Hey guys,
Welcome back, how was your weekend?
I hope that the last chapter whet your appetite a little for the run in…
I certainly know I'm ready to show it to you…
I just hope you're ready…
Anyway, review, favourite and follow before anything else, and let's get right into it…
Buckle up and enjoy the ride,
Writey x
Alexis's POV
It was opening day…
But it didn't feel like opening day.
I stood at the desk, with a forced smile as I served another customer.
It was some spell card to add to their deck.
But I wasn't really paying attention.
It could have been a trap card.
Maybe.
We were actually reasonably busy, given everything that had happened.
And that actually surprised me quite a bit.
Maybe pity had had some part to play in our immediate popularity, but I wasn't really sure.
I looked out across the shop.
Kyle, Sabrina and Amalie were out there, talking to customers, smiles on.
Whether they were fixed on like mine I wasn't sure.
I should have been too.
You know…
Out there with them…
Talking to customers…
But I couldn't face it, talking to all those people, given the pain I was feeling.
Working behind the till, it was almost a way of coping with it all, without having to face anything.
News had spread quickly of the fire that broke out during the opening party this weekend.
Which was quite funny because the actually fire spread quite quickly…
It had taken a while to sort out the fire.
The services had come and dealt with it in the end.
Not that I'd actually seen it myself to be honest, but I knew it was bad just by the mess that was there when I arrived in this morning.
Either way though, people were here, fire or not.
Scanning out across the shop floor I noticed…
We were definitely busy.
There were rows and rows of people here, looking at all different equipment and cards.
Some had been here a while, others just passing by.
It was a shame Jaden wasn't here to see it.
With everything that happened yesterday, it was understandable he had needed time to himself.
I took the card from the next customer, smiling and chatting to them.
This time it was a monster, a powerful one at that.
It would definitely help them, that was for sure.
But I couldn't help my mind wandering, it had been all morning…
The truth of the matter is…
My head wasn't in the right place…
Heck, it still isn't…
And there wasn't really another way to describe it other than, messed up…
You see, the weekend had started brilliantly, the Meet N'Duel, meeting Jaden's family…
That had all been great.
But then, one incident, you know the one…
Kissing Zane…
And everything seemed to spiral from that point onwards…
I hadn't meant to let it get out of control…
But the argument had become heated…
My emotions were everywhere…
I wasn't thinking straight…
And to be honest with you, I just wasn't going to back down…
I knew I wasn't in the wrong…
Zane had kissed me, not the other way around.
So, why had I needed to apologise or say sorry to him.
Jaden that is.
I mean, he didn't have any idea what it was all about which was probably confusing, but he didn't let me explain, he just jumped on me before I even had a chance to explain myself.
That's why the argument went the way it did.
Anyway, it wasn't like I couldn't kiss him, Zane, there wasn't a rule that said I couldn't.
Talking about it started to make my blood boil, so I tried to focus on something else, looking around the shop.
I watched as a young boy raised his hands.
Clearly, he had just won a duel.
Loads of people had been duelling all morning at the front of the shop, which was a nice way to take your mind off things. I may even go over a try it out myself…
Jaden and I hadn't spoken since yesterday…
Not since, you know, the argument…
Part of me felt like that was a mistake…
There was more to life than arguing constantly…
Especially with everything else that had happened…
But it wasn't like the argument was pointless…
I mean it was productive…
I'd realised how manty faults there were to mine and Jaden's relationship, and I'm sure he did as well.
I mean, we had vented everything…
The lying, the friendship, flirting, kissing, everything had been vented…
I knew how he felt…
He knew how I felt…
And that is why I didn't want to talk to him…
Granted, I'd said some things, like not wanting the money for the house, which I didn't really mean…
That isn't me being selfish, it was a gift and I threw it back in his face…
But in the moment, everything was coming out…
But I had meant what I said, about things being different…
And I just couldn't work out what it was….
"Hey, you okay?"
I snapped out of my chain of thought and looked in the direction of the person speaking to me.
Amalie had shifted alongside of me onto the other till.
She had come in extra early this morning to check on everything, make sure we were ready to go.
She'd insisted that it was part of her new ritual she was putting together but I knew she didn't want me to stress.
And I also reckon it was her way of coping as well.
I looked out and realised the line was getting rather long and I guess it made sense for her to jump on the till next to me.
"Errr…. yeah, no, I'm okay."
Amalie smiled at me, "you sure, holding up okay?"
I nodded at her and then served my next customer.
I hadn't been truthful to my friend, but then how could I be.
I didn't know how to explain to her that I had kissed Jaden in a fit of anger, straight after having an intense argument with him.
Let alone walking off from the situation balling my eyes out. There wasn't a reason for the crying, I think everything just got to me.
In truth, it had been a great kiss, one that was very unplanned, however.
It wasn't like those movie scenes where it was all romantic, oh no, it was the complete opposite, but it was still great.
