The Edge; Engelse versie

part...

The next morning Jane walked across the platform towards........., where her best friend lived. She had known him since she was born, or at least he had known her since then. They had known each other since childhood. Nothing can separate you, her mother had said glumly. They were two hands in one. They already knew each other's secrets. Jane had come to a small suburb. She had often used to drive around here with her best friend behind her, through the streets. They had been happy together. Until one day he moved and they were no longer in the same school. That's when Jane had met Alexa. She walked on to house 14 and rang the doorbell. She wasn't sure if anyone was going to answer, but after less than five minutes it opened. A boy with blond hair stood in front of her. He was wearing black jeans with a green t-shirt. "Jane!" he said cheerfully. "It's been a while. Come on in!" He smiled at her and took a step to the side. Jane smiled back and walked in. "I see you brought a lot," Nicolas Anderson said and pointed to her backpack and suitcases. "Yes, sorry," Jane said. "I was going to send you a message if it was okay if I could stay here for a while, but my cell phone battery died." "Of course," Nicolas replied with a grin on his face. "That always happens to you, huh. But yes: you can always come by here and stay. For how long is it?" "Eum," Jane replied. "Honestly, I have no idea. I hope I'm not causing you any trouble..." "Of course not!" said Nicolas and walked on into the living room. "Believe in yourself Jane. You know I've always said you can come to me." "Thank you, Nicolas," said Jane. "But to what do I have the opportunity to welcome you here?" he asked as they sat down in one of the seats. "I have such a feeling that something bad is going on." "True," Jane replied. "I came here because I didn't know anything else to go to. She's had a lot happen to her lately." She told of the team she and Sam and Violette had put together. Nicolas had been one of the first people she had told who she really was. That was probably one of the reasons they got along so well. She had told him everything: from the Empire to all the happenings in the team and the murders. Nicolas and she had been keeping in touch all along through their cell phones which meant he could always stay informed. She told him about Emma and Robin. She told him everything, beyond the specific details. Suddenly she saw his eyes shine. "What?" she asked. "Nothing," Nicolas said a little hypocritically. "Yes, there is," Jane continued. "Or I won't tell any more, mind you. "Well," he began. "The fact that you are with Robin Lewis..." "Have been," Jane said. Without Nicolas being able to say anything further, she continued with her story. She went on to talk about the previous evening's mission and Jessie. "Wow," Nicolas said when she was done. "So Jessie is indeed the murderer. So Alexa was right all along." "Of course she was right!" said Jane. "But I could hardly tell her why I was so sure, could I?" "She's figured it out now anyway, Jane," said Nicolas. "What did you think? That no team member was going to find out that you are, in fact, the queen of the Empire they live in? Surely you had to figure that out..." "I don't know why I wasn't honest with them," Jane replied. She should have told the truth much sooner. Then they might have been spared from all the missery. "But you are right," she continued. "You did warn me, after all." "True," Nicolas replied. "But I also know that you know what's right." "Okay, maybe," Jane said. "But not always. Why aren't you on the team?" "No sense probably," he replied. "Haha," Jane said. "Well, how many toilets do you have here in the house?" "Huh?" he asked startled. "One." "Okay, and where is it?" she continued. "End of the hallway to the left," he replied. "Why is that anyway?" "I'll just go to the bathroom," she said after a short silence and stood up. "No!" cried Nicolas suddenly. "Huh?" asked Jane and she turned around. "I can't," he said just a little too quickly.  "Why not?" asked Jane curiously. Before he could answer she heard a toilet flush. She turned with half-closed eyes to the door that led to the hallway. That door opened slowly. In front of Nicolas and her, a boy with dark brown hair entered. He was just a little taller than Nicolas, who was about ten inches taller than Jane. "Who are you?" he asked Jane in surprise and closed the door behind him. "Who are you?" asked Jane just as startled. "I was first," said the boy. "I'm Jane Newton, Nicolas' very best friend. Who are you?" she replied. "Dylan Murphy, Nicolas' sweetheart," the boy replied. "Wait, what?" almost exclaimed Jane. She turned back to Nicolas with a smile from ear to ear. "Oh my god!" "What?" asked Nicolas. "Oh my god!" she said again. "What?" asked Dylan now. "Oh my god!" almost exclaimed Jane. "What?" the two boys now said simultaneously. Jane turned around with an open mouth and said, "Are you with THE Dylan?!" "Yes," Nicolas said shortly. "Finally!" said Jane. In the past they had talked about Dylan so often that it had become a routine. "Okay, okay," Nicolas said quickly. "Just stop before I start telling Dylan all kinds of things about you." "Ah, is there something I should know?" asked Dylan curiously and walked over to Nicolas. He had settled back into the seat. Dylan sat down next to him and continued, "And?" Nicolas turned his head to the side and looked at him with a big smile. "Jane is with Robin Lewis." "Really?!" asked Dylan in surprise. "Was. Past tense," Jane replied and sat down in the armchair across from the two boys. "I do have to say that he is handsome," Dylan told her. "What?" asked Nicolas with wide eyes. "I agree with him," Jane replied and winked at Dylan. "May I ask why it is 'past tense'?" asked Dylan. "A name," said Jane. "Emma Anderson." "Your little sister?" asked Dylan in surprise to Nicolas, but he wasn't listening. Nicolas looked straight at Jane who suddenly came to a conclusion about him. "Oh my god," Jane said quietly. Dylan looked from her to his friend and said at the same time as Nicolas, "What?" "Emma Anderson," Jane said, looking at her best friend. "Nicolas Anderson..." "Jane," Nicolas said quietly. "Sky Anderson," Jane and Dylan said simultaneously. "Oh my god!" "What?" asked Nicolas with a pale face. "Sky had a picture with him," Jane replied. "In that picture was a girl, Emma, and a boy. I knew I knew them from somewhere..." "Sky," Dylan said. "As in the quarterback of my football team , Sky?" "He's your brother, isn't he?" asked Jane to Nicolas. "Yes, Jane. Sky is my brother. Yes, Dylan. He's the quarterback of your school team," Nicolas said sadly. "Do you play football?" asked Jane in surprise to Dylan. "Yes," he replied. "Where do you know Sky from?" "Let me just say," said Jane, "that my best friend, Alexa Harts, is his sweetheart and Nicolas and I have a lot to talk about."