*From previously in my series, Effie is her annoying younger sister.
Jem returned within a few minutes. Zero had been watching for her. She sank down in her seat and sighed, then went right back to work, never looking at him the whole time. Zero, however, kept his eyes on her. He could sense that something was upsetting her, anyone could have.
"Where did you go?" he asked.
She shook her head. "I just-" she sighed again. "I just went to the headmaster's office to ask if there were any opportunities for me to stay here for the summer," she disclosed.
"Are you telling me that you just asked to go to summer school?" Zero interpreted.
"Yeah," she replied, still disheartened. "I just," she shook her head, then finished quietly, "don't want to go home."
As soon as she said that, Zero was prompt to answer why in his head. Between what she had told him about her father and the episode with her brother, he didn't want her to go either, but all he said was, "Well, then all you can worry about now is getting your work done, so stop stalling," and they continued to work in silence.
After a while, he asked, "So what was the letter about?"
"Hmm?" she looked up, taking a moment to remember what he was talking about. "Oh, right, I should read that before I completely forget about it." She opened the front cover of The Divine Comedy and took the envelope out, tearing it open. She began to read it hastily, but then slowed down, overcome with emotion and disbelief, holding back her tears.
Zero glanced up from his work to see if she was done reading yet. But her face was slightly pink and there were tears in her eyes. "What is it?" he asked.
She shook her head. "It's a letter from my mother," she whispered.
"Is she ok?" Zero inquired.
Jem shook her head again, "I watched her overdose and drop dead ten years ago. This is the suicide note she left for me, to be delivered to me on my 16th birthday." Zero did not know even where to begin with responding to that. But now he knew, it wasn't just something her brother did, there was so much more going on. As she shook her head and wiped her tears away, returning to her work, Zero really, really did not want her to go home.
He walked her back to her room when they were done, his hands in his pockets. She was slightly better, but still very downcast. When they reached her room, he tested exactly where she was with a simple, "Good night."
"Good night," she responded. It sounded fairly normal and casual, but she still never looked at him in her sullen state. Once she disappeared into her room, Zero stared for a moment. He turned, going the back way through the headmaster's building. Zero knocked on his door and found him in his room.
"Zero?" Kaien asked, surprised. "What brings you here? Is everything ok? Are you ok?"
"I want you to find a way to keep Jemmea Pegasus here for the summer," he ordered blatantly.
"Zero, we don't really have anything here for her-" the headmaster started to say.
"Please," said Zero, "she can't go back home." Kaien Cross became silent, trying to work out what could have brought on this unusual circumstance. Zero knew he needed to bring out the big guns on this one. He took a breath, "Father, I need you to find a way to allow her to stay."
The headmaster's eyes lit and teared up. "Zero, did you just call me father?" he asked. Then he cried, "Oh! How can I ignore a request from my loving son!" raising his arms to hug Zero.
"Good," Zero snapped, starting to walk away just before the headmaster could embrace him.
The headmaster regained himself as he watched Zero walk away in his usual, irritated state. He knew something was up. It was extraordinarily rare for Zero to make any sort of request. Between how Jemmea had acted earlier when she came in and Zero's insistence, and that one little phrase—'she can't go back home'—Kaien knew he had to do something. He was not one to send a child back into a bad environment. But almost more importantly, he realized that Zero may have made a friend, or at least found someone he connected with. Kaien knew that was something he needed to help maintain in any way he could.
The next morning, Headmaster Cross pulled Jemmea's file and dialed the number listed.
"Thank you for calling Industrial Illusions, this is Lydia speaking. How may I direct your call?"
"Yes, this is Kaien Cross, the Headmaster at Cross Academy. I was hoping to speak to Jemmea's father, Maximillion Pegasus," he greeted pleasantly.
"Please hold while I let him know," Lydia responded. She called up to Pegasus's office.
"Yes, what is it?" Pegasus answered.
"Sir, a man from Jemmea's school is calling requesting to speak with you," Lydia stated.