If I'm honest, with Zane kissing me, and the fact that Jaden had threatened to walk away on several occasions, the kiss had been purely from the fear of losing him.
Well, that's what I had told myself anyway.
Had I regretted it?
Yes.
Would I take it back?
No.
Something inside me had made me decide that had been the best course of action and I was going to stick to it no matter what, even if it cost me a friend.
Jaden and I weren't talking anyway, so why did it matter, there were more bigger things than the kiss going on anyway.
And I wasn't about to bring it up to him either.
Amalie and I stood, talking to our customers as they came and went, but after a while I started to feel slightly queasy.
"Hey, I'm just going to nip to the back, can you cover for me?"
Amalie smiled, "yeah course, take your time and let me know if you need anything."
I smiled and turned to walk away.
"Alexis," she said, just before I went into the back, "are you sure you're okay?"
I nodded, "yeah, I'm fine, promise."
Truth was, I wasn't fine.
Even with everything that happened at the party, nothing could have prepared people for what happened during the fire.
It was why everyone was trying to cope…
It was why Jaden wasn't here…
It was why Susan had to be carried out of the party…
It was why we were holding a dam funeral next week!
I stood and held onto the banister that had led upstairs, trying to hold myself upright and not let the tears flow.
Nobody had found her…
Tessa…
They had spent all night searching but not a clue was found.
The police had put it down to the fire.
They said she….
I couldn't even bring myself to say it…
Others had just said she was panicked and lost, but that was their coping…
Everybody was coping somehow…
But all I felt was guilt.
I mean, if Jaden and I hadn't argued, then maybe she would still be here…
She could have been at the Yuki's watching her favourite show, the one with the talking birds, but instead, she's gone.
I felt a single tear roll down my face.
I tried to push the thoughts of how the Yuki's were coping out my mind.
I didn't really want to have a breakdown on the first day of the shop opening.
That wouldn't go down well.
I let go of the bannister and made my way to the staff area and filled myself a glass of water.
I'd never felt queasy before, it was strange.
I sat down on the sofa and took a couple of sips of water to see if that would help ease it up a little.
However, instead of helping, my head started throbbing…
Dam it, stupid headache…
I mean, if you just let me in, I wouldn't have to give you a headache…
I dropped the cup of water, in surprise…
Ja… Jaden?
No sorry, unfortunately not…
Then who?
Ahhh, patience, my young Alexis…
Suddenly, I felt a searing pain go through me, and everything went white, almost just like the time with the aura…
Jaden's POV
Have you ever just stared at a ceiling?
They're so plain and boring.
But they provide shelter, warmth and somewhere safe to be.
That's what Tess should have now…
Shelter…
Warmth…
Somewhere safe to be…
I wiped away the tears that I hadn't realised were on my face and tried to push the thoughts of my sister out of my mind. They had been coming and going all ever since…
Well ever since…
You know…
I turned myself onto my side and looked out the window.
I wondered how the shop was doing. I hadn't gone in today for obvious reasons but didn't meant that it peaked my curiosity.
"I could ask Dee," DK said. He was floating at the end of my bed almost watching me.
"No thanks."
"We could go and have a look?"
"NO DK."
My duel spirit flinched, and I instantly felt bad, "I'm sorry."
"No, Jaden, you don't need to be sorry."
DK had been in the same place, watching me the whole time. Yubel had gone to check on my family, I had asked her to, even though I knew what she would find.
The shop was set to open today, and truth be told, I wanted to be there, but I couldn't face it…
The place I had lost her…
Lost several things in fact…
Right now, there was so much pain involved in that shop that I didn't want to even think about it, let alone go there.
I switched on the TV and flicked through the channels.
There was some quiz show on, it was covering different types of duel monsters and you had to guess which one was which.
I mean, I got almost all of them right, minus the odd card, but I would have won hands down.
I put it on in the intention of trying to sleep, even though it was 1pm, but I seemed way more involved in the show than I had originally anticipated.
You see, I hadn't really slept last night…
I'd spent most of the evening out searching, but I hadn't had any luck…
Everybody had, we'd all been looking but didn't have any success…
Dad had brought mum home; she wasn't in any fit shape to do anything.
Josh and I had stayed, but he left early, mainly because everything was getting to him…
I'd stayed on late into the night because I wasn't going to give up…
You know…
Looking…
Not that there was anything to look for…
I felt a tear prick in my eye once more so I tried to focus back on the quiz in front of me…
They had moved onto the spell round and this was a bit more of a challenge…
But I did pretty well…
Especially for someone who hadn't duelled in a very long time…
Dad and Josh had gone back out again this morning to search…
They had decided to stay away from the shop, with it being opening day and all, but I knew they would have to venture over there at some point…
It wasn't that I didn't want them too, it would have been good for an update, I just knew the she would be there…
I decided it was time to get out of bed because clearly the sleep thing wasn't going to work.
