As I Collide, I See I Am a Paradox // White Collar

FIFTY-NINE

Past life disappeared in an instant,
Tangible memories erased and gone.
No warning of what was to happen,
An accident, something went wrong.

~

"How could you let this happen?!"

Jayson's neighbors probably thought someone was dying because of the amount of yelling between them. "I-I'm sorry!" He held his head in his hands, panicking at the idea of Reina doing this. They always wondered what they would do in the worst case scenario, but they never talked about it and now...here it is. "I didn't think—"

"—And look where that got us!"

"Look, I said I was sorry! Why can't you accept that?"

"Because sorry isn't a magic word, Jay! It doesn't just fix everything!" Kira and Jayson were both yelling now, standing opposite of each other in Jayson's apartment. Breathing out, she shakes her head, "I should have never let you sign up for this."

"Why does everything need to be a job for you?" Jayson argues, coming closer to her. "Why does everything need to become a task?"

She huffs at him, meeting his eyes. They're glaring at each other, the venom dominant in the dilation of their pupils. Jayson can make it out by how her jaw is set and face turns cold. "What does that even mean?"

A tense silence fills the atmosphere. Kira's eyes were challenging and Jayson was smart enough to know not to take the bait. But she was looking at him and the way she looked was scary. It was like she was a completely different person.

Mozzie clears his throat, stepping almost between them. "Have we all forgotten that Reina is out there with the cipher and most likely planning her revenge?"

Jayson could not be more thankful for Mozzie than he was in that moment. His lowered his gaze from Kira's, an admission of defeat in and of itself. "He's right." Then, he shakes his head, his concern for his friend showing, "I can't even imagine what she's thinking."

The tension in the room slowly dissipates when Kira backs away, walking to the other side of the room in thought. Mozzie fills it once again, "Any idea where she might go?"

Jayson shakes his head hopelessly, "I—" He sighs and shrugs, then rubs the back of his neck, "—You could check out her apartment, but I doubt she's there."

Mozzie nods and glances at Kira near the far end of the room. "Kira and I will check it out. You know her best so hopefully you will have more luck."

Kira didn't say anything as she left and Jayson was only slightly grateful for that. He knew that moment he refused to argue any further was because he knew he would have said something he'd regret and he knows how bad she is at forgiving people that have hurt her.

But mostly, he knows how much she always blames herself. For every. Little. Thing.

And she doesn't need anything to add to that guilt.

As for finding Reina, he knew she must be heartbroken, confused, panicking. Feeling as if the last person on Earth that she's ever loved has betrayed her and he can't sympathize with that. He doesn't understand how that feels and he hopes he never does.