It was no one's fault…
"Fucking evil liars!" Jaden grumbled. She grabbed the first thing in her satchel and pulled on the cherry tube dress then draped the damp towel on the passenger seat.
There was no coincidence, there couldn't be. They had to have been following her and she'd been too lax.
"Son of a bitch!" Jaden finally yelled and slammed the lid onto the ice cooler. Pulling the cork she let the ice water drain and headed towards the bar-b-q pit. Vowing to pay more attention to the rearview mirror. Grabbing the bar-b-q spits she slid off the meat and veggies into a container.
"Fucking missed!" she glared at the tree as if it were to blame for her failed attempt to shoot the boys.
"I don't miss." But that wasn't true. Jaden wasn't perfect and no one could hit their target every single time. She wasn't some… They had to be lying.
Jaden set the food on the passenger seat, grabbed the little pail and filled it with water. Disappointment set in as she poured it over the coals. She'd been looking forward to sleeping under the stars, no nosy neighbors or strange rooms.
"Now I'm stuck in a fucking hotel." Jaden yelled at the sky. "Again!" She kicked the hot bar-b-q pit in anger and got a lot more heat than she was expecting. Clutching at her foot and hoping around Jaden cursed the Winchester's.
'Just another reason to hate the fuckers.'
But was it fair?
Nothing ever was fair and being angry wasn't enough. It wasn't enough for them to open the doors, not enough to set a whole new group of demons on unsuspecting humans. No, the Winchester's had to follow her around making life- making it-.
And why did she keep thinking about their lies? Jaden had never seen a vampire let alone lived with one and the Hyperion? Really? They chose that landmark hotel for her to live in? No, the Winchester's had been lying and the only vampires Jaden had ever seen were on TV. Then again Brad Pitt had made a very tragically romantic vampire but she'd really like Stuart Townsend as Lestat.
"They're lying. They're both evil and liars."
But saying and thinking were two different things.
So why did she have doubts?
w
Boot Hill Ice Caves…
She was running, her breath came in short gasps. The beam of light bounced around in front of her making Phade dizzy and the endless expanse of rocks had her turned around. Phade didn't know which way was out or where she'd started from. The echoes reverberated all around. She didn't know where they came from but she began to feel as if they were stuck in her head
She stopped, looked around but nothing seemed in focus. Phade put both hands against her ears forgetting about the heavy flashlight. She hardly felt it smack her head because she was pushed down, a heavy weight knocking the breath from her lungs.
"Jaden?"
Her name registered. The heavy weight was pulled off and Phade shone her light on Elliot. He pushed her hand aside reaching to help her up.
"Where's Dusty?" he asked looking around the cavern.
"What the hell is going on?" Melina demanded in a high pitched voice. Phade looked at the older girl seeing her wide eyes. She was scared…
"Jaden." Elliot called again. The tone of his voice drew her eyes to him. Phade swallowed, tried taking a deep calming breath that did nothing to make her feel better and opened her mouth to answer but she didn't know where he was.
"H-he left." She managed.
"Left?" Elliot echoed in disbelief. "What do you mean?"
"We-." Phade bit her tongue. Telling them they'd had a fight because he was- because she didn't-. "He just left ok?" it wasn't their business. She didn't have to explain herself.
"Where?" Melina demanded grabbing onto Phade's arm. "Why would he take off?" she grew more panicked, her fingers digging into Phade's arm.
"Back to the camp- Oww! Melina." Phade yanked out of her hold frowning.
"He's dead." Melina whispered, she clutched her hands to her chest unaware of the looks on Elliot and Phade's faces. "It got him, Elliot. It's going to kill us, all of us-."
"Shut up." Phade ordered. Her voice trembled because she knew- she knew!
"They'll never find our bodies. No one's ever going to know-." Melina muttered.
"Shut up!" Phade yelled shoving the older girl. She didn't want to hear anymore, she didn't want to think about it…
"Knock it off!" Elliot grabbed Phade and glared at Melina. "Shut up, shut up, Mel." He grabbed her arm and shook her. "No one's dying-."
