𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑 𝐎 𝐍 𝐄

    STRANGE WAS THE FIRST thing that appeared in Janeesha's mind when the person on the other line of the call introduced herself as Mrs. Marvin—her former High School teacher.

Especially when the former teacher was calling to be most likely her client. She tried being professional and not asking her a lot of questions because it would eventually come out when they meet up.

The noise of the diner's bell rang throughout the small space, succeeded in releasing Jas from her train of thoughts. Looking up from her coffee mug, she made eye contact with Mrs. Marvin herself.

Rising from her seat then raising her hand, suddenly feeling nostalgic like she was back in her classroom, wanting to be ambitious answering all her questions. The middle-aged woman offered her a small nod with a smile as if knowing her thoughts.

"Hello, Mrs. Marvin," Jas greeted politely as the older woman arrived at her table.

"Please call me Pamela, sweetheart. We're not in class anymore," answered Pamela, as they both sat on their seats.

Jas observed her as Pamela removed her coat, she couldn't help but noticed the way the older woman flinched as she called her Mrs. Marvin.

After Pamela ordered her coffee and bagel, Jas asked her, "So, how have you been, Pamela?"

If this was just a meet up with a stranger, she would usually ask them straight to the point. What brought them here? What was it that they want her to do?

But Pamela was her homeroom teacher in her last year of High School, they were close as she was one of her favorite teachers. Jas owed it to her for not going mental in High School, so at least she had to begin with a small talk first

"I've been better if I'm being honest," she replied shakily, to which Jas nodded in return letting her continue.

"My husband and daughter died two weeks ago."

Widening her eyes, Jas was not expecting this, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Ma— Pamela, I didn't know."

"It's alright, sweetheart," Pamela said tenaciously, "That's why I asked for this meeting, I want you to find my family's murderer."

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Pamela had explained to her that there was something wrong with the tragedy, how things just didn't match up.

"Please, tell me everything I need to know, and why do you think that there was a foul play on their deaths," Jas stated, pulling out her journal and pen to write down everything she needed.

Pamela then started her story, her family had planned on going to Mystic Falls. Her husband, Chris, was eager to show their daughter the place where he grew up in. They ended up staying for the summer at his old house. It had been on sale for a while after his parents passed away.

The house was going to be released in a month, that's why they decided to go there, all he wanted was just to have closure.

Jas listened carefully to the story Pamela was telling her, occasionally writing down some important notes.

"One night, we were invited by the Mayor to the annual town event, I wasn't feeling well," Pamela said, pausing slightly as if it was hurting her to let out the words, "So it was just Chris and Celia — my daughter."

Janeesha offered her support by touching her hand, silently telling her to take her time.

"It was after midnight when I got a call from the police, that they were gone," Pamela breathed shakily, wiping any fallen tears from her eyes, "They were found dead just outside of Mystic Grill —a restaurant in Mystic Falls."

Jas reached out for a napkin and offered it to the older woman. Strange, how the face that used to scold her for being too loud in class was now shedding tears in front of her.

"The police didn't even give me the autopsy results, straightforwardly announcing that it was all just an animal attack. It was like, they were—"

"Hiding the truth," Jas finished Pamela's words as she nodded. So Jas couldn't trust the police there, easy, she never had.

The eyes that were always looking so stern was now staring at her full of pleading, "I know I could trust you with this Janeesha, I've heard about Callie's situation, you're good at your job."

Callie was a 13-year-old girl who was gone missing in the middle of a school year two years ago. Her parents had hired Jas to find their missing daughter, they were one of those folks who didn't trust the police. Anyone was better than the police, they told her, that was why she was hired.

It was one of her first succeded cases. Jas could still remember the relief that was revealed on their faces after she announced that Callie was safe and sound.

Jas wanted to say that it was different, just like every case were different. But she couldn't at least back down before trying.

So she agreed to take the case and find some answers for Pamela. Completely unaware of what the world had in store for her.

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Jas had spent the rest of the day looking up about Mystic Falls before Friday-night-weekly dinner with her family.

She had heard about the small town a couple of times. But she never heard anything so significant to make it stood out in her brain. Other than him, growing up there. No —not Mrs. Marvin's husband, someone she hadn't thought of in a long time.

Quickly shaking off the flooding memories of something she didn't want to deal with today, Jas glanced at the clock.

05:22 pm, it read. She quickly dropped everything and got ready for dinner. If there was one thing that her mother despised the most was tardiness.

Sure enough, with Manhattan's rush hour traffic, it took 45 minutes from her apartment to the upper east side, she barely arrived on time.

Driving through the gate, she parked Timmy — her Mercedes 190SL Convertible car on the driveway of her parents' lavishing mansion. Having a father as a famous artist had its own perk.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Demara," Alfred greeted her as he opened her car door. The Italian man had worked with The Demara for the past twenty years, he had known Jas since she was just a baby.

"Thank you, Alfredo," Jas grinned at the older man. To which he only rolled his eyes playfully at her.

She had insisted Alfred call her Jas or at least Janeesha, yet he never seemed to listen. So she called the butler's name wrong in return as their inside joke and partly to annoy him. That even went as far as her distant family member called him Alfredo as well.

Striding inside her family entrance hall, one of the maids immediately came to her side and took her coat.

"Is mother whining about where am I yet?" asked Jas curiously, not even realizing her mother was within hearing range.

"Women my age don't whine, watch your tongue Janeesha," Sierra Demara warned her daughter, announcing her presence as she walked down the stairs gracefully.

