14. SELF-PROTECTION

There wasn't really a way to describe how a roller coaster went. It could go as low as a valley to as high as a mountain. Depending on how people would see it, the top of the rollercoaster could mean great glory, but some, just some, see it as a closer way to the afterlife, as it goes up the sky.

"Niel, right?" Ashton interrupted Niel, who had stopped his smile and was watching Jayce walk out of the court.

Niel nodded.

"You were the one who offered Jayce the student council partnership last time right?"

He nodded in reply.

"So you were with Jayce here before I arrived?" Ashton asked.

Niel nodded.

"Is nodding your only language?"

"I'm sorry," Niel said, stepping down the bench, "I think I have a much more important job than to answer your questions," he walked past Ashton when he grabbed his arm.

"She prefers to be alone," Ashton said, "Her decisions are never wrong,"

~~~

"Who are the Walkers?" Amber asked.

Jayce raised a brow as she stepped in the dorm, "Where did you hear that?"

"Eric,"

She didn't reply.

"Turns out he was just using me for you," Amber said, "Did you know that?"

"I don't believe in pitiful things called love at first sight,"

"You spoiled everything," she said, "All I wanted was to have a perfect life at the new school, and you ruined it,"

"And I'll take it all to blame," Jayce said, "Kill me if you want to because I am guilty. I am to be blamed,"

"All your words, all your little words, and you would do it again. Your petty reason for your little trauma on doing this is highly ridiculous. Get over you darn trauma," Amber started yelling, with Jayce just looking at her, "It affects everyone, get over it or get out of my life before you ruin it more."

Jayce stayed quiet, taking in all the words from her sister's mouth.

"Say something," Amber said, furrowing.

"What do you expect me to say?" Jayce replied, "You have the right to say all that to me. My irrational decisions triggered by my trauma, my decisions that destroyed your life. I should go back to therapy but I don't want to. What do you expect me to do? I'm trying to freaking survive, Amber,"

"And you think I'm not trying to survive? I have no boyfriend or girlfriend, and someone used me," she yelled back, "That's pain,"

"And I said I'm sorry," Jayce stated, "It's up to you if you want to accept or not,"

~~~

Time moved very slowly since that day. But it seemed everyone had talked in their own personal ways.

Ashton and his friends were quietly ignored, and Kimberly was sent to trial on it.

There wasn't a certain number of years she would be sentenced with, and that made Ashton worry, while the DNA results came back positive.

And ever since it did, there was no time Jayce could think off when Harrison and Ashton interacted with each other ever again.

The twins ignored each other, and Jayce went stiffer and quieter than usual. Her scores in literature dropped, while Ashton's scores in all his subjects increased.

It would've been the basketball club audition that week as well, and she felt unprepared with her practice time cut off by her delusional thinking, and how her insomnia had dropped her strength on it.

The audition would take place in the afternoon, and it was Science period with chemistry. Ashton hated it in his heart.

Ms Dot was the teacher, and she was one of the oldest teachers in the school.

"I will be making this task as paired partners," she said, "Analyze the samples given and answer them on a sheet of paper, first pair to get them all correct will receive plus marks in their examinations,"

Ashton raised a brow, looking at both his friends, then for no reason, looked at Jayce on the other end of the classroom, who Niel was approaching. He furrowed.

They had decided to work together, and Jayce just wanted the extra points.

"So uh-" Ashton couldn't finish his sentence when a girl's voice broke in.

"Eric," Amber said, "Can we be partners?"

Eric knitted his brows.

"Can we try once more? I'm sure you can literally be just like me truly," she begged. Begged.

Ashton raised a brow, along with Jaxon.

Jayce saw her sister from across, and she gave the exact look like Ashton.

"Amber," Jayce warned. She was trying to keep her sister from getting into one relationship no one wanted.

"Look, I know I'm evil for what I did, so why the hell do you still want to try again?" Eric said, rather quietly.

"It's just..." Amber pouted, "I think I deserve you...?"

Jayce stood up from her chair and grabbed Amber's hand, "Go sit with Niel, I'm not doing the task anyways,"

Ashton flustered, "What?" he said in a surprised tone. She wanted the academic validation, she always had.