"How do you know? You heard the screams!" Melina's voice rose again, her panic more pronounced as she thought of the horrible things that would happen to them. "You know what's out there!"
"It's a fucking story Melina!" Elliot shouted letting go of Phade to shake the panicked girl. "An urban legend, there's no killer living in these caverns!" but nothing he said could convince her. She kept talking, producing more scenarios but Phade knew, she had the memory…
Phade barely noticed the pale blur as it passed. Her mind was slow to process what her eyes were seeing, what she heard- the screams were so loud, they echoed inside of her.
Melina was gone; black spots peppered the ground where she'd been standing. Elliot was cursing, clutching at his arm which hung at an odd angle. Phade's flash light wavered on the ground, the sound of her breathing sounded loud in her ears now that the screaming had stopped. She didn't want to look, didn't wasn't to see…
The light trailed up oddly steady, dark streaks stained the rocks. She wanted to drop her flashlight but her fingers were firmly wrapped around it. The light shone higher, passed over a pale form and then Melina's face was illuminated.
Phade felt as if a hand were closing about her lungs, she couldn't drag in a breath and Melina stared back. Dark eyes wide and her mouth open, a silent scream on her lips.
Far off she heard more yelling, her arm was pulled roughly and then she was being dragged away. She stumbled along blindly, her mind filled with Melina's face- it was pale, like a wax statue. Phade had been to the was museum on Sunset with her friends, had seen the still figures, stared at the faces and felt her skin crawl. They looked weird, half real, half fake and Melina reminded her of those figures.
"Jaden!"
"Oh my God!"
"What happened to you?"
"Where's Melina?"
"Jaden?"
Phade focused on the pale blue eyes staring down at her. She blinked a few times, sound rushed in all around her and Phade had trouble distinguishing the voices, the words from the screaming. She looked over Dusty's shoulder to Blake and Leighton. They were yelling and Elliot was clutching his arm. His face was pale, lips pressed into a thin line…
"Where's Noël?" Phade asked softly. "Syrus?" she looked up at Dusty, concerned and beginning to feel frightened again.
"You!" Leighton screamed shoving Phade out of Dusty's hold.
"Leighton!" Dusty grabbed her around the waist, pulled her away from his girlfriend but he couldn't make her stop screaming accusations. Phade stood very still, the words crashing around her… 'My fault…'
"WHAT THE FUCK!" Blake roared. All eyes turned to him, watched him slap at his shoulder and face. "What the hell is this!" he demanded shuffling away from the light as Phade slowly shone her flash light.
There in the center of their small group was a pale, bloody stump encased in pink cashmere. The fingers were curled, the green flash of Melina's ring shone like a little emerald spark.
They screamed again, Blake brushed at his face and chest where Melina's blood coated his letterman jacket. The lights bounced all over their little cavern as Elliot, Leighton, Blake and Dusty panicked.
Phade stood numbly, watching in a detached fascination as Blake was yanked off his feet. He struggled, feet kicking, legs swinging and then he slammed into the rock above. There was a black crevice there and Blake held onto the lip of rock above his head, nails scratching as he screamed for help. They were all screaming, Leighton's voice high pitched and louder than the others.
Phade heard the snap of bones, her light shone on Blake as he was yanked further into the crevice. His eyes went wide in shock, mouth open in a scream for help. They could all see him, bent in half, arms hanging limp between his legs and feet sticking straight out beside his ears.
The moment stretched out for Phade, it moved in slow motion. Blake slowly slid into the crevice, pulled in by whatever had killed Melina. She could hear the sound of cloth scraping on the rocks, the little pop as more bones shattered and then he was gone.
