(Jenny's POV)
I just love Christmas! That time of the year where I shop for presents, spend time with my family and… to take time off as the Cat. Zeke and his parents have gone off on their annual Christmas vacation to Jamaica and they won't be back until after the first week of January. So, for the next three weeks, I'm just plain ol' Jenny Brownstone.
It's St Hope's last day of school before we break up for the holidays and I'm standing by the school gates, freezing my butt off because I'm waiting for Livi.
Livi is my little sister. I say little, she's five years younger than me, but she's taller than me. She's five-foot-seven and I'm five-foot-five. Like me, Livi is beautiful, popular and confident. But we're both different people: I'm a tomboy and geek rolled into one, while Livi is a girly girl who can attract male attention from a three mile radius. But we share everything. Clothes. Make-up. Secrets. (I haven't told her that I'm the Cat.) We practically do everything together. We watch films. (Though I like action and adventure films, but she likes rom-coms and chick-flicks.) We argue but then we make up. We like to bake treats such as cookies and what have you. We go out, either to shop, go to the cinema or go clubbing and we muck about. But now that she's in her first year of university and I'm either teaching or saving Britain, we don't see each other like we use to, unless we Skype. Which we've been doing every week for the last three months.
"Coo-ee!"
I turn and see Livi going tock-tock-tock in her black platform shoe boots, waving at me. As ever, she looks stunning. She's wearing a leopard print furry jacket, with a burgundy knitted jumper underneath. She has on a short, black figure-fit skirt and black opaque tights that covers her long legs. Along with her black leather shoulder bag, she's carrying various bags of what could only be shopping. Figures why she's late.
"Livi!" I say, my arms stretching out.
"Hi, Jen," she says, as she lunges forward, putting her arms around me. She lightly touches my cheek with hers and then repeats the gesture with my other cheek. "Sorry I'm late. I got… distracted."
"So I gathered."
She's looks at the building. "So… this is St Hope's. Finally, I get to see the place in where you work."
"Hmm. Come on. I'll give you the grand tour."
"But don't you have classes to teach?"
"It's the last day, so classes are cancelled. Everybody is pretty much doing their own thing. Now let's go. I've been waiting outside for you for twenty minutes and there's a possibility that I'll get a cold."
Livi links her arm in mine and we walk towards the school. As we walk across the playground, I look over my shoulder. I can't help the feeling that someone is watching us.
"You OK, sis?" Livi asks.
I turn to her and smile. "Just dandy. Let's go."
xxoOoxx
"So what's it like teaching. Do the pupils here give you grief?" Livi asks, as we walk down the corridor.
"Teaching is a doddle. And the kids here don't give me grief. We get on like a house on fire," I say, walking past Scoop and his friends, giving Scoop a fist bump.
"Safe, Miss B!" says Scoop.
"Wow, I'll say," says Livi, looking over her shoulder at Scoop and the others. "Hey, I've just realised something." She turns to me. "Isn't this the place where your boyfriend works?"
I sigh out of my nose. "How many times do I have to tell you this? Frank is not my boyfriend."
"Well, what is he then?" says Livi.
Just as I was about to say 'He's just a friend', I see Frank walking towards us, getting nearer. He hasn't seen me yet. Oh no. He has. Oh, what shall I do? I look away. Oh, please don't let me blush. I'm getting hot; he's getting nearer still–
"Jen? Jenny, what's up?" says Livi. She looks at who I was staring at. "Oh, my God. Is he Frank?"
I swallow and nod my head.
He's right in front of me. I look up and he's smiling. "Hi, Jenny," he says.
"Hi, Frank," I say, smiling wistfully.
There is a little silence. I tuck my hair behind my ear, racking my brains for something, anything, to say… but Livi nudges me.
"Jenny, aren't you gonna introduce me to your friend?" she asks, jerking her head towards Frank.
"Right! Right, sorry," I say. "Er, Frank, this is my sister, Livi. Livi, this is Frank London."
Livi holds out her hand. "Jen has told me so much about you, Frank."
"Likewise, Livi," says Frank, taking her hand and shaking it. "Anyway, I better get back to work. See you later, Livi. Jenny."
"See you," Livi and I say in unison.
Frank walks past us while I dither, still in a daze.
"So…" says Livi, staring after him, "that's Frank London."
"Yeah," I mutter, looking back over my shoulder. He looks back at me but I turn away, my cheeks feeling pink.
"Mm-mm-mmm. I wouldn't mind having him sweeping me off my feet."
I glare at Livi.
"What?" she says, raising her palms as she shrugs her shoulders. "Besides, I thought Frank is not your boyfriend."
