The Stepbrother

Confrontations

The wind blew thin white sheets of paper over the freshly cut grass. Dew seeped into the white paper and little black marks spread on it like a disease. A frustrated yell emitted from a voice nearby. It drifted into a silent moan when they picked up one of the sheets. The work that was scribbled between the dark lines were smeared and faded. There was no salvaging it now.

"Great, now what the hell am I supposed to do?" Jade Harris asked in frustration. She dropped to her knees and pulled out a sandwich bag from the side of her backpack. "I hope I can at least read some of this when I get home."

Jade slipped the wet paper into the sandwich bag and stood when she was done. A breeze came through and she wrapped her arms across her chest as she shivered, sandwich bag still in hand. She looked around to see her college peers fleeing campus as fast as their feet could take them. Some were probably going back to their dorms and others scurrying to get their weekend started. It was a Friday after all and debauchery was possible.

Pulling back the long sleeve of her shirt, she checked the time on her watch.

"He's late again. How many times is he going to do this to me?" Jade asked herself through her teeth. She looked down the barely lit street, "Such an asshole."

Laughter flooded Jade's ears. She turned around to see five guys standing by the wall of the nearest campus building. They were too boisterous not to notice. Tipsy frat boys, no doubt. She rolled her eyes when they hooted amongst themselves, punching each other in the arm over something laughable. Jade decided it was best to move somewhere else. Tipsy frat boys made her too nervous.

She walked over to the nearest streetlight on the sidewalk. She looked up when the light began to flicker. A big moth was flying around the light, enchanted. Jade looked at the sandwich bag that was still in her hand.

"This is such an unlucky day for me," Jade sighed. She checked the road again. No one was coming from either direction. She checked her watch once again, aggravated.

"I think your day is just about to get better sweetheart," a deep voice said behind Jade. She turned around and saw one of the four guys from the wall coming her way. Once the other guys notice their friend was abandoning them they decided to follow. The initial guy who said something to her had a sly smirk on his face as he swaggered over.

Jade focused her attention back to the road. Trying to ignore them the best she could.

"Oh don't play hard to get on me girl," the initial guy said loudly once Jade's back was turned.

"I like them like that though," a new voice joined in. Most likely one of the other four that Jade hadn't heard. She kept her focus on the road. A laugh sent a spike of fear through her. The voices were getting closer. She decided it would be best to walk down the sidewalk, to the next streetlight. She looked over her shoulder briefly to see the guys still following her. She took her free hand and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear while trying to calm her nerves.

"Wait up!" another new voice yelled to Jade from behind. She could hear the soft footsteps behind her and dared not look back. She knew she shouldn't, but she quickened her pace just a little bit more.

"Hey!" the initial guy yelled while jumping in front of Jade. Startled, she stumbled backwards bumping into one of the drunken crew. She tilted her face upwards. He was a tall guy. Must've been the tallest of the bunch she had seen. She took a forward step, not trying to get closer to the one who started it all, and stepped off the sidewalk into the street. Once again, she was just trying to make it to the other side of the street.

"Where you going?" a huskier fellow asked while stepping in Jade's way. She recognized his voice when he called out to her to wait up. She turned around only to be stopped by a guy wearing glasses. Other movement around her made her understand she was surrounded by the group. Her eyes checked her surroundings.