Funny enough, I've reached the part in my Scarlet reread that Scarlet discovers at the end of this chapter.

Super-Jacin-t: Part Three

They met again during lunch. After their pop quiz, they had to go their separate ways to their different classes before reconvening with trays of cafeteria food. Their choices range from flat pizza to lopsided burgers and small bowls of monochrome pasta. Usually, they would bring their food or go out for lunch to avoid meals like this, which they planned to do today, but it started raining during the pop quiz and hasn't stopped.

Scarlet points her fork at Cress. "The best way to overcome hickey embarrassment is to give Thorne one in a very obvious place."

Cress nearly spits her water as Scarlet eats her forkful of curly pasta.

Thorne nods as he chews his pizza. "That's very true. Cress, we'll discuss that after school."

Cress's cheeks burn as she diverts her eyes back to her food.

"I saw a method about a whisk," Kai adds. "Something to do with blood vessels."

"I heard that doesn't work," Scarlet says.

"Or because you're short, your dad won't even notice your neck," Winter points out. "Not like he'll be looking at it anyways."

Cinder scoffs as she picks the sesame seeds on her burger bun. "Please. Levana barely looks at us so she'd never notice anyways. Not like she'd care if she did."

-o-

The rain didn't stop them after school as Cinder and Kai walk through the New Beijing sector of Commonwealth. A hodgepodge of different Asian cultures is on display here. Colourful lanterns, busy storefronts and markets, a melange of spices and broths wafting out onto the streets from restaurants. Salty and sweet aromas with car exhaust is an odd medley that warms everyone. Even under the dark clouds and people's umbrellas, the market is as busy as ever, especially since school's out.

Cinder and Kai happen to spot some fellow Lunar Academy uniforms. Drops from their shared umbrella drip onto their hair whenever they peer out to look for the one shop they want. Cinder's bangs and Kai's hair stick to their foreheads and temples as they browse the storefront displays for sticky honey buns.

"When we find some, I'm bringing some back home for the twins," Kai states.

Cinder grins. "Look at you and your perfect brother routine."

Kai looks down at her and leans closer to her ear as they continue walking. "Who would've thought they'd be good for my romantic adventures with you?"

He straightens again. They reach a street corner and look both ways not only for a possible shop but before they cross the road.

"The twins once told me that their parents wouldn't get them a dog," Kai tells Cinder. "I get it because who didn't ask for a dog growing up? But the twins blamed me for that. They told me that they were finally wearing Torin and Mallory down for a puppy, but then I moved in with them so Torin told the twins that instead of the puppy, they got me instead."

Cinder laughs. Levana never got her and Winter a puppy since they had each other. They tried, they begged, and they got over it.

"And not to mention that whenever we're eating dinner as a family, Torin and Mallory usually talk about their days, right?" Kai continues. "I would listen and chime in while eating, but my plate keeps getting more vegetables that I'm not serving myself. Turns out, those twins would put their broccoli on my plate and see how far they could go with nobody noticing."

"Did you?"

"I did but I didn't say anything. They kept giggling as Torin was talking about policies he signed and whatnot."

Cinder holds his arm tightly, wobbling their umbrella. "Becoming an older brother brought out the best side in you."

-o-

Wolf walks into his house upon arriving from school, tossing his keys into a bowl by the door. He'd call his mom to see if she was home since her car was in the driveway, but he heard her talking on the phone when he walked up to the front door.

Wolf kicks his shoes off before heading further inside. His mom looks at him and smiles as she continues her conversation in Hebrew. Must be his family back home. His mom is in her work uniform so she must be heading out for a night shift soon.

He heads over to the kitchen and grabs an apple from the fridge. When he rinses it, he hears his mother's voice grow tense as she starts speaking faster. He turns around and his mom is now standing at the kitchen entrance, the phone still on her ear but she's chewing her thumbnail. Wolf watches as his mother continues talking and occasionally makes eye contact with him.

Despite possible doom being shared over the phone, he hopes his mom doesn't "offer" for him to talk and shove the phone in his face. He hears his name in the conversation, his birth name to be exact. Sometimes, he wonders if his relatives back home know that he has an English name, which is really a direct translation of his birth name.

Eventually, she hands up and Wolf waits for a second for her to talk since she doesn't say anything. Her expression remains spaced.

"What was that about?" Wolf asks her.

"You remember the Capella Valley back in Enyo?" His mom responds.

Wolf shrugs a shoulder. "Unless you brought me there when I was born and I can remember being there as a newborn, then no."

His mother mutters under her breath disgracefully. "Ze'ev, where is your geography? Didn't you have a pop quiz today? You need to study hard."

"Not in geography and how did you know that?"

"I ran into that nice Thorne boy at the pharmacy. Told me all about that quiz and something with whisks."

"Oh stars…" Wolf groans.

"Anyways, Capella Valley is the area back home with Artemisia's volcano. Lovely place. Loads of tourists in the summer. The volcano is showing some activity after being dormant for decades. Enyo's deciding whether to evacuate the town so I've been calling my brothers and sisters for updates and if they need me to send money for supplies. They're currently packing for the worst since all of Luna's been feeling small earthquakes recently."

Wolf nods slowly. "Need me to chip in something?"

Maha shakes her head. "No, no, it'll be okay."

Wolf continues nodding because he doesn't know how to react or respond. He believes his mom picked up this night shift last minute for extra money to send home.

"You'll have to get yourself some food for dinner. I'll see you later tonight if you're still awake."

Wolf didn't even process his mother kissing his cheek before heading out. His body worked on autopilot as he looked up the recent news on Capella Valley's volcano and Enyo, and while driving to Scarlet's house. It wasn't smart, but what could he do? His mom is worried which is making him worry. He has family that he never met aside from maybe when he was a newborn in possible danger and he might never meet them if the worst happened.

He read that Capella Valley was a popular tourist site, as his mother mentioned, and a populated area that cleared out during President Blackburn's reign. People either fled during the mass emigration or relocated to Enyo.

Wolf finally puts down his phone and fiddles with a cigarette before putting it in the cup holder. He gets out of his car and walks up to Scarlet's door. She opens it as he arrives and found himself telling her everything even before he closed the door behind him.

Scarlet didn't even stop him. She just stood there and listened to every word he said and all his fears about this with his mom. Even Grandmère tuned in at some point.

"I visited that volcano back in the day," Grandmère says nostalgically. "I was assigned there for a bit while serving."

"Really?" Wolf asks.

"Scarlet never told you? Her grandfather was a Lunar man I met at that time."

Scarlet holds up a hand. "Stop… Grandmère, seriously?"

"Oui."

Scarlet blinks. "You didn't think to mention that? Ever? I've never even heard you mention my grandfather. Ever. It took a volcano for you to bring him up and not my Lunar boyfriend or my Lunar friends, or Lunar Academy?"

Grandmère waves her off. "I'm old, I forget things. How else did you think I got you into Lunar Academy even with your 'study visa?' We're not rich and you're not that bright."

Scarlet groans. "Aces, Grandmère."

Wolf looks down at Scarlet and holds her hands close to his face. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that right now."

"My life is a lie."

Grandmère rolls her eyes. "Mes étoiles, Scarlet, you're so dramatic."