A/N
Again, with these stories where characters are in such drastically different situations, I hope they're not too OOC...
This is a shorter chapter also. Sorry folks, busy days...
Anyway, enjoy <3.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
"I just don't get how this is possible. I mean, there can't exist two of you in the same universe, it just doesn't work that way!" I throw my pillow to the side, accidentally hitting his torso. "This is outrageous."
He sits at the edge of my bed, getting that look. The look that says he knows he's about to say something dumb, but he's gonna say it anyway. "Well, if my body was fried, then technically my first body is just ashes. So now I get this new version of my body! Same beauty, but upgraded."
Bragging aside, it's not too bad of an explanation... If only Mystaké had just given me one clear answer.
I don't mean to pop Jay's happy bubble, I really don't. But we have to think realistically. "Don't get too used to it. Mystaké said she doesn't know exactly when you'll turn into a ghost again."
He waves his hand dismissively, leaning back towards me. "I mean, no biggie. You can just free me, right?"
As if I didn't have another thing to worry about. I've been trying not to think about it for the past few hours, but... it's inevitable. "Just... enjoy it while it lasts," I end up mumbling, rubbing my bracelet awkwardly. He looks at me and frowns, dropping the subject. Maybe it's for the best.
The sun is already starting to set. All I want to do is sleep and forget about everything.
... Kai knocks on the door. I curse internally.
It's one thing to explain to him why Jay was in my room and with me since morning, it's another to announce that he'll be sleeping in our house because he's a homeless ex-ghost. But where else am I supposed to take him?
Jay's back straightens when Kai enters. He's even more on edge than he was on the car ride.
Kai looks at him and raises an eyebrow. "He's still here?"
I glare at him. "Yes. He'll be staying the night."
Kai's eyes widen for a moment, but then his expression stiffens. He looks at me for an excuse, some sort of follow-up, but I'm left with nothing.
"Termite infestation," Jay quickly says. I want to facepalm, but I can't. "I live on the outskirts of town and man do termites like to hang out there and... infest."
Kai sighs. "Fine. Call your parents and tell them you're staying with us."
How did Kai get into college again? That's the oldest trick in the book.
I feel Jay's back slouch beside me. He thinks on what to say for a moment, coming to a realisation that I hoped would hit him later. "I don't have any parents," he says. "At least not anymore."
Kai's face softens. If Jay wasn't like us then, he surely is now. He's just as lost as I am. It feels weird to admit.
I reach out to comfort him, but Kai gets to it first.
"The guys are coming over if that cheers you up," he says. It certainly does not cheer me up, as we're supposed to be keeping a low profile... But Jay seems happy about it, and that's enough.
Kai turns to me. "Nya, can we talk? Privately?"
Not wanting to raise a protest in front of Jay, I nod.
"Don't go anywhere," I whisper to him as I leave.
He chuckles. "I couldn't even if I wanted to."
I smile.
The moment we're out the door, a familiar voice rings in my ears.
"Ha! Suck it, Kai!" Lloyd's voice is one you can't forget. I even hear a yelp from my room, probably Jay startled by the sudden noise.
"I'm coming to kick your butt in a minute, mushroom head!" Kai yells out into the other room, then groans.
A snicker escapes my lips. "Since when is he here?"
We enter our parents' (now Kai's...) room. As he closes the door, his voice lowers. "He's been here for hours now, but clearly you didn't notice him over your friend."
I narrow my eyes. "You're the one who wanted me to make friends again."
"That's what you think I'm worried about?" he tells me. "You're always skipping school, disappearing off to who knows where, and you snuck your friend in at six in the morning without even telling me he exists!"
I cross my arms, sitting down on the old bed. "What's wrong with Jay?"
"Nothing, so far," Kai admits. "I'm not saying he's not a nice guy, I'm saying that you're just so... distant lately."
"I wonder why. What could possibly have happened that could have made me be sad and distant?"
He sits down beside me, throwing his arm around my shoulders. "Nya, you know I've got your back. I know it's hard."
"At least I acknowledge it," I say, shaking off his grip. "I don't pretend everything is fine and normal when it isn't."
He looks at me for a moment, then chuckles. "Ouch." He tries to brush it off, but I regret my words the moment they leave my mouth.
"I'm sorry," I try to say meekly. My voice cracks (just like Jay's would) and Kai laughs.
"It's okay. Now I know how mum and dad felt raising me as a teen," he says. He bites his lip, trying to find a way to continue without welling up. It's rare that I see Kai cry nowadays. "I made a promise. Some teenage rebellion won't stop me from keeping it," he tries to joke.
I pretend to laugh, but all I want to do is disappear for a little while. I mess up more and more with every word I say.
"Jay wasn't lying about the parent thing, right?" he tells me.
I nod. Technically, he's right; Jay really has no one left from his time.
"Okay," he says. "He can stay the night. But he's not sleeping in your room."
As if he hasn't been rummaging through it every night for the past few days.
"I'll just take the couch."
"That may have to go to the others. They should be here in a bit."
"Now you wanted to do a sleepover?"
"Hey, it's a study session," he says. "With video games, and noodles, and sleeping. Sky and Pix will come as well."
I just hope that whoever comes leaves me to think.
I open the door. Even though the conversation isn't over, I want to get away. I want to be near Jay for whatever reason.
I find him in my room talking with Lloyd. Lloyd's showing him all the latest issues of Starfarer while Jay frantically tries to keep up. I chuckle at the sight.
"As if we needed another dork in this house," Kai says behind me. He sighs, retreating to the kitchen.