"That's something of you," Amber said, "You want something?"

"I have to go somewhere," Jayce replied, "Go sit with Niel before I drag you to him,"

"Where?" Ashton asked, and she was confused on why he did.

"Repaying a debt," she replied, then asked Ms Dot for permission.

As Jayce left, Amber gave a frowning look to Eric then turned around and sat next to Niel. Ashton gave out a sigh, "Ms Dot would be alright if we're in a trio I think,"

"I don't even care about my grades anymore, Ash," Eric sighed, "Does Amber even have common sense?"

Jaxon shrugged, and the three started doing their work, while Ashton was still thinking about what debt Jayce was talking about.

~~~

Jayce arrived back at school at around lunch, and Ashton saw her going down a taxi in front of the gates.

And even if he didn't make eye contact with her, she approached him anyway.

He flinched when she poked his forearm, grabbing his attention.

He knitted his brows as a joke and turned around, "What?"

She had a brown envelope in her hand, then lent it out to him.

"What's this? Cheat sheet?" he snorted, taking the brown envelope which felt like anything but papers of cheats, "No, what actually is this?"

"My debt," Jayce replied casually.

"Debt?" Ashton furrowed, "What debt?"

Jayce pursed her lips into a thin smile, "Your mother wanted to bribe my dad," she explained teasingly, "He took the money as more evidence for her charges," she stated, "I've asked the reports of your mother's case from my dad to make sure everything went well, this is your mother's money in return,"

"Which technically means it's your money, my mom's money is with the police," Ashton casually said, "Is your sorry in the form of money?" he clenched his jaw.

Jayce's expression gloomed, "Money is weak, there's no way I'm using that as my weapon,"

"Oh, it's a weapon now?"

"I've explained that I'm sorry," she replied, "It's not up to me if you're gonna accept it or not,"

Ashton lent back the money to Jayce, "No thank you,"

Jayce didn't accept the money back, "Fine," she said, "Then I will promise you, to prove my apology, that I will die earlier than you,"

Ashton flinched at the word 'die'. Black smoke. And he would know when she would die. He would know, and she wouldn't.

"Stop with the words 'die'," Ashton said, "It could come true,"

"And wouldn't you be more happy with that?" Jayce asked.

He winced.

"Take the money," she said, "I don't care where it goes or what you'll use it for,"

She left him in there, and Ashton gave a small thought before putting the money in his locker.

~~~

"Hey, Niel," Jayce greeted him at the canteen, "How was Amber?"

Niel smiled, "We didn't really do anything,"

Jayce raised a brow, in confusion, and felt awful towards him, "Amber didn't want to help?"

"No," Niel immediately said, "I just didn't understand it too,"

"Oh," she chuckled back, "I thought Amber didn't want to do it,"

"I think we pretty much failed," Niel grinned back.

Ashton looked from afar, furrowing.

"You seem to have a weird-damn complex with how you're treating Jayce," Jaxon said, his mouth full of corn.

Ashton turned around and scowled, "Didn't we have a Niel in our basketball team ages ago?"

"Don't ring a bell," Eric replied.

"Didn't we have that one kid who made us lose the inter-school basket championships like 2 years ago?" Jaxon queried.

Ashton shrugged.

"There was this one kid who failed to catch the ball and the other team took it instead. That was literally just a prelims," Jaxon continued.

Ashton shook his head, not ringing a bell, "And plus, we have nothing else to be done with the two twins,"

"I still have," Eric replied, "Amber's still chasing my tail. Like, bro, I'm gay,"

"Yeah, you should tell her that," Ashton responded.