"Whatever," I say. "Let's go see Aunt 'Mione."
We reach Aunt Hermione and Mr. Flatley's office where they both come out. As Mr. Flatley closes the door, Livi bounces to Aunt Hermione, throwing her arms around Aunt Hermione's neck and giving her a hug.
"Hi, Aunt 'Mione!" says Livi, letting go.
"Hello, Livi!" says Aunt Hermione, laughing. "How have you been? How's university?"
"I'm great and university is fantastic. The amount of lush-looking lads on my course is just… heaven."
Aunt Hermione smiles. "Let me introduce you to Mr. Flatley. Mr. Flatley, this is my other niece that I've been telling you about. Livi, this is Mr. Flatley."
"Hello," says Livi, holding out her hand.
"Hello, Livi," says Mr. Flatley, taking her hand and shaking it. "Mrs King and Miss Brownstone have told me all about you."
"Likewise," says Livi.
"Anyway, I hope you'll be staying with us for the party."
"Party?"
"Yes. Every year at Christmas, before we break up for the holidays, we end the term with a Christmas party. So will you be staying?"
"Of course! And I've got the perfect dress for this. D'you mind if I use your office to get changed?"
"By all means," says Mr. Flatley, walking off. "See you in the assembly hall!"
"I suppose I'll have to stay with you, right?" I ask Livi.
"How else am I supposed to find the assembly hall?" she says.
"Here are the keys to the office," says Aunt Hermione, handing me the keys. "Don't lose them. I'll see you two in the assembly hall."
Aunt Hermione walks off down the corridor as I unlock the office door. Livi enters with me following behind, closing the door. Livi sets down her shopping bags and furry jacket on Aunt Hermione's desk and lowers the blinds of the window, while I turn my back to her as she starts to undress.
"So… that Mr. Flatley guy seems nice," says Livi, rummaging through the bags. "Ah! Here we go!"
"Yeah, Mr. F is OK," I say. "I mean he can be quite weedy, pathetic and a bit cowardly, but he manages to get on with the pupils in a light-hearted way."
"Uh-huh."
There's a long pause.
"So what's going on between you and Frank?" Livi bursts out.
Even though my back is turned, I blush a little. "N-nothing is going on between me and Frank."
"Per-lease. I saw how you two were. Gazing into each other's eyes, no words coming out of your mouths and blushing so hard I thought your heads would explode. It's obvious that you two fancy the pants off each other like crazy. Why can't you admit it?"
"It's… it's complicated."
"How is it complicated?"
Like how I'm a vigilante crime-fighter, and the police and MI9 want my head on a plate.
"Look, if you don't tell Frank how you feel about him, someone's gonna snatch him up. Someone like, oh, I don't know… someone like me," says Livi. "OK, you can turn around now."
I turn around. Livi looks wonderful in a short emerald green figure-fit sequin dress with draped sleeves and black suede court shoes that elongate her bare legs.
"What do you think?" She twirls round in the dress that has a cut-out back design and starts striking poses like a fashion model.
"You look fantastic, Liv," I say.
"Great! Now it's your turn."
"Eh?"
"It's your turn to dress up now."
"What, why?!"
"You're outfit doesn't exactly scream 'Party season'."
I look down at what I am wearing – a dusty pink knitted jumper with a white shirt underneath and burgundy slim-fit trousers tucked into black wedge high-tops.
"I've got a show-stopping dress for you to wear and heels that'll make your legs so long that Frank will need a ladder to kiss you under the mistletoe," says Livi.
I roll my eyes at her and groan. "Oh, my God, Livi!" I say.
"Come on, Jen. You need to man in your life. You don't want to end up like a shrivelled up old maid, do you?"
I feel colour rush to my face, skin burning as I stare at Livi in disbelief. It's true that I don't have any experience at all; hell, I've never even kissed anyone before. I couldn't at school because I attended an all girls' school. It didn't happen in college because most of the boys on my course had girlfriends or they were gay. There was university, but because of my role as the Cat, I didn't have time for dating. I spent my three years in uni either having my head in the books or saving Britain. I mean, I pleasure myself, I watch the porn films and the clips on the Web, read the erotic books and I know how the technique of sex works, but… it would be nice to have someone to pleasure me.
"Why don't you shout 'Jen's a virgin!' on a megaphone so the whole school can hear?!" I hiss.
"Sorry. Look, once Frank sees you in the outfit I've chosen, he's gonna go gaga over you." She puts her chin down and pouts. "Come on, sis. What do you say? Please? Pwitty please? With sugar on top?"
