1.10 The Trap

“So where are you planning to go to college?” James asked setting his lunch tray down opposite him on the table.

“I’m not going to college,” Jackson told him around a mouthful of pizza.

“What? You’re like the smartest guy in class,” James looked at him in astonishment.

Taking another bite Jackson frowned at his friend “it’s not like your going either.”

“Yeah but that’s different,” James mumbled “I’m the idiot of the class. I’m barely gonna graduate high school I’d never be able to go to college.”

“Sure you can” Jackson tried to encourage him “you don’t give yourself enough credit.”

James shrugged avoiding Jackson’s gaze. The both knew why he was doing so poorly in school. It wasn’t from a lack of trying but a lack of support. His dad kicked him out of the house six months before…

“Are you doing alright?” Jackson asked him breaking his line of thought.

“Yeah I’m fine,” he said turning to look out the window. He always found it kind of strange that Jackson chose him to be friends with. The poor kid whose parents kicked him out to live in the store room of the convenience store he worked at after school. Jackson would on occasion give him money from his allowance. James was about to say something else when Margo joined them.

Jackson smiled over at her blushing as she reached for his hand “so when are we going to go on that date?” she asked.

“I uh,” his green eyes looked to his friend for help.

“How about never,” James replied for him.

“Ooh spoken like a jealous boyfriend,” she cooed eyes dancing in delight as James looked around the crowded lunch room to see if anyone had overheard her.

Jackson pulled his hand away from her “that’s not cool Margo.” His eyes sparked with anger “give the guy a break.”

“What’s the big deal? Everybody knows he’s gay,” she flashed him a smile full of radiant white teeth “relax no one cares.” She got up and moved across the table to sit next to Jackson. “So when are you picking me up for prom?”

“Aren’t you going with your boyfriend?” Jackson asked scooting away from her.
Shrugging she closed the gap between them “we broke up so I’m available…” She leaned in close wrapping her arms around him.

James put a hand up to cover his mouth to hide his smile as Jackson squirmed in Margo’s arms.

“I uh I’m not going to prom,” he stuttered.

“But you have to,” she said sounding appalled that anyone would miss out on the biggest event of the year except maybe graduation. “Don’t you want to go to prom with me?” she asked sounding petulant as she stuck her bottom lip out. “Aren’t I pretty enough for you?” Her eyes welled up with unshed tears.

“I um I” he looked over to his friend hoping James would help him out but he was laughing at his expense. Sighing Jackson tried again “I uh don’t dance…”

“I can teach you,” she smiled brightly at him “you can come over after school and…”

Shaking his head “no I’m sorry I can’t. Look you’re a really pretty girl and I’m sure you’ll find someone else to take you.”

“But I don’t want anyone else to take me,” she said as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

“How many times does he have to say no Margo?” James asked having come to his rescue “give it a rest.”

“Fine!” she shouted causing several students to look over at them “I’m sure you two will make a lovely couple.” She stood up and walked away with her head held high.

Jackson lowered his head to the table and lightly banged it on the hard surface. “Dealing with Margo is like wrestling an octopus.” He looked up at James who was once again laughing at him. “It’d serve her right if I did go to prom with you.”

A peculiar look came into James eyes as they lit up then darkened in disappointment.”Sure we can go stag together.”

“We could if we went,” Jackson replied with regret. He got up to empty his tray “but I’m not going.”

***

 During supper Jackson’s phone rang disturbing their family meal. Jackson looked at the caller ID and sighed “why won’t she take no for an answer?”

The girls looked at each and giggled gaining Tains’ attention. “Girl problems?” he asked causing the girls to go into fit’s of giggles.

“She want’s to go to prom with me,” Jackson told him “she’s…persistent.”

“And pretty” Twyla added.

“And available” Kayla chimed in “why don’t you want to go with her?”

Turning to her sister Twyla said “maybe he really is gay like everyone says…”

“I’m not,” Jackson protested.

