Lake fic

School sucks. My friends are all goody-two-shoes. My teachers are unfit to teach. No one understands anything I do or why I do it, it's just automatically considered wrong.

So my life pretty much sucks already, and now they wanna send me away to the lake for an entire week? Let me make something clear here... I can't STAND my grandmother, or her stupid ideals.

"All I did was throw a couple eggs at some passing cars!" I argue before they pull into the driveway. A three and a half hour drive of trying to convince them to send me anywhere, ANYWHERE but here, all for nothing.

"Jade, You took your mother's car without permission, blocked innocent people from seeing the road and... now we don't have any eggs to make French toast tomorrow!" My dad complains.

"Harold..." My mother scolds. Who can blame him? Food's always on his mind.

"I mean... people got hurt because of you." He corrects.

I stay seated as they hop out of the car and grab my things. Soon mother becomes irritated and prompts me to exit the vehicle by swinging my door open and signaling me out.

"A week at the lake will be very relaxing for you, Jade." Mother informs, drilling it into my brain for, oh, maybe the hundredth time today "You can spend time with your grandma, where you can't possibly get in any more trouble."

Yeah, just what I need; granny telling me to 'go play in the sun' and 'make sure you floss three times a day!' Why don't they just shoot me now?

I step inside and granny's mutt, Pickles, instantly tackles me. He was a mix between a German Sheppard and a werewolf.

"Pickles! Down!" Grandma yells from her seat. Her voice didn't carry well at her age, but it was enough to get the mutt to stop licking my face.

Once my parents drop all my bags by the stairs and thank grandma for taking me for a week, they get back in the car and leave. They were maybe there three minutes tops, clearly not wanting to stay any longer.

That's when it started to talk to me.

"Oh, hello honey bunny! My, have you gotten more beautiful since I last saw you!"

"Yep." I nod, then grab my suitcase and start dragging it up the stairs as fast as I can.

I didn't stop, even when she tried talking to me again. "Where are you going in such a hurry? Come talk to me Jade, I missed you dear!"

I closed the glass door behind me, drowning out her screechy voice. There were three rooms on the top floor, and two bathrooms. Since it was only me and granny, I could have my pick of any! Except her room, of course, this was on the main floor.

I took the far room on the end. The room was dressed in black and gold with a king size bed in the center. There was a huge flat-screen TV on the dresser across from it, controlled by the same remote as the lights, fan, shades, and music stereo. Granny may be annoying, but she sure is loaded! It almost makes up for the torture I'm forced to endure.

As I lay back on the large cushy bed, staring at the Greek-goddess outlining around the room, I certainly felt like royalty. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

CH 1: The Black Jet

I awoke to a phone call. I roll over lazily at eight o' clock in the morning to see its grandma calling.

"Hello?" I yawn, stretching my arms and neck tiredly.

"Hello honey." She replies. "I made pancakes!"

The old lady was too brittle to walk up the stairs herself and talk to me. Maybe if she had she would've realized I was still asleep...

"Let me throw on some clothes." I sigh before pushing the end button.

Who would make someone wake up at eight in the morning? Yeah, it's Friday, but it's summer for god sakes! It's only been one night and already she's getting on my nerves...

I grab a light top and some shorts, and drag myself down stairs. Grandma wasn't around, but there was a plate of pancakes sitting on the counter.

After dousing the breakfast food with maple syrup, I begin eating. Halfway through, Pickles starts whining for food, and I throw her a piece just to get her to stop. Soon after, the screen doors slide open and the brittle lady hobbles inside.

"I see you found your breakfast, deary." She smiles, then leans on the counter top for support.

"I see you found Pickle's breakfast!" I comment at the bag of dog crap she held.

"Oh, yes." She remembers. "Can you take this out front dear? It would really help me out."

"Can't." I shrug. "I gotta go finish unpacking."

With that I hop up, scoot in my chair, and make a break for the stairs.

"But honey, it's just-"

"Look, I'd really love to help, but If I don't start unpacking right now I'll probably forget, and then I'll have to dig through my bag if I want something, and it's just bad. Okay?" I stall, adding as much pointless detail to my excuse as possible before making it to the top and shutting the door.

What? A little exercise will do her good.

One missed text from Cat, and one missed episode of 'the wood'. Good thing the DVR records all my requested programs. Thankfully, my setting were still saved from last time. All I had to do was turn on the TV last night and punch in my name, and POOF! All my shows started recording! I answer Cat's message while simultaneously switching on the TV.

"This week on, The Wood!" The surround sound blared. I cover my ears as I scramble for the remote.

I forgot; it remembered my volume setting too.

Yep, things were great for a good hour and a half before I got another text. Thinking it was Cat messaging me back, I look to see it's grandma, asking me to help her with the dishes.

"So, you think you're so cool cause you know how to text? Try to decipher this one..." I mock aloud, knowing well that she couldn't hear me anyway.

