Blandview High Musical

77. The Here & Now

I was attempting to gobble down a cherry flavored Pop-Tart when I heard the doorbell ring. "I'll get it." I said, with my mouth full. I have grown so accustomed to my mother and Frank not being home that I do everything myself now. I walked to the front door and opened it to see Jade standing there. She was dressed in a bodycon style dress that was a baby pink color. Her hair was done up in ponytails and she was wearing the same color matching platforms. "Can we talk?" She asked, not letting me get a word in first. "I actually have some plans this morning, can it wait until after school at least?" I questioned. I could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't going to settle for that suggestion. Her silence served as an answer. "Let me get my stuff and we can talk about it on the drive over." I said, walking away from the door. I grabbed my bag. "No backpack today?" Jade asked as I was stepping out of the house. "Coming from the girl who's using a heart shaped mini backpack." I said, smiling. She just rolled her eyes. "My plans don't really include attending school today." I said as we stepped away from the door. She wrinkled her brow, following me.

We took my car. Jade had confessed that she took an Uber to my house, not leaving me with much choice other than taking her. "Where is this place?" She asked as we were traveling along the highway. I sighed. "Okay." She said, not pushing the subject any further. I wasn't being difficult on purpose, but I couldn't figure out how to phrase the words correctly without her thinking I was a complete nutbag. "A medium." I finally said as we were exiting the highway. "Are you ordering food? I don't see a drive thru anywhere around." She said, looking at me. "No. A medium is a person—" "Who has contact with the other side, yeah. I know what they are. I was just fucking with you." She said. "What do you need to see a medium for?" She asked. "It was Tommy's suggestion. I want to see Shayne again." I said. She was silent for a minute. "It's okay if you think it's a stupid idea." I said. "I don't think it's stupid. I think it's perfectly logical." Jade said. "Logical?" I said as we pulled up to a stoplight. "Well, logical emotion, but it does make sense." She said.

We pulled onto a street marked LaChapelle. The Heights in LA is a shifty area. Definitely not a place where snowbunnies like us would be caught. Unfortunately, Madam LeVoue was the name on the card and the address listed was just west of The Heights. We pulled up to another stoplight. There were no cars coming. "Run it." Jade said. "The light's still red..." I commented. "Do you see those guys standing right there?" She asked, pointing to two men standing across the way. They looked rugged, skinny and nearly homeless. "What about them?" I asked. "The longer we sit here, waiting for this fucking light to turn green, the more we're at risk." "Risk for what?" I asked. "Run the fucking red light and you will never know." She said. I double checked both ways again before blowing through the intersection.

"My brother used to deal dope down here when he was younger. He talked about not wanting to come down here with women because it isn't safe." Jade said. "This is just going to be a quick visit." I said as we passed through another stoplight. We rolled into a neighborhood that was on the lower end, just on the other side of the overpass. I could feel myself getting nervous. We pulled up to a house that was painted a very faded purple color with green trim. Most of the paint was rotting off the boards from sun damage. The flower bed in the front beside the fence was a gorgeous green with pink petunies and oleanders growing inside. The grass around it was completely yellowed and had turned to dust. We pulled into the driveway and got out.

"What are ya doin' here?" a voice asked from beyond the darkened screened in porch. We paused at the junction where the sidewalk and the stairs met. "A friend of mine gave me your card. He said you could help me." I said, reaching into my purse and finding the card. I held it up. I heard the creaking of wood on wood followed by the lightness of heels against the grain. "You girls don't belong here." She said. "This neighborhood? Full o' men who'd love to get there hands on beauties like you." She said. "Please, you have to help me." I said. She sighed, pushing the wooden screen door open. "Both of you, inside." She said. We walked up the steps and onto the porch.