hand. ‘Maybe we could go to Mum’s next?’
‘Of course, Tay.’ She gave him a smile before letting his hand go and stepping towards Becky’s grave. There was a little vase at the base, incorporated into the headstone. Jaz put in the flower and said a silent hello. How much different would their life be if Becky had lived? There were enough people dying from disease and medical conditions, let alone from man-made deaths like drugs and gang wars. Jaz hoped that her message inside the flower would some how be the start of something amazing. Something to be proud of and something that would help many others. She couldn’t save Becky from her fate, or Taylor’s mum, but she could certainly try her best to save others.
‘See you next time, Becky. I’ll be back,’ she said before turning to Taylor. ‘Come on, let’s go visit your mum.’
Chapter 7
It was Tuesday afternoon and school was nearly over for another day. Jaz lent her arm on her desk and flinched as her grazed elbow connected with it. Damn skateboard. She much preferred fighting; bruises didn’t bleed and scab.
Jaz had been toying with the idea of texting Marcus, not wanting to leave it too long in case he forgot her, when she felt her phone vibrate in class. They were supposed to be using the last ten minutes to finish their essay but Jaz couldn’t concentrate. Luckily her teacher was working back through her notes, so while her head was down she slipped her phone out of her pocket and read her message.
I’m hoping you haven’t lost my lucky shirt?
Jaz felt a grin spread across her face as she realised it was Marcus. He may be her target but she found herself keen to catch up with him again.
With a glance at her teacher, she typed out a reply.
What lucky shirt? Do I know you?
She waited half a second before sending another message.
Haha just kidding. Can you afford the ransom price???
Depends what it is? Where r u now?
At school for the next few minutes.
Me too. What class?
English. ZZZZ
LOL Better than calculus. Wanna meet & talk terms of ransom price?
The siren went, and Jaz hurried to stash her things away in her bag and rush out the door with her classmates, like fish escaping a torn net. Jaz leaned against a wall, as students filtered out the hallway to the exit, to continue texting.
Sure, why not.
Cottesloe Arch Monument, it’s by the car park. Meet you in 20? I’ll bring coffee.
Sweet.
‘Why are you smiling like that?’
Jaz glanced up to see Anna and Ricky standing in front of her. They were holding hands, but Ricky was standing back, trying to be invisible.
‘Hi Ricky,’ she said, in her nicest voice. He nodded and half waved back. Was he scared of her? Her reputation wasn’t that bad. Was it?
‘Was that Ryan?’ Anna asked.
‘Um, no. I wish.’ Jaz’s smile fell from her lips.
‘Oh sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you. I’m going home to Ricky’s place. What are you doing now?’ said Anna.
‘I’m going to go to The Ring, as usual.’ Jaz wasn’t ready to mention Marcus yet. Maybe she wouldn’t have to. For now, Jaz wanted to keep it quiet for as long as possible. Things would only get harder when they collided.
‘Okay. Hey, is Tay alright? He hasn’t been replying to my texts.’
‘Yeah, as far as I know. He’s playing basketball with the guys this arvo so he’s probably just preoccupied.’ But Jaz realised he hadn’t replied to any of hers today either.
‘That must be it,’ said Anna as she turned back to Ricky. ‘ See ya, Jaz.’
‘Catch ya tomorrow.’ Anna and Ricky headed to the bus stop, hand in hand.
Jaz checked her watch, a big silver dial on a leather band. Twenty minutes was not long enough to dump her schoolbag at home, change and get to Cottesloe. She’d just have to go as is. Jaz went around the corner to wait for a different bus on the other side of the road and hoped it wasn’t late.
Twenty-five mintues later she found Marcus standing by the large pine tree beside the
‘Of course, Tay.’ She gave him a smile before letting his hand go and stepping towards Becky’s grave. There was a little vase at the base, incorporated into the headstone. Jaz put in the flower and said a silent hello. How much different would their life be if Becky had lived? There were enough people dying from disease and medical conditions, let alone from man-made deaths like drugs and gang wars. Jaz hoped that her message inside the flower would some how be the start of something amazing. Something to be proud of and something that would help many others. She couldn’t save Becky from her fate, or Taylor’s mum, but she could certainly try her best to save others.
‘See you next time, Becky. I’ll be back,’ she said before turning to Taylor. ‘Come on, let’s go visit your mum.’
Chapter 7
It was Tuesday afternoon and school was nearly over for another day. Jaz lent her arm on her desk and flinched as her grazed elbow connected with it. Damn skateboard. She much preferred fighting; bruises didn’t bleed and scab.
Jaz had been toying with the idea of texting Marcus, not wanting to leave it too long in case he forgot her, when she felt her phone vibrate in class. They were supposed to be using the last ten minutes to finish their essay but Jaz couldn’t concentrate. Luckily her teacher was working back through her notes, so while her head was down she slipped her phone out of her pocket and read her message.
I’m hoping you haven’t lost my lucky shirt?
Jaz felt a grin spread across her face as she realised it was Marcus. He may be her target but she found herself keen to catch up with him again.
With a glance at her teacher, she typed out a reply.
What lucky shirt? Do I know you?
She waited half a second before sending another message.
Haha just kidding. Can you afford the ransom price???
Depends what it is? Where r u now?
At school for the next few minutes.
Me too. What class?
English. ZZZZ
LOL Better than calculus. Wanna meet & talk terms of ransom price?
The siren went, and Jaz hurried to stash her things away in her bag and rush out the door with her classmates, like fish escaping a torn net. Jaz leaned against a wall, as students filtered out the hallway to the exit, to continue texting.
Sure, why not.
Cottesloe Arch Monument, it’s by the car park. Meet you in 20? I’ll bring coffee.
Sweet.
‘Why are you smiling like that?’
Jaz glanced up to see Anna and Ricky standing in front of her. They were holding hands, but Ricky was standing back, trying to be invisible.
‘Hi Ricky,’ she said, in her nicest voice. He nodded and half waved back. Was he scared of her? Her reputation wasn’t that bad. Was it?
‘Was that Ryan?’ Anna asked.
‘Um, no. I wish.’ Jaz’s smile fell from her lips.
‘Oh sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you. I’m going home to Ricky’s place. What are you doing now?’ said Anna.
‘I’m going to go to The Ring, as usual.’ Jaz wasn’t ready to mention Marcus yet. Maybe she wouldn’t have to. For now, Jaz wanted to keep it quiet for as long as possible. Things would only get harder when they collided.
‘Okay. Hey, is Tay alright? He hasn’t been replying to my texts.’
‘Yeah, as far as I know. He’s playing basketball with the guys this arvo so he’s probably just preoccupied.’ But Jaz realised he hadn’t replied to any of hers today either.
‘That must be it,’ said Anna as she turned back to Ricky. ‘ See ya, Jaz.’
‘Catch ya tomorrow.’ Anna and Ricky headed to the bus stop, hand in hand.
Jaz checked her watch, a big silver dial on a leather band. Twenty minutes was not long enough to dump her schoolbag at home, change and get to Cottesloe. She’d just have to go as is. Jaz went around the corner to wait for a different bus on the other side of the road and hoped it wasn’t late.
Twenty-five mintues later she found Marcus standing by the large pine tree beside the
Similar Books
