Unfortunately taking a shower didn't help her much with getting her mind off this whole mess in her head. In fact not one second passed without thinking about how she should proceed from now. She pondered back and forth what she could do – heading straight to her and confront her about this was one option. Or maybe not that straight. But doing this didn't feel right at all. Not without knowing what to say to her.
And so she came to her second option, and the only option she truly had left.
Asking others for help.
Now the problem was who would be the most useful to ask, who would actually help her and can give her the answers she needed.
Two people immediately came in her mind, two where she knew those went through all this already. Surely, Seven and Sice could help her with any question she had, at least Seven definitely would.
These two went through all this pre-relationship mess before, they had to have an idea how she should act now.
Deuce was still in her thoughts when she left her dorm again after returning from the shower, taking a deep breath as she walked to Seven's room which was right in front of hers. A few seconds she just stood in front of the door before she decided to knock on it, hoping she would open and try to help her.
Questions … what should I even ask first?
Silence.
All she received was silence. Deuce knocked again a little bit louder, but there was still no reaction coming from the room.
Oh, she is not there?
Her head turned to the next door, Sice's room, and only shrugged. Maybe they were in her room instead of Seven's, that could be possible too.
But even there came no answer, no matter how hard and often she knocked on the door – she didn't get an answer.
Deuce sighed and hung her shoulders – she was so intent on asking them and now they weren't there. Disappointment rushed through her, but she shook her head, she wouldn't give up that easy. She wanted to find out how to confess to Cinque and if she had to search whole Akademeia for that, then be it. This was her mission now.
I just … have to find them! They have to be somewhere.
This will be a long day.
With new confidence she walked across the hallway of the girls' dormitory, hearing noises coming from the little lounge that connected the hallways of the girls and boys dorm. She had to pass that anyways to reach the portal to the Main Hall if she wanted to find those two love birds, so there was no reason not to check what was going on – and actually, Deuce always was interested what others did when she got the chance.
Slowly she approached the small hall and saw Jack sitting on the table in the middle, his elbows placed on his knees that hung from the table. He had a big grin on his face that almost turned in to a big laughter when a low groan came from the sofa he was turned to. Deuce stopped before she entered the lounge, inspecting the situation to know what was happening right now.
Did Eight fall asleep on the sofa again?
The angle didn't allow her to see who was lying there, but noticing Jack's giggle and prodding, it was clear that only Eight could be there.
Another groan came from the sofa and Eight eventually lifted himself up then, covering his face with his hands when he saw Jack sitting in front of him on the table.
"Jack …"
"Morning, Eight! Slept well?"
The tired boy only sighed and rubbed his eyes, shaking his head at the question. Without a word he stood up and stretched himself, leaving then without giving him another glance while Jack had still this big grin on his face.
"Morning, Jack." This was Deuce's chance to finally step in the situation. Jack turned to her and waved, smiling as she approached him. "Say ..."
"Oh I know, Deuce. I should have brought shorty to bed instead of waking him up like that. Next time-"
"Actually, that's not what I've meant." She scratched her head. Well, she did know about Jack and Eight's little banter from time to time and she would gladly ask him about that, but today other things had a bigger priority. Today she came first.
"Ah, what is it then? I'm all ears."
"Do you know where Seven and Sice are? They aren't in their room and … I really need to talk to one of them."
"Hmm." He crossed his arms and tilted his head, humming as he recalled his memories. "No. Not really, I'm here since about 10 minutes? So they must be gone for a while."
"Oh I see. Thanks-"
"But … you can ask me, too! I'm sure I can help too."
Deuce stared at him and blinked, opening her mouth to say something, but closing it again to think about it first.
Should I really …
Jack always tried to make things better, he always did it for her since they were little children, and his bland view on the world could help. Maybe. Collecting information from various people wouldn't hurt.
"Um okay … so." She took a deep breath and prepared her question. "How do … you tell someone you love them?"
"Whaa-, Deuce!" Jack began to snicker, "I can't believe I missed that one! Who is the lucky one?"
"Jack … "
"Oh right. Um you see …" He scratches his head again, "well, … not that I have any experience on that, not at all! But … you could just go to them, spend a very long time with them together and just say it? I mean if you are sure about it and know the other one is sure about it, too, it should be easy right? And really-"
"..." Deuce was only silent as Jack continued his easy going speech, her heart aching in her chest as he spoke about "finding the true love". But it was getting ridiculous – she was actually in hurry to find Sice and Seven and not listen to Jack's "experiences" with love.
"Wait, Jack." She patted him on the shoulder as he seemed not to stop anytime soon. "I'm sorry to interrupt you … and really thanks for that information, but I have to go now."
"Oh. Ahh yeah I pulled a Trey didn't I?" He chuckled and rubbed his nose. "Anyways, I hope you will find these two. Have fun on your mission!"
"Thanks!"
Deuce nodded and waved him goodbye, and with that she stepped in the nearby portal, leaving Jack behind.
