• CHAPTER 11

    I was back on James’s Jeep Cherokee’s passenger seat. I decided to skip school today and accompany him to his last session. All this time I’d been leaning against the car door just thinking about Nick and how he just pressed charges against James and didn’t even tell me. Well he tried to tell me but... Nick has the right to press charges. There’s nothing I can do about it. I sighed. James stopped singing the song the radio was playing and turned to look at me worriedly. He turned back to the road and cleared his throat.
    “What’s on your mind, Jade?” He asked in a forced tone. As if it had taken him all his strength to talk to me.
    “Nothing. I was just thinking how stupid Nick is.”
    “What? Jade, no. Nick had the right to do what he did. I’m not happy. Of course I’m not. But there’s nothing I can do about it. He’s right. I did wrong and I deserve to suffer the consequences.” He said matter-of-factly.
    “Still…” I turned my gaze back at the passing city and sighed again.
    “Jade…” He began. “I just want you to know that… I don’t know what’s going to happen today but… I’m glad you’re coming with me…” He smiled. He squeezed my hand reassuringly. Just then I received a text message. I pulled my phone from my bag and flipped it open.
    Nick. We need 2 tlk ASAP. “Who’s that?” James asked. My face must’ve looked really pale because James’s worried look was unmistakable. I gulped.
    “N-Nothing… just one of those messages from AT&T. You know…” He chuckled.
    “Yeah. I hate those too.”

    * * *

    James kept driving ‘till we reached a part of the town I’d never been too. It was evidently far away from home and the difference was obvious. I could see how the outside slowly morphed into something eerie. Finally James took a left turn and slowed down. As he looked for an empty spot to park the car, I looked at this ghostlike town. The streets were bare and I saw a car with no doors, on blocks, parked in front of an abandoned shop which windows were covered in newspapers. James stopped and backed up as he managed the car into the right position once he found an available space.

    We got out of the car and James fed the parking meter.
    “It’s useless.” A hoarse voice spoke from behind. James and I turned simultaneously and saw an old lady in rags pushing a shopping cart with… what is that? “That parking meter has been broken for years. Fools the one who still waste their money there.” What was up with this lady? She makes feeding parking meters sound like a forbidden curse or voodoo. “Mustn’t worry about cops. They don’t come down here often.” James chuckled.
    “I noticed but…” He dropped another coin and to our surprise, the meter worked. “I’ve been coming here for days now and the meter has worked just fine.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the ragged old lady. She muttered something but I didn’t hear her. We walked one block down until we reached a building with no signs. Just the numbers 6478 above the door. Next to it was a bigger sign with only three names and suite numbers listed and the rest of the board was blank. The building looked so deserted. I looked around at the quarter district I’d been brought too and made a mental note to never return. James didn’t even glance at the board. He pressed the number key on the intercom just below the sign and a dial tone rang. He pressed for numbers and it rang.
    “Yes?” A female voice asked.
    “James Hunter. I have an appointment with Dr. Taylor today.” The female voice didn’t reply. A buzzer rang and James pulled the door open. It was a shot inside as it was on the outside. There was an empty desk near the entrance and I heard the buzzing sound a mosquito light somewhere. It was a narrow floor. The stairs were in one side but the hall kept on. There was an office the left but it was dark and the glass doors were cracked. I assumed nobody goes there anymore. It smelled like dust and the walls had a yucky yellow coat to them. Like mustard.

    Suddenly, discussing parking meters with the creepy lady outside didn’t seem so bad after all.

    “Wanna take the elevator or are the stairs fine with you?” I looked at the stairs. They looked as dreadful and depressing as the rest of the town. I walked towards them and James fallowed.

    The building only had five floors and we were going to the fourth one. When we reached the fourth floor, I realized how small it all was. Exactly four walls. The first one was the doorway to the staircase. To our left was the elevator and to the right was unisex bathroom. And lastly, across from us was a glass door with drapes behind it. James rang the buzzer and the door clicked open.

    It was like entering another dimension. The walls inside were painted in bright colors and décor was very attractive. In here, you’d never expect the outside was so… shabby. It was out of place. The room was small but cozy. James sat in one of the leather brown chairs and I sat next to him. Across him was the receptionist typing in the computer. She was a pretty blonde with green eyes just like James. She smiled warmly at him and placed a clip board on the upper desk. James stood up and signed. She looked at me questioningly and then back at James. He nodded and she smiled, finishing their silent conversation. She looked at me, smiling again and nodded. I smiled back. She seemed so friendly and I didn’t even know her. She stood up with a single file and walked in through a door to who knows were.
    “That’s Lizabeth. Everyone calls her Lizz. She’s the receptionist.” James whispered to me once he sat back down. I rolled my eyes like I always did when someone says something obvious. Lizz walked back inside and sat down behind her desk and continued typing.
    “She’ll be with you in a few minutes, James.” Lizz said without glancing at him. Her voice was so soft, so sweet, just like her looks. It had a southern ring to it too.
    “HUNTER!!! GET IN HERE!!!” A voice bellowed from the back. Lizz chuckled and James sighed. He gestured a c’mon with his hand and I stood up and fallowed him to the door Lizz had disappeared into a few minutes ago. A small hall with a few portraits and two doors. The first one was open and it had a small table, a sink, a mini fridge, and a microwave inside.
    “HURRY IT UP, HUNTER!!! I DON’T HAVE ALL DAY!!!” He opened the closed one and the bright light stunned me for a minute. And there she was, wearing a tight office skirt with matching jacket.

    I’ll never forget that day.