What Life Holds

Chapter 12

Jess's POV 

I banged my alarm clock and walked towards the bathroom. I almost let out a scream when I saw the girl in front of me. My eyes were puffy and swollen, my nose was red and my face was stained with tears. I splashed ice cold water on my face and got ready for practice.

It is five in the morning and I have enough time to get ready for the tryouts. I slowly made my way to the gym which is not a very easy thing when your room is in the other pole. I started with the warm ups and then the dribbles and moved on with the shoots. What ever happens I am on the team, I have to, it's my only escape.

Jase's POV 

I woke up sweating and panting, and I don't know why. Something was not correct, I can just feel it, call it vibes or something. What if something happened to Jess! With the worst thoughts in the back of my head I ran towards the room to find it empty.

I rushed towards the gym praying that she was there and to my relief she was dribbling the ball. I let out the breathe which I had been holding and admired my little sister's passion and determination for the game. Not wanting to disturb her, I made my way back.

I still felt the bad vibe, like something bad has happened. Jess is safe, don't worry, I said to myself passed through Jule's door, hearing soft snores. I walked passed Sal's and hesitantly stopped in front of Joy's. Something was not right, I didn't see Joy since dinner last night, and she wasn't at Laura's either.

I slowly opened the door, to be greeted by the dark room. "Joy." I called softly. "Joy are you there." I called out again in a shaky voice. I switched on the night lamp, and a empty and eat bed acknowledge me. She never came to her room, the bed is untouched.

Oh my god, Joy where the hell are you. With tears threatening to fall, I rushed to Jazz's room, because I'm closest to her and barged into her room. "Jazz, get up, please." I shook her sleeping figure violently. "Jase is everything all right." She asked in sleepy but concerned voice.

"Hey, what's wrong." She sat up and cupped my face tenderly. Concern was flooding through her soft hazel eyes. "Jase, what happened." She asked softly but sternly. "Joy is missing." I whispered and breathing started to get uneven.

A sharp pain arose in my head and version was muffled. I gasped for air to calm myself but instead the exact opposite happened. I started to thing of the worst that could happen, what if the Russians have. 

"Jase, it okay, you are alright." Jazz whispered. I know I'm alright, but Joy isn't. "Jase, listen to my pulse and breath accordingly." She said and took my fingers and placed them on her arm. The vibration passed the my nerves and smoothened my a bit. 

"Everything is fine, baby boy." She cooed and her tender voice brought me back to my senses. Tears were streaming down my face and buried my head in the crook of Jazz neck. Her familiar touch of warmth and the loving kiss on my hair eased my nerves. 

I pulled back and controlled my hiccups, Jazz's eyes were filled with worry. "Here drink it slowly." She said and passed me a water bottle from her night stand. I slowly let the liquid pass through my dry throat and swallowed the lump.

"Now tell me exactly what happened." She asked. "I woke up all sweaty and knew something wrong was happening. Jess is in gym practicing basketball so I calmed down. But when I went inside Joy's room, she was not there. Her bed is untouched, it's neatly made. She is missing, Jazz." I said in a shaky voice. 

"Are you sure, she could be in Laura's." She said. "I'm sure Joy. I didn't see her since dinner and Laura's with her grandma." I said looking in her eyes. "We got to tell Jem." She said and rushed out and I weakly followed behind her.