Chapter 23: Romeo and Juliet Trespass Rapunzel’s Prison

Jenna wasn't pleased to find the kids ditching their driver, but she couldn't blame them for worrying about a friend. In fact, she was secretly thrilled. Scarlet was a unique individual and there can only be benefits for the Wilde Family knowing that girl. Jasper and Alex needed just the right push in life to start spreading their wings and Scarlet was the right motivation.

"Alright, listen up. I am going to talk to Scarlet's parents and both of you should not be here at all. Jonathan will drop you further down the street, you can talk to Scarlet when I have settled down to discuss some very important adult matters with Scarlet's parents. I do not want any of you causing trouble or getting caught, do you understand me? Scarlet should be in her room."

Alex nodded gratefully and Jasper wondered if it was possible to pull it off without screwing up somehow. "Where is Scarlet's room?" he asked.

Jenna shrugged. "I wasn't told. However, the house is a one-level building, it shouldn't be too hard to find it. Scarlet's room has a window."

After realigning their strategies a little, the car came to a halt. "This is it, do well and I will ask the madam to reduce your punishment."

Alex saluted and Jasper nodded before they got out of the car. Without the weight of their bags hindering him, Jasper felt a lot more confident about the mission's success until they were met with their first obstacle.

Alex suggested edging along the tall hedges to look for a side gate but Jasper spotted some security cameras and didn't think that it was a good idea. They would have to find another way around and probably in a more creative manner too seeing as Alex wasn't very athletic. Climbing walls were out of the equation. The tall hedges did a good job deterring nosy people from peeping into the house. Jasper wondered if the Liu's kept any guard dogs but knowing that Scarlet often returned to an empty house, he doubted it.

"Let's check the neighbour's fence," Jasper suggested. It would be easier to climb onto the roof and jump down when they knew where Scarlet's room was.

Alex didn't know what checking the neighbour's yard would do to help them but followed Jasper anyway since she didn't know where to begin. The boy walked around and found a good tree in the back. The neighbours were also out so that was convenient. Jasper tested a lower branch and backed a few steps before running to give him momentum.

Alex watched with big eyes as the boy pulled himself up the lower branch. Once he was sitting comfortably in the branch, he bent down and offered Alex his hand. The young heiress blushed at the gentlemanly gesture and accepted it. Jasper pulled her up in an effortless manner. Being a lackey carrying those heavy bags trained his arm muscles well.

Once they were high enough in the tree, Jasper sprinted a little and hopped onto the roof. The roof tiles were slightly slippery and Jasper fell, much to Alex's horror. Thankfully, he had good reflexes. The gardener's son righted himself and regained his footing, impressing the young heiress who was now unsure if she should try the same stunt.

"Wait there," he told her and clambered over the top, disappearing over to the other side.

Now stuck in the tree, Alex didn't know if she was able to move. From this height, it was a long way down. The young heiress felt like a cat who'd climbed up a tree and was too scared to go down. Her knees buckled and she hung onto a branch for dear life as a particularly strong gust of wind caused the branch to sway.

"Jasper!" her hushed whispers were lost to the wind and Alex prayed that he would return soon.

As if it were magic, Jasper's head popped back up with only a helmet of hair just past Alex's line of sight from the branch. "I found it! Come quickly..."

Alex shook her head, her eyes teary. "I can't..."

Her weak voice made Jasper sigh silently. This princess was really too useless... how hard was it to jump from the tree to the roof? Also, Scarlet's room was very near the front porch so they'd have to take a different route. He scouted the insides of the house briefly. With Jenna keeping the adults busy, Jasper could easily sneak through the backdoor once they get past the cameras watching the front.

"Hold on, I'll get down first. We'll head in from the backdoor after this. There are no cameras watching it, only the front that we need to avoid. Scarlet's room is somewhere in the front, we need to sneak in from the back. Good thing Jenna has the adults occupied, their backs will be facing us."

Alex was impressed that Jasper gathered so much information in such a short period of time. "You sound like a detective... it's nice to know that we have a way in but I can't get down."

Jasper scurried over and dropped down the roof before rolling expertly on the grass, making very little noise. Once he was sure that the coast was clear, he held his arms open wide. Alex looked at it and blushed.

"Hurry up, I'll catch you!"

Alex didn't think much of it and let go of the branch, falling right into Jasper's ready arms. The scene was romantic until the impact came. Jasper was unprepared for the angel of Alex's fall so he had to lean backwards. However, he wasn't able to steady himself on time when Alex made contact so the duo tumbled onto the dirt clumsily.

Thankfully, nobody seemed to hear the commotion outside. Even if they did, they would have written it off as some silly squirrel knocking into some old dustpans. The trespassers took a minute to calm their racing hearts before Jasper resumed the operation. The backdoor wasn't locked so it saved him some time trying to help the girl crawl through the open kitchen window.

Once they were in, Jasper put a finger to his lips and signalled for Alex to follow his lead. They tip-toed gingerly down the hallway. As the distance between Jasper and Alex grew wider, the girl decided to rush and forgo the stealth, knocking into a chair. The wooden furniture screeched and in panic, Alex made a run for it. Jasper's heart nearly stopped when he caught sight of Mrs Liu turning around at the noise.

Luckily for them, Alex cleared the danger zone and Jasper pulled her towards the wall opposite to huddle together like sardines in a can. Once the adults resumed their conversation, Jasper relaxed a little. To their right was that one door separating them from Scarlet.

With their faces only inches apart, Alex could now see the eyes hidden behind the bangs. There was no need for communication between the two childhood friends. Alex nodded at his silent question and Jasper turned the door handle very slowly while holding their breaths.