“Everyone is betting you’ll go to prom with James,” Kayla said laughing at him.

“Just because James is gay doesn’t mean I am,” Jackson told her standing up “he’s my friend. There’s nothing else to it.”

“Can’t you take a joke?” Kayla asked as their laughter died out.

“Get new jokes because you’re not funny,” he mumbled avoiding eye contact. There was no way he was going tell either of them that James had asked him but he had declined same as he had with Margo. He had other more pressing concerns to worry about and didn’t need the added complications of leaving anyone else behind he cared about.

“That’s enough girls,” Tain told them. The girls looked at him nodding when their eyes sparkled with curiosity. When the girls had left the room Tain turned to Jackson “your refusal to go to prom…”

“I don’t plan on being here for it” he confirmed “I turn eighteen in a couple weeks.”

“I know,” Tain fell silent lost in thought “you know where you’re going?”

Nodding Jackson got up and started to clear the table “I’ve had it all planned for months now.”

“Good,” Tain muttered wanting desperately to ask for details and knowing he shouldn’t. He couldn’t know the details otherwise this plan wouldn’t work. He left the room he had calls he needed to make of his own now.

***

The next day at school Margo came up behind Jackson at his locker. “Finally alone at last” she whispered in his ear.

“Mmmargo” he stuttered “what are you doing here?” He backed up into his locker slamming it shut in the process.

She leaned in close nipping at his ear playfully “I’m still waiting for answer.”

“Nnno” he stammered finding words difficult to form as she leaned on him pinning him to the locker. She hovered above his lips teasing him. His eyes followed her movements like a fly in a spiders web.

“You know you want to” she purred licking her lips.

“You know he could have you written up for harassment,” a deep voice said from behind them.

“I should have known the boyfriend wouldn’t be far behind” Margo grazed Jackson’s lips with hers before stepping back “You’ll pick me up at 6:00?” she winked at Jackson.

“I’m not going,” he said squeezing past her “stop bother me about it.”

She put on an exaggerated show of being hurt “please Jax I really want to go with you. If you go I’ll quit pestering you to go on a date.”

“Jeez Margo what part of no don’t you understand?” James asked pushing her away from Jackson.

“Keep your filthy paws off me,” she snapped before turning and walking away.

“Thanks James I appreciate the support,” Jackson said frowning as he watched Margo stop to talk to a woman in the hall. Taking a step closer he was able to make out who the woman was. He reached out to lean against the wall of lockers only to find he hand moved beyond them. He fell sideways losing his balance.

“Hey” James called coming up beside him “are you ok?” concern in his face and voice. “Do you need me to call your dad?” Jackson shook his head. James was the only person he had confided in regarding his condition. He was the only person he trusted outside his immediate family. Clutching his friends arm Jackson continued to stare at the woman Margo was talking to “who is she?”

James looked in the direction Jackson was staring in “who? The woman? That’s Margo’s mom.”

“Margo’s mom!” he said in consternation. It finally made sense why Margo was so insistent he take her to prom. It’s not because she liked him but to trap him. Lure him away from his family…

“What’s wrong?” James asked watching him closely.

Images of the past flooded Jackson’s mind. He was lying in the hospital, his stomach on fire. His Dad talking to a woman. The same woman who had forced him to drink poison when he was eleven years old. Licking his lips Jackson managed to force the words out “Mmmargo’s mom is the lead scientist….”

James swallowed hard as he helped Jackson up “we’ve got to get you out of here.”

***

“Act naturally,” James whispered in his ear “get your books like your going to class.”

Jackson nodded numb. This was all happening so fast. He had expected them to make a move when he turned eighteen not before not at school. Evidently plan A failed with him refusing to go to prom. They probably planned on grabbing him when he went to pick up Margo at her house. That would have given him no chance of escape.

Plan B was to take him at school. He half expected …. “Jackson Sugihara to the Principles office” and there it was the page He felt James touch his arm urging him to hurry.

