For the first time ever since I got to this world I woke up by myself, no rays of light hitting my face, no annoying pokes from Luke when I'm sleeping and no mumbling in my ear from Jayden, which was perfect for me.
But something seemed off, in the room I shared with both Luke and Jayden even with the curtains closed some beams of light managed to peek through, but everywhere was dark.
Then I felt something hard against me, I looked up to see Kristen staring at me with a sleepy expression.
"Good morning." He yawned out before removing his hand from my waist, wait....his hand on my waist.
Memories from yesterday crashed through my mind like a tidal wave, us looking for Patrick then dying, then coming back before we fought two oddly large wolves before I beat one to death, then me freaking out while having nausea. Kristen had carried me to the mansion where I tried having some sort of relaxation by cooling off in the Jacuzzi, then I asked Kristen to stay...
My cheeks burned in embarrassment as I remembered that part, I honestly have no idea why I asked him to stay. I just wanted company, his company. Weird.
After that he teased me for having no hobby before teaching me how to draw. Then I ended up here, in bed with him.
I don't even remember how to draw the water lily he had taught me to.
"Jade, could you please remove your limbs from me? We have school today." Kristen said bringing me back to reality which I wish he hadn't because of the compromising position we were in, my arm around his neck and my leg over his hip. What a way to start the morning.
"What says the time?" I asked after I disentangled myself from Kristen who reached to grab his phone.
"4:34 am" He replied as he got out of bed, "which gives you plenty of time to make a decent breakfast."
"Hey! It's not my fault that the toast burnt and the tea was too sweet last time. We were late!" I sputtered out my voice filled with indignation, after Christopher left the mansion, Jayden recommended everyday we take turns in cooking food at home. Kristen rolled his eyes amused.
"Sure, sure. If we finish early we can discuss Zhao Mei and Christopher's relationship and how we're going to fix it." Kristen said as he helped me out of his bedroom. "So go wake everyone else up and on our way to school we'll discuss this." He added before basically throwing me out of his room.
Waking up everyone else was pretty easy, for Jayden and Luke I basically just had to open the curtains and scream at the top of my lungs, for Chris (Who I found on the couch) I just had to poke his cheek since he's a light sleeper.
"So lunchtime we'll talk." Kristen said as he walked to his class when we arrived at school. I nodded as I began heading to my class when Luke blocked my way.
"Hey Jade." He greeted coolly.
"Hi" I replied.
"There's this new archery grounds that opened downtown, wanna come with me?" Luke asked with a lazy grin playing on his lips, I don't why but my grip on my bag suddenly tightened. After the New Year's incident we weren't really hanging out and we barely saw each other.
"I would but... I'm busy today, maybe another time." I replied.
If Luke was disappointed he didn't show it, nor did he put up a fight or anything. He simply nodded at my refusal.
"Ok, maybe next week then." He said before entering the class.
I couldn't pay attention in class as I waited for lunchtime to arrive, after a while the teacher left saying a meeting was happening.
The class basically turned into chaos after our teacher left, Luke had his ear buds plugged in as he used his phone. I kept on idly tapping my pen as I thought about any reason Christopher and Zhao Mei broke up.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
Maybe one of them were cheating.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
Or maybe they just weren't meant for each other, Kristen did mention they fought a lot and broke up several times.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
Or maybe-
"Hey Jade!" Siniaria's cheerful voice pierced through my thoughts like a dagger. Her lively grey eyes staring right at me as a mischievous grin crept on her lips. In her hands was an orb with something black inside.
"What's that?" I asked intrigued. Siniaria's giggle did not satisfy my curiosity and it only grew as she threw the orb around.
"I collected it yesterday." Was all what Siniaria said before adding "Anyways Kristen is looking for you, he's standing outside your class." With that she left me with more questions than I could answer.
What was in that orb?
We haven't talked to each other for weeks and she's not worried about it, why?
*THUD*
"Hey!" I yelled annoyed as a crumpled paper ball landed by my side, I looked outside my class to see Kristen leaning against the door with an annoyed expression on his face.
Right, he was looking for me.
"You know, there are less hostile ways of meeting up with someone." I said as I stared at him, arms crossed as I eyed him, his black blazer wrapped around his waist as he had loosened his tie showing a peek of his pale collarbone.
"My less hostile way didn't work, also...." Kristen said as his finger lifted my chin to meet his gaze. "It's rude to look at other people's body without permission." He drawled out before releasing my chin.
"Never knew."
"Didn't expect you to."
"Get to the point." I snapped annoyed at his snarky comment. Kristen pulled out his phone as he side-glanced at me.
"Patrick says that after school we should meet him at Lakeside Haven. So after school, we're going straight to Lakeside Haven. Unless,you have plans." Kristen said before staring right at me.
"I'll come to your class before school ends, my last period always ends ten minutes before time." I replied.
"Good, my last period is a free period." Kristen said before leaving.
That's how I ended up at 3-C with my bag strapped over my shoulder as I waited for him.
"Hey junior. What are you doing outside my class?" One of Kristen's female classmates sneered at me, if she thought she looked intimidating with her haughty hazel eyes, spiky copper hair or her aggressive voice. She should forget it.
"I'm looking for someone." I replied calmly. Her nose scrunched up with what I presume to be annoyance revealing her freckles and the tiny beauty mark above her lips.
"Who exactly?" She asked.
"Kristen." I replied as I peeped through the door trying and failing to see Kristen.
The senior's lips tigthened as her eyes narrowed down at me, her arms folded against her chest.