"Oh no, put him through," Pegasus grumbled in his melodramatic way. After a moment he asked, "Hello?"
"Hello, this is Kaien Cross, Headmaster at Cross Academy. Is this Maximillion Pegasus?" he asked in his friendly demeanor.
Pegasus sighed dramatically, "Yes, what has my Jemma done this time?"
"Actually," the headmaster corrected, "she is really blossoming at the school. She has come a long way, but I think she could really meet her full potential if she were to stay here for the summer. I have already spoken to her about it, and she is willing to give it a try." He leaned forward and lowered his voice, as though he were telling a secret, despite being alone in his office. "And as an aside, she and my son have become quite the little study team. With each other's support, they are fast approaching the top of their class."
Pegasus was pleasantly surprised. At first, he was a little nervous when Kaien mentioned the boy, but at second thought, he realized it was only to be expected that she would find a replacement for her brother. And the headmaster's son? It seemed she was learning how to make the proper connections to maintain a certain presence and power. Pegasus was impressed that she was doing so well and learning skills that would be useful later. "I must say I wasn't expecting this, but if that truly is the case, then of course she can stay!"
"Well," said Kaien, breathing a sigh of relief, "that is great news. We look forward to having her here this summer." They exchanged farewells and hung up.
At lunch time, Yuuki and Zero met with the headmaster for a check in. When they turned to leave, he called, "Zero, could you stay another minute?"
Zero did not look thrilled to do so, but turned back as Yuuki left, looking at him and hoping that everything was ok. "What is it?" grumbled Zero.
"Would you tell your classmate Jemmea to meet me in my office when classes finish today?"
Zero raised his head a little. "Does this mean-?"
"Yes, I talked to her father this morning," he answered before Zero could even finish the question.
Zero mustered it up in him to say, "Thank you."
The headmaster perked right up, waving his arm. "But of course, any friend of Zero's is a friend of the family!"
Zero grimaced and let out a short, annoyed breath before he turned to go back to class.
"Perhaps I overdid it a little," Kaien said to himself once Zero was gone.
Jem went to the headmaster right after class, not sure what this would be about. Again, she knocked and entered hesitantly when he called her in. She stood before him patiently.
"Jemmea, I have given some thought to your request," he began. She perked up a little, her hopes starting to rise. "I have never come across a student who actually wanted to stay in school over the summer, but after some consideration, I just cannot say no to such dedication."
Her eyes grew wide, "Are you saying-"
"Yes, you are welcome to stay here with me and my family over the summer."
"Thank you, thank you so much. I could hug you right now," she bowed deeply, "but I won't. You don't know how much this means to me."
Kaien Cross smiled. These were the moments every headmaster lives for. "All right then, go back to your dorm. Since it's testing time I must patrol."
"Yes, thank you again," she said before she ran off. But she did not go back to her dorm. Instead, she intercepted Zero and Yuuki as they came back to study. She practically jumped on Zero, who caught her and was able to steady her at a more comfortable distance. "Zero," she huffed, catching her breath, "the headmaster reconsidered, and I can stay over the summer!"
Zero let go of her, giving her no reply. But Yuuki had something to say. "You'll be staying here, at the academy?" she asked. She had many questions, but Yuuki did not want to seem rude, and being the kind person she was, she instead said, "Well, it sure will be nice to have another girl around."
Jem turned her head to look at the smiling girl. She didn't know how to respond to such friendliness, and had not considered that she would also be staying with Yuuki. On the bright side, she wasn't Effie. "Right," remarked Jem, not really sure how to respond.
"Well, I have to go study. I'm so far behind," commented Yuuki.
As a peace offering for the upcoming summer, and since she was in such a good mood, Jem offered, "Would you like some help?"
Yuuki looked at her, not really expecting this, but said, "Yes, that could be really helpful, so long as you don't mind."
"It will help me study, too," explained Jem as she turned to walk back with the two.