"Yeah, they beg for their daughter to have children already before getting too old."

Sierra cracked a smile on her painted-red lips, before giving her oldest daughter a bear hug, "Oh how I've missed you, darling."

Jas didn't have time to reply that they were seeing each other just the day before as her mother dragged her to the dining room already.

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Dinner was the usual, Javier, her father had his eyes glued on the newspaper while her mother was ranting about society and politics. Which Jas and her sister listened and nodded silently.

Three years through Javier and Sierra's marriage, they finally decided to have kids. With Javier always spent his time in the studio, Sierra was easily felt lonely most of the time, she thought it was the right time to at least try to extend the family.

Javier was over the moon the moment his wife announced her decision, but he couldn't help but worry for her, assuring that he'd still love her with kids or no kids.

Although she wasn't ready to be a mom up until Janeesha's first breath in the world, she promised to love and protect her with everything in her existence.

Until five years into Jas' life that Sierra realized that she had birthed her own replica. Sassy and an overly curious little girl, that no kid should have to possess. Then she found herself having another bun in the oven, only giving birth to another mini-me for herself the second time, except this time having her husband's talent and interest as an addition.

Despite possessing her father's expertise in art, Izabella, the youngest Demara had always been fascinated with her sister's career. Always admiring what she did for a living — helping people and fight off the bad guys.

After her mother finished talking, Izabella — Janeesha's fifteen-year-old sister, did a 180 topic change, asked how was Janeesha's day.

Thus, Jas began explaining her day, which consisted of getting a new case and looking up for the small town she was about to leave for.

"So, Mystic Falls?" Sierra questioned her firstborn, "Do you know Ric lived there?"

Not recognizing the name, Jas arched her eyebrows, "Who?"

"Alaric, your father's step-brother, I remember he mentioned moving there to be close to her late wife, last year," Sierra informed Jas.

Nodding, it could be her alibi to stay in Mystic Falls. Although Jas was never close to her father's side of the family, mostly because there was too much unnecessary drama, she could slightly remember Uncle Alaric.

"How long are you going to be gone?" Bella wondered worriedly, not wanting her sister to be gone for too long.

"Hopefully not too long, Bells," Jas answered, at the unsatisfied look on Bella's face, she went on, "We can always Facetime each other every day, and you can tell me all about your crush with that boy on your biology class," Jas whispered the last part, so only Bella could hear.

Bella blushed furiously at the mention of her crush, before nodding eagerly. Which Jas offered a small smile back before messing her sister's chestnut hair, only to be shoved forcefully by Bella. The teenager sure had strength on her arm.

"So, Uncle Ric. He didn't know my job, did he?" Jas turned to her mother who was pretending not to listen to her daughters' exchange.

"Of course not Janeesha, have a little faith in me. I take your job seriously," Sierra affirmed to her, before proudly resuming, "Even those nosy housewives from my yoga class kept asking me about your job and I have never told them a single word about your real one."

"That's impressive," Jas replied, looking strangely at her mother, she wasn't the best at keeping a secret but felt glad nonetheless, "Keep it that way, wouldn't want Ric to know the reason I'm there."

"When are you going to take off there?" her father questioned, voicing his thought for the first time since dinner started.

"Tomorrow morning, I'm driving Timmy down there," as soon as the words sputtered out of her mouth, the clatter of silverware could be heard. Regret immediately surfaces to her mind, mentally slapping her mouth.

"Driving? Do you realize how dangerous that is? You could be abducted or worse murdered," her mother snapped, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I am calling Brie, you are going to take the private jet," Sierra started leaving no room to argue, already reaching for her phone. She called Alfred over before whispering something — probably concerning her departure to Mystic Falls.

"What, mom? No, I'm a grown freaking woman! And it's only a 7-hour drive."

"With that junk of a car? It would surely take more than 12 hours to arrive in Virginia."

Despite feeling offended that her mother just insulted her baby, Jas took a deep breath and calmly response, "It would be so much easier to have a car in Mystic Falls, Mother."

"Then bring the car aboard. You better listen to me now Janeesha or I'll call Ric to warn him that one of the best PI in New York is coming down there," Sierra warned her daughter once again not looking up from her phone.

"You wouldn't."

"Watch me," Sierra flashed her phone screen to Jas, showing Dialing Saltzman, Alaric.

Throwing her hands up in disbelief before sulking in her chair, "Fine! Fine, I'll do whatever you say! Hang up now!"

Her mother nodded in triumphant, before making another few phone calls.

Displeased that she never seemed to win an argument with her mother, Jas wondered when will her mother stop treating her like she was made of glass. Her job was even more dangerous than traveling outside of the city. Jas sulked in her seat, not even understanding her mother's logic.

Turning to her father frustrated, "You let your wife treat me like I'm a child, dad?"

"Listen to your mom, Jas."

Rolling her eyes at the typical Dad's answer, she turned to Bella who suddenly had a bowl of popcorns on her hands and watching the scene folded in front of her amusedly.

"Anyways, what do you tell your friends when they ask what does Jas do for a living?" Bella asked her mother in curiosity.

Sierra looked up from her phone before finally putting it on the table, she answered somehow proudly, "A stripper."

Silence filled the room once again, the daughters had their jaw dropped. Before the older one finally mustered up in incredulity, "Really, mother?"

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a/n

okay first chapter here we go!
no klaus yet cause i wanna
introduce jas' backstory and
her chaos family beforehand. 

hope you guys enjoyed it,
any feedbacks are greatly
appreciated <3

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𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐝 © 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏

𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