METALLIC FLOWER

Chapter VII:

Not the Good Kind of News

A.N. And here is the first of the two actual time skips in this story. Going by when this takes place, I'm going to assume you can guess where the other will be.

Seven years had made their way through my life. I was now 14, with my 15th birthday in March. I was expecting that Roger would have made me move into a different room eventually; I mean, when you have a guy and a girl in the same room, and they're teenagers...

I'm pretty sure you get my point.

Although for some reason, Near and I were still roommates.

I still had the letter from A in my bedside table, and I had gone through three black and silver notebooks as journals.

One day, I was sitting at my desk writing as I've started doing recently, while Near was building something out of Lego. Just like when I first met him, I thought.

Neither of us aid a word, and apart from the sound of the plastic bricks clicking together, my pen scribbling across paper, the rustling of said paper whenever I ran out of room on that page, and our breathing, the room was completely silent...

Until someone decided to start knocking on the door. I stood up and walked over to the door and opened it. Matt seemed ready to knock again, because his hand was still raised when I opened the door.

"What do you want?" I asked, annoyed. Matt and I had gotten into an argument earlier in the day, and I still wasn't too impressed with him at the moment.

"Can you tell Near that Roger wants to see him in his office?" Matt asked. Before I had a chance to respond, Near spoke up.

"I'll be right there," he said, standing up. I backed up a bit to let him out of the room. After he left, I spoke again.

"Don't think I've forgiven you for earlier," I growled. "You do not go outside, bring a bunch of snow in, then stuff it down the back of my shirt without me being pissed. It just doesn't work like that."

I shut the door and walked back to my desk to finish what I was working on. Hopefully he left, but knowing that guy, he was just as likely still standing outside my door.

Half an hour later, Near walked back into the room. Instead of going back to his Lego like I expected, he sat down at his desk, pulled out his laptop, and started looking over files.

"What happened in there?" I asked. I was already curious, but the change in my roommate's behaviour made me want to know more.

"L is dead," Near said simply. To most, you wouldn't notice any change in his voice, but after sharing a bedroom with him for seven years and nine months, I'm pretty sure I've got him figured out. Or at least as close to figured out as it's possible to get.

Either way, I could hear how upset he sounded. I don't blame him though. He really looked up to L, and to find out that he was killed (99.99% chance Kira did it) would really hit pretty damn hard. Probably worse than I was hit when A died. I mean, I only knew him for a month, Near has looked up to L for years.

"What are you going to do?" I asked. I was fully aware that Near was first in line as L's successor, with Mello close behind. I knew that both of them would jump into the case and start trying to figure out Kira's identity and apprehend the murderer. Like I said, spend seven years around people, and I've pretty much got them figured out.

"I'm going to stay here and work on this case from here outside of classes," Near explained. "Mello is leaving, and I won't be surprised if Matt ends up leaving with him."

So Mello was there too, I thought, and he's leaving Wammy's? Where will he go? Oh shit, what about our little duel. I mean, we're tied 138 to 138, so how are we going to settle who wins?

I decided against voicing my thoughts, and simply nodded instead. I mean, what am I supposed to say? Besides, my brain decided that my mouth didn't exist, and stopped trying to form words.

Things were changing rapidly, and I don't know how things are going to end up.

Who will die?

Who will live?

Who will win?

Who will lose?

Questions were spinning around in my head, and I had to figure out a solution fast. There wasn't much else I could do, other than do my part from the sidelines.

But... What was my part? Did I even have one?

Who am I kidding? As a resident of Wammy's House for Extraordinary Children, of course I have a role in stopping Kira. We all do. Although, chances are that not many will step up and take those roles. The others around here may act tough, but in reality, they're all wimps who don't want to put themselves in any form of danger.

I sighed, closing the cheap notebook that served to contain my most recent story. There was no way I would be able to keep working on it now. There was just too much going through my head.

At that moment, a fit of coughs racked my body, making it difficult to breath. When they passed, I found myself gasping to catch my breath.

What the hell? Am I really that out of shape? I questioned myself.

My chair was spun around, and Near was right there, his face only a couple feet away from mine. Before I had a chance to register what was going on, he placed his hand on my forehead.

"You have a slight fever," he stated. "How much have you been pushing yourself lately?"

"Probably about twice as hard as usual," I admitted. "I mean, the end of year finals are coming up in a couple days, and I know they don't count for much on the rankings, but I feel like I need the extra points this year."

"Go to bed," Near told me, completely serious.

"But what about afternoon classes?"

"I'll tell the teachers you aren't feeling well."

"I'm fine!"

"You have a fever, and a major coughing fit. I doubt you're fine."

I continued trying to protest, but it was pretty much useless. I took my laptop, plugged it in by my bed, took a shower and changed into my pajamas, then went to bed.

Like hell I was going to sleep though anytime soon.