'Sry but I m bizee.' Send.

About ten minutes later it starts ringing. I'm surprised it kept her stalled that long before she gave up!

"Heeey..." I say dwadley.

"Jade West this is not a vacation! Now I don't think you understand that this is your punishment and I'm trying to be as patient as possible, but you have been nothing but-"

At that point I just set down the phone and un-paused my program. Let her rant a little, maybe it'll get her off my back.

"...which is totally and completely irrespons- Jade? Are you listening?" I pick up over the two boys fighting on the show.

"Yep." I lie, then let out a laugh when one of the students gets stabbed.

"Young lady you get down here this instant!"

I got a good, long talking to, and then she ordered me to clear off all the spider webs in the yard; including the dock, boats, and balcony. I was just getting done wrapping the webs off the pontoon on the end of a stick when I saw a jet ski come racing by.

Some freaking IDIOT in their damn black water ski decided it would be a good idea to splash me as I was walking back to the house! I turn around and shout at the inconsiderate jerk, but he was too far gone to hear a word I said. Already the black water vehicle was on its way past the Marina, and making the round to the other side.

The nerve... I came in the house, soaking wet.

"Dear, did you fall in the lake?" She asks with a concerned look. "Did you hurt yourself honey?"

I tell her I'm perfectly fine, and explain the jerk on the jet ski.

"A black water bike you say...?" She ponders. "Did it have white streaks sort of fanning out around it?"

"Yeah," I answer. "You know it?"

She said that many people complained about getting hit with water from the guy, but no one's ever seen him. He lives on the other side of the lake from here, though.

"The neighbors and I went over there once, after observing the culprit return one day. Whenever we tried knocking on the door, there was no answer."

That's no help then.

"We do know that whoever it is doesn't exactly live there all the time. It's more of an on and off thing that's been happening for quite some time now..."

If granny's looked into the situation to this extent, clearly it's bugging her. And if it's bugging her THIS much, and THIS many people are annoyed by this mysterious jet-ski trouble-maker... well, it starts to make me wonder...

Why haven't I met this person yet?

I mean, obviously if the guy gets a kick out of pestering the old geezers that live here, he knows what fun is. Come to think of it, the Marina rents out jet skis. Maybe the next time I see this culprit out on the water, I'll try to solve his identity myself. Just thinking of all the devious times we could have together makes me anxious to get to know him.

It's settled. I grabbed some lunch money, plus an extra twenty-five for rental, and informed my grandmother I was going to the Marina.

The Marina is this amazing place on the corner of the street, and the lake, that serves your basic favorites like sandwiches, hot-dogs, and nachos, along with other zesty foods and a large selection of ice cream! It would be the perfect hot-spot if the town wasn't full of old people. The emptiness of the place was peaceful, though, and the workers were pretty decent.

"Jade!" One of the employees, whose name is Barb, greets. "Long time no see! Hey, where's the rest of the family? You take off ahead of them again?"

"Hey." I smile. "I'm here by myself, actually."

"Ya don't say!"

I nod. "Yep, just me and my gran." I reply in a fake-excited tone.

"What can I help you with today sugar?" She asks.

Barb, although in her late forties, was one of the youngest people living on this block. She acted like the old folk, except with a little more exuberance in her speech. She was nice, for the most part.

"I was looking to rent out one of your jet skis, as a matter of fact." I reply, taking the money from my pocket.

"Whoa there, Jade. You sure you know how to ride one of those?"

It can't be that hard. Beck had one at his aunt's house in can-cun. Even though I didn't personally drive it, watching him do it seemed like it was easy enough.

She was hesitant, but I know Barb well enough; once you offer her money, she can't refuse. I don't mind paying a little extra anyway if it goes to supporting this place.

"Don't forget your helmet!" She calls after me.

She tossed me a hot pink helmet to match the jet ski. Not my first color choice, but it's the only one that works properly according to her. I snap on the head protection and swipe the face mask on before starting it up and heading out.

I took a couple laps around the island. Diamond Lake wasn't huge, but it was definitely bigger than most that I've seen. Getting the hang of it wasn't too hard, and I quickly found myself pushing it to full speed.

I didn't dare take any jumps, however, as I witnessed the mystery man doing when I first spotted him, half an hour later.

He zipped through a strait path, then sharply turned and jumped over his own wake. It cut me off and I nearly lost balance. I took my water ski back up to speed, and began my pursuit of the black wave runner.

We circled around the island, then rode through the fishing hole. After circling through that forbidden area, the mystery rider caught on that he was being followed. Once we got back out to open waters, he made another sharp turn and threw waves in my direction. As I attempt to dodge the other way, the huge wake smashes into the side and sends me flying off the jet ski.

My mask filled with water, forcing me to lift the face protector. Once I scramble to the surface, I see a black glove reaching out towards me.

I follow the arm up, until greeted by the warm smile of-

"Vega?" I choke in shock.