Perfect Imperfections

Seven

I walked into class then sighed as I sat, getting my books out and opening the textbook.

"Alright, class, let's get settled in!" My teacher called then he started handing back papers and came to me.

"You probably make your parents proud, AJ." He said and I took my paper, seeing a perfect score on it.

"Thank you." I smiled and filed the paper away. When my phone buzzed, I discreetly checked it and saw it was Jake.

J: Hey, girly, how'd you sleep? ;P

I grinned then texted him back, locking my phone and paying attention to class.

Jake's POV
AJ: Great, dungeon boy, what about you?

I smiled and replied to her then locked my phone, pocketing it and grabbing the wood to build my boat house.

"Jake?!" I heard and looked up to see my parents making their way towards me.

"Mom!" I grinned and set the wood down, hugging her tightly and hearing her groan.

"Oh, you're getting so strong!" She said and I grinned as I stepped back, going to the area where the new house would be.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and dad sighed.

"I told your mom about that girl, Jake." I heard and looked at my dad.

"Jake, if that girl is in trouble, you need to help her get away from her family."

"I'm doing what I can to help her, mom." I said and she nodded.

"I know, but from what I've heard, she's in a lot of trouble-"

"Mom, seriously, I'm handling it!" I said and grabbed the plans for the boat house, moving the wood into place and feeling their eyes on me.

"Jake, stop for a second." I sighed and set the wood down, looking at my parents.

"This young girl is struggling with her family, Jacob, and she needs a strong support! You can't just say you're helping her unless you're actively doing something to help her get away from her family!"

"She has a spare key to my house, my phone number, and she knows she can call me whenever she needs me. I am giving her the support she needs, mom, just like you guys did for my sister." I said and, as if on cue, my phone rang. I looked at it then saw it was AJ and smirked at my parents, showing them.

"AJ-"

"Ja-Jake?" I heard her shaky voice then I frowned as I looked at the ground.

"Adalyn? What's wrong?" I asked and heard her sniffle as my parents looked worried.

"I-I'm at school and-and I- Come-come get me!" She cried and I looked at my parents.

"Be there in twenty minutes." I said and hung up, pocketing my phone as I ran for my truck.

"Jake, what-"

"I'll call you later!" I yelled over my shoulder as I grabbed my keys, jumping into my truck and driving to the school. When I got there, I went into the office, but AJ wasn't here.

"Jake Kyle?!" I looked at the woman and smiled when I saw my former teacher.

"Ms. Jane, I'm looking for a student. Adalyn Jade, she-she called me and sounded like she was upset." I explained and she nodded, handing the secretary her binder.

"Let's go find her." She said and we left the office, though she checked all the bathrooms for me.

"She's not here. Do you know who her teachers are?" Ms. Jane asked, but I shook my head.

"Uh, she-she mentioned she was in advanced placement." I said and Ms. Jane nodded.

"That leaves four teachers. Let's go." I nodded and followed her, watching as Ms. Jane went into the first classroom. As I stood in the doorway of the room, I frowned when I saw her brother sitting in his seat with freshly busted knuckles.

"You!" I growled and went towards him as he glared at me.

"Jacob!" Ms. Jane yelled as I went towards Elias, slamming my hands down on the top of the desk.

"Where is she?!" I snarled and Elias grinned as he looked up at me.

"You mean your personal meat sock? Hmm, I don't know-"

"She's your fucking sister!" I growled and felt fearful eyes on me as he grinned.

"Jake, that's enough-"

"Ms. Jane, he knows where she is!" I spit over my shoulder and glared at Elias.

"Where. Is. Adalyn?!" I snarled in his face, angrier than I have ever been. I don't know why I cared about Adalyn so much, why this single girl had al of my attention, but I knew I had to find her before it got to be too late.

"Last I saw my sister, she was getting yelled at by our parents for spending the weekend with you, Jake Kyle." Elias grinned as I slowly stood, glaring down at him.

"Jake, what is he talking about-"

"She came to me because your fucking whore of a mother beat her for a fucking B! She came to me, because she is treated like a fucking slave!" I hissed and Elias' brow dropped.

"Maybe if you jackasses didn't tell her she was nothing but a worthless waste of space, then she wouldn't be running away from home, hmm?" I sneered and went to leave, until my phone rang.

"AJ?!" I immediately answered, leaving the room to find out where she is.

"I-I hear you, Jake! You-you're here, I can-can hear you!" She breathed, sounding like she was about to pass out.

"AJ, where are you?!" I asked, trying to mentally run through where we haven't looked.

"Hall... metal door..." She whispered then I heard the phone clack onto a metal surface, but she was silent.

"AJ?! Adalyn?!" I yelled, looking at my phone as the teachers came into the hall.

"Jake-"

"Which locker is AJ's?!" I yelled and Ms. Jane shook her head.

"I-I don't-"

"Find it, she just passed out!" I yelled and hung up the phone, trying to call her again. Except the hallway was silent, not even the whispers of the students as everyone stared at me.