I switched off the TV and wandered out to the hallway.
The house was pretty silent, but then again most of the usual noise was missing…
No, it was gone…
For good…
I collected myself and went to the bathroom to get ready but even that was a slow process today…
After a few seconds I had to leave because of the toothbrush with bird on it…
I mean aside from being a celebration, the only celebratory bit about yesterday's party was the fact that the shop was finally opening.
But then again, I wasn't sure where that was going.
My mind rolled back to the argument I had with Alexis…
So many things were said, so many...
Actions…
Yeah that's the word…
Actions…
But the fact we argued bothered me…
How were we going to co-exist with a shop…
I mean we had barely spoken…
I'd had time to think about everything as well, I mean it was safe to say I was probably in the wrong on a number of things that happened last night…
But I was just so mad…
Wait…
No…
I was jealous…
I didn't want to admit it to myself yesterday, but I knew deep down that's what it stemmed from and I needed to find another reason to be mad apart from being jealous…
But then it all change…
That kiss, it felt so…
Real…
But that's what made me mad, no explanation, nothing, she just cried and left…
She had not only kissed me, but also Zane, like, what was going in her head…
But then again, I had sort of flirted with Sabrina…
Slightly…
Maybe…
The fact of the matter is, we hadn't spoken since yesterday, Alexis and I, and quite frankly I didn't really fancy talking to her.
There were just bigger things going on…
I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen. I didn't really fancy anything to eat, but I knew I had to eat something otherwise I would be even worse later…
I was also shocked at the fact that I wasn't hungry, like, that didn't ever happen, which was really worrying but then again, I did have a reason…
I made myself a bowl of cereal and made my way into the living room. I was going to attempt to eat something even though I wasn't that hungry.
I reached the room and I felt my heart reach into my throat…
On the sofa, asleep, was my mother, cover in one of my sisters' blankets and cuddling on of the numerous toys she would sleep with on a regular basis…
Hovering over her was Yubel…
How long has she been out?
I didn't want to wake her up so I thought speaking like this would be the best way.
A little while, but it took some time like normal…
I nodded at Yubel.
You see, out of all of us, she had struggled the most…
Not that any of us hadn't struggled…
Heck…
We'd all struggled…
But mum, she had been beside herself with grief…
Ever since the incident by the fire, she hadn't stopped crying…
After the fire had died down and everybody started searching, she went into a shell, like this shell of denial…
It got to the point where she had to be taken home, but it wasn't that easy, she didn't want to move…
But nobody could blame her…
In the end, dad and I managed to move her, we got her home and she pretty much crawled to the sofa and she hasn't moved since.
But you see, watching her like this, it broke me…
She was like my rock, she was so strong, but now, she was broken…
And I hated seeing her like this…
I wanted to do something…
Make things better…
But what could I do…
She wasn't sleeping, eating, she was crying all the time…
It just wasn't her…
But I couldn't blame her…
No one could…
Yet, she was blaming herself…
I couldn't sit here watching her sleep, my mind would race…
But mainly because she was actually sleeping, and I didn't want to wake her, so I made my way outside into the garden. It was actually a lovely day, perfect for eating breakfast at 1pm in the afternoon.
I settled myself down in one of the chairs and tried to occupy my thoughts with anything but Tessa.
Honestly, I was struggling…
I still couldn't believe that she was gone…
It didn't feel real and something inside me told me that it wasn't true…
I didn't want to believe it, but then, how could I?
It was my little Tessa…
How could I not think about her…
That was my way, my way of coping was to not cope…
How else could a 20-year-old really cope with the loss of their four-year-old sister…
I shouldn't have to cope…
I shouldn't have to go through this…
It wasn't fair…
My dad and brother shouldn't have to cope by going out searching…
My mother shouldn't have to cope by crying herself to sleep…
Dam it!
I didn't even get to say goodbye!
I felt the water streaming down my face once more and I went to wipe it away…
"Jay?"
I looked up, water still covering my face…
It was my mother.
I had to be strong.
I wiped my face.
"Yeah mum?"
She looked at me with a smile, but it wasn't her normal smile, it was a sad smile, as if the life had been drained from it…
"It's okay to be sad."
That was all she said before she turned and went back inside…
I looked at the position that my mum had just vacated…
I knew what she was trying to say…
Stop holding it in…
Jaden…
What the…
Someone was in my mind…
It couldn't be…
Alexis?
No, man, why do you two always do that!
Huh?
Oh, never mind…
Then, I felt the voice leave my head, and in its place was a searing pain, like a really bad headache and then everything went white, just like when…
Just like the aura…
Well guys, what did you think?
That certainly got me when writing it, and a lot of feelings and stuff…
But hopefully you enjoyed it…
What did you make of the 'white?'
That was the only way I could describe it…
What do you think it could be?
Please let me know in a review!
But, until Friday, look after yourselves and be sure to favourite and follow,
Writey x