Restart (JEYNA)

Chapter 7

"Don't you dare tell anyone I'm here, Grace!" Reyna whispered violently (I didn't know it was possible 'til then) once she got nearer, just a few inches away from me.

"A praetor, of all legionnaires, should not be doing this." Her voice was now filled with self-disappointment.

I remember how much this girl avoided showing anybody that she also gets disappointed with herself. Well, anybody except me. Reyna had trusted me so much before. Sometimes, she would open up to me. But I can admit I still didn't know everything about her because of the walls she built. Though she never told me, I knew she believes she must not appear weak and vulnerable. She was a Roman through and through.

I didn't feel like I can say anything at all to her. I just looked at Reyna's face, the face of the person who was once my partner in crime, my best friend; the face of that I longed for when I had problems before I was taken away from my home. I had a sudden realization: I missed her.

Reyna glared at me, sporting a scowl that made me want to hide in the bushes a bit.

"What are you looking at?" She asked, confused.

"Nothing." I smiled at the puzzled Reyna. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone since I'd also be in big trouble."

She took a deep breath. After about half a minute she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I remember you told me that these gardens can make you feel better." I told her, still smiling.

Her cheeks slightly turned red. She looked surprised, like I just told her I'd be leaving camp in the middle of the night. "I thought you wouldn't remember."

"This place was you're favorite. You always go here but never around this time." I added to her.

"You're right." She still sounded shocked.

"So, why are you here?" I asked.

She moved her head downwards a little. "Just thinking."

"Of what?" I questioned curiously. It had to be something big or else she shouldn't have gone here.

"Nothing, really." She gave a faint fake laugh and looked at me again.

It was as if I felt every bit of her sadness with her words and expression.

"Reyna, how are you?" I asked her, concern filling my voice.

In a split second, she looked as if she was as happy as she can be.

"What do you mean how am I?" She snorted. "I've been great, Jason."

I decided not to insist and ask her about something else. "Well, maybe you could tell me about what happened last week with Lupa?"

"Her visit was a surprise. She was here for only a few minutes." She gave me a questioning look. "She was looking for you."

I felt so scared and baffled that I knew I would feel this way too if Reyna told me Lupa planned to kill me. Maybe she expected I'd go to Camp Jupiter after receiving all of her remarks in my nightmares. Now I was sure she wanted me back here.

"Why was she looking for you? She knows you don't go here and it wasn't summer yet a week ago." Reyna spoke, still mystified with the event.

"I don't know either." I admitted, sounding disappointed myself. "Did she say anything else?"

"No, just that." Reyna replied.

There was another awkward silence. With the moonlight shining again on her, she was radiant, all of her, not only her smile like in my dream.

"What else do you remember?" Reyna asked, breaking my train of thoughts. Her voice sounded quite hopeful. For what, I didn't know.

"Almost everything, I guess." I told her, pretending to be interested with an unfamiliar flower.

"Well, that's very nice to hear." She responded, fishing for something in her toga pocket.

My friend drew out an old-fashioned pocket watch. I bet ten denarii it was made out of Imperial gold too.

"I gotta go now. See you around, Grace." She said, putting back the watch as soon as she read the time.

"Reyna, I also know that by this time of night you have no praetor business or anything else to do." I informed her, those words suddenly coming out of my mouth. "I was usually the one who stayed up late."

"Yes, but--"

"Reyna, are you trying to avoid me?" I ask, before I could even stop myself. I knew she had but I wanted to hear it from her.

"No, Jason." She said looking at me glumly. "But I do want to sleep. Good night."

She passed by my side quickly and left the place, leaving me alone.

Suddenly, the gardens weren't peaceful; it felt lonely. It was as if Reyna's coldness towards me had spread all around. Still, I continued searching the Garden of Bacchus, wondering how much I still couldn't remember, trying to retrieve more memories.

While leaving the gardens, I thought about how it seemed that this was the first time the Garden of Bacchus had failed Reyna, making her have more questions than answers. And I was the one to blame.