Crossed Worlds

Chapter 17: No More Hiding

Teenage romance was, Jade had discovered, exactly like the movies. It was consuming, and magical, and maddening. She shouldn't have been thinking about his lips – how pink and warm they were – yet it's all that she could think about. Reality pinched at her brain, or maybe it was Mister Albert's voice, and she was back in the school office.

  "Jade, why did you run out this morning? That was a very dangerous thing to have done," he shook his head.

  She never got in trouble, so she felt slightly sick sat opposite a teacher she admired so much because she had let him down. Of course, there was no way she could tell him the real reason, so she just awkwardly fiddled with her fingers.

  "It was overwhelming. I'm sorry, Sir."

  He sighed and sat back in his chair.

  "Your friends were worried sick about you. I told them to come and meet you. I'm sure they're outside as we speak."

  Jade didn't know whether or not this was a signal that she could get up and leave, so she shifted in her chair.

  "Jade, were you by any chance...I heard about the little protest at the Wild One Awareness meeting last night. Did you have anything to do with that? Some descriptions seem to match you and your group very closely," his voice wasn't accusing, just curious.

  Jade, surprisingly, didn't feel concerned. "I was."

  He smiled at her, genuinely, and nodded. "I am proud of you. For standing up for what you believe in. I shouldn't really say any more, but just know that."

  Now she was free to go, and she felt like skipping out of the room, as despite the storm's attack, her teacher admired her rebellion, and so there was no need to lose hope. People could see past this. Past the thunder and rain and into the truth. Wild Ones weren't the enemy. It didn't have to be this way.

  As Mister Albert had suspected, the gang were all outside, and they ran to Jade as she emerged down the hallway.

  "You idiot!" Lily yelled. "Why would you do that? Where the hell were you for two hours?"

  That was when Jade felt a nervous excitement race through her veins. It was time to tell her friends the truth, all of it, and for there to be no more secrets; no more hiding.

Isaac paced back and forth, back and forth, under the fractured light between the trees. The crease between his brows was so deeply prominent, and James felt the anxiety spreading into him, so he had to make it stop.

  "Dude, stand still!" He laughed.

  Isaac stopped and looked up at his best friend.

  "I can't believe you and this Jade girl made out and now you're inviting her Being friends along to meet us. We could get in serious trouble. They could report us. We don't know them. Are you sure Jade isn't a spy?"

  James just laughed again.

  "I'm very sure. You are on side, remember? The only way to know if you can trust someone is to, well...trust them. We wanted to know what Beings were like. We want peace and unity. This is it!" He smiled.

  James was, of course, nervous too. It had been fine and safe when it was him and Jade in their secret bubble, and now it was expanding massively, and that was going to take some adjusting to. Not only that, but they had kissed now, and crossed some kind of line, so it would hurt if that was ruined somehow by the secret being revealed. Still, this had to be done. He knew it as well as Jade did, it was time.

  Suddenly, the bushes rustled, and Jade appeared. Shortly behind her were her friends, all stunned into silence and wearing shocked expressions.