Suck It And See | A. Turner

[Chapter 13]

Jade | Alex

"Oh, they're kinda cute," Rose mused at the shitty cellphone pictures, "They're not Leo DiCaprio cute, but cute enough," she said. Jade took her phone back and laid back on her bed.

"They're just good people, that's all I care about," Jade grinned, "What about you? Did you finally get the guts to ask Sean Whitehead on a date?" 

"Oh, I did," Rose said, sitting opposite to Jade at the bed's end, "Told me flat out he thought I was a lovely girlie, but he had his own personal shit going on so he weren't interested in dating," 

Jade's face fell into a flat glower, "He got back with his ex I presume?" she asked. 

"The next day," 

"Twat,"

Rose shrugged without much care, crawling over to lie down next to her bestie, "Just as well, I heard a rumour goin' round he's more of a little pink mouse than a large, hairless rat,"

"What?" Jade stared at her in confusion, "What are you on about?"

"I'm making a euphemism 'bout his penis," Rose replied matter-of-factly.

"Oh. Lovely," Jade shrugged. 

"Never mind that, though," Rose gently nudged Jade's side with her elbow, "Tell me more about these boys I'll get to meet,"

➿➿➿

By the time the clock had struck quarter to five, Jade, Peter, and Sandrine were sat downstairs, awkwardly waiting for Jack to finish putting on his costume for his school's play. Jason had decided to be a right twat and make some lame excuse to not see his brother's play, much to the dismay of his family. Like he gave a damn, anyhow.

Jade huffed awkwardly as she looked studied the laces of her boots. They were old and worn, ought to be replaced at some time or another. Jade was also preoccupied with thoughts of her friends -- they had been texting back and forth all day, asking about her trip and whether she missed them or not. She truly did; at least if they were here, she wouldn't have to suffer the indignity of having to be nice to her father's new girlfriend.

It seemed like almost an insult, what with her mother still sick and all. This was woman was sitting on her mother's couch, ate off of her plates and was making herself cozy in her home. Jade felt guilty, though. It was wrong for her to hate Sandrine when the only sin she had committed was getting involved with her father in the first place. She was warm and compassionate, and shared many of the same interests that Jade and Jack had. Jade wanted to find terrible things about Sandrine to hate, but she couldn't find even a hair out of place.

"... So, Jade," Sandrine spoke quietly in her posh accent, "Your father tells me you're a little artist, then?" she asked.

"Yes," Jade replied quietly, not daring to make eye contact, "Sort of,"

"What kind of things do you make? You paint, I presume?" she asked.

"... Nothing too special," Jade replied.

Sandrine was stricken by silence again, seemingly panicked as she looked for ways to deepen the conversation, "Have you ever been to the Louvre?" she asked.

"Don't have the money to go," Jade replied monotonously. Peter tried his best not to roll his eyes at his daughter's standoffish demeanour.

Sandrine however, seemed delighted as she found an in, "Well, perhaps we could go together one day? I travel back and forth from Paris for my job; though I've never found the opportunity to go inside," she said, "Having a budding art student would be the perfect partner, wouldn't you agree?"