An Estranged Gem (Highschool with Sonic and Pals) *On Hold...*

Chapter 2

Alue's POV:

I open my laptop, falling into my beanbag chair.

"Comfy?" Shadow laughs.

"Yes." The chair is a neon blue, with a medium length fluffy cover over it.

My entire basement is just bookshelves, books, chairs and a fireplace. It seems like something out of an old magic movie.

"When were you last down here...?" Shadow asks, drawing in the dust on one of the bookshelves.

"Yesterday." I smile as I unlock my computer and enter the world of the Internet. "I had to practice my guitar."

"Huh." He tilts his head. "I can't see it."

I flick his ear. "Then you have no imagination."

He laughs again. "You're strange. You know that?"

"Mhmm." I try to ignore his comment. For once, it was in a kind nature, but I'm still not comfortable with it.

~

'The last 10 years.' I read the title. Finally.

"Took long enough." Shadow mutters.

"You could have just thought something up yourself." I glare at him over the screen.

"That's all too easy though." He smirks.

I facepalm. "Ugh." This will be the longest project. Ever.

~~

After that show, we still didn't select a topic. Grand. But we gave up and agreed on looking at it tomorrow.

I sat down at the table as Eric was just finishing up making supper.

"Finished?" He carefully peels a lemon peel for the sorbet I helped make. (Actually, I made it, with Eric's criticism.)

My nose twitches as the citrus scent fades to be replaced with smell of parsley. "Not even close. He won't allow us to agree on a topic, whatsoever."

He smirks, checking in the Paella. "Yes, teenage boys are the strangest and most unreliable creatures in any world."

"But you were one..."

"I wasn't an average one, thank God, but that's how I know how true it is." 

"Yeah... But they can be cute." I purposely try to tick him off. And I succeed.

"I'll ignore that for the reason of brain poisoning hormones." He goes all monotone. "Go get your sister and wash up."

"Alright." I smirk. "After I feed Lexi and Jack though."

"I hope one of them bites you." He mutters.

I giggle. "I was only joking, Eric."

"I know, I know. Now hurry your tail up."

"Kay." I smile, messing up his hair.

~

 I return downstairs.

Next to a chest freezer, off to the far side of the room, a bookshelf holds two sand filled tanks with heating lamps above. One is Lexi's, one is Jack's.

I carefully take the tree python from her tree branch perch.

Her neon green scales please my eyes.

"Hey, Lexi." I croon as her yellow eyes stare back and her tongue darts in and out.

"She wants back under her lamp." Mariè murmurs, joining us.

"I know." I trust Mariè with what she says. She speaks to animals. Any of them. But she's got a soft spot for our Lexi and Jack.