CHAPTER THREE - TOO HOT TO HANDLE

France – Present Day

“Wow, Jaden, your story sounds like something out of a movie!” Gustave said with his eyes opened wide.

“Gustave, that was just the opening scene. I was told not to talk about the incident to anyone, but with Loop News the entire faculty knew about it by the time I arrived at school with my freshly minted body guard in tow. My inner circle of friends wanted to know the details, but of course I would not talk about the stained pants or how shaken I was. Sitting at the back of the lecture theatre, I felt the gentle touch and turned to see Lisa. I can still hear her voice…”

Jamaica – 1990’s

“Hi, Jaden!” she said, “Are you ok? I was worried about you based on what I had heard on the grapevine.”

I was speechless for a minute or two. I could not believe that she actually came over to me. We chatted for over an hour about the incident and it felt so comfortable talking to her as if we had been friends for ever. I felt so relaxed and as if several loads left off my shoulder. Lisa was so easy to talk to and the conversation flowed; I can still hear her laughter till this day. This was why Antonio had been so protective about Lisa, she was really genuine. We spoke about almost everything and it was as if the theatre was empty. We spoke about family, our dreams and aspirations upon completing college, If the incident had not taken place, I possibly would not have had the chance to exchange words with her. We made a connection and she gave me her number and I can still remember it even now.

France –present day

“So, Jaden out of one man’s pain comes another’s joy and out of death came life,” as Gustave’s face lit up.

Gustave’s voice snapped Jaden back to the present.

“Gustave, my boy until this day I had no idea that those words would come back to haunt the McNamara family.”