Their screams broke into her trance like state, echoed in her head as blood rushed down to her feet. They ran, Elliot clutched his arm leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Leighton was shoved ahead by Dusty and they ran. No one looked back, not one of them bothered, fear spurred them on and the sight of their friend dying kept them going.
w
Indiana…
Dean remembered that year, the pretty little brunette that enrolled two months late he shadowed around the high school. She was feisty; he'd caught her arguing with her older brother a few times, smacked him… Most of the time he saw her she was laughing and smiling but when she thought no one was looking she'd just sit back and watch. Dean had always wondered why she'd look… sad, maybe lonely.
Then there was Sam with his whining and constant mood swings. Buffering the arguments between his brother and Father, wanting to hunt and being forced to stay behind to baby-sit.
Senior year…
Normal kids where talking about graduation, prom and partying but not the Winchester's. John had the boys in the backyard practicing or inside cleaning their weapons.
Hunting…
Dean had been excited to go, he'd just turned eighteen and he was going with his Dad. The only draw back he could see was that he'd be stuck with Sam but life was good- until they reached the caves.
Boot Hill Ice Caves…
"Why do we listen to her?" Noël asked turning to look up at her boyfriend. Syrus shrugged holding her close.
"So you don't want to be all alone with me?" he teased.
"Syrus, I love you." Noël stated stopping to look up at him. "But I do not want to make out in some dirty caverns."
"Great. You can all get on home then."
Noël let out a yelp of surprise and Syrus jerked around. They stared at the green eyes blond who held a shotgun draped over his shoulder. Behind him stood a quiet boy carrying a duffel and holding a flashlight.
"I know you." Noël said with a little frown.
"Yeah, well time to go home. Come on." Dean motioned them back towards the campfire they'd left behind ten minutes ago.
"We're not going anywhere." Syrus stated.
"You don't want to stay here." Sam insisted earning a glare from Dean.
"Like I said. Time to go home." He repeated trying a patient smile at the couple.
"What-." Noël yelped as she heard the scream. She clutched at Syrus who wrapped his arms around her while glancing around the cavern.
"Now." Dean snapped grabbing onto Syrus' jacket. "We get out of here now." He started dragging them back to their camp when they heard more screams.
"Wait! We can't leave! What about the others? Syrus." Noël pulled back looking from Dean to her boyfriend.
"How many of you?" Dean asked looking from one face to the other but neither answered. "How many!" he snapped startling Noël.
"There's six more." Syrus answered grabbing hold of Noël's hand. She stumbled towards him and then Dean pushed them in front of him ordering Sam to move.
w
They couldn't save everyone. Dean knew that as well as Sam or John had known but it wasn't easy to see the people you were trying to save die. It never got easy…
Dean's hands clenched the steering wheel, knuckles turning white as he thought about the Caverns. It hadn't been just one Aswang his Father had been hunting and had he been alone there was no doubt in his mind they'd have been left without a parent.
Again.
The girl, she'd recognized him from one of their classes but she'd never said anything about him being there. The police never went nosing about his house, no one asked him at school and those kids never thanked them either.
Dean snorted, shook his head.
'Teenagers.' But it wasn't just kids, it was the adults too. People couldn't accept what was in the dark…
Boot Hill Ice Caves…
John followed the screams, difficult though it might be with the echoes. His light shone on dark splotches and knew the Aswang had taken a victim. He scowled, there was more than one. John hadn't expected there to be more and he worried his boys were in danger. If anything happened to them…
Harsh breathing, that's what he heard ahead and coming into the cavern he saw the young girl. She clutched the end of a heavy flashlight, her feet shuffling in the dirt floor as she backed away. Following the line of her eyes, John saw what stalked towards her.
The Aswang.
He raised his shotgun when a shadow caught his attention. He turned and fired above the girls head where another had crouched ready to pounce. He heard her scream even as blood sprayed over the rock ledge. Turning towards the girl he saw her swing the flashlight, the bulb shattering as it cracked against the Aswangs head. John fired again hitting the body but the girl slammed into the rocks at her back with the beast half on her. John fired again but it lay still, he kicked it with the toe of his boot but it was dead. Leaning down he yanked on the pale furred body exposing the girl lying unconscious. There was a gash on her forehead, slightly bleeding but otherwise she looked unharmed.