I hate it when she uses that face. That's how she gets her own way because she's the spoilt baby of the family. Still, I sigh in defeat. "Fine. I'll put on a stupid dress but only if you never mention what you just said about the shrivelled old maid again. Got it?"
Livi claps her hands and squeals in delight. She passes me one of the shopping bags.
"I've got a dress and some shoes that'll fit you," says Livi. "Afterwards, I'll do your hair and make-up. Frank is gonna be speechless."
Oh God, what have I gotten into?
xxoOoxx
"You look awesome, Jen!" Livi grins. "Cute and comfortable – the best ever combination!"
I smile widely, placing my hands on my hips, looking pleased with my look – a red tartan sleeveless prom dress with stiff netting that makes it stand out, a black studded biker jacket, the sleeves pulled up and black platform shoe boots with all-over metallic silver stud detail. Accessorised with a gold tone multi row animal pendant necklace and black heart earrings. Livi also worked on my hair and make-up. Since my skin is flawless, I didn't need much. Just a slick of cherry red lip gloss and a dusting of brown eye shadow. She painted my nails in electric blue and did my hair in a fishtail braid.
Livi also gives herself a makeover – bronzer just under her cheekbones and over the apples of her cheeks to instantly brighten up her face, candy floss pink lip gloss that makes her mouth incredible and outlined her eyes with kohl. She painted her nails in scarlet red and slicked her hair back into a ponytail.
"Looks like I'm ready to party," I say, smiling. "Question is, Livi… are you?"
"Is the Pope Catholic? Let's go!" says Livi.
Exiting out of the office, I lock the door and linking my arm with Livi's, we make our way to the assembly hall.
(Frank's POV)
I enter the assembly hall and it seems that the party is going well. The sweet smell of the mince pies and Christmas puddings floats over the room. The row of Christmas wreaths against the wall and two glittery Christmas trees with a few parcels and presents underneath on the stage, where Scoop is acting as DJ.
I walk over to the food and drinks table where there is lots of fancy food, from miniature quiches to sausages on sticks and there is Coke. Or the red wine punch that Mrs King and Mr. Flatley always give at Christmas parties because they don't want the pupils to get drunk.
I have a glassful of the punch and then I sit at the side by the stage, sipping my drink that tastes like undiluted Ribena, watching the pupils dance.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a small, rectangular box that's wrapped in green crepe paper tied with red ribbon. The box contains a charm bracelet that I'm gonna give to Jenny. At the same time, I'm hoping to confess my feelings to her. I have to tell her so. I am dying for her to know…
"Is that for Jenny?"
I look and see Rose, Carrie and Oscar standing in front of me. Oscar is pointing at the green box I have in my hand.
"Yeah," I say. "It's a charm bracelet." I shove the box back into my pocket.
"Ooh, vey fancy," says Carrie, sitting next to me. "At the same time, are you gonna confess your innermost feelings to her?"
"Yes…" I hesitant. "No… Maybe… I-I don't know…"
"God, Frank! This is so annoying!" Rose snaps. "You've been ogling after Jenny for nearly three months now. Every time you approach her or vice versa, you turn into a silly schoolboy with a crush. You say you love her, yet you haven't confessed it to her. When are you gonna grow a pair and just say it?!"
Oscar, Carrie and I stare at Rose, stunned. I've never seen Rose like this before. Rose herself is stunned at what she said and shrinks herself to the seat next to me and sips her drink.
"Rose is right," says Oscar. "If you don't buck up your ideas and confess to Jenny, someone else might approach her and sweep her off her feet."
"Someone like, oh, I don't know… someone like Mr. Flatley," Carrie jokes, nodding at Mr. Flatley.
Mr. Flatley is in the middle of the hall and he has a whole new dance style of his own. Bouncy-bouncy in his smart shoes. With head nodding and arms wriggling. I chuckle at the thought of him trying to win Jenny over with that stupid dance.
"OK, OK, you've convinced me," I say, smiling. "I'll tell Jenny."
As I say it there's a whole crowd of people by the door, buzzing like a hive of bees. There are gasps, squeals and wolf-whistling. People who are dancing on the floor turn and stare.
"Jenny!"
"Look at Jen."
"Jen! You look so–"
"Amazing!"
"Incredible!"
"Super-cool!"
Oscar turns to the door to see what's happening. "Wow!" he says.
"Why is everyone going all berserk?" I say, setting my glass of the wine punch on the floor and standing up from my chair.
My eyes widen and my mouth drop opens. It's Jenny and her sister Livi. Grinning as they stand nonchalantly in the doorway and they look incredible. Especially Jenny. I try to fight the urge to drool but I look at Jenny up and down admiringly. She looks magnificent. Especially with the legs she's got. They seem to go on forever, they're just so long. I wonder what they'll be like wrapped around my waist… NO! No, I can't... I mustn't think like that. Or so I keep telling myself.
