Eastside ₒ OBX

7- Midsummer Night's Dream (pt. 1)

The doorknob to Jade's bedroom door rattles as someone tries to unlock it from the hallway. Jade immediately sits up and looks to see John B just about to vault out the window. She hops out and hands him his backpack that he took with him. 
   "Don't forget this," she says. 
   "Thanks for letting me crash. I've got something to do today, so I might--" 
   "Dahlia Jade, open this door," Regina hollers. "Don't make me go get Mom." 
   "Go finish your mission," Jade tells him. "I'll see you around." 
   "Yeah, totally," he looks past her to the door. "You never saw me." 
   Jade watches him scale the house, "like a ninja." 
   "I'm invisible. Bye." 
   She shuts the window and darts to the door. 
   "Who were you talking to?" Regina questions, when she enters the room. 
   "Myself." 
   "Okay, whatever. I brought you your dress for the Midsummers party, because Mom said I had to and I'm a nice sister." 
   "Its not like you're doing charity work," Jade takes the blue item of clothing. "I completely forgot about it." 
   "Technically you're dating Sam with all the face-sucking you do onstage." 
   "I've never had a boyfriend, so I wouldn't know." 
   "That's a lie. You act like you have a thing for every boy you come into contact with." 
   "I think you're getting yourself confused with me." 
   Regina turns to go out the door, "make sure get your act together before the event. My friends are going to be there, so don't embarrass me." 
   "Right. I won't ruin your popular girl thing. Just don't bother me about going with Sam. I've got enough to worry about." 
   Regina pauses before leaving, "love you, Jadey." 
   "Love you too, Reg." 

   "This rich person party looks like it sucks. Why are we doing this again?"
  "Because my dad thinks its good for business even if all of these people are rude and arrogant. Believe me, its not a great idea. I could not agree more."
   "And why are you bringing me along?" Jade puts her earrings in while looking into a silver-framed mirror. 
   "You clean up nicely and it'll stop all the rich moms from trying to pair me up with their spoiled daughters."
   "Are you saying I'm dirty and good to be used?" she narrows her eyes teasingly.
   "No, I just think you're better than everyone at that party," Sam grins.
   "A dog-eat-dog world. In which all the clowns pile into a tiny car and run over everything in their path. Sound about right?"
   "I couldn't think of a better analogy." Sam pauses, straightening out his tie. "You look pretty." 
   "Well, I try. You're looking dapper. How many girls do I have to fight off?" 
   "For starters, I've been talking to Sarah Cameron lately, so not her right away." 
   "Isn't she dating Topper? Do you have any idea what you're doing? You're setting yourself up for an ass-whopping." 
   "Take a breath, Jade. We're just talking," he offers her his arm. 
   "I wasn't concerned. I'm currently talking to John B." Jade accepts the gesture and walks out with him. They talk while going down a modern-styled flight of stairs to the main level. 
   "Yeah, Sarah told me that she was too." 
  "She did?" 
   "Its probably nothing. Just try to go-with-the-flow tonight. Act like you're rolling in the cash and no one will question you." 
   "Like Jack Dawson." 
   "If acting like a third class peasant gets you through, do that then." 
   "He's not a peasant, he's Leonardo DiCaprio." 
   "More accurately, I am. Remember the 1996 movie of 'Romeo and Juliet'?" 
   "I prefer the recent one with Douglas Booth and Hailee Steinfeld." 
   "Are we seriously about to argue about which is the better movie right now?" he smirks. 
   "Yes, I think so," she grins. 
   "Sam, nice of you to make it," a voice says. 

