Navia And Destiny

Navia

Destiny walked into Navia's personal void.
It was much colder than the one they shared.

It reminded her of Navia.

Voices of Navia throughout the ages filled the void.
The personal voids were different compared to their joint ones.

You couldn't see Navia in her personal memories.
You could only see what she saw.
It was like you jumped into her body and lived as her.

How it looked, how it sounded...

Her point of view.

She managed to piece together the sounds of different memories.

"I-I don't wanna do this anymore."
"But you graduate in only two years Navia."

"Your painting looks really good Navia."
"Get out of my room mum!"

"I'm sorry Miss Jacobs, but I'm afraid your art entry couldn't make the cut. We had a lot of entries."
"Oh uh...okay."
"Better luck next year?"
"...yeah. yeah."

Destiny sighed and worried she would find out a bit too much about Navia.

As much as she wanted to understand the person under that thick skin, the only part of Navia she wanted to know was the one Navia herself would reveal to her.

Otherwise, she didn't want it.

"Navia?! Where are you?!"

Destiny held her breath to make sure she didn't miss any slight response.

"Get out of here Destiny!"

Destiny gasped with a smile and followed the trail of echoes. "Navia!"

"Just...leave okay? It's bad enough that we're stuck in here and now you're in my personal space?"

"I haven't come to Snoop around okay? I swear."

"Destiny."

"Just come out from wherever you are so we can fix things and get out of here."

"I'm serious. You don't wanna be in here."

"Once we get home I promise you, I'll get out of your way forever."

"Destiny!"

"You won't even know that I exist."

"Stop!"

And Destiny did stop.

Navia's heartbeat did the exact opposite.

It sped up along with her breathing and her thoughts that raced all over the place.

There was one memory Destiny wasn't meant to see.
She couldn't see it.

"Shoot," she whispered under her breath as she got up.

Meanwhile, Destiny stood in front of a one of Navia's memory walls. Her mouth slightly ajar and her eyes wide.

"Excited?" Jennifer asked a young Navia.
"Yes! Yes!"
Navia's arms were held out as she comes out of the car with Joshua and Jennifer.
"Mr and Mrs Jacobs right?" Was heard in a soft female tone. Navia was way too short to see past the front desk's hardwood but she didn't seem to mind. Her eyes darted from one corner of the front office of the building they had just entered to the next.
She was looking for something. But what?
"Absolutely," Jennifer responded.
Typing was heard.
Quick secretarial typing.
"It's noon so she's in the playroom. Her luggage is in there with her."
"Thanks."
The three made their way down a hall and stopped by a door with 3D stickers all over it.
Navia's little fingers trailed along the boarders of a Barbie sticker with you can do anything written on it in Golden glitter.
"Can I go in?"
"Sure buddy," Joshua responded
Taking in a deep breath, Navia pushed open the door slowly.
Noises flooded out of the room as she walked into the colorful area full of dolls, race cars, play dough and finger paint.
Her eyes swam through the ocean of toddlers.
"Dee?" She whispers.
Her eyes met those of a little girl with two thick balls of kinky hair held by candy shaped ribbons in checked dress. Like something from a Wizard of Oz movie.
It was Destiny.
"Navia?" The little girl let out as she ran into Navia's arms that caught her and hugged her tight.
"I missed you."
"I missed you too."
"Ready to go home?"
"Yeah!"
The little Destiny pulled away from the hug and ran towards Jennifer and Joshua.
"Where's your bags?" Joshua asked. "We need to get home and show you the nightlight I got installed into your room."
"The butterfly one?"
Joshua smiled. "The butterfly one."
Destiny smiled and pointed over at a small suitcase and Dora The Explorer backpack which Joshua took in his hands, signaling for everyone to get going; which they did.
Destiny ran back to Navia and held her hand as they proceeded to walk behind their parents.
They stopped by the front desk again. The soft voice is heard again.
"Here's a copy of yesterday's paperwork."
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
"You know, in my months of being here, I've never seen Destiny this happy."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. She barely says a word on most days. But after the foster care period, all she could talk about was how much she hoped you'd adopt her. She kept practicing how to write Destiny Jacobs during art time."
Jennifer looked back at Navia and Destiny with a smile.
"I'm glad we did "

"That was fun. Now if you don't mind, we should get going. We've got our lives to save if I'm not mistaken. Right?"

Destiny paid no attention to Navia's entrance.

She stared at the wall, tears welling in her eyes.
Her heart felt a heaviness rest on it
It hurt when she breathed in.
It hurt to stare.
But that was all she could do.

"I was adopted?" She whispered.

Navia exhaled sharply. "Looks like it. Now let's get going."

Destiny paused before she turned around slowly, her eyes seconds away from releasing a floodgate onto her cheeks.

"I just found out that I was adopted. And all you have to say is let's get going?"

"You were going to find out either way. Someday."

"Well someday is today."

"I told you to leave didn't I?"

Destiny's words are choked back together with a few of her tears.
The rest stream down to her shirt.

"Y-You. You are the most selfish"-

"We're not doing this now Destiny."

"Yes. Yes we are. I feel like I've been waiting my entire life to tell you this so why not? Why not now? You never liked the idea of someone like me being good at the things you sucked at. An orphan. And outsider. All I've ever done is intimidate you huh?"

"Well woohoo. That's rich. I don't know about being intimidated but yes. You are an outsider. And if I could take you back to where you belong I would. Heck, I wouldn't be having this afterlife conversation in the first place if we just let you rot in that orphanage."

Destiny stared at Navia.

"So lemme guess, that's my fault?"

Navia swallowed. "I don't see anybody else."

Destiny took a few steps towards Navia, making sure to keep a safe distance from her when she stopped.

"Well, I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I've ever made you feel like you weren't doing a good job as a sister. I'm sorry I bothered you so much for your time. I'm sorry I tried to force a bond that could never exist because you know what? We aren't family. Never have been and never will be."

Destiny glared at Navia one last time before rushing past her, making her way out.

"Run! Leave! See if I care!"

In frustration, Navia scowled and kicked one the walls of memories, a hard and painful jolt ran up and down her spine and finally, she felt the pain.

"Ah! Ow ow ow."

"They're your memories. Can't do em any harm. But they sure can."

Navia turned with a jolt.
It was Grandma Lucy.

It wasn't until she ran into her grandmother's arms that she realized how much she was hurting.