* * *
Thump. Thump. Thump. I lay in bed, absentmindedly throwing a ball at the door. I'd been looking for that damn crystal for hours. Hours. I'd finally given up and succumbed to my hunger at around 2am and gone home. Sighing, I looked at my window at the moon, wondering what it'd be like to be a normal 16 year old. No stupid missions to go on, all the time in the world to spend with my girlfriend, no annoying roommate...
Okay, so maybe the roommate part was wishful thinking. But a guy can dream, can't he? And speaking of my annoying roommate, I watched with mild amusement as the door opened, and the ball I was throwing smoked him in the face.
"Ow! I come in here to see how you're doing, and your throw a ball at me? Yeesh, some friend you are," he moaned, holding his nose and coming to sit on the end of my bed.
"So, what's up?" he asked.
I gave him a droll stare.
"Okay, okay," he held up his hands, "I get it. How about you just tell me about that wing of yours?"
"It hurts," I stated.
"Okay...anything I can do?"
"No." There really wasn't, especially because even he didn't know I was working for the government. "How's Clarissa?"
He shrugged, "Understanding. I mean seriously, she's taking this whole you being all secretive thing pretty well."
I gave him another droll stare.
"Well what do you want me to say? I took her back here, we had hot chocolate, I assured her you'd be okay, that you were an idiot and did stupid stuff occasionally, and said I'd get you to call her when you got the chance."
"Thanks."
"No problem. Now," he said, leaning in, "You wanna tell me what's really going on?"
I sighed, and raked my fingers through my hair, "Basically, I found someone who can help, and before you ask who, I can't tell you. All I can say is, I'm looking for a blue crystal, somewhere in this town, and is probably in a piece of jewelry or something," I admitted, hoping I hadn't said too much
He gave me a strange look before sighing, "Alright, you know I trust you, so I won't ask, or tell you how stupid you sound. Daily. But I'll keep my eyes out for weird blue crystals, alright?"
I nodded, wishing I could tell him more.
* * *
"Do you have any idea how many stupid looks I've been getting?" Borgos groaned, and sat down at the table in our kitchen.
"More so than usual?"
"Knock it off smart-ass, I'm serious."
I rolled my eyes. It'd been nearly two weeks, and I still hadn't found that damn crystal. In fact, after I finished my breakfast, I was setting out again to look for that sucker.
"Are you even paying attention?"
I looked up, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course you haven't been," he glared, "the least you could do would be to pay attention."
"Sorry," I mumbled, draining the last of my orange juice.
"As I was saying, I found your crystal thingy-ma-bob. Here ya go, ingrate," he said, placing a large blue broach on the table.
I nearly spat the juice all over him in shock. There was no mistaking it. I opened my mouth to ask where he'd found it, but he silenced me by holding up a hand. "Don't even go there. I bought it off some lady selling it in some shop she just opened. And I had to endure all this gushing over 'how nice it is to see kids these days interested in fine jewelry.' But yeah, I got it for you. Now pay up, you owe me $30 bucks, bucko."
Dumbfounded, I handed over the cash.
"You're welcome. I still don't know how this is supposed to help your wing, but I suggest you go see your "friend" sometime today, preferably before Clarissa kills us both."
Grinning, I pocketed the broach and got up, patting him on the back in the process, "Thanks, I owe you one, mate."
He just rolled his eyes.
Within the hour, I'd arrived at the department of paranormal activity, and handed the crystal over to George. He said he'd have the antidote done within the week, and he'd send me a message via the Z-phone once it was completed. With that weight off my shoulders, I headed back to the school to see Clarissa.
I'd just raised my hand to knock on her door, when I paused. She was playing the piano again. I waited for her song to finish, I'd always loved listening to her, but she was so shy about her talents she seldom played around anyone, even me.
Once she opened the door though, I gave her a big hug, delighted that this whole wing business would soon be over.
Smiling, she gently pulled away from me. "What's gotten into you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing," I grinned sheepishly, "I'm just happy to see you...and..."
"And?"
"And... I wanted to thank you for putting up with me for this long."
"Did Mr. Macho just semi-apologize for his oddities?"
I rolled my eyes.
"He did! Call the record books. Actually wait, I'll go get my video camera, I want this on tape," she grinned, "So, date tonight? I really have missed you."
I brushed a strand of hair back from her face that had escaped her loose ponytail. "You can count on it," I said, feeling for the first time in a long time that things were going to be alright from this point on.