{ T - F I V E } : C H A R M  B R A C E L E T.

"I feel like I'm being casted in a horror movie. I hate this so much." Jazz exclaimed, huddling behind Grey Anderson.

Normal teenagers spent their recess break in the common room, the school's garden, hanging around by the fountain, making out between the library shelves or having lunch in the Refectory. But Jazz Brown and Grey Anderson weren't normal teenagers and they were spending their recess on investigating the Lion's den.

"This was your idea." Grey pointed out, pushing the door to Head Mistress May Anderson's office open.

Sunlight streamed in through the window blinds and casted a golden glow on Grey's purple school branded hoodie. Jazz felt like they were in a musical as she stood behind him in her purple blazer.

Bubble Academy was purple. Literally.

Their uniforms made them all suspects and potential victims at the same time. The most ironic position ever.

Head Mistress May's office however was arranged perfectly with nothing out of the place. The small trash can by the door was empty, the files on her desk stacked neatly, the wooden shelf at the side was squeaky clean and shiny, her leather seat was polished and the two arm chairs before large dark brown desk looked brushed and clean.

"I remember telling Aubrey about a month and a half ago that I was a seventeen year old high schooler with a bright future and definitely not a CIA investigator–"

"Jokes on you!" Grey teased, grinning.

"But seriously are you sure about this?"

"Sure as I'll ever be. My mom has a habit of always returning to her quarters during student recess so she doesn't miss out on new episodes of Law & Order. Plus she's a big fan of Sam Waterson."

"Head Mistress May, serious woman that she is, wait so you're saying she's actually crime loving?"

"Baffles me everytime but she's all I've got so..." Grey trailed, shutting the door behind Jazz and leaving the key in the hole.

As the Head Mistress's son, he had a spare key to her office in his possession against her wish though but she really didn't mind.

Quickly, the pair went digging.

In seconds, the sounds of wooden drawers opening and closing replaced the peace and quiet.

"Nothing here just files and A4 papers."

"What are we looking for again?" Grey asked Jazz.

"A broken glitter palette and a note and basically anything else that proves your mom knows more than she's letting on." Jazz chirped.

"Aye captain!"

Jazz couldn't hide her smile.

Grey looked away from the stack of files he was leafing through on Head Mistress May's desk and fixed his gaze on Jazz with a raised eyebrow and amused expression.

"What?" Jazz questioned, sparing him a glance and carelessly going through the books on the six foot high shelf standing tall by the left wall.

"You're distracting me."

"Focus then."

"Stop smiling like that..." Grey dropped the files and walked up to her, locking his hands around her belly.

Her back pressed against his chest and Grey didn't know when he dipped his head in the curve of her neck inhaling and filling his lungs with her vanilla scent. If she was a cigarette then he'd be a smoker.

For Jazz, this was the most comforting back hug cuddle ever and she eased her body into his own allowing his cologne to engulf her. The ocean– that's what Grey scented like.

Jazz could feel her skin bristling and her neck tingling.

He kissed her neck.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

Jazz stirred, muttering his name, "Grey... We're getting distracted."

He had a crippling effect on her and right in his arms she felt like she was about to melt away into some utopia. Butterflies swarm and danced to a waltz of their own in her belly as her pulse quickened in frightening excitement.

"I like distraction." Grey whispered, his breath hot and enticing.

Jazz turned around in his arms and his hands slipped to her waist. Gripping her waist, he gently pulled her closer. Jazz had never been more flustered in her life standing this close to Grey and being able to feel his heart race under her palm.

Had she died? Was this a lucid dream?

Grey's convivial eyes as Jazz always described them switched to siren as his gaze dropped to her lips.

She was biting her lower lip unconsciously again.

Grey's lips parted as if to say a few words that would probably blow away the air particles between their lips and close the gap but instead of speaking, he leaned in.

He was searching her eyes, Jazz knew that look and she couldn't hold her breath in for much longer.

Grey wanted to kiss her.

In the Head Mistress's office? Wrong place. Wrong timing Grey Anderson.

She wasn't sure she was ready for whatever the kiss might mean.

She was afraid.

Jazz Brown liked Grey Anderson. She really did and now she was sure he felt the same but she couldn't fight the fear of getting more attached than she already was.

It was bad enough her parents claimed they loved her but yet somehow they still managed to be absent figures. They were never really interested in getting to know their daughter and her hobbies. Everything she enjoyed was all on the surface but deep down she craved the emotional connection from someone– Anyone who would believe there was more to her.

She was scared the same thing might happen with Grey.

She wanted to be open with him but what if he might choose to dip after learning of her insecurities and emotional lack of confidence. Would he still like her then? Or would he be like her parents and not care at all that there was more to her than being jetlagged, a coffee addict and wannabe newspaper journalist?

"Jazz..." Grey mouthed silently like a prayer.

A second till their lips touched...

Jazz Brown stepped back on impulse.

She gasped as she rammed her entire body hard into the bookshelf.

The bookshelf swayed forward.

Reflexes came into play and Grey caught the bookshelf just in time before it came crashing down on both of them but not before a few books toppled off the shelf.

"Shit!" Grey cussed, "I just remembered, My mom has OCD."

Jazz crouched low to pick up the books, sighing at the perfect distraction. Maybe she was really overthinking the situation, Grey was different right?

"So?"

"She's gonna know someone was in here. Do you remember how exactly those books were placed?" Grey gushed on, blaming himself for the situation.

Did he really just misinterpret everything between the two of them?

"Jazz?"

Something shiny that had toppled out of a white envelope from one of the books caught Jazz's eyes and she froze.

Her trembling fingers picked the shiny item up. It glittered under the sun rays.

"Jazz did you– whoa... What is that?" Grey whistled staring at the expensive item and crouching beside her.

Jazz finally found her tongue, "I never imagined I'd see this again..."

Her heart raced inside her chest.

This was the beginning of everything.

The one purple and silver item that had gotten her involved in this insane goose chase.

"Aubrey Simon's bracelet." Jazz breathe out.

"Jesus Christ!"

"I know right..."

Grey was rather absent-minded, his eyes distant as the words on the piece of paper in his possession registered in his medulla.

"Jazz, I think my mom might know who Purple is." Grey said, grimly handing the paper he had fished out of the white envelope to Jazz.

"The note was in the envelope..."

"Hi May, I promised I'd help you didn't I? Take the bracelet as a gift from Aubrey and a thank you from me for your help. Pretty sure the item costs a lot of money. Sincerely PnP?" Jazz read out the note, "P-N-P? Who's that?"

Laughter echoed and footsteps could be heard approaching.

"Oh shit, shit, shit! Head Mistress May!" Jazz said in alarm recognizing the voices outside the door.

They both scrambled to their feet, fumbling with the books to get them back in place.

"But recess isn't over!" Jazz whisper yelled.

"Jazz, we don't have time for analysis. What do we do?"

Keys jingled outside the room.

"What we've been scared to do all along..." Jazz muttered, the charm bracelet cradled in her palm.

"Confront her." Grey concurred, pulling his spare key out of the key hole.

The door knob twisted and they came face to face with Head Mistress May Anderson.

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A/N: *runs away* I loved writing this chapter! If you liked reading it please consider a vote and feel free to tag your friends in the comment section alongside your theories. Is May Anderson helping Purple? Hmm I wonder...
TheShadyButterfly🦋.