They turn to see Topper with someone else accompanying him. The greeting was somewhat bitter as well as semi welcoming. Topper acted like he owned the place. 
   "Hey Topper," Sam replies. "This is Jade, Regina's sister." 
   "That's right, the girl who jumped me at the beach." 
   Jade bites back a response. It wouldn't happened if you hadn't tried to drown John B. 
   "I don't think we've met before," the blond next to Topper chimes in. "Rafe Cameron. I think Regina was going to introduce us at some point." 
   "She was." And any Kook friend of Reggie's is a potential threat as far as I'm concerned. 
   "It was great catching up," Sam herds Jade along. "But we've got to join my dad in the raffle." 
   "I automatically don't like him," she mutters. 
   "That's a trait that the country club has. And there's Dad with Ward Cameron, probably talking about boats and stuff. Typical." 
   Jade looks across the large, ornate room. Light hang from the ceiling like little sparkling orbs made of money that reflects off the wooden floor. Then a person catches her eye and she heads in their direction. "JJ, what the hell are you doing here?" she asks.
   "Attending your Mid-- whatever this is. Hey, you look spectacular, by the way. Really gorgeous. Have you seen..?"
   Jade notices marks on his along his cheek and forehead. "What happened to your face? We need to get you cleaned up."
   "Not right now," he scans the room for someone or something. "While we're talking, I heard you and John B got a thing."
   "No, we don't. He's dating Sarah, right? At least that's what I heard."
   "Look, I don't have time for this and it looks like your date's looking for you."
   Jade briefly glances over her shoulder at Sam, "just tell me what you're doing here." 
   "We're on the run and I have to take a message to someone." 
   "On the run? I'm coming too." 
   "Whoa. Okay. Change of plans. You stay here and either Kie or Pope will pick you up." 
   "Wait, JJ, you've got to tell me what's going on first." 
   "You already jumped onboard. Can't explain now." 
   "JJ, I said to wait!" She watches his walk away, "dammit." 
   "What was that all about?" Sam asks her. "Why's JJ here and talking to you?" 
   "JJ's JJ. Figuring him out would be like solving the Bermuda Triangle." 

Jade spots Kiara trying to sneak out of a conversation. "I've gotta handle something first." 
   "Hold on," Sam puts a hand on her shoulder as she turns away. "I can't get through tonight without you. You can't just leave right now." 
   "You've handled it this long. You can do this, Sam," Jade reassures him. She moves towards Kie, "Kie, have you talked to JJ yet?"
   "Why would JJ be here?" Kie asks. 
   "He told me to look for you or Pope." Jade glances around and catches sight of Topper's friends running through the crowd. "I'll be right back."
   "Jade, what's going on? Did Sam tell you..?" 
   Jade hurries after the mobile group, sensing they were up to no good. 

She pauses for a second before following them into the men's bathroom. "Leave him alone," Jade barks. "You pieces of shit."
   "What was that?" Rafe walks up to her.
   "You heard me."
   "I know you're a Pogue just like them. Don't think because Sam Moore brought you along that makes you any different."
   "I'm a mainlander, stupid. Pogues are locals. They teach you anything in your school?"
   Rafe grabs onto her arm and yanks her closely in a threatening manner.
   "Hey, hey, guys. Lets not beat up the girl," JJ says.
   "Can it, JJ. I'm trying to get you out of this," Jade hisses.
   "I can do that on my own, thanks."
   "How about we give you both some matching tattoos?" Rafe questions.
   "Rafe, are you crazy, man? They're gonna be wondering why she has marks on her face," one of the Kooks points out.
   Jade glares at all of them, "don't make me mad."
   "And what are you going to do about it?" Rafe asks.
   She glances around at the boys. Outnumbered, so there was one option left. "I'll scream. How do you think that's going to play out when they find all of you and me?"
   "Kick her out."
   Jade gets shoved into one of the Kooks and they boot her out forcefully.
   "You come back in here and you'll regret it," one of the boys says.
   With perfect timing, Jade raises her middle finger.
   "What's going on in there?" a deep male voice asks.
   Jade turns around and sees a security guard. She answers genuinely, "they're fighting." 

Author's Note: 
If you like this part, be sure to give it a vote! Byeeeeeeee!
   ~ SHIELD-Avenger