The Institute ~Completed~

Chapter Twenty-One: Ice Cream.

Jessica was on the training grounds. Well more so Lou's grounds than anyone else's. She feared her first training session. But she had direct orders from her parents to do so. Cotton sat on the benches underneath the pavilion. As she was ordered to stay with Jessica at all times. No one was allowed to go home. Not for a while at least. Ace would have his gang lurking around and about every place. As far as he knows, Cotton is alive and hiding. Lou came in with a duffel bag. "Come." He demands Jessica. He leads her to the pavilion. He places the duffel bag on the table. Cotton watching intently as he opens it. The duffel bag sprawls open, revealing, Machetes, handguns, riffles, any weapon, you could possibly think of. That you could carry anyway.

"Pick your weapon." Lou orders. Jessica scans the bag and picks up a blue handled machete. "Nice choice. Be careful not to knick your opponent, which is me, with that." Lou says approvingly but with hesitation. Since, Jessica wasn't exactly skilled with knives as of yet, she could easily without knowing swipe at him the wrong way. And it could possibly kill him. ''I'm sure I won't but if you come at me the wrong way, I will not hesitate to do so. Is that clear!?" She says firmly and commandingly. Lou understood what she meant and speaks. "Very, now before we can start. Your mother is scheduled to be her also. So we'll wait for her." Lou informed her. She nods and makes her way over to Cotton, who sat patiently on the next bench. Jessica lays the machete in front of them. "Baby, after this, do you want to go get some ice cream?" Jessica asks her. Cotton looks up at Jessica. Her eyes hinting a sense of love and compassion. Also glinting in the morning sun, her grey specks with nonetheless beautiful. "Yes. We could spend some alone time together." Cotton puts her head on Jessica's chest.

A few minutes later, Janis walks out with a proud smile. This private training session would be something she'd look forward to. Considering, it's her daughter training and not some of the newcomers. "Alright let's get this training session started." Lou calls to Jessica as soon as he saw Janis. Jessica gets up. "Be careful." Cotton whispers. Jessica places a kiss on her cheek. "Don't worry baby. I'll be just fine." Jessica smiles and walks towards Lou, with the machete in hand. He was unarmed but he knew he way around a machete. "Stretch!" Lou orders Jessica. Jessica quickly obliges. She stretches out her legs, the muscles were outlined in the black leggings she wore. It made Lou squirm but he knew not to do anything, considering Jessica made it very clear she didn't want to be touched and her parents would pursue in killing him. "There." Jessica got up and took a swig of water. "Hmm now let's see what your skills are. Come at me. With the machete in hand." Lou taunts. Jessica swung the machete at him. You could almost hear the blade slice through the air. "How's that for a girl with no training?" Jessica taunts back. "Not bad for a girl. Now do it again with more force!" Lou taunts again. He was having a field day with this. "Gladly." Jessica cracked her neck. She swung, but slid in between Lou's leg onto the other side and pinned him to the floor. ''Nicely done." Janis praised her. "Now Lou? You should learn to play harder." Jessica whispered into his ear. And walked back to Cotton and Janis.

''How did the training go?" Asks John as he walks out of the secluded house. ''Better than expected." Lou says as he takes a swig of water. "What do you mean Lou?" John growls. "He means your daughter, doesn't need training. If she took out Lou, she's going to easily take out one of Ace's minions." Janis proudly says. Cotton was proud to and She nuzzled Jessica's neck. "That's wonderful. But still want her to continue with training sessions until further notice." John leaves with a nod to Jessica. "Hmm he's proud. Even if he doesn't show it." Janis smiles at Jessica. Jessica understood. "I understand."

Jessica picks up Cotton and walks into the secluded house. They were going to the kitchen for some ice cream, but someone touched Jessica's bum. She turns around and unknowingly pins Neal against the wall. "Hey? Easy. I didn't mean touch you!" Neal shook his head. Cotton giggles. "After a grueling training session, you wouldn't want to touch her." Neal glares at her. He obviously got the memo. "Can you let me go!" He snaps at Jessica. Jessica removes her hand. "Scat! Or I'll finish you." She snaps making Neal run. "Now that's how you handle yourself Jesy." Says a mocking Sommers. "Go away." Jessica rolls her eyes and returns to the kitchen. "I want to talk!" Sommers pulls her back. Cotton tightens her grip on Jessica. Jessica glared at Sommers. "Your boyfriend and I fucked recently and I thought you should know." Sommers says with a devious smile. "And I'm supposed to believe you? No, I don't think so Sommers." Jessica snaps. "Well you shouldn't doubt my word! I'm no liar. You can ask your daughter." Sommers says and turns on her heels. She walked away. "Liar." Jessica spat.

