One New Message (Random Updates)

Chapter 15

"Hello?" Jade asked groggily as she woke to her phone ringing.

"Honey, are you still sleeping?" Annie asked curiously. "Did you forget we have to open today? I'm pulling up to the campus now."

"SHIT!" Jade shouted as she hopped out of bed. She hit the speaker button on her phone so she could get dressed while talking. "No, I'm not there, I kind of got kicked out."

"What?" Annie gasped as Jade started searching for clothes. "Where are you? I'll head that way."

Jade froze, "um...actually I don't know where I am exactly."

Meanwhile

North woke to frantic footsteps. He sat up and listened as the person ran around. Grabbing his phone, he opened the group chat.

Corey woke to his phone pinging. Groaning, he grabbed it.

"What?" Raven asked, his voice thick with sleep.

"Don't know yet," Corey mumbled as he sat up. "North said Jade is awake and running around like she's in a panic. I better go see what is wrong."

"I go too," Raven yawned as he sat up.

"Put some clothes on first," Corey said, getting out of bed. "She isn't ready to find out you sleep naked." He softly kissed Raven then left the room. Since his room was right next to hers and the door wasn't shut all the way it was easy for him to hear her talking to someone. He opened the group chat and let them know that she was rushing for work.

Meanwhile

"Oh Honey, did you go home with someone from the bar last night?"

"What?" Jade asked shocked, "No, Annie, I didn't go home with some customer last night. I um...well, see, what happened was..."

"What? What happened, Honey? You know you can talk to me about anything. I need to know where you are so I can come get you and also to make sure you are okay."

"I'm okay, Annie, I promise, I'm just...confused?" Jade said nervously since she was trying to figure out exactly what she was going to do now. She slipped on some blue jeans and a bra then began searching for a work shirt. "I met my pen pal and I stayed the night with him and his family. They were with me when I got the notice that I had been kicked out of the university. He took me to work then brought me to his house."

"But you don't know where his house is?"

"No," Jade admitted, sighing heavily as she slipped her shirt on and started pulling her hair up into a ponytail. She put her shoes on then started tying them.

"Honey," Annie sighed softly, "You and I both have watched way too many crime shows to know better than that. I know you said he's your pen pal but how do you know he's not a serial killer?"

"9514 Charleston Street, it's 15 minutes away from the university," a sleepy voice said from the doorway. Jade looked up and saw Corey standing there smirking tiredly. "I would offer to bring her to work, but I can tell you need to see for yourself that she is safe here. The code to the gate is 9514. A serial killer wouldn't openly give his address. Marc is making some coffee and North is cooking some breakfast."

"Don't have time," Jade shook her head as she slipped her watch on. "Overslept but thanks and sorry if I woke you up."

"A few of us were getting ready for work anyway," Corey shook his head and yawned again. "When do you get off so I can make sure one of us will be able to pick you up?"

"I don't know," she said as she pulled her eyeliner out of her bag and started to put it on. "Since it's Sunday, we'll have the early bird rush then breakfast and after church rush and of course lunch rush so I don't know exactly. Especially if a couple of people call out."

"Well, just call me or text and one of us will come get you when you are done."

"Damn Jade, are you sure your friend isn't a prince? This place is a freaking castle," Annie gasped.

A deep laugh came from behind Corey, "Nyet, but I am."

"What?" Jade and Annie asked at the same time.

"Hello, I'm here for Jade? I'm Annie," Annie's voice drifted up to the room.

"Good morning, I'm Marc, I remember you from the diner. Just go up the stairs and she is the third door on the right. Would you like some coffee?"

"No thank you, I have my energy drink." A couple of minutes later Annie walked into the room, "Jade?"

"In here, Annie," she called as she continued doing her makeup.

"Wow," Annie said looking around.

"Hi, I'm Corey, her friend and pen pal," Corey smiled and shook her hand, "and this is Raven."

"Hi," Raven nodded.

"You're the one that said you were a prince," Annie said looking at him. "You were teasing us."

"Nyet," Raven shook his head. "I Tzar of Russia."

Annie looked at Jade, "Seriously?"

Jade shrugged as she put the cap back on her eyeliner. "I don't know. What time is it?"

Annie looked at her watch, "We're ten minutes behind," she gasped. "We have to go now or we'll be late opening up. You know how the night shift is." Jade groaned as she grabbed her bag.

"You haven't eaten yet," North said as he came into the room.

Annie pulled a Monster energy drink out of her bag and handed it to Jade, "Awesome," Jade's eyes lit up. "Here's my breakfast, let's go." She grabbed Annie's hand and slipped past them. "Bye!"

"Make sure you eat when you have a break!" Corey shouted as they rushed down the stairs. Seconds later the door slammed shut and he sighed heavily. "We can't push North, not yet." He looked at Raven, "You know they don't believe you, right?"

Raven shrugged, "They learn soon I tell truth."

"Just don't tell her the full truth yet," Corey demanded, "I don't want you scaring her off."

Raven rolled his eyes, "She ours, she nyet scared truth."

Corey glared back at him, "You better hope so."

Raven glared back, "Or what?"

Corey smirked darkly, "You scare her off and you'll be sleeping alone from now on."