I've stopped going to base for almost a week now. I just can't face him right now. Not after what I told him. I can't even be bothered to go to school, so I've just been pretending to be sick. Technically, I'm sick inside. Just a different kind.

I hear the doorbell, followed by my host parent shouting 'Miko! You have a guest!'. Honestly, I'd rather not see anyone. But I let whoever it was into my room.

Big mistake. Because that someone is Jack.

"What do you want?" I grunt. Why is here? To humiliate me even more?

"I'm just here to drop off your homework," he replies, and dumps a whole bunch of books on my table. Then he just walks out of my room, but I can't help but think that there's more.

"Wait," I command, and he walks back into my room. "There's more you want to say. I can feel it."

"You're right. There is," he responded. He then sits right beside me, on my bed. "What you said the other day was hard for me to understand at first. You, Miko Nakadai, are the bravest person I've never met. Always voicing out your thoughts, like there's no big deal. Then there's this secret that you've kept for who knows how long, and it just surprised me. What happened to the Miko I used to know?" Jack asks, and he's kinda right. I used to be a lot more outspoken.

"Well, if I'm that brave, I don't feel it," I answer. I reach my hands out and hug him, only because I really need one about now, and there's no one else around. I'm glad he came here in the end.

I'm gonna try something that he'll most likely hate me for. But I have to do it.

—

Miko goes straight for me and kisses me. It actually isn't that bad. But what am I gonna do about Sierra? She's making this even more complicating. She stops kissing me, and I head towards the door.

"I had to do it. At least once," she said. I walk out of her house, with mixed feelings. Frustration, because she's just made things even more complicated. Confusion, because I kinda liked that kiss.

Shoot. I just remembered my date with Sierra tonight. Why is everything so complicated?! I feel I need some time away from girls. So I grab out my phone and text Sierra to cancel our date. Phew.

I head over to Raf's house. I know he's not expecting me, but I go there anyways. I'm sure he'll understand. He knows what's going on.

I knock on his door, and his mother opens it. Then his mother shouts something in Spanish, I'm guessing, and Raf dashes to the door.

"Don't you have a date with Sierra?" Raf asked.

"I cancelled it. I need to talk to you," I reply. We go to his room, when I start pouring out my problem.

"I went to see Miko today. I tried to boost her confidence, but that only led to her kissing me. So I decided I'm going to have a girl-free night. Including my mom," I explain.

"Man. You are in a really tough spot. You can stay here for the night if you want. I don't know how I can help, but I have a spare controller if you wanna play video games," Raf suggested.

"Sure," I reply.

About an hour later, I get a text from Ratchet.

I know where the space bridge might be.