The loud rapport had John hunching over the young girl, gun in hand as he aimed over their heads. A second Aswang fell over, blood running out of the half opened maw and behind it stood Dean.
"I told you to get these kids out." John said. None of the pride he felt showed in his voice, he didn't praise his son though he wanted to. Dean's face had been set, jaw clenched. There was no shocked look on his young features, no hesitation, he didn't react the way other boys his age would at seeing the Aswang.
"We did. There were five but we were coming back for the other three." Dean answered. He stepped past the dead Aswang, keeping a wary eye on it.
"There was another Aswang." Sam murmured. He stood over the Aswang staring.
Dean stopped at his Father's side, green eyes widening slightly as he recognized the girl lying in the dirt with blood on her forehead.
"Is she-?" but Dean couldn't bring himself to finish the question.
"No, Dean. The Aswang pushed her into the rock and she hit her head." John slipped his hand to her neck then pulled back. "She's got a strong pulse." He sighed, one hand rubbing over his face tiredly.
"I know her." Dean murmured. John looked at his son sharply.
"Isn't that…?" Sam began glancing over Dean's shoulder. "Her brother's in my English lit class. I think his name's Guy."
John turned to his youngest; the scowl on his face a permanent feature as far as Sam was concerned.
"This girl goes to your school?" he demanded. Sam just nodded while Dean knelt. "And the other kids, they know you? Both of you?" he demanded turning to Dean.
"Yes, sir."
"No."
Sam and Dean glared at each other.
"Damn it boys." John's voice rose. He didn't need the attention and moving would only draw unwanted questions.
"They don't know us, sir." Dean sent a warning glare to his brother then turned to his Dad. "We're not exactly popular and that's who she hangs out with." He nodded to the unconscious girl between them.
John ran his hand over his face once more before making up his mind.
"Let's go." He handed the guns to Dean. "We can't stay here."
Dean watched his Dad slip his arms under Jaden lifting her easily.
"Grab the flashlight." He ordered turning away from Dean.
w
Jaden slammed the trunk closed. She rounded the Mustang and opened the door waiting for Roque to jump in. He settled in the back seat sniffing at the Tupperware on the floor but didn't set a paw on it.
The Mustang purred to life and with a last look at her spoiled camp out Jaden pulled onto the dirt road.
'September is too late to camp out anyway.'
Still her mind kept bringing back the night she'd snuck out of her house and gone on another camp out. Sometimes she could pretend it had been someone else it happened to, another girl too stubborn for her own good getting in trouble jus because.
But she never could forget John, couldn't forget what he'd said…
"John Winchester."
Jaden sighed, one hand threading through her wet hair as she drove.
Fort Wayne, Indiana…
Phade woke to pounding in her temples. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped her head with both hands but the pain only worsened.
"You'll make it worse grabbing at your head like that."
Phade sat up, wide eyed and frightened. She noticed the leather interior of the car, saw she was in the back seat and looked for the door handles before focusing on the man in the driver's seat.
"Whoa, settled down." he turned in the seat, brown eyes softening. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Phade scooted as far from him as she could, her heart thumped in her chest so hard she thought it might burst. She wondered if he could hear it.
Was he one of them…?
"You're home now." He said. "Safe." He motioned towards the windshield and glancing nervously Phade's jaw dropped. They were parked in front of her house.
"How-?" but she bit her lip and kept quiet. She wondered what happened to the others but was afraid to ask.
Melina's face swam before her eyes and she closed them, a small whimper caught in her throat.