Two men in suits were blocking the doors to the student parking lot. “Damn” James exclaimed under his breath “we’re going to have to split up.”

“How am I going to get out of here?” Jackson asked “they probably have guards at every door.”

“The cafeteria” James told him “go out through there. I doubt they’ll be looking for you there.” They walked towards their class room as normal before splitting up “I’ll meet you on the other side of the park.”

Jackson nodded as they parted. He tried to act casual when students looked at him as he passed. The hallway to the cafeteria was nearly deserted by the time he got there. He broke into a run as he ducked into the lunch room. A janitor looked up surprised “I left something” he muttered.

“Check lost and found,” the man pointed towards the direction of the exit doors.

Jackson made as it to go into lost and found area. He looked over his shoulder and when the janitor had his back to him Jackson made his move. He ran for the doors. He didn’t stop running until he got to the park and fell to his knees gasping for breath. He pulled his backpack off inspecting it’s contents. He found what he was looking for. The envelope with his dad’s instructions of where he could find the money he would need. He glanced at his watch “what’s taking James so long?” he muttered out loud.

He sat on the ground using the time to his advantage by writing letters to his sisters and dad. This was happening too fast, blowing all his carefully laid out plans. When he was finished his folded the the letters hoping that James would come soon. He wished he had his phone but he had to ditch that in a garbage can as he was running to the park.

If Margo hadn’t tried calling him he might still have had it on him. As it was it reminded him that he had given her his phone once so she could put her number in it. At the time he didn’t think anything of it but it had taken her a long time to add just her name and number. She had probably downloaded a tracking app on it and had kept tabs on him ever since. He couldn’t believe he had been so stupid. Letting a pretty girl manipulate him like that.

“Hey” a deep voice said behind him making him jump.

“James” Jackson exclaimed “what took you so long?”

“Sorry man those guards were searching everyone and not letting anyone leave. I decided I should go to class like usual and come later. I tried calling you.”

“I threw my phone away” Jackson said standing up “Margo was calling me and I remembered her putting her number into my contacts list and I thought she might have put a tracker on my phone.”

“She probably did,” James agreed “which also explains why she accosted me at my locker demanding to know where you were.” Laughing he added “you should have seen her. She looked angry enough to breath fire balls.”

“No thanks” Jackson shivered “I’ve seen her mother in that mode. I could have liked her if I hadn’t wanted to keep her at a distance. I would have dated her. What kind of moron am I?”

“You’re just the normal teenage boy under the influence of a pretty girl.” James shrugged “we better get you home before your dad goes berserk.”

“I’m not going home,” Jackson told him “it’s not safe there anymore.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“I’m leaving town tonight,” Jackson told him.

“With only the clothes on your back?” James eyed him “how much money do you have?”

“I’ll manage,” he shook James’ hands off him “I just need you to give my dad and sisters these letters for me.” He hold them out to James waiting for him to take them.

After a moment James took them “I don’t like this. Where are you going? How are you going to get there?” He looked into the growing darkness “let me come with you.”

“No I can’t put you in that kind of danger. I’m going to be hunted like a fugitive,” Jackson turned to walk away “besides I’ve been planning this for a while.”

“Then why’d you wait around for me?” James asked.

Looking down Jackson turned with a half smile “I wanted to see you last time before I left. I wanted to say goodbye.” He turned and started to walk away. He heard running steps coming up fast behind him. He was swirled around and before he knew what was happening James had his mouth on his. He struggled for a moment in James’ strong arms before he gave in and kissed him back. He stumbled backwards when James released him “I’ve got to go,” he mumbled.

“Let me come with you,” James begged “I can help you…”

Jackson sighed he desperately wanted to say yes. He wanted someone he knew by his side, someone he could trust. “I’m sorry” he said before he could change his mind. He turned and walked swiftly away.

“I’ll find you,” James called after him “I won’t give up until I do.”