"And why are you looking for him?" She asked again, this time her voice taking a sharp edge.
"He said I should come here before my period ends. We're going somewhere after school." I replied, she closed her eyes shortly but when she opened them they basically shot daggers at me.
"Is school over?" She asked with an eerily calm voice that barely hid the vemon in her voice. I gulped down a huge lump in my throat, why was she acting hostile?
"No." I managed to peep out, God I wished I sounded more braver than that.
The senior took some deep breaths before she stared at me again.
"The next time you want to come to my class, make sure it's either closing or lunchtime. Got it?" She said, it wasn't a request. It was an order.
"Connie, what are you doing?" Kristen asked as he appeared right behind the girl. That did not help the tension brewing.
"Kris, I've told you to stop bringing juniors to the class. Especially girls! It's annoying." The girl warned him, Kristen simply laughed before playfully patting her hair.
"Yea, I'll see you tomorrow." Kristen said as he took my hand and left, I could still feel her glare on me.
"So, Connie. What's her issue?" I asked as we reached the exit, students had already started leaving when we crossed the exit.
"If she hears you calling her that, you'll be scrubbing bookshelves for weeks." Kristen warned with a grin on his face. "Her name is Constance. She's my friend, kind of."
"Ok." I replied.
"Jade, Let's walk home together!" Luke called out, Chris and Jayden were by him as Luke waved at me, his eyes searching for approval, his fingers idly fidgeting with the hem of his blazer. Jayden looked unconcerned as he tapped his phone, Chris waved at me.
"Sorry, Kristen and I are going somewhere right now. Maybe tomorrow." I replied.
And that's how their moods changed instantly.
Jayden tilted his head as his eyes narrowed, moving from Kristen then me, his eyebrows arched up before he finally shrugged.
Chris blinked rapidly as he scratched his head as he mumbled something before he nodded slowly.
It was Luke's reaction that really shifted, he actually flinched at my statement. His shoulders slumped before giving me a resigning nod.
"Tomorrow it is then." Luke muttered as his lips quivered before he slowly walked away.
"We should get going." I said as I took Kristen's hand and walked to Lakeside Haven.
No, it's not by the lakeside, but it did have a cute fisherman by its logo. A small light brown building with sea blue wave designs greeted us with a light cursive board with a white cursive writing that read:
Lakeside Haven
Inside wasn't that bad, it had everything a cafe has: the showcase presenting the pastries, the cashier's desk, seats for customers. The twist was that everything was lake themed: the menu had lily pads on it along with drawings of moss, on every table was a glass bowl with different stones and different species of fish. There were paintings of lakes by every seat and there were small quotes about cafés and tea and books there like:
:-( + Milk Tea = :-)
Shut up, I'm reading.
Café + lakes = perfection
Just some espresso and books will do.
"That's him." Kristen said as he nudged me out of my thoughts, the first thing that greeted me once I woke up from the fantasy of coming here often was the smell of books, cake and different beverages.
"Who?" I asked as my eyes scanned the room. I stared at Kristen who seemed to be staring at someone else, I followed his gaze until my eyes landed on a guy in his early twenties with pink hair and lime green eyes who seemed to be staring into his drink perhaps lost in thought. Kristen gently took my hand as he led me to the guy.
"Hi Patrick, sorry for disturbing you." Kristen greeted as we sat at the opposite side of Patrick, he was wearing a black argyle sweater, his pink hair was sort of messy but yet it seemed fluffy.
"If this helps me get rid of my writer's block, sure." Patrick said as he finally took his eyes off his drink as he regarded us, sleep bags underneath his eyes.
"So why did you call me?" Patrick asked as he rested his head against the palm of his hand which was propped on the table.
"It's about Christopher and Zhao Mei." Kristen began, he paused waiting to gauge Patrick's reaction but all he received was a nod.
"Well go on." Patrick said as he stared at his phone and noted something down in the chartreuse notebook by his drink.
"We want to know if you know the reason why they broke up." Kristen said, Patrick simply sighed as he took a sip of what seemed to be a cookies and cream milkshake.
"Why do you want to know?" Patrick asked barely showing interest in the conversation.
Because if we don't we die. The truth was right on the tip of my lips.
"I'm his brother, I care for his wellbeing. Also he became more withdrawn from everyone after his breakup." Kristen simply explained.
"Can't argue with family." Patrick reasoned before taking another sip of his milkshake. "They were fighting a lot, more than the previous times. They fought when they hanged out with friends, they fought at restaurants. Zhao Mei's best friend who's also her roommate swore that it would sometimes turned into hate s-" Patrick explained but stopped when he noticed the tint of green appearing on Kristen's face. "Right, I'm talking to minors, apologies." Patrick drawled out before taking another sip of his drink.
"What were they fighting about?" I asked, a shadow quickly appeared on Patrick's face but he masked it indifference.
"Things people your age shouldn't talk about." Patrick replied.
"Does it have anything to do with reproduction, like watching it occur?" Kristen asked before shuddering in disgust.
"Ha, I wish it was something as trivial as that." Patrick snorted as he got up and a hand in his pocket after he finished his drink and picked his notebook and phone.
"They were fighting about something that can kill people. I never thought I'd say this but if you desperately need the answer, check Christopher's room back at your home. Unless he cleared it." Patrick said. "And if you do find it. Talk to Christopher about it. Everyone in our friend group has given up talking to him about it, maybe family will convince him. Enjoy your evening." Patrick said, his voice sounding slightly concerned before he left Kristen and I in the café.
(Thank you _Sonix143_ for your comments, hope you enjoy the story)