Two Faces

Chapter 9

                                                                                       Part 3: Jetta

   Alright, so, I guess it's safe to say that the last few days have been chaotic. Let's just say that becoming sisters with my best friend is a bit more than I bargained for. Scarlet hadn't said anything to me since last night, and by the way she acted last night, she most likely hadn't said anything to Addison today. As I began to get closer to the high school building after first hour, I saw Scarlet and Addison walk out.

   Scarlet was a mess. She was crying and Addison was trying to calm her, but it didn't seem to be working. Addison walked up to me before I got to them. "Jetta, you have to do something. She won't listen to me," Addison said. I glanced at my distraught friend, and then back at Addison.

   "I'll get her to listen and talk to me. You go to class, and I'll take her with me so she's not alone," I replied, motioning Addison on. After Addison began walking to her next class, I went to Scarlet's side and we walked back into the high school.

   After I had put my trumpet on the instrument shelf, I turned to Scarlet. She quickly glanced at me and then dropped her gaze to the floor. "Scarlet, you haven't said anything to Addison. At least talk to me," I said. When Scarlet didn't answer, I laid a hand on her shoulder. "Please?" I added quietly.

   She finally looked at me, her face was tear-streaked. "Jetta..." Scarlet said weakly. "I'm right here," I answered. "I'm always right here if you need me." She seemed to relax after that, and then we both walked to our second hour, History.

   As Scarlet and I walked in together, I looked at our other friend, Louise. She was looking at Scarlet with a puzzled expression. After Scarlet was sitting at her desk, I went to Louise's desk. "What's going on with Scarlet? She got mad at something on her paper and threw it in the air, and Addison was in our first hour too." Louise told me. Addison hadn't said anything about Scarlet throwing a paper, but I would figure that out later.

   "Louise, listen. Scarlet's parents and brothers...they're dead," I said as quietly as I could. I noticed Scarlet's eyes widened, and I gave her a sympathetic glance. Maybe I'd said that a little too loudly, or just loud enough where Scarlet could hear. "Then where does she live? Do you know?" Louise asked.

  "She lives with us now and she shares our last name," I answered. "She was at our house when they died, I can go into details later." I added, walking to my desk.

   As I worked, I thought about the night that now seemed so long ago. Watching the color drain from Scarlet's face after telling her that her family members had died, and watching her cry many times after that. I had seen Scarlet scared and sad before, but not like this. Suddenly, something occurred to me.

   Scarlet had said to me, early in the day that her parents and brothers died, that she had a dream they died the night before. If that wasn't coincidental enough, she had also told me that everybody that could take custody of her was dead. She had told me before that the people who could take custody of her were her parents, her aunt and uncle, and her grandparents. Wait a second. Scarlet was telling me just this past Wednesday that she had gone to go to her grandparents Tuesday. Something told me that the car accident was no accident and I was going to get to the bottom of this.