Jaded by Bright Colors and Faded Walls

Jade blinked as they put the jumble colored block in front of her. She raised a brow a bit confused as to why the doctors were taking such an interest in her suddenly and why they were placing a Rubik Cube in front of her.

“A block?” She whispered softly.

“We want you to get each side a different solid color.” One of the doctors stated, she nodded lightly picking it up. “When ever you’re ready.” Jade shrugged lightly twisting the block several different ways quickly before setting it back down on the table, completed.

“Like that?” She asked softly. The doctors nodded slowly as one dropped their pen a bit amazed. “Why did you want me to play with that?” She asked softly. They shrugged.

“Uh… hold on.” The elderly woman muttered as all five of the doctors got up and left the room. Sighing Jade looked around the room a bit bored, she wanted to go play with Lilly or someone out in the main room. Really what she wanted to do was go play with Alicia or one of the boys but she couldn’t, she wasn’t allowed out during the day.

She picked the Rubik Cube back up and turned it over.

“This isn’t a fun toy at all.” She stated putting it back down. “If I can do it, anyone can.” She giggled at the thought of her eight year-old brain going to work on a Rubik Cube.

Scratching the back of her head she watched as the doctors reentered the room several of the nurses. She waved at Abby as she stood in the back with the other nurses.

“Just watch this.” The elderly woman muttered as one of the other doctors picked up the Rubik Cube and messed up the colors.

“I just did that.” Jade whined.

“Would you please do it again?” The woman asked softly. Jade eyed her.

“Are you going to mess it up again?” She asked the woman laughed. “Because if you are then there’s no point in my doing it.” She stated pointing out the logic in the conversation.

“We won’t mess it up, please.” The woman stated pointing at it. “And do it where we can see it again okay?” Jade nodded as she turned it over in her hands lightly before she twisted it several times and setting it back down on the table completed. “Are we done?” She asked softly, the doctors nodded. “Yeah!” Jade gasped rushing out of the room and down the hallway.

“To think she can do that now, think of what she could’ve done had she not had her head smashed in.” One of the doctors mused to the nurses and the other doctors.

“I told you she’s not stupid, just a bit hyper.” Abby muttered softly. “She’s got potential she’ll never reach if she stays locked up in here.”

“DAN!” Jade screamed seeing him sitting on the couch surrounded by girls. He waved at her as she rushed over and sat on him like normal. “How are you this fine day?” She asked, he laughed.

“I’m good, how about you?”

“Niffty.” She giggled. “they just made me play with a weird block, a Rubik Cube I think.” She stated nodding at him as he blinked. “I don’t know why either. It was weird.” Jade looked at the other girls.” Do they make you play with those?” The girls shook their heads. “Weird.” She breathed standing up and sitting on the floor in front of him. “Why ya here?” She asked.

“Thought I’d come say hi.” Dan shrugged.

“You’ve gotta talk to Abby don’t you?” She asked, he nodded.

“Yeah.” He laughed.

“Oh!” Jade yelled throwing her arms up. “Who’s good?”

“Not you.” Jade frowned at him as the girls snickered and he chuckled softly, smiling at her.

“You’re mean.” Jade stated, he shrugged lightly at her.

“Only to you.” He mused as her frown deepened.

“Meanie!” Jade yelled standing up and crossing her arms over her chest.

“I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yes I am, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.” Jade eyed him, a bit unsure.

“You mean it.” She whispered softly at him.

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” He stated making and X over his heart at her as she smiled at her. Jade giggled as she flung herself at him, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back with a laugh. “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.”

Jade snorted.

“You didn’t hurt my feeling silly, I just thought you were being a jerk.” She stated as she went to sit. She stopped mid crouch and stood back up, Dan and the other girls blinked a bit unsure as to what was going on. “Lilly!” She yelled climbing up and over Dan and over the back of the couch.

“Hello to you too.” Dan laughed as he turned looking at her rushing at Lilly. He winched as Jade tackled Lilly into a massive hug. “Ow.” He stated standing up and moving over the back of the couch to the two girls. “You okay?” He asked softly, more concerned for Lilly than for Jade.

“I’m fine.” Jade stated smiling up at him.

“I was actually referring to Lilly.” Jade looked down at Lilly as she felt her stiffen under her. “She’s the one that just got tackled to the ground.” Dan sighed, regretting letting Jade hang out with thee Jack Barakat and Alex Gaskarth. He’d had the feeling that it would lead to bad things, and sure enough it did. They taught her to tackle people, just what she needed to learn.

“I’m fine.” Lilly gasped getting up quickly knocking Jade to the ground with a soft thud. Jade giggled as she sat up rubbing her head. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Jade giggled standing up. “Lilly, Dan. Dan, Lilly.” Dan and Lilly’s brows narrowed, confused by the formal introduction. Jade grabbing each of their wrists pulling them together. “Yay happy couple!” Jade yelled hands in the air as both flushed a red.

“Couples don’t work that way.” Dan stated stepping back as Lilly took in a deep breath. “Not that I wouldn’t date her,” he added quickly hearing the sharp intake form Lilly. “It’s just… people often date after knowing each other for a while, not when they first meet.”

