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Chapter Thirty-Two: Awkwardness

A/N: I have another chapter! Yay! Hope you like it!

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on." -Robert Frost

Antonio stood outside the gates of the Shiba House. He'd never been scared to walk through those gates. Not even as a kid when Ji would always chase him off. But right now he was a little nervous. He took a deep breath and opened the gates, then walked through. Despite himself, he smiled as he saw the yard. The Shiba House still felt like home to him. He walked up to the front door and knocked. The door opened and he looked up.

Lauren blinked in surprise. "What're you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too. I'm here for my stuff."

"Oh. Ok." Lauren stepped aside and let him in.

Antonio walked in and headed for his old room. He passed Jayden's room on the way and frowned. The door was closed. "Why is the door closed?"

"What's it to you?" Lauren asked simply, leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.

"Jayden hasn't closed his door during the day since we won. Why is it closed now?"

"Because it is. Just get your stuff and get out."

Antonio gave her a look and went into his room. He saw all his stuff untouched, exactly the way he'd led them. Grateful he'd never owned that many things, he reached under his bed and grabbed the couple of boxes he'd used to move in. He began putting things inside them. Books, fishing gear, various electronic pieces. He finished getting all his stuff together and slung his guitar across his back. He grabbed the boxes and went back out into the hall.

The house was dead silent and empty. Antonio passed by Jayden's door again and stopped. Something didn't feel right. Noticing that he was alone, he set the boxes down and opened the door. He entered Jayden's room and looked around. His friend's closet was open and most of his clothes were gone. He saw a blanket a pillow were also gone off his bed. So was the motorcycle helmet Jayden had always kept by the door.

"What are you doing in here?!"

Antonio turned around and saw Lauren in the doorway. "Jayden hasn't been here in a few days. Am I right?"

Lauren sighed and came in. She grabbed his arm and pulled him out. "You don't have any right to be snooping around my brother's room."

"Where's Jayden?"

"You have your stuff, now get out."

"Where is he?"

"Get out!" she shouted. "Out! Get out of my house!"

"Where's Jayden?!"

"I don't know!"

"You don't know?"

"No. He left a few days ago."

"Left?"

"Yes. Now leave."

"But-"

"Antonio leave! You're not wanted here! Go!"

Antonio picked up his boxes and walked back to the front door. The house remind him of when he and Jayden were kids. That was the last time it'd felt this empty and quiet. He heard a noise off of his left and looked. "Oh, hi Tiara."

Tiara waved at him. "Why are you here?"

Antonio could see tear marks on her cheeks. "Just here to get my stuff. How're you?"

She shrugged. "I've been better."

"I can imagine."

Tiara leaned against the wall. "Bye."

"Hasta luega, Chica." Antonio gave her a smile before leaving.

Tiara sighed and saw Lauren watching him from down the hall. "Do you have to be so bitter?"

"I'm not being bitter," Lauren replied, approaching her sister. "I just don't need him around here."

"Why don't you just kiss him and make-up?"

"Because I don't love him."

"Just keep telling yourself that."

Lauren smiled and put her arm around her younger sister. "Come on, let's go eat something."

Tiara leaned on her sister as they walked. "When does it go away?"

"What?"

Tiara sniffled. "When...when you lose a parent...when does it stop hurting?"

Lauren stopped and pulled Tiara into a hug. "It never really does."

"But it has to!" Tiara cried. "I-I c-can't keep feeling this everyday."

"It'll be ok. It never really goes away, but you get uses to it. It feels like it goes away, and eventually you can function with it."

"I want it to go away," she sobbed.

"I know you do." Lauren kissed the top of her head. "But we will be here with you. You're going to be ok. Promise."

Tiara simply hugged her. "I miss Jayden. I wish he was here."

"That makes two of us."

"Why did he have to leave?"

"I don't know. We'll be ok."

"It feels like everything is falling apart."

"I know." Lauren chuckled bitterly. "Fighting the nighlocks was supposed to be the hard part. I guess life doesn't get any easier."

"Unfortunately."

"Yeah." Lauren pulled away, but kept her arm around Tiara, who was wiping her eyes. "Come on. Let's go eat."

-Samurai Ranger Life-

Emily sighed. "Do I really have to be here?"

Mia nodded. "Mike needs the support. It's a big competition for his dojo."

"It's not 'his' he just works there."

"Ouch," Seth commented from the other side of Mia. "That was cold."

"Not nearly cold enough."

Seth gave Mia a look. "Did he like...cheat on her or something?"

"I can hear you!" Emily snapped. "And he didn't cheat on me. That I know of. God only knows what he's capable of."

"Remind me to stay on your good side."

Mia smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Come on, Em. Why don't you just tell us what happened?"

"Because I don't want to talk about it!"

"Shh," Seth shushed. "People are staring."

Emily rolled her eyes and played with a piece of her hair. "Justin asked me to move in with him."

"He did?!" Mia asked.