"Shh, it's alright now." John moved to lay a gentle hand on her but stopped. He watched a tear roll down her cheek leaving a trail in the dirt on her face. Something in his chest tightened, he felt for the girl. He cursed the heavens for what she had seen and what he was going to tell her she hadn't seen. The girl couldn't have been younger than Sam…
"No." Phade shook her head both hands coming up to wipe at her eyes. "No it's not. I-." but she shook her head again. What was the point when no one believed her before? When uncle RJ and Timmy left her alone to face the family? It wouldn't be any different this time and telling a stranger she'd seen- seen- she didn't even know what that had been.
"In the morning you'll feel better." He spoke softly. "This'll seem like a bad dream-."
Phade laughed. She wasn't very loud but the sound of her laughter made John nervous. He reached down for his gun, fingers touching the cold metal as he watched the girl.
Phade shook her head and winced. One hand reached to her temple, felt the sticky blood and choked back her laughter. They were all the same, all the adults. They told her she was wrong, told her she hadn't seen what she said she'd seen. They treated her as if she were a spoiled child, a liar…
"Who are you mister? How do you know where I live?"
John's features hardened at her questions. He looked her over again… "Christo." The girl just stared at him, she didn't flinch, didn't blink, her eyes didn't go black, she was human.
"Don't look like Chritso to me." Phade mumbled watching him frown.
"My name's John." He scowled at the slip but he couldn't take it back. "Yours?"
Phade frowned. He knew where she lived but he didn't know her name?
"Jaden Vartan." She nodded towards the dark house. "That's where I live but you know that. So why pretend you don't know my name? Where are the others? What happened to them?" her eyes went wide with fear. "They didn't- are they- are they dead? Did those- things get them?"
John shifted in his seat, the lie ready but he found himself oddly hesitant about it. The girl had seen the Aswang, she'd seen it come at her and she hadn't screamed. She didn't run or cower like a normal teenager or any person for that matter. Faced with something like that anyone would run screaming but the girl tried to fight.
"I'm sure your friends are ok." John knew they'd gotten out safely, Dean and Sam had escorted them as far as their campfire before coming to help him.
"Not all of them." Phade mumbled. She felt tired; her head rested on the seat back, she tried not to let the burning in her eyes turn to real tears. Crying in front of this stranger would be unbearable…
John threaded his fingers in her hair gently, trying to lend some comfort and thinking of his boys. How many times had Sam woken in the middle of the night with a bad dream? How many times had John pointed out the lines of salt and told him nothing could get him? He knew it wasn't what a normal Father would be telling his son but pretending they didn't know about the things in the dark wouldn't help him either. All John wanted was to keep his boys safe, to keep them alive. They were all he had left…
"I'm sorry about that." John murmured. "The Mt. Lion-."
"Mt. Lion?" Phade raised her head, brown eyes narrowed. "You're really going to tell me that thing was a Mt. Lion?" she knew he was trying to convince her, just like her family had done. "Forget it, you wouldn't believe me anyway. You're all the same."
"Believe what?" he couldn't help but ask. John heard the hurt in her voice, saw the anger in her features, the disappointment mirrored in her eyes.
"It wasn't a Mt. Lion but telling you what I saw is like telling them I'm not lying or making shit up." Phade waved a hand at her house. "You think I'm some stupid kid with a vivid imagination or-or try and tell me the shock of what happened up there screwed with my head or I'm trying to call attention only I know what I saw!" Phade's voice rose, the words coming out in a rush. She realized it was useless to try and convince them and it wouldn't be any different with John.
"And what did you see?" John questioned. Phade looked at him, wondered if he were just humoring her but he didn't say anything, just waited for her to answer.
"They were- it looked- like…" Phade bit her lip because she was about to say they had looked like giant evil cats. Tears brimmed in her eyes and she hated that there was nothing she could say to disprove his Mt. Lion explanation. "It was evil." Phade bit out as tears rolled down her cheeks. She sniffed and wiped them away with a harsh hand.
"It was dark." John said. "All you had was your flashlight, its easy to get confused and it could've been a Cougar."
"Right, a Cougar?" Phade scoffed with another laugh. "Next you're going to tell me I didn't see the yellow eyed man run down my Aunt in the middle of downtown LA."