“But you met her a couple weeks ago.” Jade huffed hands on her hips.

“I’ve never got the chance to really get to know her.” Dan clarified. “There is a difference.” He stated. Jade glared up at him.

“You to should talk then.” Jade stated, Dan laughed lightly nodding his head.

“It’s fine.” Lilly stated quickly. “I get it.” She stated sniffling lightly. “I’m not pretty enough.” She stated turning and walking away quickly.

“What’d you do!” Everyone stiffened at the high pitched voice. Turning they both looked at Victoria with her hands on her hips. “This is why we don’t allow visitors.” She snapped. Dan rolled his eyes hurrying down the hall.

“Way to go Victoria, just piss the hot guy off.” Jade stated following down the hallway. “Right.” She stated. Dan looked back at her. “Turn right.” She stated. He did as told. “Second door.” She added. Dan knocked before pushing the door open.

“You okay?” He asked softly as Jade stopped at the door watching as Dan sat o nthe bed neck to Lilly as she tried to show she was crying. “Why are you crying?” he asked softly. “You’re the only that called you’re self ugly, I never said that.” He stated as he sat there. “So you’re crying over nothing.”

“You don’t even like me.”

“You like putting words in other people’s mouths don’t you?” He asked softly looking back at her as she wiped at her eyes. “I never said I didn’t like you.” He added, watching her from over his shoulder.

“Why would you like me?” She hissed at him lightly. “I have a giant scar on my face.”

“I know, so?” He asked softly.

“I’m ugly because of it.” She stated, He sighed.

“You think that.”

“I’m in here because people don’t know how to deal with me because of it.” She snapped. “They stare.” She whispered.

“People stare at everyone.” He stated. “They stare at me because I’m freakishly tall.”

“I like you’re height.” Lilly cut in lightly looking back at him. He chuckled lightly and nodded.

“Doesn’t mean people don’t stare. People stare at others for the smallest reason… it could simply because of their height, their hair color, the cut of their hair, their cloths, the way they hold them selves… people always stare and it shouldn’t matter that they stare, just because they stare doesn’t mean they don’t think your pretty. Sometimes it’s just the opposite.” Dan mused lightly. “Means they like you, they think you’re pretty.” He stated.

“Yeah right.”

“Think what you want, but I never called you ugly and I never would.” Jade smiled at his words. “But if you call your self ugly then you’re less likely to let people see the real you and that’s what matters.” He sighed. “What’s on the inside counts more to some people.” Lilly snorted. “You shouldn’t laugh, if it wasn’t true I wouldn’t be talking to you, I’d leave you be now wouldn’t I?” He asked turning to her more as Lilly turned looking at him.

“But you said it doesn’t work that way.” She whispered.

“I don’t know you Lilly.” He sighed. “I know you’re name, you were obviously in a bad fire from the burn and you live here with a bunch of other girls. You can’t expect a guy to base a relationship on that. I don’t even know if we get along and if we don’t get along than a relationship wouldn’t last, let alone if we could get along long enough to start a relationship together.” He stated. Lilly nodded. “I’m not looking at you and judging you on the way you look, I’m trying not to judge you on that because I don’t know you. I can’t just look at you and assume your nice or mean or something else. It just doesn’t work that way.”

“What if we…” Lilly paused licking her lips as she took in deep breaths. “What if we got to know each other?” She whispered.

“That’d be different.” He stated smiling at her. “That’d be completely different.” Her brows narrowed at him confused. “Then we could both decided if we wanted a relationship based on each other’s personality and qualities along with faults.” Lilly’s hand instantly moved to her scare. “That’s not a fault.” He stated, she rolled her eyes. “What I mean by faults, is things either one of us does naturally that bugs the other one. Like I eat pickles with peanut butter.” Lilly grimaced. “By the face you just made that would be a fault you’d have accept from me.”

“Leave her alone.” Victoria snapped.

“Aw.” Jade whined with the other girls who’d crowded behind them. “You ruined the moment!” Jade snapped pushing Victoria back and closing the door. “Okay shows over.” She yelled waving her hand.

Dan opened the door.

“Sorry we’re done.” He stated as he waved at Lilly leaving the room. She sat on the bed with bright red cheeks, and wide eyes.

“What’d he do?” Victoria snapped at her.

“N-nothing. He was really nice to me though.” She whispered smiling at everyone in the door way. Victoria huffed.

“You.” She pointed at Jade. “follow me.”

“I’m good.” Jade stated running over and jumping on Lilly’s bed. “Hubba hubba.” She stated poking Lilly’s shoulder as she went red.

“He kissed me.” Jade blinked at the fact.

“Lucky.” She whispered as the other girls glared at her.

“Jade.” Victoria snapped. “Follow me.”

“Fine.” Jade groaned hanging her head. “I’ll talk to you later.” She stated. Lilly nodded as the other girls rushed in around her to get the juicy details and Jade left following Victoria down the hall grumbling to herself. “What’s up your butt?” Jade asked, Victoria glared down at Jade but said nothing.