Chapter 121: Finding The Yearbook
Well, I had been down all morning, trying to get my mind off Princess. My chest felt hollow and heavy at the same time. We were supposed to meet up today, but she had plans and I have to respect that, even if it’s for a week. A whole week without her scent or her touch felt like a prison sentence. Can’t believe I am thinking about this..
Today, Yuki made me get out of bed and go jogging with her. She asked if I was interested, and I said yes just to stop the ceiling fan from being the only thing I looked at. When she woke me up this morning, I was tired, my limbs felt like lead, but she cheered me up with that infectious energy of hers. The kids volunteered to join too. No one asked them, they just put on their sneakers and said they were ready, bouncing around the living room.
Dina and Kaye have been acting awkward though. I could feel the weird vibes rolling off them in waves. During the jog, when Yuki tried to tie my shoelace, Dina quickly rushed in and did it instead, her small hands fumbling with the strings. And when Yuki got close to me, Kaye suddenly tripped and fell. He started crying so loudly that he asked me to take him home right then and there. During breakfast, Yuki was about to sit beside me, but both of them rushed and sat on either side of me, boxing me in.
I just don’t understand why they were being so clingy. It was like they were guarding me from her.
After a very clingy Saturday morning, I went to Haley’s house. Haley was the girl who had her 16th birthday a month ago. That was the time I almost hooked up with her senior sister, whose name turned out to be Jessie.
Since I didn’t want to bore myself or keep thinking about Princess, which I had also been trying to manage by taking moon water for my unwanted heat, I remembered something. Jessie had mentioned a yearbook photo of me that would make me laugh, but I didn’t get to see it because of the music and the fact that I had to leave early that night. My mind kept itching to know what was in that book. If there were no records at school, maybe a personal copy held the key.
Sasha had a joint assignment with Haley, long story short, so I went in her place.
"Where is Sasha?" Haley asked when she realized I was the one who came. She stood in the doorway, looking disappointed.
"Sasha has the flu. She asked me to assist you with whatever you guys are working on," I said as we sat in her living room. I tried to look helpful, but my eyes were already scanning the bookshelves.
"Okay. Did you bring the stuff?"
"What stuff?"
"The materials needed for the assignment."
"Oh."
I put my bag down and brought out what Sasha gave me. Arduino boards and tires. They were building a war robot for their assignment.
All I did was watch Haley build from scratch. Her hands moved fast, connecting wires and tightening screws. She said she and Sasha had already been working on it for days. My mind wasn’t really there though. My original plan was to look for the yearbook, not play with robot tires.
I asked about Jessie, and Haley said she was in college. I wanted to ask Haley more, to see if she knew where the old books were kept, but she didn’t seem to like me. I don’t know why. Maybe she could tell I was distracted. I didn’t want to push it and get kicked out of her house before I found what I came for.
So I asked to use the restroom, and I used that opportunity to look around the house for any sign of the yearbook or pictures. I tiptoed across the hallway, my heart racing.
The house was big, so I had no idea where to start. I began searching, starting with Jessie’s room. I eased the door open and slipped inside. No sign of the book. Just posters and action figures of Yuki everywhere. It was like a shrine in there. Just reminded me of my room back in Redwood.
Then I got caught.
"What are you doing in my sister’s room?"
From the voice, I knew it wasn’t Haley. It was sharp and cold. When I turned, it was that punk haired guy, Antonio. He was standing by the door, blocking my exit, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I was just looking for the bathroom and..."
"I saw you. You were going through her stuffs."
"I was looking for tissue paper, so I checked the drawer...."
"Bullshit. There’s a bathroom down the hallway. Why come into my sister’s room?" he said, stepping closer. I could feel the heat coming off him. "I’m sure Princess sent you to spy on me."
"Princess didn’t send me to spy on anyone, and I didn’t even know you lived here, so...."
He moved even closer, his eyes narrowing.
"Princess should just accept that someone else is in control and stop playing dirty games on me."
"Okay, I get it. I’m not here because of Princess, and I don’t care about your dirty games. I’m just here for a school assignment with Haley, and I was looking for tissue paper," I said, defending myself. My voice was getting higher, and I hated it.
He didn’t believe me until he dragged me to Haley to confirm. He practically pulled me by my arm back to the living room. She backed up my story, telling him I was there for the robot, but he still looked suspicious. He kept glaring at me like I was a secret agent for Princess.
Then his new girlfriend, Kiara, called him from the other room, and he left to meet her. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, saving me from more pressure.
And also... fuck.
Kiara is here too. This house was officially the worst place to be.
