Beneath The Blackwood Sky | ✓

Chapter Twenty: Get a Life, Man

THE SHRILL RINGING OF PHONE INTERRUPTED HER DREAMS, and Jade woke up wild-eyed as she groped for her cellphone. Knowing that she wouldn't find it, she sat up straighter and glanced at the bedside table, grabbing the things which disturbed her sleep.

She tapped on the phone screen, causing her to close her eyes immediately and squint closely until her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the phone. It was at the lowest and Jade still found it too bright to look at.

She scrolled through the call log and found two missed calls from her mother.

Jade jumped out of the bed as she called back, and her mother lifted it even before the first ring started. Well, someone's worried, Jade thought to herself. She glanced at the bedside clock as she sat on the edge of the bed. It was ten 'o'clock. That was late for people like Rose and Shay, but it was early for Jade.

"Jade?" Her mom's clear voice filled her ear, soothing her. Jade nodded as she found herself relaxing and smiling, but realized her mother couldn't see her. "Good morning mom," she said. Her mother replied and talked to her, her voice steady as a lighthouse. She was the only mother Jade had ever known: loving, worried and caring. She wasn't her biological mother but was as good as one, even better.

Even in her morning haze, Jade could tell that her mother was trying to keep the worry out of her voice and to chat cheerfully, but was horribly failing at it. "Mom?" Jade interrupted her mid-sentence. "You sound worried. What is it? Is everything alright? Are you sick? Dad is? Should I—" With each question, Jade's voice rose higher and higher, thankfully her mother interrupted.

"No, no. Everything's alright. It's just that things at Blackwood are getting out of hand. All these suicides and kidnappings and mysterious disappearing, they are messing with my mind. I'm just worried about you." Jade tried to interrupt her but her mom cut her off. "I know what you are going to say. No. I want you to come back home, but I also want you to stay with Shay and Will. Just stay with them. Jessica and Nick are journalists and right now, they have more pressure and more work to do, and they have no choice but to work because that's what we have to do for a living. I'm very worried not only about you but about all of you kids. Jessica and Nick too would be worried sick about Shay and Will and I want you to keep them company but at the same time, I want you safe."

Again, Jade tried to interrupt her, but her mother didn't give her a chance. Her mom explained hastily, "Just stay with your friends. All the parents had a talk yesterday, you know? None of the parents had any problem with you guys staying at their house as we understand Jessica's and Nick's situation and turns out their boss is forcing them to stay for more time, as they are the best journalists in the team, and they have to stay away for more days."

Jade took in the news. It was hard on her friends. They missed their parents, and it would hurt them to know they wouldn't be home for more days.

Jade's mother sensed her feelings in the silence, just as she did every time. She sighed and explained patiently, "Jessica and Nick were devastated to know they can't be back for two more weeks and all the parents had no problem with our kids staying with Will and Shay because we understand the situation. Poor Jessica and Nick lost their loves and now, they can't even spend time with their children because of the pressure from their boss. Just stay safe okay Jade? All of you. Take care of Shay, Will, Theo, Kai, and Leo. Don't involve yourself into anything dangerous, please," her mother pleaded and Jade's eyes widened. Jade reassured her mother that they would be alright, wouldn't try anything dangerous.

The conversation then returned to a normal one, what are you eating, and stuff.

"Seriously, mom?" Jade screeched into her phone knowing how stupid her mother sounded. She asked if Jade was tired, and Jade replied that she had a slight stomach ache. Her mother disapprovingly commented: "Yeah, well, it's because you are on your phone all the time."