CHAPTER ONE
Groggily, Jasmine got up from the bed, it's Monday morning, which means it's a school day. This is the day most students dread, cos after the weekend holiday they have to get up early and prepare for school.
Today, Jaz isn't feeling that perky, she has a foreboding of something bad happening and for the life of her, she just couldn't shake it.
Something had woken her, and then she heard it again, the ringing of the phone. With a quick and sluggish and long leap, she went to answer the phone. But on the way she hit her left foot against the foot of her chair which she had forgotten to put back in its nook under the table after she finished her assignment yesterday.
'Hello?' She answered the phone but she couldn't hear anything from the other side. 'Huv! Just a prank call. One thing I'll say for that phone call was that it woke me up just on time, which puts points to my thought that my friends called. One is to get me up since they know how much I detest waking up earl on Mondays. The second is that they get to spook me. So what better motives?'.
'Mom, Dad, morning,' she said as she rushed out of the house for her car, then bam, she tripped and fell right on her face. 'Am fine'.
'Be careful', her mum called after her, 'But wouldn't you drop your siblings for me?
'No I can't, am running a bit late, sorry'. Will today get any better, I thought as I got into my car.
The hairs at the back of her nape are standing on end; she has a feeling that someone is watching her. Upon looking back, she encountered the eyes of the school's trouble maker, Ty, who is right behind her. She immediately shifted her gaze back to the front. She is on the queue awaiting her turn to be served the day's horror. Something in His gaze had made her shudder and she didn't make the mistake of looking back again.
She went to a secluded table that was hidden by a plastic palm plant and still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was still being watched. Why would Ty be looking at her, he always has a sneer on his face for everyone, she thought as she looked around the cafeteria. Just hold on a second, Ty isn't looking at her, in fact nobody is looking at her. So why does she have this premonition?
After she finished, she immediately headed to the favourite place for girls in the school; the bathroom's mirror. On the way, she felt a sudden and sharp pain in her left foot. She quickly held on to the counter to alleviate her weight from her left foot. She took off her high powered boot to check the cause of the sudden pain and she found out that a shard of glass had gotten through the sole of the high duty boot she wore, how that happened she couldn't say.
'How in God's name am I going to get to the sick bay now?' she said has she tried hobbling to the door. 'Where are all this girls that hangs here when you really need them? Just Karma's law; you wouldn't see a thing when you need it and when you don't need it, you'll see it!'
Just two hopping steps away from the door, Zana, her best friend came into the bathroom and almost knocked her in the face with the door. On seeing her friend, she rushed to her side.
'Jaz, what happened?'
'This shard of glass got into my boot'.
'Sorry, and we really need to get you to the sick bay quickly. The blood you are losing is quite much', Zana said with concern.
'Well, that's what you'll get when a glass enters your boot and you get cut', She replied sarcastically. Did I mention that I am sarcastical? I think not, but my friend is used to it and not to toot my own horn; but I've started rubbing off on her.
This is the fourth time she would ring the Spellman's home phone but nobody is picking. Zana thought that Jaz's mum ought to be home on leave, a one week leave because she is working on a project and she needs more concentration than the one she is getting at the office. The fact that she is a good worker had her boss giving her the leave.
'Why isn't she picking?' Zana asked the empty office. She was about to drop the receiver when the call was picked up.
'Hello?'
'Hi, it's Zana'.
'Yes? I hope there is no problem? ' came Mrs. Spellman's worried voice.
'Just a little, Jaz is in the sick bay and needs transportation back home'.
'What... what happened?' Zana could hear the terror in Mrs. Spellman's voice and she tried her best to calm her. 'She just broke the skin of her left foot on a piece of glass,' she said. Well literarily, she broke her skin but practically, she tore her foot out!
The next thing she heard was the redial tune. She lets out a sigh, well, that went well. But upon further reflection, she wonders what might be wrong with Mrs. Spellman because she was ever so polite. What might have caused the abruptness?
'Oh baby, what happened?'
Jaz was suddenly enveloped in a bear hug with her head resting on her mother's soft bosom.
'Nothing really mom, just a little cut and....' she stopped when she saw her mother's face.
'And what?' Her mom asked almost irritably.
'And.....' She looked at Zana for help but is seems none is forthcoming. This is so unlike her mom, she is the unflappable mom in the face of trouble but now, it seems like she is reduced to a bundle of nerves.
She heard a grunt from her mother which alerted her to the fact that her mother is still waiting for an answer.
'And I lost a considerable amount of blood.'
Her mother looked relived and said; 'Thank God I'll be around this week to look after you.'
'Look after me? But I'll be in school,' Jaz sputtered baffled.
'I don't think so,' her mom replies
'Mom....' She was cut short by her mother when she said: 'Not now'. And that leaves no room for argument.
As they were leaving, they met Ty at the front door and their eyes made direct contact. She had a sizzling sensation down her spine and she doesn't like it one bit. She could still feel his gaze on her and she when she looked over, her feeling is confirmed.
