I woke up with a start to the usual blaring sound of a rooster crowing.  I never get used to it.  That's why I keep it as my alarm.  I never sleep late when I have this alarm set.

I groaned as I rolled over and felt for my phone.  I hit the stop button to silence the shrieking and got up out of bed before I changed my mind.  Another night of not so great sleep.  I laid out a navy blue sweater and my favorite blue jeans on the bed and headed for my bathroom.  I turned on the shower and stripped out of my comfy, warm pajamas.  I put my hair up in a bun, got in, and washed up.  There really is nothing like a shower to wake you up in the morning.  I reluctantly got out and dried off.

Wiping the steam off of the oval shaped mirror above my sink, I studied my reflection.  Bright hazel eyes, pale skin, and heart-shaped pink lips.  I freed my long blonde hair from the bun, so light colored that it was almost white, some silver in it sporadically, it hung down my back in large waves.

When I was young, some kids at school nick-named me “Ghost.”  Because I looked like I was so white that I had seen a ghost.  As I aged, the nick-name only stuck for a few friends.  I no longer be-grudge it.  No one calls me Ghost to pick on me anymore.  Most call me by my name, Jade, now.

I applied some navy blue eyeshadow to match my sweater, black lash lengthening mascara, and my favorite cherry red lip gloss.  I decided to leave the real work, my hair, to Rosa and got dressed.  I hesitated for a minute.  I had a feeling that I should wear my lucky yellow and purple striped socks, but today I have P.E.  My lucky socks don't match what I am wearing.  I decided to forgo them and put on a black pair.  I put on insulated black snow boots and grabbed my warm green parka and tan cross-body purse, shut my bedroom door, and headed down the stairs.

I slowed as I heard voices, some of them unfamiliar.  Rosa's anguished voice, “She hasn't even finished school yet.  She is getting better after the loss of her parents.  Please don't take her now.”  Stab at my heart for the loss of my parents.  Wait!  Please don't take her now!  Who is this?  “She is not prepared for this.”  I inched closer, trying to see without being seen, but it is impossible.  The kitchen door was left wide open.

An unfamiliar male voice, “Why has she not been prepared?  You have had years. There is no time for that now.  There has been activity in this area.” 

“Please, give us until the holiday. We will work to prepare her,” Jeffrey pleaded.

“I will give you as long as I can,” another, deeper, foreign voice, “but if the danger is too great, I will have to take her with no warning.  I would prefer for her to at least have some basic knowledge of what is going on.  If there are no issues, we will return for her in two weeks.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Rosa is crying now.

“Do not thank me.  I am not doing this for you.  I am only doing this for Jade,” he retorted, clearly annoyed.  Only doing what for me?  Giving me more time?  Until what?  “We will leave now, but you must talk to her about this today.”

I heard the back door creak open, then a noisy commotion and heavy foot steps.  The door closed with a loud, resounding thump.  I assumed that the strangers had left.

“Did you know about this?” Jeffrey questioned, incredulous.  Know about what?

Rosa sniffled, “yes.  I was just waiting for the right time.  Then time got away from me.”  She wailed, “What am I going to do now?  How am I going to explain this to her?”

“You could start with me,” Jeffrey snapped, “How could you keep this from me?  How long have you known?  How did you find out about it?”

“I'm soooooo sorry, Jeffrey.  They visited not long after Grant and Elaine died.  You were making the funeral arrangements.  I was just in such shock that I didn't know how to explain.  I guess I hoped that if I avoided it, it would go away.  I didn't hear from them again after that, so it got easier and easier to avoid.”

“After school, today, we have to have a talk with her.  Now clean yourself up.  She will be down soon.”

I heard Rosa sniffle a couple of times, then, “okay.  I am ready.”

Maybe I should go back and put on the lucky socks after all.  I waited a minute and then walked into the kitchen.  “Rosa, can you braid my hair?  You do it so much better than me.”  “Of course, dear, have a seat.”  She pulled out a chair from the table, and I sat down.  It was obvious that she had been crying.  I could see it on her face and hear it in her voice.  “Is everything alright?” I asked.  “Fine, fine,” she cooed and began braiding my hair.  As she worked her magic, she said, “ I need you to come home right after school today.  You are not in trouble.  We just need to talk.”  “Okay.  Can you give me a hint, so I don't worry about it all day?”  “ It is just about your future and you are going to meet some new friends.”  She left it at that, and I didn't push the subject.  I am not sure that I want or need any new friends.

