Blue Fire

Prologue

I look back on the summer before my first year of college and I don’t remember having fun, hanging out with friends, partying, or even working. What I remember is redrum. Murder for those of you who haven’t seen The Shining. Yes, murder. Murder, mystery, and confusion. Annoyance. Mostly at myself for not seeing it. I’m not saying I’m psychic like Morgan Rowlands from the Sweep series was, but I’ve been told I’m pretty clairvoyant. After all, the emerald is a stone that promotes truth and psychic insight. What? Stop staring at me like that.

Wow, you really have no idea what I’m talking about do you? Or maybe you have too much of an idea. Anyhow, I should probably start from the beginning.

Chapter One

I met Jade Pasquin the first day of high school. We sat across from each other in my first period English honors class. When our teacher, Ms. Renaldi, called roll, I noticed how embarrassed he was by his name. After all, Jade was an unusual name for a guy. Of course, it couldn’t be any worse than mine (Emerald Green… insert eye roll here). Anyhow, he was still embarrassed and that’s how we got to talking. I asked if he didn’t like his name and he’d replied that he’d gotten used to it. After a few weeks, we became really close. But it’s not what you’re thinking…I wasn’t interested in him at all. Although I do admit he was good looking with his short jet-black hair , jade colored eyes, and very tan skin, I just considered him my friend. The guy I was interested in….oh my God. Talk about really good-looking guys! His name was Dan Jamison and he was one of the hot sophomores in my high school. I’d talked to him a couple times and we’d flirted. I was hoping he would ask me to Homecoming. Okay, I’m getting off topic, sorry. The reason Jade and I became so close (besides having practically every class together) is because of one particular incident:

Miami, Florida, 2002

I was rummaging through my book bag for my homework when some frazzled senior bumped into me, knocking the contents of my book bag everywhere. Great. The second day of school and I’ve lost my homework and I’m going to be late for class... I thought. A few minutes later everything was finally back in my book bag…except the emerald crystal my mom had given me. Oh my God…I can’t lose that stone…I just can’t. It’s irreplaceable. While I frantically searched for the crystal, the late bell rang, just like I knew it would.

“Damn!” I cursed as I still couldn’t find it. I sank back against a locker, tears threatening to fall when I heard: “Is this yours?” I looked up and found myself reflected in Jade Pasquin’s jade colored eyes. He was holding my emerald! “Yes! Oh my---where did you find it?” I exclaimed, feeling relief flood my features.

“It was behind that locker over there,” he replied. He was pointing at locker 342, which was just out of my line of vision.

“Thank you so much,” I said.

“So what’s so important about that emerald?” he asked as we walked to Spanish class, which, unfortunately, was across campus.

“My mom gave it to me for my thirteenth birthday last year. She died about three months later because some idiot got behind the wheel when he was drunk. My mom taught me everything I know about my religion, Wicca. She gave me an emerald because of my name and because, as she said, ‘It will amplify your personality.’ It helps you to act, with psychic ability, truth, creativity, and relationships,” I told him.

“Wow…thanks for the lesson,” Jade began jokingly. “And I’m sorry about your mom,” he continued.

“Thanks, and I’m sorry, I know I get really into it when I’m talking about gemstones. They’re my favorite part of Wicca,” I said.

“No, it was interesting. So who do you live with, your dad? Or is he out of the picture?” said Jade.

“He’s out of the picture. I live with my grandma. What about you? You live with both your parents?” I inquired.

“Nah…I live with my mom. She’s been teaching me all she knows too. And look,” he said, rummaging in his bag for something. He came up with a jade gemstone the color of his eyes.

“My mom gave me this as well. She told me it would, in her words, ‘Bring out the confidence I know is in there somewhere.’ She also told me it was a lucky stone. She believes in the ‘mystical power’ of gemstones. She’s been teaching me about her religion, Wicca,” At this point, my jaw had practically hit the grass.

“What?” he asked. A slightly amused smile had spread across his face.

“Why didn’t you tell me you practiced Wicca before?” I asked, still in shock.
“Didn’t seem important,” he shrugged.

“No wonder you didn’t freak out or ask what it was when I mentioned Wicca before,” I said.

It was freaky how much we were alike. But I just didn’t see him in that ‘romantic’ light. Sometimes, I felt like he wished I did. But then I just told myself I was being silly.

