Battlefield (Book One)

Chapter Two - JD

"Slow down and start over again," JD said. "You just saw a what, in a where, with a who, now?"

Cadence brushed a few strands of her long, dark hair away from her face and panted heavily. Her dark skin was slightly flushed from all of the running she must have done to get to him. "Big fight in the gymnasium hallway." Then she mumbled, "Wow, I'm in bad shape."

JD almost made a comment about how it would be nearly impossible for her to be in bad shape with her tight curves, but he held it back. She'd never believe him anyway.

"Between who?" he asked instead, his interest piqued. At Morningtide High School, fights happened once a lifetime. Most of the kids were too rich and stuck-up to attack each other. At least it wasn't him getting in trouble for a change.

"Orlando Holmes versus Jesse Jordan's crew. Old best friend rivalry. It. Was. Intense. I heard that after gym class someone said something low, and Orlando. Just. Snapped. Like, why would anyone in their right mind want to mess with him when everyone knows he's so close to the edge, right? I'm pretty sure I saw him bust the drinking fountain with someone's head on my way out of choir."

"Aw man! I miss everything good," JD said. "I think we should go home. That's what I think."

"I think that was a redundant statement of you to make," she teased before poking his side with her index finger.

"I think I'm surprised you even know what redundant means," he teased back. JD put his backpack on and prepared for the long walk home. His family did not fall into the rich majority of the school, and unless it was negative numbers outside, he'd rather walk than ride the bus.

Cadence rolled her eyes. "I'm not a complete idiot."

"Just a partial one." He gave her one of his best smiles to show her that he was only playing around. While initially her body had tensed up, it relaxed when her gaze met his, and then she returned the smile.

"You're seriously so lucky I love you enough to let you think you're funny. Stop being a jerk." She gave him a pointed look.

JD grimaced. "Jerk is my love language, though."

"Seriously, so lucky. Anyway, speaking of smarts, we should probably get a little bit of studying done. How about going the extra couple of blocks and hanging at Main one more time before they implode it?"

"All right. I'm down with that." JD didn't like to be at home, let alone study there. Then again, living in a house with four younger brothers and sisters would do that to just about anyone. If the two were ever going to get anything accomplished, it would have to be elsewhere.

As they stepped out into the fall sunshine, his hazel eyes looked skyward for a moment. He narrowed them as something up there caught his attention. A bright red light, like a star, in the middle of the otherwise clear blue sky. "Do you—?" but then shook his head. His eyes were no doubt only playing tricks on him. "Never mind."

Thirty minutes later they arrived at the dump that was Main Street Plaza. Built in the late nineteen-sixties, it was scheduled to be demolished and replaced with a super store and an apartment complex by the beginning of the next school year. Good riddance. The only thing it was useful for now was senior citizen mall walking, a few rare collectible stores in their final stages of moving out, and a wandering white-cherry flavored shaved ice kiosk that was never in the same place twice.

JD and Cadence had their Friday tradition of taking all of their weekend homework there. They would hang out in what was left of the courtyard garden as they sucked up their drinks before heading to the comic book shop to drool over the remaini