having a battle with herself. "Please tell me" Connor pleaded.
"Everything was fine. But when my mom died, I started to notice things. I only had one friend. People talked about me behind my back. I wasn't deaf or blind. I could hear what they whispered. I could feel their stares. All of a sudden, I had the reputation of being the girl whose mom died of cancer. Then it got worse. My own family changed. I used to depend on my mom for help on my homework, Jeremy's dad would cook dinner, Jeremy and I would have the best time in our backyard. But when my mom died, I had to depend on myself. I had to stay up late just to finish my English homework. I cooked dinner for the family every night. We used to eat at the table as a family, when she died; I was the only one who ate at the table. Jer and I… everything became a competition between us. Even then, we were close."
Hot tears streamed down her cheek.
"School was worse. Everywhere I went, I was 'Jeremy's baby sister'. I was that freak, that people made fun of. I was the school loser. Nothing was the same. When my mom died, I noticed how people would use me and walk all over me. I was too weak to stand up to anyone. I just took it. That was my life until I finally snapped. This guy decided to be funny and started punching me. One punch,then turned into five. I could hear everyone cheering him on. I looked up into the eyes of my ex-best friend;Faith Palmer. She held her video camera and smirked. For some reason, it got me fueled. I picked up the boy who was punching me, and slammed him down. For once, I felt power. I was the one giving the pain;not receving it. and I liked it. But that scared me. I wasn't going to turn into one of them."
Connor wrapped his arms around his half-sister, rubbing her back.
"The next day, Faith came up to me and started talking to me like we were best friends; like that little fall out never happened. I wasn't desperate for a friend. I...I slapped her across the face. I knew everyone was watching us. In less than twenty-four hours I had laid my hands on another person. But the thing was...I didn't care anymore. I told her off, in front of everyone. I told her, I would never stoop so low to be friend with someone who would pretend to be my friend only to stab me in the back. I would never be friends with the person who started telling everyone I was a freak for having a mother who died from cancer. I would never be friends with someone who was so fake, Barbie was jealous of her. I told her... If she was going to be two-faced, to at least make one of them pretty. I finally grew a back-bone. When I left, Star started talking to me. I found my best friend that day. And I miss her."
"How old were you?"
"I was eight. When I started hanging out with Star, I also hung out more with Katie guys."
"Eight?"
"Connor, this happened a long time ago. I'm over it."
"Really?"
"Who holds a grudge for five years?"
XxX
"I talked to Jazz" Connor told his girlfriend
"And?"
"Her mom died from cancer?"
"heart cancer" Albany confirmed.
"That's...tough"
"especially for Jazz. She was always so close with her mom. She kind of blocked it out when her mom died. She pretended like it never happened. The one day, she broke down. There's at least one day where a girl will just break down and cry. It hit her like a ton of bricks. She once told me that grief doesn't change a person; it reveals them. That grief reveled a shy, sensitive, vulnerable girl that hid behind sarcastic remarks and playful pranks."
"I just can't believe she went through that. She's only thirteen."
"Family was all she had back then. Her mom meant the world to her."
"And it all fell apart." continued Connor
"She has trusting issues. She doesn't like to show her feelings. In sixth grade, she took the whole mutual thing a little too far. She turned cold-hearted. She is capable of many things. She could have token pranks to a new level and turn it into bullying. But she didn't. Her heart was once made of stone, but even a stone can crack."
"I feel bad for that girl."
"Don't. She doesn't show pity. If someone talks to her just to listen, she keeps a straight. Pity makes things worse."
XxX
"Hey sissy, poo" greeted Connor
"Uhm. Hi."
"So... I was borrowing your laptop when I found out what you were watching earlier."
"By 'borrowing' you mean you stole it."
"If you want the technical term. So yeah. I didn't know you were such a power rangers fan"
"Your point?" asked Jasmine
"Jeez, Jazz. Cool it with the sass baby sis."
"What to you want?"
"Just want to know if the information I found was true."
"Which is..."
"You're a beliber" Connor smirked. Next thing he knew he was against the wall, lifted in the air two inches off the ground.
"Never. Speak. Of. That. Again." She threatened
XxX
Connor was walking around when he heard a familiar voice...Make that two familiar voices.
"She smiles like everyone expects her to. She's living up to the expectations of never letting anything get to her... But something's wrong with that smile. Congratulations, Kid, you got her" It was Jeremy.
"Fighting you is mind over matter. I don't mind, and you don't matter." Nico.
"Give it a rest, will you. Jazz means more to me that your taunting will ever effect me."
"Looks like it's effecting you now"
"I know what you're doing, and it's not working. If you even think about going near her again, I will wring your neck"
"I'm pretty sure Jazz wouldn't approve." Nico smirked. "Besides, I'm not planning on hurting her. Not again. When I wanted to apologize, I meant it"
"Sure you did" Jeremy rolled his eyes. "You did a terrible thing, Nico. To my sister no less. I'm gonna make this as clear as i possibly can; STAY AWAY FROM HER!"
"I'll stay away from her, when she tells me too."
"Why you little..." Jeremy had Nico pinned to the wall.
"JEREMY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" yelled another familiar voice
"Teaching this boy a lesson" replied Jeremy
"Let him go" demanded Jasmine
"But Jazz..." Jeremy tried to reason.
"My name is Jasmine, not Jazz. Now Put. Him. Down"
Jeremy reluctantly released Nico and angrily walked away.
"Thanks, Jazz" Nico smiled. "I'm guessing you accept my apology?" He went in for a hug, but Jazz backed away.
"Just because i saved your butt, doesn't mean i accept your apology."
"Then why'd you stand up for me?" Asked Nico
"Because i don't have a heart of stone." replied Jasmine.
"I meant the apology, Jazz. I really am sorry. I hope you can forgive me." he pleated
"Hope...Is a dangerous thing"
XxX
Connor walked into the Hermes Cabin, seeing Jasmine struggling to stop tears from falling. For some reason, Connor knew why.
"You'll have to forgive him sooner or later."
"I know, but he does things that make it so hard."
"It's not that hard."
"Everytime I get to the point where I want to forgive Jeremy, he does something that makes me get angry all over again."
"Like?"
"like pinning Nico to a wall. Like punching Nico when Nico confronted him about making me cry."
"it has to do with Nico."
"It's like I have to choose between them. This should be an easy choice, but it's not. if I forgive Jeremy, I know for a fact he'll make me stay away from Nico. If I forgive Nico, I know for a fact that it'll irritate Jer and he might get mad. I can't choose."
"You stood up for Nico. It seems like you made your choice."
"Jer makes the first move. Nico never took it physical. Jer did."
"Jazz, which ever choice you make. Jeremy will never hate you. You're his sister."
"I hope you're right"