Now that Jay is distracted, I have other matters to attend to. Worst part is, the growing knot in my stomach won't go away.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
The door across the ball is slightly open. I guess Lloyd forgot to close it when coming to our place.
"Misako?" I call out. Then I remember. She's in her office. She always is.
So, I let myself in and knock on the door at the end of the hallway.
At first, I don't get a response, but eventually, she opens. She looks disheveled, black circles under her eyes yet still holding a confident smile on her lips.
"Good evening, Nya," she tells me, fixing her grey braid. "Did something happen with Lloyd?"
I shake my head. This is much harder than I thought. I've never had a 'girl talk' before, nevermind with someone I barely know.
Although, I guess she's the most neutral perspective I have. Skylor, Ed, and especially Edna would reply to me with a resounding yes. Kai, and also probably Lloyd, would go with an expected no.
If I'm being honest, friend or not, I think Kai likes Jay well enough. No matter his suspicions, at the end of the day, he's still a good friend (one that happened to be dead a few hours ago).
My gaze peers over the ancient writings and manuscripts scattered across her desk. She has to know something about Mystaké's weirdness, right?
"No," I finally reply. "Lloyd is fine. I wanted to talk to you about something else. Do you... have time?"
She smiles. "I have a few minutes."
That's... really not enough, but I'll work with what I can.
She leads me to the living room, where we proceed to sit down in awkward silence as I try to find the proper way to say it. Am I technically admitting to going to a necromancer? Will she call me crazy if I tell her about Jay? I don't know.
"Nya?" she calls out my name. She sips on her coffee more impatiently than before.
I shake my head, attempting to ground my thoughts. "Right. There's this... term that my friend mentioned. I can't find it anywhere on the internet and I was wondering if you know something about it?"
"If I know, I'd be happy to help."
I take a deep breath. "Hydroelectrici-tea," I say.
"That's more scientific than historical, Nya. I don't think I'm the right person for this."
"No, no it ends in -tea; as in, the drink. I think it's supposed to refer to something... other-worldly."
"Oh." Her eyes widen as if she's had an epiphany. But I don't get my hopes too high up. "I doubt the occult is really in my field. I'm sorry."
I sigh. There goes my one lead. "It's alright."
Just as I get ready to stand up, she speaks again.
"Who is this friend of yours?" she asks innocently. "Kai told me he's in your room?"
The animosity I held for Kai earlier is starting to come back. As per usual, advertising my personal life like a reality show...
To be fair, I did come here for girl talk as well... And that debate is still going on in my head...
"Yeah. Just a friend from school," I say.
"Is he nice?"
"Really nice."
I stand there awkwardly. I'm not good at these types of conversations.
"Something is bothering you," she tells me. "Did he break your heart?"
"No, no," I quickly say. In fact, I'm the one most likely to break his. The thought is eating my up inside. "He's great."
"That's good to hear."
I awkwardly make my way towards the exit, but I can't bring myself to open the door.
"Misako," I turn and tell her. "If you had to choose between something super important to you and someone also important to you..."
I don't get to finish. "It depends on what that something is. We all make sacrifices for the people we love sometimes."
Love is... a heavy word. Even in non-romantic situations, it doesn't feel right to say it. The last people to hear those words coming from my mouth were my parents. And, well, it didn't matter in the end.
Great, another layer to this problem. I care about Jay, I know I do. But does it stop there? I don't want to see him gone. He doesn't deserve it. But the bracelet is...
"Follow your heart," Misako finally tells me. "Sometimes, it knows better than the brain."
I slowly nod to thank her. I open the door again, wider this time. But when I try to walk through, her voice stops me again.
"You know... Your parents may have known more than I do," she tells me. "I recall seeing some old books about that subject back in Ignacia. Then again, they showed me those books before you were even born..."
I turn around immediately. "Do you think it could be it?"
"All I remember is some recipes for strange tea... I think Wu might have been the one to gift it to them, in fact."
"Alright," I say slowly. I try to flash her a strained smile. "Thank you."
"Always here to help," she says. "Oh, and if you could bring Lloyd at around twelve? Or let him sleep at your house if need may be."
I nod, closing the door before she can stop me again. Knowing Lloyd, he's going to be up till 2AM anyway.
The others have all arrived by the time I get back home. Jay is awkwardly squished between Pixal and Cole, looking kind of puny between them. It's an odd but funny sight.
Once he sees me, his gaze lights up in a way that makes my heart flutter. He invites me to join in, yet quickly returns back to the videogame he's desperately trying to learn how to play.
I still don't feel completely comfortable around Kai without feeling guilty for what I said. We don't really talk the remainder of the night.
Skylor, Pixal, they both try to speak to me but I'm not really there. I can feel them nudging my though, mostly about Jay. Even Pixal joins in, making sure to lend me her seat next to him later on in the night.
Jay and I click instantly in conversation. I feel as if I've known him for years now. It's just something about his jokes, his demeanor, even the movement of his hands that makes it endearing when he speaks. And even when overshadowed by the rest, he's the only one paying attention to what I'm saying. Perhaps it's because I'm the only one who knows the truth, I want to remind myself. But, at the same time, I can't help but feel special.
It's also cliché to think of myself as that; just a maybe-crushing teenage girl. I don't like feeling as vulnerable as Jay makes me feel sometimes; I'm more than that.
But then I see how much fun he's having, whether it be with the others or me or new technology and junk food he's slowly discovering... And I can't help but smile. I've never seen a person be so happy to be alive before. He's happier than I ever was these past few months, that's for sure.
Right now, we're just a group of messy teens hanging out. And, mainly due to Jay's presence... I enjoy every second of it.