Paige Trouble

Chapter 129

I saw the incoming call—it was Missy. I picked up.

"Hey Jake."

"Hello Missy."

"How you doing?" she asked.

"Great, but not better than you, from what I can hear on your side." I could hear music in the background—it sounded like she was at a party.

"Yeah... but I need your help. I don't know anyone else who can help."

"Okay… I'm listening."

"Paige is here. She's drunk, she's high, and from what Sheldon told me, she said her life is terrible. I'm trying to find her, but I don't know what to do after…"

I paused for a moment, thinking about it, then replied, "I can help. Where are you?"

"Near Caltech."

"I'll be there in about forty minutes. I'm in Santa Monica."

---

I told Mom I was helping a friend and would head to Malibu afterward. I got into my four-seater car with two bodyguards. Another two were driving the Rolls-Royce behind us. Plus, we had a van with four more. Since I got richer, I increased the number of bodyguards. For the company, I kept eight—Pepper had four. 24 hours a day.

"They're over there," I said when I spotted Missy and Sheldon.

The driver parked nearby, and I stepped out.

"Hello guys."

"Jake!" Missy said with a smile.

"What is he doing here?" Sheldon muttered to Missy.

"Good to see you too, C-3PO," I said casually.

"I called him," Missy replied, then came over and hugged me. "Thanks for coming."

"So, where's Paige?" I asked.

"We found her, then lost her again…" Missy said, looking frustrated.

"What was she wearing?" I asked Sheldon, knowing his eidetic memory would kick in.

"Burgundy top, had a plaid jacket tied around her waist, some sort of necklace..."

"Okay, that's enough." I grabbed my walkie-talkie and repeated Sheldon's description to the team. "Start searching for her."

Missy gave me a questioning look.

"I came with bodyguards—they'll find her."

"So, what are you doing here, Missy?" I asked while we waited.

"A friend of mine has a sister studying near here. She invited us to the party," Missy explained.

"And your parents let you come?" I raised an eyebrow.

"No. I said I was sleeping over at Heather's place."

"Classic," I said with a smirk.

A few minutes later, my walkie-talkie buzzed.

"Looks like they found her," I said. "She's in front of a house nearby."

---

When I arrived, I saw a guy talking to Paige.

"Hey, do you know how old she is?" I asked the guy.

"She said she was eighteen," he replied.

"Try lower."

"Sixteen?"

"Lower."

"I gotta go," the guy said and quickly vanished.

"Why did you do that?" Paige asked.

"Hello to you too, Paige," I said. "You messed with me on my 13th birthday. Now we're quits," I shrugged.

Truth is, I just saved that guy from a big problem. I looked at Paige. Your life might be hell, but that's no reason to bring others with you.

Paige huffed but said, "Nice to see you, Jake."

I gave her a quick hug.

"So, did they call you to fix me?" she asked sarcastically.

"Fix you? No, I came to the party," I answered, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Six teens arrived—four guys, and two girls. Looked like football players and cheerleaders. One of my security guys hired them so we could party without drawing attention. If I walked in with bodyguards, it'd be too much.

"These six are our ticket to every party," I told Missy, then grinned. "Come on, it's 9:30 p.m.—too early to shut down the night. Let's party."

We hopped from one house to another.

At one of them, Marshmello's new track Time of My Life was blasting. I sang along, watching Missy and Paige dance.

♪But I got just enough to get off this club… ♪

If any idiot tried anything with them, one of the guys we brought gave them a solid shoulder bump as a warning

Then another track played:

♪I've been reading books of old, the legends and the myths... ♪

The girls turned to me.

"That's you!" they yelled, hugging me.

We danced more, laughing.

---

After a few hours, we decided to call it a night and said goodbye to the six.

"Hey, if you need to do it again, call," one of them said.

"Yeah, easiest money I ever got," said another.

"You bet!" I replied with a nod.

I looked at the four of us—Paige visibly drunk, Missy a little giddy, Sheldon looking like he'd just left a war zone.

"Are you hungry? Because I am."

We ended up at a nearby diner.

After we ate, Paige looked at me.

"So, did you make me drink more to kiss me?"

I flicked her forehead.

"You know I'd kiss you even if I were sober."

I flicked her again.

She covered her forehead, wronged.

I murmured, "It was cooler in anime. Real life is kind of lame..."

"Come here, girl," I said, opening my arms.

"At the end, you still want a kiss," she said playfully.

Flick.

This time, I was serious. "A friend hug. You really need one," I said while hugging her tightly.

"Now you're being lame," she muttered.

"I'm here for you," I said.

"Now you're being cringe."

"I'm here for you," I repeated.

She stayed in my arms for a long moment, then started crying.

I could feel my shirt getting damp and her hands clutching my tee.

"Life can sucks, you know," she said.

I patted her head.

She cried more. Then, after a moment:

"I was there. I was at your birthday."

"And you didn't even say happy birthday?" I joked.

She pinched me, then continued, remembering the past (when she visited my house, after we met at Sheldon's)

"When we met again at your mom's house, I thought you were an idiot for not going to college."

"Then, at your birthday (14th), seeing you surrounded by friends... I never felt so much envy."

"That's why I went to Sheldon last time. I thought you wouldn't understand."

"Don't worry. I'm here for you now."

We stayed like that a while longer.

Sheldon and Missy were quietly watching. Sheldon didn't really get it.

Eventually, I said, "Let's go."

"To where?" Paige asked.

"My house. Look at this," I pointed at my shirt. "I'm all snorty—ewww."

She gave me a light punch. "Shut up, idiot."

I tilted my head toward Missy and Sheldon.

Missy tugged Sheldon sleeve. "We're coming too?" Asked him

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