Author's note:
Sorry that I have not updated! Will try to update more frequently. (Disclaimer: characters belong to Marie Lu, not mine)
We get to Tess's apartment, a big complex in the Ruby sector. Day looks at it admiringly. I know he's impressed and relieved; that Tess has managed to survive on her own, and even get to this point. I am glad for her, too. The twelve-year old girl who healed me back in that Skiz fight has blossomed into the most caring adult I've ever met.
"June!" Tess warms up when she sees me. "Pascao is already here, and he's helping me in the kitchen-"
She stops when she sees who's behind me. She smiles even wider, and chances a surreptitious glance at me for a second. I smile.
I step inside her apartment. It's the same as always, so like Tess-brown, clean-cut wooden floors that I believe would've cost a lot more than it seems like, polished white walls and lamps with intricate designs on them. The only difference is that brown wooden table that's set in the middle of the entrance, which is usually empty, is filled with food.
"Daniel-you've grown," she whispers, looking at the two brothers. She grins widely. "Hi, Eden."
"Hi, cousin," Daniel says. He taps her nose twice. "Been long."
Tess hugs Daniel and Eden. I feel content at the sigh-I know, even though she never mentioned or talked about it to me, that Tess did miss Daniel. It is logical, after all.
She then gestures for us to sit. Tess has outdid herself-she has filled the table with various different food-pork edame with spaghetti and sweet onion rolls, chicken, fried dough, salad, mushroom soup-but the one thing that gets my attention is the red velvet cake sitting on the very center. My name is written, in cursive red icing, on the cake.
Day sees the cake and quickly looks at me. Through my peripheral view, I can see Eden smirking.
"It's June's birthday?" he asks Tess, shocked. I feel his eyes burning on me, and I keep my gaze determinedly to Tess. I wouldn't want to stare at that ocean of blue at this time.
"Yes," Tess answers, looking at me and smiling. "She's twenty-seven today."
"Same age as you, Daniel," Eden says mischievously, nudging his brother and winking. I blush, touching my cheek absently. I cannot seem to link my thoughts together and form one single logical, sensible thought. It seems like an impossible task.
There's a moment of silence.
"Happy birthday," Day says, nodding at me. I nod and smile. That's all I can do. Say something, June. But my tongue is frozen, unable to come up with a coherent answer.
"Thank you," I reply, my voice croaking. We are followed by another uncomfortable lapse of silence, with Tess humming and setting down more food from the kitchen. I fiddle with the knife set on the plate. A butter knife. A voice echoes in my memory.
"This, is not a knife."
I'm saved by the return of Pascao. He is carrying a gigantic plate of what seems like seafood; prawns, lobsters, crabs. He gives a shout when he sees who's sitting around the dining table.
"Wow!" Pascao exclaims. He's still in his Drake instructor uniform: blue coat, with a vertical row of silver buttons and silver epaulettes, a Republic button pinned prominently on the left of the coat. "Well, our guests are all here, huh?"
Day eyes Pascao with a look of curiosity. I know he must recognize him: Pascao's pale grey eyes are prominent anywhere. There's a second of silence, followed by Pascao's ever-present and mischievous grin.
"Well, there's all the food!" Tess declares. "Let's eat to welcome Daniel and Eden back-good luck for Eden's interview too-and for June's happy, happy birthday."
"To Daniel and Eden-and to June," Pascao says, raising his wine glass-which is actually filled with purple lemon tea-up.
"Oh, yes," Tess says, setting down her glass. "This is Pascao."
Day and Eden nods at him, but they already know that Pascao know their names. I know that Day knows full well that he knows Pascao. There's something in his eyes, the way he observes Pascao, like taking him in-confusion and realization, something settling or struggling to settle in place.
"Happy birthday, June," Eden says, smiling at me. I return his smile back gracefully.
I take small portions of the food Tess has prepared. I still feel like I am dreaming. If only I had known if this would happen yesterday. I wouldn't have believed, or even foolishly hope for it. And here I am now.
At the first few minutes, there is no discussion, only the soft clinks of cutlery against plates. The food is passed down. I am starting to realize that Tess deliberately and subtly arranged the round table. Day is in front of me, Eden next to me, Pascao on my left, and Tess next to him.
"Did you cook all of this?" Eden asks to Tess. She nods, smiling at me.
"Pretty impressive," Eden remarks. Even from this distance, I can see Tess's cheeks blush. Tess and Eden. I like the pair.
I catch Day's glance, and he smiles at me as if he knows what I'm also thinking. My cheeks blush furiously, more than Tess's.
"So, Daniel," Pascao starts. His voice catches on Day's name. I know that he is still not used to calling Day that, as I am. "How is Antarctica different from L.A?"
"It's…different," Day answers, staring at his plate. He waves his fork. "I've gotten into trouble a lot. Lost a lot of points. You guys know the, uh, point system in Ross City, yeah?"
Nodding heads.
"I didn't really like their system, but it's awesome there," Day explains. He scratches his ear. I know he's struggling to explain how he feels. "It just didn't feel…right. Eden gets the invitation to an interview back to Los Angeles and I realize just how much I miss it."
"Ten years is quite a lot, Daniel," Tess says, passing me the plate of fried dough. I politely refuse, pointing to the huge amounts of food set on my table. Day's gaze sets on me, and I determinedly don't look back. "L.A has changed, hasn't it?"
"Yeah," he agrees, smiling. "Eden has noticed it more than me, though."
"The trains," Eden interjects. "It's awesome. I hadn't realized how advanced Los Angeles can be, too, I mean, Ross City had a lot of tech, but that's because it's Ross City. I hadn't really expected this kind of technology from home."
Home.