"Would you stop pacing? Rowan is a big girl, I think she can take care of herself," Matt tries to calm me down, but it's not happening.
"I'm supposed to look after her!" I snap.
"Why," Mello asks, "are you her sister or mom or something? Because you sure are acting like it."
"No, I'm just really protective of her," I say.
The guys roll their eyes.
I watch as Near fiddles with some dominos, stacking them in huge towers.
"Did you guys have a fight or something?" Matt says, running his hand through his red hair.
"Kind of, I don't know what happened. If I knew I would be out there fixing it."
"Well, why aren't you trying to fix it now?" Mello questions.
"Because I don't know what I did wrong!"
"Ask her then!" he says, "Girls are so complicated. Just be straight forward, go find her and ask what you did wrong and say you're sorry. Then you can be buddies again."
Well that's the best idea that they had so far.
"I'm going out. I'll be back soon."
"Bout time," I hear Mello mutter under his breath. But I just ignore it.
Once I'm out the door I focus on Stanley. His face and features. I feel a slight wind and in the blink of an eye I'm right next to him.
He blinks in surprise. "Electra, I didn't expect to see you here."
"Yeah, I thought I would try jumping, but it seems I strayed a little too far," I say glancing around.
A large tree with neon color leaves is standing tall, next to a waterfall that is sloshing a purple liquid.
"Am I back in limbo?" I ask taking in the scenery.
"Yes ma'am."
"You know, a friend of mine said that Light would be stuck in limbo forever when he died. But it seems too magically miserable. Hardly a punishment."
Stanley scratches his head. "Yeah well we have different parts. The part where the bad guys go, the part where the good people go, and the part plenty of other sectors as well, but I don't think you want to be confused about it."
I nod. This seems like a really powerful land. It controls everything. Earth and beyond.
"Hey, you know Rowan yeah?" I ask.
"Yeah, the girl who was with us at breakfast? She seems nice."
"Well she got mad at me and I don't know how to fix it. Mello says to just ask her what I did wrong and apologize. But I think pushing close to her all the time is what started it. I could say that I will keep a distance from now on, but I honestly can't. She's the girl I'm supposed to be protecting."
"Oh wow, it seems like you've got it rough." Stanley walks to the neon tree and sits. I follow him, the green grass snapping like twigs under my feet, and growing fresh new strands in its place.
"I would just let her come to you. Let her cool off and balance out. Keep a safe distance. She should come back tonight. Just don't rough up the waters."
I nod and take in a deep breath.
He's really smart. "Thanks for the advice."
"Anytime, I'm always here."
We sit in silence for a while, before he gets up.
"Well, it's getting late, and almost time for my shift to start. I'll see you tonight ok?"
"Ok, thanks again." And I blink back to the front of the house and walk through the creaky door.
Near is sitting at the table, eating mashed potatoes with his knees to his chest.
"Hi Near, where are the guys?"
"Nice to see you again, Electra. Matt and Mello have gone out in search of Rowan. She did not return once you left."
"What do you mean she didn't come back? Near, you like puzzles and crud, why don't you help look? Surely you know where she could be?!"
"Right here," an annoyed voice says from behind me. Mello and Matt walk in with a sheepish Rowan.
"She was at that Mexican food place down the street with her friend," Matt says.
I breathe in a sigh of relief. "Oh I'm so glad you're ok!" I say running up and hugging her. She stiffens and I let go. Turning around I say, "and thank you guys for finding her. I was about to call in a swat team like…" I trail off. I was about to say like L did with me. But instead I say, "like a worried mother would do."
Matt and Mello wave us off and head to their rooms. Near stays behind as Rowan goes to make up the reclining chair to sleep in.
"Electra," Near says, "May I ask you something?"
"Sure Near, what's up?"
"How did you know I like puzzles?"
Oh crap.
"I just figured. You look like the type to play with them. You stack dominos and like things to fit. It was something that was just said in the heat of the moment. Sorry if it offended you…"
"Not at all, sleep well Electra."
"Sleep tight, Near."
Once I hear the door to his room close, I run and flop on the couch. Hoping that Stanley comes soon.
"Sorry, I ran off. But you're tailing me like a naïve child," Rowan says laying down in the chair.
"Sorry, I tail you like a child," I reply a little coldly. "But there is way too much that you don't know, and I can't have you or anyone else getting hurt. It's my job to protect you Rowan. But I can't do it if you keep running off. I know you didn't ask for me, and I didn't ask for you either. So bear with me if I'm not the best angel you've ever heard of like in the movies or whatever."
"I'm sorry," I hear her say again.