She finished, and I stood up and put on my coat.  I grabbed a shiny red apple, my usual choice, for breakfast.  I put on my purse and headed to the front door.  I retrieved  my keys from the entryway table before going out.  I gave them both a hug and a kiss goodbye and reiterated that I would come home right after school.  They seemed more clingy than usual, both giving me longer hugs.

I walked out the front door into the cool, crisp morning air.  It was blindingly sunny with clear blue skies, but I knew that the forecast was for snow this afternoon, possibly a blizzard.  Hopefully, we will have a couple of snow days off from school.

I got into my gray Jeep Compass, a sixteenth birthday present from my parents, and started the engine.  I could drive one of my parents' cars, but I just didn't care to.  I had inherited everything upon their deaths, in the care of Rosa and Jeffrey.  When I turn eighteen, in a couple of weeks, it all comes to me.  I plan on changing nothing, though.  I hope that Rosa and Jeffrey will stay. I don't know what I would do without them.  They had inherited some money for caring for me.  They could afford to go.  I had spent about two months trying to think of ways to entice them to stay, in case they wanted to leave, but kept coming up empty.  Hopefully, they don't need any persuading.

Now, I didn't even know if I would be staying, though.  Some stranger is planning on me leaving with him.  Why didn't Rosa tell us?  My carefully crafted plans were starting to come apart at the seams.  What about my future college plans?  She let me apply to colleges without saying anything.  It explains why she wasn't so enthusiastic about college.  I thought it was just because she would miss me.  Maybe the mystery man just wants to spend a little time with me.  Now I am really curious.

I put on my dark sunglasses, shifted the jeep into reverse, and backed out of the driveway.  I noticed a strange car in my rearview mirror as I took off from the house. A black sedan with darkly tinted windows.  The car seems to keep pace with me, but not too close, like the driver is hoping I won't notice.  Why would someone be following me?  I usually just go straight to school anyway.  There is nothing interesting here.

But today I decided to make a stop at the gas station.  I pull into the parking spot furthest from the front door.  The strange car drives on by, the driver not even looking my way.  I turn off the jeep, get out, lock the doors, and go in.  I grab an Ultra Peachy Keen Monster drink and walk up to the checkout.  I have to wait in line behind three people.  It seems to take forever.  When I make it to the counter, I tell the perky blonde cashier, “a pack of Marlboro Smooth’s.”  I hand her my fake ID.  She glances at it and hands the ID back, and grabs the cigarettes.  “That will be nine dollars and thirty-four cents,” she says, looking at her cash register.  I hand her a ten, and she gives me back my change.  I put the change in my wallet and grab my drink and cigarettes.  “Thank you,” she smiles.  “Have a great day,” I smile back.  I walk out to the car and unlock it.  I dig a green cigarette lighter out of the glove box.  I pack the cigarettes three times, then open the box.  I take one out, lean back against the jeep, and light it.  I sometimes have a cigarette when I am preoccupied or anxious.  I am both right now.

I take another drag.  I notice that dark sedan drive by again.  Is it following me or not?  This time, I catch a glimpse of the driver.  A man who has long brown wavy hair, a muscular build, and is good-looking.  Not at all what I pictured my stalker to look like.  I get to the end of the cigarette, something I don't usually do and see him drive by again.  This time, he looks my way.  I snub the cigarette out, on the ground, with the toe of my boot and jump in my jeep.  I leave as quickly as I can.  I want to see if I can follow him instead.

He must have seen me following him and turned off somewhere because I couldn't find him.  Maybe I'm just being paranoid.  Maybe he's not even following me.  I just drive on checking my rearview mirror every minute or so.  There's no sign of him.  I must just be paranoid.

As I drove, my mind drifted back to the strange scene from this morning.  Rosa was so upset, and Jeffrey seemed shaken by the incident.  What is going on?  It was going to be hard to wait until after school to find out.  The man had said that if it got too dangerous, he would take me with no warning.  What's that about?  It's not like I am just going to leave with some stranger.

Maybe my birth parents want to meet me.  I secretly wanted to meet them just out of curiosity.  But that doesn't explain why I would be in danger or why some strange man wants to take me.

Maybe I should go home sick.  I do have a slight headache, and the glare isn't helping much.  I also feel exhausted.  I didn't sleep well.  There was a lot of tossing and turning, and I woke up from dreams at least twice.  I could leave early and take a nap.  Rosa and Jeffrey aren't usually home in the morning.  I wonder if they are today.

Seeing the school up ahead, I am able to clear my mind.  I decided to go to school and see how long I can make it.  Going to school, tired, or with a headache is pretty normal for me.  I usually don't sleep well.  So, knowing me, I will probably make it the whole day.  I look in my rearview mirror again.  There is no sign of the black sedan.  Maybe I lost the stalker.