Tandem Lives

A little family

They're kissing! Ew!" I hear myself yell. "Shut up." Jet slaps my mouth. I watch Emerald blush as she pulls away from Jade. Jade looks gorgeous but still always a little messy and lost around the edges. Emerald and Jade complete each other. Like two pieces of infinity. "Their tattoos are so cool. They complete each other." I say and continue to add my fifth bracelet to Jet's arm. And happily looking at the row of gem bracelets I force him to wear I reply to his 'huh', "Their tattoos silly, it's both half of an infinity, they are the past and the future, two people of single soul." "I thought it was an S tattoo or somethin," Jet mumbled. I hear my laugh and proceed to press my forehead to Jet's, "Your moon is a symbol of distant reflection and my stars are a symbol of beyond perception, we belong in the same night sky, you, I, Jade, Ema, we are a little family. Forever that way." I smile as I watch Jet's sparkling eyes.

"You will never let me go, it's only us, right? You won't hate me, with the others, for being dark gem that doesn't sparkle-" I cut off Jet with kiss on his forehead. Kid me seems to love kissing this boy.

But what about this little family feels off? As Jade lifted me over his shoulder and Emerald held on to Jet's little arms, it all feels natural. As we were about to part, Emerald and Jet back to the castle, me and Jade to our tree house, Emerald turned around with a hint of remorse in her eyes. I watch Jade evade her line of vision as he held me tight and starts walking away. And that's when she yelled out, "You can't hold on to her forever, Jade." I feel Jade's grip on me get tighten and our pace a little sped up down the pathway away.

I steal a little cube of Jade's and start replaying a random memory once I get home. One where Emerald had brought cold Jet clinging onto her to me. I am covered in mud for some reason, I wipe my hands off before extending it to Jet who looked at it in disgust and moved further behind Ema. But what I don't remember from the memory in my head is what I witness in this little cube of reality. The words that Jade said. Maybe my little mind wasn't able to wrap my head around it but I hear it clear now-

"What's this, Em? You bring the priced prince of all others to choose from? Wait, why try bring anyone at all. Amet and me are just fine." Jade sounded annoyed. But the annoyance wasn't his gentle peaceful demeanor tinted. It felt boyish, almost like how your average high school mean boy would sound like. Emerald snorted, "Shut up, you wanna rise a kid all on your own with no friends? She's too full of energy for your gloomy self. She needs friends and Jet's awkward with people his age. I say it'll work out just fine. But.. Jade, I know you're scared but what you're doing makes no sense-"

"I don't want you reasoning my actions. You supported my actions even though you knew it was wrong. I have zero idea what am doing, ok? But maybe, just maybe, if she stays here with me, away from all the gem conflicts, just maybe-"

"You can't change what's been foretold and supported your actions? I did not! I just.."

"Just what em?!"

"I'm in love with you, you fool. Why else- ugh, Jet, let's go." Emerald pulled Jet along and vanished with a trace of glittering green light. I remember looking up to Jade's flushed face and glowing aura.

I stare at the cubicle memory as it disinteragrates. For some reason, I always watched this memory for their cute interaction but the weightage of the facts the conversation held went past my younger self to reach a point of confusion in my older self. As I am picking through cubes of random memories of our little family, Jade burst into the room with Painite behind him. Having not seen anyone other than Jade, Emerald and Jet, I raise to see Painite with glowing curiosity.

I hear them talk but again, all my curious little self had in her eyes was the tall handsome Painite."Jade, I'll take care of the kid. Don't endanger yourself like this. Come back. I know you are trying to protect her from Pearl-"

I hear Jade laugh. An erie laugh, "Ha, protect, you don't know what I'm capable of- I-"

"Jade, whatever it is, I know you, we grew up together, I know you at heart and I trust even the evil that you claim to hold. So whatever it is, tell me, why? Why run away? Why keep her away? I thought the village is safe and- Jade, the royals will be here any moment now, we have no time, the Jet kid, how could you let him in, he snitched on you! They know she exists, the second gem, they won't kill her now, they'll wait for the third but we can't let the royals take her!"

"What if I say she's not the second but the third?" Jade has this smile on his face. An attempt was made at a creepy smile but what came out was a pained smile.

"More reason to take her with me. Take you with me. Come back home, Jade."

"You know I want no part in this! Fine, take the kid. But what if- what if it's you, Painite? What if I say, you are the second crown and that is your death statement." Jade pointed at me and I felt myself crack. The way he spat out 'that'. Is that why he took me away? To save me from his friend- oh no, he is saving his friend from me.. He hates me.

"All the more reason to protect her. We have a profecy to fulfill then." Painite took my hand and lead me to the door. I followed without a word. "You are gonna leave?" Jade looked at me confused and shocked. I looked up at him. His face is in a fit of pain and despair. Things I've never seen Jade as. "Don't you hate me?" I ask. "What, no!" he got to his knees and wrapped me in his arms, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Did I make it seem that way? Did I make you feel that way? I thought you liked it in here. I'm sorry. Yes, go with him. I- I love you, Amet, you are everything to me. Remember, I'll protect you with everything I've got. No matter what, I'll never come to hate you. Remember me."

I don't know if I was confused or convinced but for the moment that was hurried I hadn't settled on any emotion. Jade froze, the way he does when he senses someone in the perimeter, he ushered me to Painite with a warning held to him, "Even if you are my friend, doesn't mean I trust you to not harm her now that you could be the second, but I trust Amber enough, I know she's out there, guarding you from Royal attacks, she'd never let you murder a kid," Jade seemed to laugh to himself, "Not that you would." He mumbled as I found myself being taken. Away.

'Jet snitched on me?' was the residual thought in my kid self's memory.