Iridescent

36| Same

I smiled.

"I used to be a bitter kid. Hardly spoke. Saw everyone as enemies," He pursed his lips, wincing at his childhood memory. "Yeah, that was not my best moments in life."

"Do you remember your parents?"

"I..." He thought for a bit, his brows slanting with a hint of sadness. "I have a photo of them. From when they were young. Vel has the other two. They help me remember."

"Do you know..." I asked the next question carefully. "Do you know what happened? How you ended up there?"

"I can't remember the details but... they left me and Vel with my grandpa and said they'll be away for three days. The next thing I knew they were... gone."

"What do you mean?"

"Disappeared into thin air. They never came back even though they said they would." He paused, brows knitted. "For some reason, five-year-old me believed for certain that they had drowned." 

I found it hard to swallow. "How come?"

"I remember my dad said that they were going to go out to sea. Said he was going to bring me some shells," he gave a short laugh, "I was very obsessed with seashells at that point of my life."

I offered a faint smile. 

"They never found their bodies or where they went so... I had hoped they would come back. Then, grandpa died two years later. Vel and I were both sent to the orphanage because there was no one else, which — by the way — I hated because it was named SeaShells and it was by the beach."

I winced but I was glad Jaxton didn't see.

"I disliked the water for a long time and refused to learn how to swim but Ms Seam taught me how to by pouring a bucket of water on my head."

"Wow!"

Jaxton laughed at my expression. "Yeah, I remember I was stunned but didn't think much of it. Ms Seam taught me loads of things. One thing for certain was making me fall in love with science." He cleared his throat, eyeing me. "Sorry, let's not get carried away with my science obsession."

"I'd love to hear it sometime?" I tried. "Maybe then I can tell you about my obsession with cakes and books."

He chuckled. "I know you're a bookworm from all the books you have all over your room. I even stubbed my toe on one."

"When was that?"

"When you were sick and asleep," he said, "I had to suffer in silence. Which book was that? Ah... The Count of Monte Cristo."

I giggled and shuffled closer to him, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and rubbed my arm with his thumb. "After the visit to SeaShells, Robin just seemed... I don't know. Off. I thought it was because he felt nostalgic and sad. I felt a bit sad too. I remembered all those times I felt angry at the world and angry at my parents even, for leaving us behind." 

I felt an unpleasant tightness in my chest.

"I didn't think much of it, then, you know, Robin disappeared. Can't find him at his dorm or anywhere around campus or class. I got access to Robin's dorm and found a letter he left just for me. He told me not to look for him."

I tilted my head, gasping, "What?"

"I know. I thought it strange too and spent the next few days spamming him with calls and texts but he probably changed his number or something," he sighed. "From those 'expeditions' I have a suspicion that Robin was forced to work with them. As for 'them', I don't know who they are but... they don't look like they have anything to do with Iridescent. Just a hunch, though."