"There's a Justin now?" Seth asked. He got a look from both the girls. "My bad. Please have your conversation." He angled his body away from theirs and gave Mia's hand a playful squeeze; which she quickly returned.

"Did you say yes?" Mia asked Emily.

"Yeah."

"Oh wow."

"Am I crazy?"

"No. I mean, if you really like this guy, then why not?"

"It just seems so...grown up. You know. I mean after...after everything, I guess I wasn't ready to really grow up. To become an adult. Not yet. Moving in with him is just such a big step."

"You'll be fine. He seems like a nice guy. There's nothing wrong with growing up."

Emily nodded distantly, then saw Mike with some of his students. "I still don't want to be here."

"I know, but I refuse to let us drift apart. We're friends forever. And I mean it."

Emily smiled at her friend. "I know you do."

Seth leaned over. "Am I allowed back into the conversation now?"

Mia smiled and rolled her eyes. "I suppose we can allow it. Huh Em?"

Emily smiled. "I guess. But consider yourself lucky."

Seth winked. "I'll consider myself among the privileged few."

Mia pushed him away. "I still wish I knew what Cam abducted Antonio for."

"At least he came back for the funeral."

"Who's funeral was it by the way?" Seth asked.

"Do you remember Tiara Sterling?"

"Yeah. Of course."

"Well, Tiara's dad-"

"The ambassador, right?"

"Yeah. Well, he died."

"Oh." He shook his head. "Poor Tiara."

"Yeah," Emily agreed.

Seth slipped his arm around Mia's shoulders. "You girls should come check me out in my cooking competition tomorrow."

"I think Mia might get a little possessive if I start checking you out."

Mia nodded. "Definitely." She looked at Seth. "Are you sure it's a good idea."

"Don't worry," he said, kissing her ear. "I need one more go at my dream before everything starts."

Mia moaned, resting her head on his shoulder. "Ok. Just be careful."

"I will. Promise."

Emily watched them, feeling like she was missing something. She saw Mia's face and looked at Seth. She knew that look. That was a look her parents used it give Serena so many times. The look Seth was giving Mia mirrored how Emily's sister used to look at their parents. He's sick, she thought. Worse than sick. There's some thing wrong with him. Deciding to give the two a minute she leaned over and said, "I'm going to get a water. I'll be right back." She left the bleachers of large gym and left the room. She went to the concession stand to get a water. In line in front of her was a girl in a green hoodie playing a video game. "Excuse me, you're next."

The girl glanced up. "Oh, my bad." She stepped up to the counter. "Two water please."

"Two dollars."

She paid and he handed her the waters. "Thank you." She left and Emily stepped up the the counter.

"One water please."

"Sorry, we're all out. That girl got the last one."

"Oh. Ok then. Never mind." She turned around and headed back for the gym. She saw the girl who'd gotten the last two waters standing outside the double doors, looking like she was waiting for someone. Emily stopped when the girl stood up straight as someone came out of the gym. She couldn't hear what was said as Mike accepted one of the waters and opened it. The girl said something to him as he took a drink. Whatever it was made him spit water out all over her. She laughed and shoved him playfully. Mike smiled splashed her a little bit. The girl grabbed the front of his gii and kissed him quickly.

Emily turned around and headed back towards the entrance. She sent Mia a quick text, telling her she was going home. She walked out into the hot late spring air and sat down on the steps outside. "Why do I care?" she muttered. "He can kiss whoever he wants." She heard the door open and turned around. It was the girl who'd kissed Mike. The universe hates me.

The girl saw her and smiled. "Hi."

"Hey," Emily said. "Not much for these things ether?"

"Eh," she shrugged. "I'm heading out to get some real food instead of concession stand hot dogs. Want to join me?"

Emily hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure." She stood up and followed the girl. "So...what's you're name?"

"Fallon Hart. My uncle owns the dojo that my boyfriend works at, so I came to support them."

"Your boyfriend?"

"Yup. My Uncle Tommy set it up. What's your name?"

"Emily."

"Nice to meet you Emily. What brought you to the competition?"

"Uh...a friend of mine dragged me. One of our other friends is a teacher."

"Oh cool. From which school?"

"Um...I forget."

"Oh." She shrugged.

"So, you like video games?"

"I do. They're the best. Do you like them?"

"Not really."

"That's a shame. My boyfriend and I are going to Comic Con in August. I'm still trying to convince him to cosplay with me."

"Sounds like fun. Have you guys been going out long?"

Fallon shrugged. "A few weeks. Are you dating anyone?"

"Yeah, I am. We've been dating for a fe weeks too."

"Nice." Fallon smiled at her. "You're pretty good company Emily. You're boyfriend's pretty lucky."

"So's yours."

"Thanks. Come on, I know a great place just around the corner here."

"Great." Emily followed her, thinking that maybe she and Fallon could've been good friends; if she hadn't been dating the former yellow's ex-boyfriend.