John stiffened at mention of Yellow Eyes.
"It must've been the sun or a flare because nobody has yellow eyes-." Phade gritted her teeth. She could just hear him start to tell her she was in shock but no one was going to change the fact that she'd seen him. The man had stared at her, he'd been smirking and his eyes… they'd been weird- freaky looking, the irises slit like a cat. Phade grabbed the handle opening the door when John stretched out his hand.
"Wait." He said holding her arm. "This dem- man…"
Phade looked at him. There was something in his eyes, a look sort of like… 'Mine.' Phade realized he had to know she was telling the truth.
"Demon." Phade stated and when John didn't deny or protest she was sure he knew she was telling the truth. Abuelita had said there were people who knew the truth but it wasn't safe to admit it. "He was smiling-. The police said the driver was- they never found him, truck was stolen but I remember he was smiling…" she remembered feeling cold, fear had kept her rooted to her spot, her aunt lying in the middle of the street, bloody…
"When did this happen? How long ago?" John asked leaning towards the young girl. She was staring out the windshield to her house but he knew she wasn't seeing the two story building.
"Why?" Phade turned her eyes on John. "You don't believe me. Nobody does." But her words lacked conviction.
"People don't always believe kids." John sighed. "They don't know what's out there; have never come up against something like tonight. It's easier to pretend they're all stories. Truth is, fiction is based on fact."
They sat in silence for a long moment. He'd never expected to tell another kid the truth about demons, take away their innocence as he'd done to his boys. John wasn't finding it any easier and swallowing his discomfort was just as hard as it had been before.
"I remember the smell." Phade murmured leaning both arms on the seat back and resting her chin. "That day, with all those people- the blood…" she swallowed past the lump in her throat and continued in a softer voice. "I didn't know what it was, not then. Sulfur." She glanced at John who was listening to her, sympathy on his features. "I thought he was the devil." Phade whispered fearing John would laugh at her.
"How do you know…?" John asked instead though he lay a gentle hand on her arm and squeezed.
"My Grandmother." Phade replied as new tears sprang to her eyes. She couldn't believe there was one adult who wasn't telling her she was crazy, trying to convince her she'd been seeing things that weren't real. "She's a bruja, mostly herbs and roots…" she explained remembering her Grandmother's warning about people scaring easily over things they didn't understand and they thought were evil. "She told me about the sulfur and demons. How to ward them off and protect a home. Curses, hexes- the stories… every summer." Phade looked at the dark house again. Had anyone noticed she was missing? "Every summer since it happened." She whispered.
John closed his eyes, his hand still on her arm. She was just a kid and already she knew more than she should.
"This is dangerous." John warned tugging her arm until she looked at him. "You saw tonight, with your friends…" he saw her face pinch at mention of them. "Don't look for trouble sweet heart." John wished he could do something for her but she wasn't his responsibility. "You still have a long life ahead…" he though of Dean, his son was eighteen. This was his senior year; he should be out having fun with other boys his age, going to prom with some girl… Dean should've been thinking of his future, College, a career… but his son didn't ask for any of those things, he didn't expect the same thing other boys his age.
Sam… it was harder with Sam because he wanted normal. He wanted to do what the other kids his age were doing; he wanted to be part of their world. John couldn't blame him for wanting it, for demanding the life his boys should've had but John couldn't pretend- he couldn't ignore there were things out there. Things that wanted his boys and him dead. Things that had already taken his wife.
"I'm supposed to go back to 'normal'." Phade stated. She sat up and glared at John. "Like nothing ever happened, like I didn't see-. Again." she shook her head sliding back until she was sitting on the edge of the leather seat. "Third time in my life I have to pretend its all in my head."
John could see she was angry, he didn't blame her... Three times and here he was telling her just to forget it ever happened. He reached in his jacket and pulled out a pen. Phade watched him scribble something on a piece of paper.