Then the end of September came and October started. Homecoming month. The month of the Witches’ New Year, Samhain (pronounced Sow-en). It was my favorite time of the year. I started spending a lot of time with Dan (but not to the point where I ignored Jade, at least). I really liked him. But then, one day something weird happened. Dan was kissing me goodbye in the hallway one Wednesday when we suddenly heard Jade’s voice behind us. He told us to get a room. How cliché, I know, but… that’s what happened. I remember clasping my emerald crystal (that I had recently started wearing around my neck) in my hand wondering why I couldn’t get a read on Jade like I usually could. Then it hit me as he was walking away (and looked back at me) that he liked me. My goofy best friend liked me. And I didn’t like him back. Awkward that was. And yes, I watch too much Star Wars. Oh well. Yoda‘s cool. Anyways, Jade and I sort of stopped talking after that. And that’s when I got to know Diamond O’ Neal, a girl in my World History class (this was the one class I didn’t have with Jade). She’d sat in front of me since school started, but we hadn’t said too much to each other. Well, not much other than “Can I borrow a pen and/or pencil?” or “Do you have paper?” One day, when I was particularly sad about Jade (he had pretended I didn’t exist when I passed him in the hall that day. Major ouch.), Diamond asked me what had me so down. I told her about the whole Jade and Dan situation, but using the whole ‘my friend’ thing. Then she asked me who my friends were and it just sort of went from there. I wasn’t surprised that she thought they were both hot(insert smirk here). From there, we started to become friends. Since Jade was the only person I had really befriended since August, Diamond and I started hanging out a lot. We became as close as Jade and I once were.

So, a couple weeks later, Diamond and I were at the Homecoming game. Our school, the Solagua Makos, was playing the Miami High Spartans. We had been scanning for a place to sit when I saw Jade with her, the, um…“loosest” girl in our school, Loretta James. She was appropriately nicknamed ’Lo’. The two of them were sitting and laughing and I remember that my only thoughts were ‘Did he really think he would make me jealous with her?’ ‘Did he really think he’d forget about me by going to her? Please.’ Then I remember Diamond’s voice cutting into my thoughts:

“Yes, you are jealous. Now come on, I found a spot,”

I had given her my most annoyed look. “I’m not jealous,” I had said to her.

“Whatever you say…” Diamond had replied as we took our seats.

I will never forget what happened afterwards. Diamond and I were talking about the football team’s massacre of the Spartans (72-0!), and somehow we got on the subject of guys. She had asked me the week before (after I’d talked to Jade for the first time in a long time…which did no good, but anyways…) to ‘examine’ my feelings for Jade:

Miami, Florida, 2002

“Well, I guess we have something to celebrate now,” Diamond joked as we walked to the parking lot.

“Ya think?” I replied.

“So did you ever answer my question?” Diamond asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

I elbowed her and replied: “Yeah, I guess I have…I don’t like Jade that way…I just hope we can be friends again and that’s all,”

“I think you’re in denial,” Diamond smirked as we reached her car.

“I’ll see you later, Di,” I said, shrugging off her last comment.

I DON’T like Jade that way. I like Dan. He’s really sweet and funny and just fun to be around. And he’s taking me to Homecoming, not Jade.

Then this annoying little voice in the back of my head said: Diamond’s right. You’re only going with Dan because you’re in denial. I silenced this stupid little voice (which probably knew nothing at all anyway) by turning on my radio and blasting System of a Down’s “Toxicity” from the car stereo.

And then…it was time for the Homecoming dance. I don’t know if I’ll ever forget that dance:

Miami, Florida, 2002

It’s 7:45. Dan said he’d be here at seven. Where is he? What if he doesn’t come and I have to face Jade alone? Wait, what? What do I care about Jade? I should be more worried about my very late date. I’m contemplating calling Dan again, but I’ll probably just get the machine again.

Finally, I heard the doorbell ring and when I went to the door, I said with my best pissed off face: “You’re late,”

“Well that’s only because I wanted to give you these,” said Dan. My anger at his lateness completely melted when he brought a bouquet of yellow orchids(my favorite flower) from behind his back. Good Goddess, is he perfect or what?

“Wow…thank you,” I said before going into the kitchen to put the orchids in water. When I came back, he kissed me and said: “You look amazing,”

I guess I do look pretty good. I’m wearing a long, dark green dress that brings out my eyes along with my emerald necklace and matching earrings. I have my hair up with two pieces of curled strands falling in front of my face. Dan looks as sexy as usual. He was wearing a black suit with a dark blue shirt under it. The shirt brought out the tinge of blue in his dark eyes.

“Thanks. You do too,” I said.

We arrived at the dance twenty minutes later. When we walked in, I spotted Jade. With the school slut. Again.

“Anyone who comes here with Lo is either looking to get some or trying to make someone jealous. Don’t worry about it,” Dan said when he saw me staring at Jade and Loretta. So, a little later, I was having a really good time with Dan. We had danced to just about every song, talked, laughed…you know stuff like that. “Hot in Herre” by Nelly had just ended and Dan told me he was going to get something to drink. I used the time to go to the bathroom. Just as I was about to step into the hallway leading to the bathrooms, a hand grabbed me and pulled me into the shadows of the hallway’s entrance! I could faintly see the outline of a male figure standing in front of me and sincerely hoped we didn’t have rapists in our school.

