Jade’s alarm blared 6:45 AM, her phone buzzing cross the bedside table. Sleep had been elusive, the night lost in the captivating pull of a book. Finally, with a deep sigh, she stretched out across the bed, reaching for the noisy device.
In the bathroom, she turned on the shower, letting the hot water beat against her back for a moment of soothing warmth. The invigorating scent of her favorite peppermint and rosemary shampoo rose in the steamy air, a small attempt to rouse herself. A quick shave followed, and she stepped out, the cool air raising goosebumps on her damp skin. Dragging a towel around herself, her reflection caught her attention in the foggy mirror. Tired. Even a quick layer of sooty mascara and concealer did little to hide the stubborn shadows beneath her striking green eyes. She kept her hair short, styled into a messy fohawk. Lean muscles, honed by years of boxing classes, moved as she tugged on a pair of jeans and a simple band tank. A glance at her watch told her it was time to leave before she was really late.
The aroma of strong coffee and the clatter of conversation filled the cafe, a vibrant energy that did little to penetrate the weariness clinging to Jade. Years had passed since she'd last seen Dawn, their reunion orchestrated by a cryptic phone call. A special project was involved, an "opportunity", Dawn had insisted, Jade finally be helpful to the family. Jade reminded herself that the impulsive girl she remembered was long gone, replaced by a grown woman with a knack for sharp words and a history of questionable taste in men.
Then Dawn walked in, and Jade was unprepared for the transformation. A decade had undeniably reshaped her younger sister. Sharing a mother but different fathers, their only real similarity now seemed to lie in the familiar shade of their mother's green eyes. Dawn, three years her junior at twenty-five, stared back at Jade from a face she barely recognized. Small-framed and around five-foot-six, Dawn's long, wavy chestnut hair cascaded past her shoulders, framing a perpetually sun-kissed complexion that Jade had often envied since childhood. Dawn radiated a youthful beauty that always made Jade feel every inch the tomboy she had been called. Whatever Dawn did, it clearly paid better than late-night bartending.
Jade’s memories conjured a little girl full of unrestrained smiles. The woman before her now had lips pressed into a hard, evaluating line, her gaze lingering on Jade as if finding her lacking. Jade took a slow sip of her lukewarm coffee, patiently waiting for the silent assessment to end. "Jade, thank you for coming," Dawn finally said, her tone businesslike. Jade arched a questioning eyebrow, silently prompting the reason for this unexpected family gathering. Dawn grimaced, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. "There's a project my fiance and I are working on. It's something different, Jade....It can change how we see the world and how we interact with it, but there are…bugs. That's where you come in." Dawn paused, her eyes narrowing with a familiar intensity. "Just agree to meet me there and listen to what Williams has to say." She caught Jade's immediate flicker of displeasure. "Oh no, don't give me that look. You owe me after leaving me with Mom." A familiar edge of resentment crept into Dawn's voice. "If you had stayed, maybe things would have been different. But no, you had to run off and leave me. This is the least you can do." Jade had heard it all before – the familiar accusations of abandonment. It didn't matter that she'd been pushed out or that she'd tried but been a kid herself, that she answered every call. With a weary sigh, Jade agreed. Not today. Dawn was simply too tired to fight.
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Jade watched Dawn across the small, worn cafe table. "What do you need from me?" she asked, her voice flat.
Without a word, Dawn slid a folded piece of paper across the scarred surface. It bore a hastily scribbled address and a time: 8 PM tonight. Jade nodded, tucking the paper into the back pocket of her jeans. Dawn stood abruptly, a flicker of something unreadable – perhaps hesitation – crossing her face. For a fleeting moment, it seemed she might say more, her lips parting slightly as if an unspoken thought teetered on the edge of her lips. But before Jade could decipher the potential words, Dawn turned sharply and was gone, disappearing into the cafe's busy afternoon rush.
Jade watched her go, a knot of unease tightening in her stomach. The secrecy, the cryptic invitation, Dawn's barely concealed resentment – it all felt…manipulative.... She unfolded the paper again, her gaze fixed on the nondescript address. What awaited her there in the deepening hours of the night? And what kind of "bugs" required her specific involvement?
A sudden thought struck her. Dawn had mentioned bugs. Could this project be some kind of immersive game? Jade had occasionally dabbled in a few VRMMORPGs in her downtime, appreciating the temporary escape they offered from the mundane, but she couldn't see how she could help. Maybe Dawn and her fiance had gotten involved in something bigger, something new?...The idea sparked a flicker of reluctant curiosity within Jade. Despite her apprehension about working with Dawn, the possibility of something new, something that transcended the predictable routine of her life, was undeniably tempting. She finished her coffee, the bitter taste lingering on her tongue. Tonight, she would finally discover what Dawn was truly up to. And maybe, just maybe, this unexpected detour could be the change she hadn't even realized she was looking for.