"If ever there's a fourth." John held out the folded paper hoping she'd never have to use it, never have to call. "He can help."
Phade took the folded sheet. She sat there just looking at John and wondered what it was that made him look as if the world were weighing him down. He didn't strike her as a bad person and Abuelita had always said; 'Listen to your guts, niña. They never lie.'
Phade opened the door still looking at John as she set her foot on the curb.
"Thank you." She didn't wait for a reply and stepping out she closed the door. She could see him through the window still looking at her. The expression on his face reminded her of her Dad, the way he used to look at her before. She offered a sad smile, the sting of tears in her throat, suddenly feeling melancholy.
Phade heard the loud roar of the Impala then John pulled away from her house. The folded paper still in her hand, she opened it to find a phone number and a name. Phade glanced up but the back lights had disappeared. She shivered in the cold night and folding the paper she put it in her pocket.
Fort Wayne, Indiana…
Sam was lucky they got to stay in school. His Dad had wanted to leave that same night but Sam had protested, they couldn't leave not that close to test week. Dean had rolled his eyes but he'd jumped in, backed up his little brother and saying it would look too suspicious if they left right after the incident at the Caverns.
Now, Dean was wishing he hadn't been so convincing.
The first day back from winter break had been full of excitement and not for the tests no one but the egg heads had studied for. All the kids were talking about Blake Al'aire and Melina Dominick. Somehow everybody knew about the Boot Hill Ice Caves and that the killer had struck again. There was a brief mention during the morning announcements and then it was all business.
Dean didn't care one way or another; he sat in class bored out of his mind when he noticed the girl from the caverns making eyes at him.
He grinned.
The bell rang and Dean got to his feet watching as the girl made her way through the kids until she stood in front of him.
"Hi." She said looking nervously around the room.
"Hi." Dean drawled with his grin still in place.
"Uum, can I talk to you?" she asked shifting the books in her arm.
"Sure." Dean draped an arm around her shoulders and started walking her out of the classroom. In the hall Noël pulled out of his arm with a frown.
"What did you see?"
Dean lost his grin at the question, though he quickly pasted on another smile.
"See where?" he asked looking around the hall full of kids strolling by to their next class.
"In the ice caves." Noël hissed glancing around as well. "You had a shotgun-." At that Dean lost his smile. He cleared his throat, one hand covering his mouth. "Don't tell me you weren't there. Two of my friends are dead. You had to see something, please…"
"I'm sorry." Dean said. "We didn't find anyone else."
For a second Dean didn't think she'd let it go.
"Noël."
They both turned to see Syrus come up with the rest of their friends. Dean kept his eyes on the little brunette sporting a bruise on her forehead. She didn't look at anyone and the blond jock at her side kept her close. Dean's jaw clenched, the green eyed monster rearing its ugly head once more.
"Syrus, hey." Noël smiled nervously at Dusty. She paled catching sight of Leighton approaching from the opposite hall. She'd avoided school the past two days, hoping she'd stay away the rest of the week was a likely possibility.
"Dean." Syrus nodded as he took Noël's books from her, their hands linking.
"Hey." Dean replied but his eyes slid to Jaden. He found her staring at the lockers, her brow furrowed.
"What is she doing here?" Leighton's voice drew everyone's attention.
"Leighton-." Noël stepped towards the auburn haired girl.
"Shut up Noël." Leighton snapped. Her face was flushed red, pale green eyes flashing with anger as she yanked Jaden's arm. "You're the one who should've died. You!"
"Leighton!" Syrus grabbed her arm pulling her away from Jaden who still hadn't said a word.
"Let go! That bitch-."
"Shut up!" Syrus snapped.
"Stop defending her!" she yanked out of his hold but by now all the kids left in the hall were watching. "None of this would have happened if you'd never come here!"
"This wasn't anyone's fault, Leighton." Noël glared absently taking her books from Syrus.
"It's your fault!" Leighton struck Jaden, the sting in her cheek pissed her off but she bit her lip and kept the angry words to herself.