Our eyes meet, and hold. She bats her eyelashes at me. Her smile is alluringly spicy. Oh, God, how I yearn to kiss those pouted red lips of hers…
"Frank?" says Carrie. "You're dreaming."
Yes. Keep on dreaming, Frank.
Livi pulls Jenny to the middle of the floor and they have a dance and then a laugh with some of the pupils. The boys stare at the sisters appreciatively. Livi positively glows like a lighthouse beam at the attention she's getting, but Jenny glances in my direction rather a lot.
She's igniting my flames with her racy repertoire, that she has me lusting after her is insane. I can't help it: she is tilting my world off its axis with her rapture of twists and turns.
"She wants you, Frank," says Oscar.
"Hmm," I reply, while never once looking at him.
Jenny continues to stare deeply at me while moving in place. Mm, I love her chocolate brown eyes. Passionately penetrating my senses as they smoulder with sexuality, they are stalking me with a look of want.
Geez, I want Jenny so bad I can taste her skin. It's delectable, delightful and delicious. Her body will tremble from my warm embrace; my gentle touch will make her quiver. I'll pull her into a big, deep kiss. It'll brand her with the kind of kiss that would leave her lips red and swollen later. I'll caress her, tease her and please her. By the time I'm done, she'll shudder and shiver through an endless series of moans.
"Frank, are you listening to me?" I hear Rose say.
I shake my head. "What?" I say, finally coming down to Earth.
"I said, why don't you stop with the obsessive staring and go and dance with her?"
"Or are you too scared?" says Carrie.
"Guys, you know that I'm a lousy dancer," I respond.
"Hasn't stopped Mr. Flatley," says Oscar.
Mr. Flatley is still in the middle of the floor and he is still dancing that embarrassing dance that you see a dad or uncle do at parties.
I peer around for Jenny but I can't see her anywhere through the crowded room.
Carrie gives me a nudge.
"She's over there, Loverboy," she says, pointing.
I follow the point of Carrie's finger and see Jenny at the food and drinks table, pouring herself a glass of red wine punch. Probably to cool and refresh herself from all that dancing she did. She gulps the drink and pours herself another glass. She's about to take a sip when she spots me. Smiling at me, she starts heading in my direction.
"She's coming over!" I say, slightly panicky.
"Looks like that's our cue to buzz off, then," says Carrie, standing up.
"Good idea," says Oscar. "See ya, Frank."
"Guys, you can't be serious! Don't leave me. Please, I don't want to be on my own with her," I hiss urgently.
"Grow up, Frank!" says Rose, as she stands up.
That's the trouble, I'm not sure I want to grow up.
Oscar, Carrie and Rose scatter before I can persuade them to stay with me. I look back to Jenny, who continues to walk this way, still staring at me.
My heart, threatening to come through my chest, is beating fast as she nears. Mm, those lips are so sexy. She's smiles with anticipation. That heated gaze is making me stiff.
There's no time to sweat.
Be cool, Frank, like the other side of a pillow.
"Hi there!" she says, standing in front of me, smiling.
"H-hi," I say, sounding like an idiot.
"You're not gonna dance?"
I chuckle. "Er, no. No, I'm not that much of a dancer."
"Hasn't stopped Mr. Flatley," she says, taking another sip of her drink.
She starts tapping her foot and clicking her fingers to the music. As she does that, I can't help but once again gaze at this exquisite creature that can be described as an African Queen. The cocoa brown complexion, the dark wavy hair that is braided and her equally dark, but gorgeous brown eyes. I'm not one to wax poetic, but they look like deep brown pools, pulling me deeper into their abyss.
"Frank?"
I realize that Jenny is talking to me. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"
Jenny giggles. "It's obvious what you've been staring at." She spins on the spot. She places her hand on her hip and poses. "What do you think?"
"You look good. You look really cute… really sexy," I blurt out before I can stop myself. "I mean" – I pull myself together – "stunning! You look really stunning!"
Jenny stares at me. To my surprise, a smile spreads across her face. "Livi said that you'll be stammering at my appearance. Looks like I owe her a tenner."
"But you do look incredible."
"Thanks."
She closes her eyes and starts bobbing her head to the music. As soon as she does that, I repeatedly slap my forehead with the palm of my hand. Why am I such a doofus?! Stupid, stupid, stupid!
My mobile vibrates. I reach into my pocket and pull out the phone. I flip it open and read the text from Carrie.
Hey, Romeo! How it's going? You give her the bracelet yet?