“I miss you. I can’t stop thinking about you and I figure the only way I’ll ever be able to do this is now.” said an eerily familiar voice. Then the guy pressed his lips to mine!

“Mmph!” I squealed, trying to push him away from me. Then he wrapped his arms around me. His touch felt achingly familiar. His kiss made me feel like I had just drunk a tall cup of coffee: I was all jittery and my entire body had been woken up. I felt like I needed this person, was connected to this person, which was odd considering I didn’t even know who was kissing me. I soon felt myself kissing the person, whoever he was, back. When I did, I felt his desire, his need for me. A moan of pleasure involuntarily escaped my lips. Who was this guy? I knew a flush was creeping up my face. When he finally broke the kiss, my lips felt swollen. I hadn’t wanted him to stop. God, I’m a horrible girlfriend.

“Em…” he said, stroking my face with the back of his hand. Something on his neck reflected off the light coming from the ballroom where the dance was being held. I looked at it curiously and realized he was wearing a gold chain…with a piece of jade on it.

“Jade?” I asked, surprised. Although I couldn’t see it, I knew he was blushing and a sheepish smile was crossing his face.

“Yeah…hi,” Jade said. He had reverted back to his shy ways. I guess that jade wasn’t working too well for him. And I can’t believe he just did that even after I told him I liked Dan and not him. I slapped him.

“I can’t believe you! I told you I like Dan and plan to keep going out with him! Were you even listening when I said that?” I exclaimed.

“Yes but--”

I cut him off : “Yes but nothing! You’re an ass!” I began to walk away from him, but he grabbed my arm again.

“Stop touching me you freakin’ rapist!” I told him. I regretted it the instant it was out of my mouth. Even in the darkness I could see the completely crestfallen expression that had crossed his face.

“How could you even think that of me?” he asked, dropping his grip on my arm. He looked like he was about to cry…

“And it’s not like I forced you to do anything. You kissed me back remember?” Jade continued. Just then Diamond’s voice floated into my mind. “I think you’re in denial.” I ignored the thought.

I finally managed to apologize: “Jade, I’m sorry,”

“I think I know why you’re so freaked out. You’ve been so confused these past weeks and now you think you like me, but you like Dan too,” How did he know that?

“What, are you a mind reader now?” I said nastily. He gave me a ‘come-on-stop-it’ look and stepped closer to me. There was about an inch of space between us. That’s when I realized my heart was racing.

“I thought emeralds were supposed to promote truth,” he said, the faint traces of a smirk on his face. I smiled as I remembered why we had become so close in the first place. Then I became confused. He must have seen the expression on my face because he asked: “Was I wrong?” His nervousness was only visible in his mesmerizing jade colored eyes. I wanted to say yes, I liked Dan, not him. In fact, my mouth was already forming the word ‘yes‘, but then I didn’t say it. It occurred to me that I wasn’t so sure anymore. I hadn’t been sure for a while and deep down I knew that.

“No. You weren’t,” I answered. He moved even closer (which I didn’t know was physically possible) and I felt like my heart would burst out of my chest because it was beating so hard.

“Then kiss me,” he breathed. God he smelled good…a mix of peppermint, cinnamon, and oranges. I couldn’t think. Not with him that close to me.

Our lips met in a sensuous, tender kiss. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I did the same around his. God… I do like him. Diamond was right. I am such an idiot. And a terrible girlfriend.

“Wh-what’s going on here?” asked a hurt, confused voice. We both jumped apart at the voice. Dan’s voice. There was no good explanation for this. He never knew why Jade had been mad at me. I began to wonder how in the world I was going to explain this when another voice said: “They’ve been into each other for a while. She was just in denial, which I assume was why she stayed with you. Now, Jade over here only brought me to make Emerald jealous. I guess it worked.” It was Jade’s “date”, Lo, you know the school slut? So, shortly after Homecoming, Jade and I started going out.

It was one of those weird cold days in November (that Miami only gets for a week every month or so in winter) when we first saw Crystal Sanchez. Jade had wondered who she was. Then Diamond suddenly appeared (she had this annoying habit of just popping up next to me out of nowhere when I wasn’t with her. I hated it when she did that) next to us. Jade had asked if Crystal was a transfer student. Diamond quickly answered that question. She told us Crystal had been here since August, she was just really quiet and smart. She had long black hair, fair skin that was lightly freckled, and blue eyes. She was average height and had an athletic body. I thought it was weird that neither Jade nor me had seen her before, but hey, we did go to a huge public school. The bell had rung just as Diamond told us this and we practically had to sprint down the hall to Biology---our teacher hated it when we were late. On the way there, the girl Diamond had identified as Crystal Sanchez smacked right into us...Jade specifically. She quickly said sorry and hurried off, keeping her head down as she ran down the hall. Weird girl. Very weird.

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