Her thoughts about love came back at this extraordinary speech from Jack, lingering in her mind for a little while as she thought Jack's word over. Honestly, she didn't expect him to have such a wide drawn knowledge on that, but then again it was Jack. You never know what this guy really knows.
He said … I just should go to her and blatant confess to her. But … that doesn't sound … no. I can't do this. What should I even say, what can I-
She sighed and let her shoulders drop again the moment she arrived in the little hallway where all the portals to the dormitories each class lied. It was a busy day apparently, many cadets circulated back and forth the Main Hall with books in their hands, even though the day still pretty early.
So many people here already and it's just a bit after 9.
Deuce looked a bit left and right to see if she can make out Seven or Sice in the crowd, but there was no signs of them – white hair wasn't that common under Agito Cadets, so there were good to spot even in a huge crowd.
Where are you two hiding?
The girl felt a little bit lost right now. Sure, she had been here for quite a while, but huge crowds were still something else, and combined with the fact that she still didn't know where the two where didn't make things any easier for her. And there were still Jack's words in her ears …
"Look at that, yo."
Deuce was pulled out of her thoughts at the familiar voice – she could recognize that voice everywhere. At first she didn't even notice him when she looked around and honestly she was a bit confused the moment she heard him, but when she turned her head there he stood, arms crossed and leaning with a shoulder against a wall.
"Nine?" She walked over to him, surprised to see him at this early hour. Maybe he saw them and can tell me where they are! "What are you doing here?"
"Hey, morning, Deuce! … Well, I." Nine nodded to her as he greeted her, returning his focus to the distance. Deuce followed his stare, because he still didn't give her an answer.
"Nine?"
"Ah, I was looking there." He nodded in the direction he was looking at and Deuce had to stand on tip-toes to see what Nine meant. "You see this group of girls there? I … ah man, I can't stop looking at them, you know."
"What?" Deuce tilted her head and squinted her eyes to make out the group Nine was talking about. She could barely see anything because of her height, even when she made herself taller, but she saw enough now to know what Nine meant. "You mean those pretty girls standing on the other side there?"
"Yeah exactly them! They are always here at this hour and I don't wanna miss them, yo."
"But Nine …" Deuce tapped on her cheek, "Isn't that a bit creepy? … I mean, you usually rush straight forward and talk to them, right? Why the change?"
"W-Wait, ya think it's creepy? Damn, I haven't thought about that … I just wanted to appreciate them, you know? Don't get me wrong, of course I know how to talk to a girl! … But I always get rejected, so I thought I try something new and wait before I say anything."
"Wait, huh." Jack's exact opposite words still lingered in her, making her a bit relieved that she wasn't the only one who thought that just straight up telling the other one about their feelings wasn't the best idea. But still, staying here and watching girls from afar? That wasn't the best either. "And … what do you think what will happen if you stay here?"
"Well uh, … I. Damn, now that you mention it, I don't know." There was a small pause from him as he scratched his head. "You're right Deuce, I should do something different! … But, what should I do?"
"That you have to figure out for yourself, Nine." Deuce folded her hands together in front of her. Now we are in the same boat huh. "Oh, Nine? Have you seen Seven or Sice? I need to ask them something."
"Huh, yeah they came by around twenty minutes ago or something. Used the Great Portal and left, not sure where to though. Seemed kind of in a hurry."
"Oh thank you Nine!"
"Sure, a-and thank you! I-I mean … I wouldn't have known that, yo."
"Always try to learn, Nine."
"Me? Learning?"
They both chuckled as Deuce waved him goodbye and made her way to the Great Portal, the encounter and dialog with Nine still lingered in her mind. The waiting Nine did with the girls definitely was completely different from her situation, but it surely was an important thing to know anyways – watching someone you like from far away didn't seem to be a wonderful thing. Instead it was more painful than it was anyways. Never saying anything to the crush about your feelings wasn't an option and Deuce knew that now – hiding didn't do her good, that was for sure.
Now she had the proof that her feelings were right to her, never she felt more right about that one … and yet she still didn't know what to do. No, that wasn't exactly right, with those two encounters she had she knew she had to go to Cinque, but … how?
Seven, Sice where are you...
Deuce was standing right in front of the portal now, knowing that these two where somewhere in Akademeia, but searching every single exit for them would be too much time consuming – time she desperately needed before she headed to the arena to pick up Cinque and go to lunch. Her heart was beating fast now, just the thought of that made her dizzy – and her stomach grumbled with a loud noise.
She jumped at the sudden bubbling in her stomach and held her hands on her stomach, feeling the turmoil inside there – and the realization hit her.
Breakfast. She totally forgot breakfast. Seven and Sice must be eating breakfast right now.
That she didn't had this idea earlier was seriously a mystery to her, because she always took care that she had a healthy breakfast in the morning, but her mind totally blocked that all out today and was full of thoughts with her and how to solve this problem with confessing.
Deuce, you really need to calm down now.
Asking for help when she was a nervous wreck wasn't that of a good idea, so she took one last deep breath before she stepped in the portal and made her way to the Students Lounge.