I almost forgot that I have Jenny's present in my pocket. I want to give it to her, but after making a complete and utter berk of myself, I'm starting to think that this is a bad idea.
"Frank? You OK?" Jenny asks.
I look up from my phone and see that she has a look of concern. The concern in her gaze touches me. I put on a little smile. "I'm fine. Actually, I've got you a little present." I go into my pocket to retrieve the gift.
"Oh, my God!" she says as I pull of the green parcel from my pocket. She sets her drink on a chair as I hand over her present. My heart is hammering as she unties the ribbon and tears the paper off. She opens up the black box and gasps. "Frank, it's… it's… it's beautiful!" she says, and she gives me a hug.
"I'm glad you like it. Here, let me put it on for you," I offer.
Jenny pulls the charm bracelet from the box and hands it to me. Extending her left hand, I hook the bracelet firmly on her wrist.
"There!" I say. "It really suits you, Jenny."
Jenny admires the bracelet on her wrist. The bracelet is sterling silver that spells her name. And between the letters of her name is a different charm: a flower, a key, an angel wing, a clover leaf and a heart.
"Frank, this is so wonderful," says Jenny. "If I'd known we were going to give each other presents, I would've bought you one."
"Hey, it's OK," I say. "You'll give me my present when we come back."
She strokes my arm gently. Suddenly, her eyes light up. "Be right back."
I wait as she fades into the crowd of dancers on the floor. What is she up to? She comes back a moment later with her hands behind her back, her cheeks shining salmon-pink. "Um… I-I was… I was wondering… if we could do this." Jenny reveals the mysterious item she hid behind her back. It's a sprig of mistletoe.
I gulp and blush at the thought of kissing Jenny under the mistletoe.
"I, er, got this from the doorway to the hall," says Jenny, looking pretty and pink. "This is just to say, er… thanks for, er, being here for me. Making me feel welcome and comfortable in the three months I've been in St Hope's. And also for the gorgeous bracelet that you gave me. I-I mean we don't have to do this if you don't want to…"
"Oh no, no, I want to!" That's right, sound desperate.
"Great! That's great. Let me, er… let me get into position."
Jenny holds the mistletoe above our heads. She closes her eyes and puckers her cherry red lips for a kiss. I swallow and closing my eyes, I pucker my lips and slowly lean towards Jenny. I can't believe I'm gonna kiss her! I've been waiting for this moment for almost three months. I'm so close to her, I can smell her sweet perfume. Nothing can spoil this beautiful moment… nothing!
THUD!
"Hmm?" Still in pucker-mode, I open one of my eyes to see that Jenny isn't standing in front of me. I relax my lips and open my other eye to see that Jenny is lying unconscious on the floor. "Jenny!" I exclaim, kneeling by her side.
THUD!
I look up and see that everyone is starting to drop like flies.
"What the…?" I feel something bite my neck. I swat my neck but suddenly, I feel dizzy and sleepy. My eyes… I-I can barely… I can barely able to keep them open. I… I fall to the floor… lying next to Jenny. My eyes are… getting even heavier. The last thing… The last thing I-I see, through blurry vision… is a dark figure… heading towards… me and… Jenny…
xxoOoxx
"Frank? FRANK!"
"Whurr…?" I groan.
I open my eyes.
The voices, the people start to come back. I can see Oscar kneeling by my side, looking anxious but relieved.
"Hey, Frank."
"What's going on? What happened?" I ask, looking dazed. I start to sit up.
"Everyone in the room was all knocked out by some sort of knock-out dart," Rose explains. She looks at her watch. "Looks like we've been out for about half an hour."
I look around and see everybody waking up looking confused, curious and a bit frightened. I look down to check on Jenny… but she's not there!
"Jenny? Where's Jenny?" I ask as I start to get up. I look around. Maybe she's with Livi. I look to where Livi was dancing... but Livi's not there either. "Where's Livi? Livi? Jenny? Where are they?!"
"Maybe they went to the toilets," says Carrie.
"No, they can't have. I didn't see Jenny or Livi when I woke up," says Rose.
"Whoever fired the darts must've taken them when everyone was unconscious," says Oscar.
"No!" I cry. I run out of the assembly hall and rush through the corridor. I still feel dizzy and my legs feel shaky but I don't care. All I care about is Jenny and Livi. I come out of the school, where I see tyre tracks on the playground. The tracks look dense, like they come from a van. I dart across the playground but stop at the gates where the tyre tracks end. I look left and right to see which way the van went, but to no avail. "Argh!" I growl, running my hands back through my hair.
Who would have taken Jenny and Livi? And what do they want with them?