Chapter 39
Liz rushed past us to the kitchen. We watched as she grabbed a bag of chips, shooting us a look before rushing back to her room. Crona looked at me questioningly.
"It's okay, Crona," said Patty, "Liz is just lonely." Patty was splayed out on the rug in front of us; we were all watching some Disney movie that she said she would just die if we didn't watch it this instant.
"Are you sure you're okay with staying home?" I asked Crona. "We could always go downtown, or to the park . . ."
"That's okay," said Crona, "I'd rather just be here."
"Kid!" said Patty, "Make some popcorn please!"
I sighed. "Yes, ma'am." I kissed Crona's forehead before going to the microwave.
I came back to the living room with a couple bowls of popcorn in hand. Ragnarok had emerged from Crona's back, and was now resting on top of his head, staring intently at the screen.
"Hey, Ragnarok," I said, "Didn't know you liked Cinderella so much."
"Shut up," it said, "Give me the popcorn."
I handed a bowl to Ragnarok and one to Patty, before plopping down beside Crona. Crona looked at me, a slight nervousness on his face. I sensed this, and gave his forehead another kiss to reassure him. Ragnarok pretended to gag.
"It's okay," I said to Crona, "I'm not going anywhere." I offered him the popcorn.
Ragnarok sneered. "Your love is overwhelming me."
"Ragnarok," scolded Crona.
"Shh!" said Patty.
I didn't mind Ragnarok there. It had seem to accept that me and Crona were together. I finally felt at ease.
I didn't really pay much attention to the movie. I think Crona noticed, but I was mostly just watching him the whole time.
The movie ended, and I thought I was safe until Patty suggested we watch another. Of course, she got into a fight with Ragnarok over what movie to play next, but being Patty, she won. Ragnarok sullenly shrunk back into Crona's back.
I was suddenly curious. "Does it hurt?" I asked him.
"Does what hurt?"
"Your back," I said, "When Ragnarok . . ."
"Not really," said Crona. "It used to, but not anymore." He looked at me. "Are you . . . uncomfortable?"
"No!" I said, a bit too loudly.
He looked away. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"Crona . . ." I sighed, and scooted closer to him. "Hey," I said, "I didn't mean it like that. I just mean that you can trust that I don't worry about those things anymore." I grabbed him into a hug, and in the spur of the moment, pulled him onto my lap.
He was startled. "Um . . ."
"I'm making up for lost time."
"Oh." He was blushing slightly.
"What is it?"
"N-Nothing," he said, "It's just . . . I'm on your lap."
"You're too cute," I said, nuzzling my cheek against his.
"Am not," he said stubbornly, but he relaxed into my hug, laying his head in the crook of my neck.
"I don't wannnaaaaaa," moaned Liz.
"Stop moping around," I said, "Get changed already."
"I don't wan-"
"Patty!" I called. Patty sped through the hallway.
"Yes, sir!"
"Help your sister get changed."
"Yes, sir!"
Liz sighed. "I'm too laaaazzzy -"
"Too bad!" said Patty, "Time to get changed!" She tackled Liz and closed the door.
I went to the kitchen, starting on breakfast. I made toast and scrambled the eggs, setting two cups of coffee and a cup of chocolate milk on the table.
Patty dragged Liz out, who was still complaining about it being Monday.
"Come on," I said, "Eat."
Liz pouted and sat down heavily in her chair. I handed her the coffee, and she slowly took a sip. It took forever to get her to eat, but when she did she wolfed it down, then had to lay on the couch for ten minutes because she got a stomach ache. Then she had to change her clothes (apparently plaid skirts are no longer a thing) and wash her face and do her makeup. Then she had more toast, and more coffee to wash it down, and then she had to use the bathroom because she had drunk too much.
We barely made it school on time.
It was break time. I found Soul and Crona walking down the hallway. I waved as they neared. Crona quickly enveloped me into a hug.
"Oh, hi," I said.
"Hi," he said, his voice muffled by my shirt. Soul grinned at me.
Awww, he mouthed.
Shut up, I mouthed back.
Crona reached up and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
I must've looked surprised, because he asked, "Was that okay?"