Sommers just smiles to herself. "You'll see." Jessica and Cotton arrived at the kitchen in a matter of seconds. Jessica put Cotton down reluctantly. Jessica liked to have Cotton in her arms. She was grateful that Cotton was a small ten year old. "What type of ice cream?" Jessica asks scanning the freezer. Tubs of Rocky Road, vanilla, chocolate, Strawberry Sherbert and Cookie Dough were lined up in ABC order. "Sherbert? Or Cookie Dough?" Cotton answers. She couldn't stand Rocky road or Chocolate. She was allergic to chocolate anyways. "How about both? We can share a bowl?" Asks Jessica who took out the two tubs. "Sounds good!" Cotton squealed.

Cotton took out a big blue ceramic bowl and places it on the royal blue painted table. "An ice cream scooper please?" Jessica asks. Cotton searches frantically for the ice cream scooper but doesn't find one. "I don't know where it is?" Cotton says shamefully. Jessica suddenly remembers it was in the higher draws. "I'll get it." She walks over to a shelving. She opened one of the high draws and grabs a silvery medal ball thing, known as an Ice Cream scooper. "Remember, it's always in a high draw and if you can't reach it then, call for one of us." Jessica tells her. Cotton just nods, wondering why there's high draws. "Why are there high draws?" Cotton asks suddenly. Jessica was scooping out sherbert when she asked. "Well, when me and my siblings were little. We used to get into everything. So my parents had the high draws installed but I fear there's more to the high draws then expected." Jessica explains. Cotton found her mini story quite amusing. ''What's so funny baby?" Asks Jessica who noticed Cotton's light giggle. "I uhh find your mini story quite amusing." Cotton says with a slight giggle.

"Ahh well come here and have some ice cream with me and I can tell you some stories about my childhood, sound fair?" Jessica pulls Cotton into her lap. "Perfect." Cotton took a spoon full of Sherbert and licks it. Jessica smiles as she took a lick off the spoon. "When I was five, I used to know this girl named Jada. She and I always got into trouble. One day, I met Jake and Jacob. Jake always wanted to go adventures and Jacob always sat back and relaxed. He was quiet and a go with the flow kinda guy. I guess that's what makes them such great mates." Jessica started off. Cotton and her finished the first spoon and were on another. "Go on.'' Cotton smiles. Jessica nods. "Jake, he took Jade and I and of course Jacob to this rocky area near the beach. He said we could have some fun and jump off it. Me, being the wimp I am. I am reluctant to go into the water. Water and I don't mix well. Jake somehow convinced me to go in. He took my head and said get ready to jump. Before I knew it he jumped and I was like wait but beings he pulled me. My feet left the ground before I knew what was happening. After that, I was alright until I hit the water." Cotton giggles. "What happened after you hit the water?"

Jessica smiles. "I swam back to shore. I didn't want to be in the water longer than I had to. You know?" Cotton nods. "Mum can I be honest with you?"

Jessica picks up Cotton and sits her bum on the table. "Yes." Jessica replies moving the brunette strands away from Cotton's specks. "I have nightmares." She breathes out. Jessica lifts Cotton's chin so their eye could meet. "About?" Jessica asks. "Jake." Cotton whispers. Jessica's eyes widened. "What? Jake? Why?" She asks before she could stop herself. "Every since that first beating, I've had nightmares. It's like Jake wants to beat me up for no reason. These nightmares are reoccurring and they scare me!" Cotton explains.

My baby has nightmares about my guy? Crap! Jake I'll make you pay for this! Jessica-s thought screamed at her. "Don't worry baby, Jake won't ever do that again." Jessica hugs Cotton tightly. "Promise?" Cotton's voice sounded so small. "I promise." Jessica answers. She's promising something that's going to be hard to keep but for Cotton she's going to keep it no matter the cost.

Everything comes with a price, and that price you must pay. Jessica quotes in her mind.

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Note: Under any circumstances, you steal my quote 'Everything comes with a price, and that price you must pay'. I'll be very angry. Ask before you use. Also give credits to me @mandilovesjesy14 and if you use it on ig. My ig is @oldies_edits/@mis_loves_rickey. Also my wattpad ig Is @mandilovesjesy14.