"She'll probably try and pray to the heavens to make me bi or straight or something," he frowned, "I'm pretty sure there are other boys and girls out there better than me,"

"Sorry for all the things I actually put you through," Ashton said, sipping his juice, "Jayce really came in and chose violence,"

From the corner of his eye, Jayce and Niel, along with Amber, sat in one table. With Jayce chatting with Niel, and Amber, just frowning, her mind clouded with Eric. Eric. Eric.

~~~

After lunch, and everyone was rushing here and about before class started, Jayce received a text message from Principal Harrison. A student council meeting of the fund-raising, which she had completely forgotten.

She saw Ashton from across her, chatting with a boy she didn't know. They were having the chat of their lives.

"Excuse me," Jayce broke in.

Ashton raised a brow, either in confusion or excitement to see Jayce there.

"Sorry, Max," Ashton said, standing up properly, "President Jayce here needs to talk about some things, I'll see you later,"

Max smiled and nodded, then walked away.

"Who's that?"

"I'm starting off a vibe," Ashton replied, a grin planted on his face.

"A vibe?" she furrowed.

"I want to start having serious relationships,"

"A relationship isn't going to be serious if you put it as a plural," Jayce replied.

"Depends,"

"So, Max," Jayce started.

"Maximillian," Ashton corrected.

"Right, whatever, Maximillian," she started, "You want him as your first 'serious relationship'?"

Ashton nodded like a puppy in joy.

"Oh," she said. It wasn't a shocking way, it was some sort of a short but staggered and lost way.

"Now that's out of your list of questions," Ashton said, "What's your main point in asking for me?"

"Harrison's asking to see us both," she replied.

"What about let's do it like this?" Ashton said, turning Jayce around and holding her by the two shoulders, "You go to the door right there, get out, and then get to the principal's office, and report back to me what he said?" he queried mischievously.

Jayce clicked her tongue and grabbed his hand, turning around and twisting it. He yelped, "Isn't that what I should be telling you to do?"

"Please, this once?" he pleaded, using baby eyes.

"The truth is still the truth, Ashton," Jayce sighed, "Harrison is still your dad,"

"He's not my dad,"

"Then just think that he isn't. Think that we're going to the principal's office, not your dad's," she said, trying to let it all down.

"That is a genius idea, president," Ashton exclaimed.

"You sound like a 5-year-old after getting a toy," Jayce said, furrowing.

He wanted to say all the things. That she was always correct.

"I'm just glad,"

"Why? Because of the money?"

She did give him half of the money in her bank account.

"I'll repay it in the future,"

"No, you won't," Jayce said, "I'm not your mother,"

~~~

Harrison tensed as the two entered his office. He didn't know what he should expect but he was just there.

"Principal Harrison, you called," Jayce said.

"Yes," he cleared his throat, "Yes, I did, please sit," he stood up and sat on the couch in front of his desk.

The two sat opposite of him.

"The fund-raising school we will go to is called Joy Primary School, quite far from here, out of town definitely. We'll be leaving around next week, on October 6,"

Ashton flinched at the words, "Until what time?"

Harrison flustered, "Probably night, it's a long drive,"

"Oh," he said in a sigh.

Jayce knitted her brows. There was a tone in him saying he didn't like it.

"Okay, Principal, we understand. We'll leave now for classes, thank you," Jayce said.

The two stood up and walked out of the room, with Ashton's face still folded.

~~~

"What's wrong?" she immediately asked, "Is October 6 something bad for you?"

Yes, Ashton thought, Eric dies that day.

"It's just," he started, unable to speak, "It's nothing,"

"Hell yeah, it isn't," she flustered, "It is something,"

"It's just my birthday,"

"You want cupcakes?" Jayce asked, "That's why you're mad,"

"No," Ashton immediately said, "Just- It's fine," he sighed, and then walked away, fist clenched. He needed another way of getting Eric safe.

~~~

After school, everyone assembled for the basketball club auditions.

Brenda sat at the bench, looking at Jayce. Maybe she should've taken her words back.

"Hey," she stood up, "You're joining the club?"

Jayce nodded, "Yeah,"

"I'm team captain,"

"I know,"

"Oh," Brenda pursed her lips, "Well, girls are up first, so you can- you know, go,"

Ashton, Eric and Jaxon sat at the other end of the bench, with Eric and Jaxon hyped up, and Ashton gleaned as hell.

Amber sat on top of the bench, with Niel, but they barely talked, although Niel always wanted to start a conversation, but she didn't.

"Ashton," Jaxon called, "Bro, you need to wake up, bro,"

"What?" Ashton shook his head, snapping out of it.

"You're the captain of the basketball club, you need to literally do focus on picking the members," Eric said.

