~Jem's POV~
"Come on, you got this!" I encouraged, turning around to trot backwards, my bare feet kicking up sand with every sprint. Jude was far behind me and I watched as he collapsed to the shore, out of breath. I slowed, coming to a stop before I went back to him.
He had a hand and a knee in the sand to steady him as he heaved. "You're pathetic," I stated. "When did you get so out of shape?" I asked.
He needed too much air to answer, and instead raised his free hand to mimic smoking as he looked away, squinting out over the soothing water.
I sighed. "Well, it's for the better. You'd destroy your pretty voice if you kept that up."
I could tell this was going to take a while so I sat down on the warm sand. I dug my palms behind me as I watched him.
"I don't want to do this anymore," he choked quickly before resuming his fight for breath.
I tilted my head, then looked off. I had an idea. "You know what? When you can beat me in a race, that will be the indicator that you're well enough to go. Deal?"
Jude nodded. "Tomorrow then," he heaved before dropping to rest on the sand.
I raised my eyebrows as I watched him finally starting to calm. "We'll see."
~Seto's POV~
Kaiba Corp. had just been taken over. I was just informed that I no longer owned it. I was livid, but then I was concerned. After a while I realized that Kaiba Corp. was Jem's emergency response. I became worried about what would happen if she did need emergency help. She'll probably be fine, I assured myself. She's far safer on that island than she would be here. And with Pegasus gone, the main threat has been neutralized.
~Jem's POV~
I sat next to Jude. It was peaceful. For once he wasn't singing in the silence, though to me the air was filled with music. I could hear the waves crashing, the wind breathe, and the gulls cry. I inhaled deeply, taking in the saltiness, and exhaled with a pleasant sigh.
I looked over to Jude. He had his knees bent and his bare feet in the sand as he lay on his back. He wore jeans rolled up to his knees and a grey hoodie, which was completely zipped with the hood up, barricading the sand below. His hands rested in the pockets. I couldn't tell if he was awake or not, his dark Ray-Bans hiding his eyes from me. But I soon realized he was indeed alert.
"Fucking gulls!" he hollered angrily, clearly irritated. He simultaneously grabbed a nearby shell and threw it in the general direction of the noise. It obviously missed. He covered his face with his arm, further shielding his eyes from the sun. "I'm going to fucking kill one of them."
"Ok," I said, turning to my bag, "I think it's time to change someone's nicotine patch."
He sighed, annoyed liked a child, but still sat up. He unzipped his hoodie slightly, pulling his collar down to remove the old patch as I prepared the new one. Once that was all over, I handed him a bottle of water. He had dropped one knee to the side, leaning his arm on the high one. I saw his body slouched, low on energy.
I bent both my knees, wrapping my arms around them and resting my head on them as I looked at him. I sighed.
"What is it?" he asked, choking down some water.
"I can't stand seeing you so joyless," I confided. I knew this would be hard on him, I had gone through it myself, but I didn't foresee how bad it would be. I neglected to realize that he did so much more shit than I did. Quitting had been the best thing I ever did for myself, and I thought this would be good for him; but, I was starting to realize that mostly happened because when I quit I became who I am. Jude was being himself before.
"Don't," he replied, shaking his head as he rooted the water bottle in the sand. He was upset and short, seeming to think this was headed somewhere and he had no patience for it. "Just don't. You're trying to help me in the only way you know how. You've dedicated as much of your time to me as I need. If anything I did this to myself." He looked out over the waves. "It sure is weird being sober though. No drugs, no booze, no sex-"
"...Sex?" I interrupted. "What does that have to do with this?"
He settled back in the sand. "I'm more or less a sex addict, Jemmie. I'm just a junkie overall, it's just how it is."
I couldn't make sense of it. Jude peeked at me in the silence and noticed. "You look clueless," he laughed. "Still a virgin, Jemmie. I knew it."
"Shut up," I countered, not wanting to talk about it.
"No, I love it. You can't help it, Artemis." Sometimes I wasn't sure if he simply identified with the god of music, or actually thought himself to be Apollo.
We sat in silence a moment longer as I thought. Finally, I decided to ask, "Have you ever taken a girl's virginity?"
"A few times. Some guys are super into it, but I really prefer not to."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because chicks make a big deal out of it and get all emotionally attached. And then it hurts them and they bleed- it's just a shit show," he answered, reaching again for the water.
My eyes grew wide. I now realized that I was nervous about it because this is what I had been avoiding. The feeling that went with it, both sensational and emotional. Jude did know more about this than me. "...Does it always... hurt?" I asked timidly.
Jude capped and returned the bottle, completely casual about this. "Well, it goes away after they do it a few times. They seem to enjoy it when I'm with them, anyway. I mean, it's a magical experience. Why are you asking? Did you finally meet someone?"
I didn't understand, never coming across the 'lingo' before and therefore not being able to insinuate what this meant. "I've met lots of people," I answered, only half listening to myself. I was busy thinking about what he had just shared. Pain was less than desirable, but it wasn't like I hadn't put myself through pain for another before. And then there were the oxytocin and health benefits. Not even so much for me as for Seto. He could use them.
Back in the real world, Jude laughed at me again. "Never mind, you're too difficult." I had nothing else to say, so we sat there some more. After a few minutes, Jude confessed, "I can see why you like the beach so much."
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Next Chapter: Uncover
This was the first I had so much as heard from her in over a month.