What Is Your Name?

Chapter 25: What We Needed All Along (Sky)

We had work to do. The goal was to lure Eli to my childhood home so we could talk to (the demon that was most likely) Beelzebul. No, I was not saying "Eli's demon bestie" again. I was so done with that.

Eli seemed interested in how Lillian had grown up, and he was more dramatic than Lillian first assumed. For example, he seemed to always be nearby when Lil and I were already in a bad mood. For another thing, he tried to make a good impression on Lillian by not killing anyone when she was around, which was really the only reason I'd brought her. What, you thought I would bring her to a crime scene in which she was personally involved without a reason? Speaking of which, Eli would find it dramatic for us to be at my old house.

So what was the trap, you ask? As I pointed out, Eli liked to show up when emotions were running high. And me and Lillian's emotions ran highest when we were thinking about the past. So I had brought my guitar with me, and now was a good time to tell Tempest and Grey a bit more about my sister.

"You want to hope a mass murderer shows up because you're being nostalgic about his ex-girlfriend?" Tempest was skeptical. "No offense, Sky, but that's kind of a long shot."

"Not really," Lillian cut in. "He seems to know when we're, you know, feeling things. So whatever strong feelings anyone is having, let them out now."

No one moved. No one said a word, because Lillian had succeeded in making it unbearably awkward. What strong feeling did I feel? I felt a lot towards Eli. Hatred, anger, loss of who he used to be, and maybe even fear. He took everyone I loved, and he could take my new family next. That was another feeling: I was grateful for the people I had found. I had always had Lillian, of course. I loved her more than I know how to express. She had always been there when everyone else was gone. Throughout our years of foster care, she was the one person who always understood. I was supposed to take care of her, but truly, after all this time, Lillian had been taking care of me. She reminded me that we needed each other, and that I had to man up at times because I couldn't just leave her. And that made me stronger.

And as for Grey and Tempest? Grey was the first friend I had ever made. He felt this pure, unapologetic joy all the time, and that was something I hadn't experienced in a very long time. He was there for me and Lillian because he cared about us, and simply because he was a great person. He made friends everywhere he went simply because he could. And that joy was something I had been missing. Grey brought joy back into my life.

Tempest was more complicated. We obviously didn't get along at first, but now I realized it was pure miscommunication. We hadn't heard each other's stories or discovered each other's emotions. She hurt the way I did, but she was stronger in that she fought back and stayed, well, stayed a functional human being. And I was proud of her for that. I was proud to call her my friend. And as Lillian suggested, maybe more than that. I think that I was beginning to...

"I think I'm in love," Tempest blurted. Grey looked over, and Lillian started giggling. "What? You told us to start sharing strong feelings." She looked really uncomfortable.

"We get it, Stormy, you have a crush on the boy next door. It's very unoriginal, you know. Next!" Grey called, determined to give his sister a hard time.

"No!" Tempest argued. "Do you know what our neighbor did, Grey? Do you know what he said? He said Mom deserved to die, because she was pregnant with Eli's kid. Even though it wasn't her decision and it was completely non-consensual, he said she deserved it. And he was in the group that left that... that garbage in Lil's locker. I know that the whole 'boy next door' thing is cliche, but I also know that I hate that boy's guts, and he is not the person I'm talking about."

"Then... who are you talking about?" Lillian asked. She was bouncing with the anticipation of any average second-grade girl who is being told who her best friend has a crush on. Oh, wait...

"I'm..." Tempest blushed. "I'm talking about Sky. We... definitely didn't get along at first, but... he's taught me a lot. He's reminded me that it could always be worse, but that doesn't mean we aren't allowed to feel the pain that is real, that is actually happening. It's just... Sky is strong. It's clear he doesn't know it and he thinks he's falling apart, but look how far we've all come. Would any of us be standing right here, right now, without Sky? There are some people the world just needs, and I've realized that, all along, I've needed Sky."

"Well, why are you telling us? Tell him! He's right here!" Lillian squeaked with joy.

Tempest turned to me, completely red. "Sky, I..."

"I know," I interrupted. "I love you, too."

"Don't interrupt me!" Tempest scolded. "I was gonna say I mean that. That I didn't just say that to try and get the Shadow to show up. And, well..."

"And, well, now my ship is really sailing! Eeeek! TempeSky is canon!" Lillian celebrated.

"I have to say, Lil here is probably your number one fan. She made that ship name the day after we met you," Grey informed me.

"The day after we met? You mean when me and Tempest were firing shots at each other just to make ourselves feel better about our separate situations?" I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Lillian was shipping it from day one.

"How touching," a now very familiar voice crooned. "So what was the ship name for me and...?"

"Shut it, Eli," I snarled, before he could give it away. "Also, welcome, and mission accomplished."

Tempest smiled at me. "It wasn't just for the mission."

I smiled back. "No. It wasn't."