"Chic fight." Dusty crowed earning a glare for Syrus.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Dean snapped.
"You're the problem, Jaden. You! All you do is make trouble." Leighton accused shoving Jaden into the lockers.
"Stop it, Leigh." Noël warned but Leighton shoved her hand away.
"Look at them!" Leighton pointed at Dusty and Dean. "This is your fault too. You should've died!"
"Going to the caverns was your idea." Jaden said loud enough to be heard by the kids in the hallway. "You wanted to go camping and Blake. Nobody else wanted to camp out, nobody wanted to spend the night up there but you insisted! You!" Jaden jabbed a finger at the older girl. She was fed up with the whole bunch.
"Don't put this on me, bitch!" Leighton's face was mottled. She raised her hands to shove Jaden again.
"Touch me again and I'll kick your ass." Jaden warned. It was enough to push Leighton into action. She slapped Jaden again and got a fist in her face in return. Jaden grabbed a fistful of auburn hair and using all her strength pulled the older girl around until she banged into the lockers.
The hall was full of screaming kids but it was all a muffled roar in her head. She saw Dusty reach around her to pick up Leighton from the floor, felt Syrus grab her arm and pull her away from them. Noël's angry face registered and then her words sank in, made sense.
"Are you happy now?" Noël demanded glaring at Dusty. "You're helping her when you should've been defending your girlfriend, Dusty!"
"He's not my boyfriend." Jaden snapped brushing an inky strand out of her face. "I never did like him. Just an empty headed jock too stupid to see I'm not into him."
"You fucking bitch." Dusty glared, his hands dropping from Leighton's arms.
"Shut up! You ran, you left your 'best friend' behind to die and ran. You didn't bother trying to help him!" every one was listening with rapt attention, getting every detail from the new girl who'd been there.
"Shut up, bitch!" Dusty took a step in her direction but Dean and Syrus took up positions at her side.
"Elliot had more balls than you! He tried to help Melina; he has the wounds to prove it but you! You ran screaming with her!" Jaden jabbed a finger at Leighton who stood just behind Dusty. A bruise already forming on her cheek from Jaden's fist.
Dusty's face went red. He heard the laughing kids saw them pointing at him…
"I was done with you anyway." He tossed her back pack on the floor and spat. "Fucking cheap whore."
"This coming from the eunuch." Jaden snapped. "You couldn't get it up even when you did find that thing you call a dick."
Dean stepped in planting his fist in Dusty's face as he made to grab Jaden. She pushed her way around them glaring at Dusty.
"Steroids fuck up what little brain cells you have left." There was a low murmur at her words.
"I don't fucking use!" he denied looking guiltier. "You're lying! Nobody's going to believe you." He looked around at the faces, saw her brother coming up the hall and smirked. "You're the one spreading it, Jaden."
"Not for you!" Jaden snapped knowing that a straight out denial would only make her look guilty. It wouldn't matter that she'd never let him touch her except in public but this was his way of passing off the negative attention.
"Dusty-." Noël was surprised.
"Shut up, Noël. You know they were up in his room all break." Leighton added.
"You mean you and Blake were up in his room." Noël retorted earning a shocked gasp from Leighton. "What's the matter? You didn't think we'd noticed?"
"Blake?" Dusty echoed. He looked to Leighton whose face had paled.
"You're so stupid it's embarrassing." Jaden laughed.
"Shut the fuck up! Nobody in this school would touch you!" Dusty yelled.
"Really?" Jaden snorted, she looked around, her eyes stopping on Dean. With a smirk at Dusty she grabbed Dean's shirt in her hands and pulled him down.
"Fucking…"
Dean stumbled, surprised by her sudden move. He really didn't mind though and wrapping his arms around her waist he kissed her back.
The kids in the hall broke into raucous jeers and taunts but neither noticed. It was Luis who pulled them apart. Her brother who yelled and then they were all pulled into the principals office…
w