I sigh, "I know you are."
"But I made some friends, some new ones that are human. I want you to meet them tomorrow."
"Sure, no problem." I say shifting my weight, trying to get myself comfortable.
"And E?"
"Yeah?"
"Why didn't you come looking for me after I ran out?"
"Because one, I was in shock that your stutter was gone. And by the way, your voice is very pretty. The second reason is I figured you could use some alone time. I realize that a lot of stuff got thrown at you at once and it's a lot to soak up. Even sponges need to be ringed out, right? So I'm sorry too. Are we friends again?"
I hear her laugh, "You know it."
We both roll over and I as soon as I close my eyes, they snap open.
I sit up and notice it's really dark and quiet. Rowan is sleeping soundly in the chair.
"What the hell," I whisper to myself and roll back over to go to sleep.
"Psssst, Alexandria."
"Stanley?" I say sleepily.
"Go invisible," he says.
I do and make my way over to him. "What's wrong?" I ask, a flicker of worry igniting inside me.
"I need you to come back to limbo with me," he takes my hand and we blink back to the area where he gave me advice for Rowan.
I take a step forward and note that the grass is squishy and thick, and not crunching under my feet like before.
The tree, with all its glory, had its leaves faded colors of browns and a black sticky substance came running down its trunk.
The water however, stayed a sloshing light purple and other trees leaves held bright colors.
"What happened to the tree?" I ask.
"Something dark," Stanley replies. "Something bad, like it's been infected by one of the other sectors. But that can't happen and it was fine earlier. You saw it!"
"Yeah, I did. Look we can think it over later ok? If it happens to some other trees, or anything else, then we'll start to worry."
Stanley nods sadly and we blink back into the living room.
"Sorry for waking you up. I can give you a double dose of dust if you want."
"No, it's totally fine. I have to meet some people tomorrow anyways. So I can't afford to sleep all day."
He smiles and holds out his hand with his palm facing upward. He slightly blows and I see little specks of gold fly at me.
He laughs as I yawn, and he helps me get to the couch and by then, I am out.
"Electra, get up, the guys are fighting."
I slowly open my eyes, and rub the crusties out of the corners.
"How are they fighting," I ask, sitting up looking at them.
It looks like they took my advice on acting like themselves, because they are fighting over breakfast just like I remember.
"Ah forget about them, they're just eating breakfast," I say getting up.
Rowan doesn't look convinced, but nods anyways. "Well, she said they'll be there at nine o'clock. It's eight forty five now. I'm ready, when you are."
I pad down to the bathroom and change into an over the shoulder top and some black skinny jeans and combat boots.
Thinking of my makeup real quick, it appears and I step out of the bathroom and follow Rowan out the door. I don't think the guys will have even noticed we left.
Arriving early, we order a pizza and wait.
The door opens and closes and I hear voices.
"Hi Rowan! Glad you and your friend could make it!"
Oh god I know that voice.
I know that outfit.
I know that hair.
"Andie! I'm happy to be here."
It couldn't really have been her.
"Electra right?" Andie says shaking my hand then sweeping some pink hair out of her face.
"Yeah, that's me." I say quietly.
"Rowan tells me you were also from Whammy's house. I don't remember seeing you."
"I was closer than you think."
She smiles, that scary, toothy grin, "He should be here soon. He said he had some things to take care of."
Rowan and I both nod our heads and Sora brings our pizza, and Rowan excuses herself to go to the bathroom.
Andie makes a disgusted look.
"Something wrong?" I ask.
"Do you know how much fat is in that pizza? Just saying I'm fat already."
Andie was hardly fat and she knew it. She was just trying to fish for compliments.
"We're like the same size," I say, taking a bite out of a slice, "just saying."
She narrows her brown eyes at me, "really, I couldn't tell."
"Yeah, it's hard to see behind that huge ego of yours," I say.
She sneers, "you're not all perfect yourself, sweetheart."
I hold up my slice of pizza and wave it in her face, "you know what the difference is between your opinion and this pizza?"
"What?"
"I asked for the pizza."
Rowan comes out of the bathroom smiling, "so how are we?"
"Good," Andie and I say in unison.
"Perfect."
We eat some more pizza, and Andie gives me dirty looks. The door swings open and Andie waves, "hey over here."
I hear the footsteps get louder before he stops at our table and slides in.
"Hi ladies, looking wonderful as always. Sorry I'm late."
"Oh it's no problem," Rowan says blushing.
I am literally in shock.
Rowan has a crush on her father's killer.
Rowan has a crush on Light.
DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNNNNN Comment and Review. Hope you enjoyed