"Yeah," I said, "Of course. Totally."
"Come on," said Soul, "You can make out after I get some food."
I rolled my eyes and took Crona's hand, and we walked to the cafeteria. I frowned when I saw Liz slumped over a table.
"Liz," I said, "Don't put your face on the table. It's dirty."
"I don't care," she said.
Me and Crona sat next to her. Maka, Patty, and Mark came over with their food, sitting in front of us with Soul. "I got you a donut, Liz!" said Patty.
"Thanks, sis," she said, stuffing it in her mouth.
"Why so gloomy?" said Maka.
"I just finished watching Hana Yori Dango," said Liz, "Now I don't know what to do with my life."
"What's that?"
"An Asian drama," I said. "I can't believe you finished all of it in one weekend."
"I need a man like Rui," sighed Liz.
Mark piped up. "Hey, have you considered my offer about Jack?"
Liz shot him a look. "Who?"
"Aww, dude," he said, "Don't tell me you forgot?"
Liz stared at him blankly. He groaned.
"Jack! My friend!" said Mark.
"So?"
"I wanna introduce you to him!"
"Uh, that's okay, really -"
But Mark was already standing up and waving across the cafeteria. "HEY JACK OVER HERE!"
"Ugh," said Liz, but she turned around to see.
A tall, lanky kid, dressed head to toe in black, skin paler than snow, with a frown etched on his face, came slouching over. He pushed his stringy dark hair out of his face, and his eyes flickered over us.
"Jack!" said Mark, and reached out to give him a quick hug and a grin.
"Hey," said Jack, his voice sounding tired.
"This is my friend, Jack," Mark introduced to us. He nudged him, whispering, "Say hi, man."
"Hi."
"Anyways," said Mark, "I especially want to introduce you to my friend Liz!"
Jack's eyes turned to Liz, and his eyes suddenly widened. He grabbed Liz's hands, startling her.
"Your eyes are beautiful!" he said, leaning in slightly.
Liz stared back at him. "Uh . . ."
Jack's face split into a smile. "You're really pretty!"
"Well," said Liz, "I guess I am -"
"So how do you know Mark?" asked Jack. He sat down next to Liz. He pushed away the hair that had fallen in his face in his excitement. "He's been my best friend since kindergarten," said Jack, "We're pretty much brothers. Hey, you have a sister, right? You're both partnered with Death the Kid -" He suddenly noticed me sitting next to her.
"You!" he gasped.
". . . Me?"
"Wow, this is so cool!" he said. "Juliet - she's my partner - she thinks you're a really interesting meister." He laughed. "She told me if I met you I should take notes - she's funny like that."
"Really," I said.
"Anyways," said Jack, turning back to Liz, "It's so great to meet you! I've heard about you around school and you just sound so amazing -" the bell for lunch to end sounded "-so I'll talk to you later, okay? Give Mark your number to give to me!" And then he was gone.
"Isn't he great?" said Mark.
"Sure," said Liz, looking tired out.
"Great!" said Mark, "I'll text you his number later."
Patty poked at Liz. "Did you like Jack?"
"I might've guessed he would be like Mark," said Liz.
"He's nice," said Maka, "You should go out with him."
"Ehhhh," said Liz, "He's not really my type."
"What's your type?" I asked.
Liz smiled dreamily. "Tall, strong, six pack -"
"Ooookay," said Maka, "Good luck with that."
Everyone started for their classes. As Crona was about to go, I held his wrist.
"Hey," I said, a thought hitting me, "Why don't we go into town?"
"You mean . . . skip class?"
I smiled. "Why not? I want to spend time with you, anyways."
Crona kept his eyes on me.
"What is it?"
"You're different," he said.
"How so?"
"I think about . . . when we first met," said Crona. "You would've never skipped class."
"Well, that's your fault," I said, pinching both of his cheeks. He smiled, and I laughed at how chubby and cute his face looked.
"Let's go," I said. We went down the hallway, mixing in with the rush of students. The second bell rang, and as the last students went to their classes, we sprinted for the front door and ran out of the school.