Academy One Shots

Discovering Jade

Challenge: Humanize a villain

Jade

Eight Years Ago

Tears ran down my cheeks. Sam had yanked on my necklace so hard that the string broke and the beads spilled all over the filthy bus floor. Jay had tried to help me find the pieces, but they rolled around and he could only grab a few. I looked at the beads currently sitting in my palm. They were the only gift I had of my best friend Meredith, who moved away last year. Why would someone do this? I never did anything to Sam to deserve his anger.

"Sam just likes you," Jay said as we walked home from the bus stop. I pondered that statement. Sam liked me? Like, like-liked me? "Why would he hurt me then?" I asked, rubbing the sore spot on my neck from where the necklace broke. Jay shrugged.

"I don't know, it's just how a boy shows he likes a girl," he explained. Somehow, that statement made complete sense to me. Hurting people can be used to express emotions other than hate.

That night, my dad hit me for crying so much. Instead of becoming angry or sad, it made me happy. Because just like Sam hurt me to show he liked me, Daddy hurt me to show he loved me. For the first time in years, I knew that Daddy loved me. I went to bed feeling peaceful, my tears long gone.

Next week at school, I saw another girl with a pencil bag that I wanted. It was a sparkly green color with white piping around the edges. When the girl went to sharpen her pencil, I reached over and took the bag. I quickly stashed it in my backpack. The girl started crying when she noticed her pencil bag was missing, and I smiled. I was happy, and I showed the girl that she had a cute pencil bag by taking it. No harm was done.

Four Years Ago

Sam kissed me. It was my first kiss- and it was horrible. We had gone to watch the eight grade football game together, and once the game was over he leaned over and kissed me. I had to wipe his slobber away from my mouth. "You should become a cheerleader next year," Sam said, "And then you can be my good luck charm. You can kiss me before each game, and each time I score a touchdown."

I hadn't wanted to become a cheerleader before, but Sam's words made me realize that cheerleaders could kiss football players. And no matter how much my first kiss sucked, I knew that it would get better with practice. The seed was planted, and next year I found myself signing up for the seventh grade cheerleader tryouts.

I barely made the squad. The coach said I was "just pretty enough," so the next day before school I put on some of my mom's mascara and lipstick. I tugged my shirt lower and stuffed some tissue into my bra. Liam kissed me at lunch. He was the JV quarterback- and a much better kisser than Sam.

The first time I wore the cheerleader outfit to school, I tugged nervously on the bottom hem. I had never worn a skirt this short before. Liam obviously like it, because in the passing period he pinned me against the locker and kissed me until I was breathless. It was an amazing feeling.

Two Years Ago

My first time doing drugs was on a Thursday night. The varsity football team had won an important game, and we were celebrating at Melissa Turner's house. Her parents weren't home. Jeff had snuck in some of his older brother's weed and we sat in a circle passing a joint around. I didn't like it, but I pretended to so that Mason would still like me. By the fifth time the joint came around, it tasted pretty good.

"Baby, this stuff is lame. I have some of my sister's pills- you in?" Mason asked. I was tired and ready to go home, but said yes anyway. The pills made everything sparkly and fun. Mason and I kissed for hours. Mason eventually left to get some alcohol, and while he was gone I saw Sam. Driven by some strange urge, I walked over to him and pressed my lips to his. He didn't protest, and when we pulled away I didn't have to wipe off his spit. He had been practicing.

Mason saw me and called me a slut. He tossed his glass at me and it shattered against the floor, flinging glass shards into my legs. I started crying, but then I remembered- people hurt each other to show their affection. So, I walked over to Mason and kissed him. When he didn't respond, I hesitantly reached out and stroked him through his pants. We stayed together for another two weeks until I left him for Brian. Brian had rich parents who bought us as much alcohol as we wanted. Brian also had a king sized bed, where I lost my virginity to him after a few dates and a six pack of beer.

One Year Ago

I didn't even have to think about hurting others- by this point it was just a habit. Everybody knew that freshman were targets, and I protected myself by becoming as mean as I could. Nobody would mess with me. It was the middle of freshmen year when my hard shell ceased to be an act and instead became real. My mother finally OD'd one too many times, leaving Jay and me alone with our father. Jay shrunk in on himself and became even quieter than normal. Me? Well, I became a monster. I hurt others for fun and I didn't even care. Nothing could break through my shell.

Until sophomore year, when a lovely girl named Sang moved to town. Sang reminded me of everything I used to be- shy, modest, sweet. Until life fucked with me and I fucked it back. I wanted to hurt Sang worse than I had hurt anyone before. I don't know what set me off; it was just something about her personality and her harem of guys.

Whatever it was, I hated Sang- and I would stop at nothing to take her down.