"Right,"

The game of the girls for team A began. The team that won wouldn't be the ones who would enter the basketball team, instead, the people who worked hard for points and had fine skills that Ashton would see, would be the ones entering it. 5 players were in each team, and there were 2 separate teams. Each year they would need to find 10 players, crossing out Brenda, then 9.

Jayce took the ball at ease, and dribbled it across the court. Ashton's mind was still cloudy, but somehow, there was a point where it became clear when she shot upon the hoop.

1:0

"Okay, bro, forget about all your rough feelings, she'd be useful in championships," Jaxon said, talking about Jayce.

Another shot went with another girl, and Jayce, the girl who couldn't see someone above her, was not having it.

1:1

Jayce took the next shot, and the next few others. And Ashton sat there knowing that he should've been looking at the others as well.

The game was short to avoid a lengthy amount of time used. It ended with a 6:3.

"Ashton," Eric called, "Who?"

"Oh," he staggered, "Um, Jayce," he stated first, "And uh, right," he was definitely not paying attention on the rest of the girls, "Uh,"

Jayce flustered, knitting her brows. Acted like a 5-year-old, and now talking like a 5-year-old.

Brenda broke in, noticing the amount of time Ashton was taking to say the other 3 names for team A, which included her, "Sierra," she started, "Lizzie, Melanie and Yvonne, thank you and welcome,"

Ashton nodded, silently thanking Brenda. She gave him a look, along with Jayce.

He pursed his lips in frustration with everything that happened.

~~~

The basketball audition ended, with Niel following Jayce around, and congratulating her.

"Thanks, Niel," Jayce said.

"The fact that Ashton immediately said your name means that you're amazing!" Niel exclaimed.

She chuckled in a low voice.

Amber had gone back to the dorm earlier, with all the mood swings she had.

The two were walking back to the dorm building, with a lot of people along with them.

Before Jayce went up to her room, Niel stopped her, then took out something from his jacket's pocket. A small unicorn plushie.

Jayce winced.

"This is for you," Niel said, "I sewed it myself,"

"Oh," Jayce gasped, "Really?"

"Yes," Niel lent it to Jayce, "Take it,"

Jayce pursed her lips into a smile, and took it, "Thanks,"

"Welcome,"

Ashton, who had been watching with mouth open in disgust from the other side of the lounge, didn't know if it was just that the unicorn was ugly as heck or that it was jealousy. But he didn't have to lie, the unicorn was ugly anyways.

Jayce went up to her dorm and placed the unicorn on her study table.

"From?" Amber asked.

"Niel,"

"Congratulations, prom queen," she groaned.

Jayce ignored her sister.

Not getting a boyfriend or girlfriend for Amber was never Jayce's fault anyways.

But Amber, she was joyful. Soon, it would be her happiness of seeing Jayce going crazy.

~~~

A few days later, with an early morning, Jayce was on her way to meet Ashton from the principal's office for his signature. They were meeting in the yard of the school building.

It was in fact that the foundation fell back into the Walkers' hands, but they remained funding the school. Jayce probably did enough threatening to them to do so.

"You called for me?" Ashton asked, rather irritated, still thinking of the darn ugly unicorn.

"Sign here for the fund-raising agreement," Jayce lent out the paper and pen towards him.

He signed the paper and lifted the pen, "Want one more autograph on your book?"

"For?"

"You just met a celebrity, come on," he groaned.

"Keep dreaming," she said.

She took the paper and pen from his hand and turned around, to walk to the classroom, and Ashton was about to follow as well, when she dropped the papers suddenly.

"Jayce?" Ashton queried.

She froze right in front of him. And without answering his question, she left her fallen papers and ran away behind him and went up the janitor's stairs, as if someone was chasing her.

"Jayce-" Ashton froze when he saw what she had seen before.

Someone that looked just like her. Someone he recognised.

A woman, in a coat, with a freckled face and wrinkly skin, with emerald eyes and a sharp look. She approached him, "Hello, there, boy," she greeted him with a smile.

He gulped, unable to respond.

"I'm Nadia Brooks, and I was told my daughters are here. Do you happen to know Jayce and Amber Brooks?"