The Book of Gemma VOL. 2

15: THE BUZZ KILL

My energy fades, my hands lowering as he floats down to face me.

"Everyone! Back inside!" He orders my people.

My people, that has given me the best day I've had in.. well you know.. Fucking eons. Did you forget?

I look back to them, to my surprise they listened to him. Followed his order to go inside and leave us to argue. I look in the corner of my eye and see Edna slink down Djinn, marching to my side.

"Deecon, she has been totally fine. Why do you have to be a stick in the mud?" She slurs. I thought Deecon would roll his eyes but he didn't look at her, his eyes kept firm on mine, his lips pressing into a thin line. Anger boiling over him. He raises a finger to her, "I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Gemini."

She scoffs, smacking his finger out of her face with her hand.

"What were you doing?" He scowls.

I cross my arms and look away, "I was having a little fun.. What are you doing coming to ruin it?" I accuse him. He points to the end of the street with the painted target,

"Little fun? You're being reckless. You know how unmanageable your powers can be!"

Un-...manageable? Did you listen to a word I said about the battle of my stars??

He still thinks of me as a time bomb! That he needs to control how I react to situations around me. I swear I could feel a tug on my neck like a leash. I was flabbergasted at his statement, I didn't want to talk to him then and I don't want to talk now. I turn my back to him and begin walking down the street.

"You're not gonna say anything!? You're really walking away like a child!?" He yells after me, Edna trying to stop him from chasing after me. For once I wished he didn't.

"Do you know how hard this has been on her? She just wanted to have some fun and forget her problems and you.. Embarrassed her in front of her people." I can tell her pause between words that she was treading lightly with Deecon. Wanting him to know what he's done but not get him so worked up that he says something he will regret.

"Edna, she was striking bolts into the open street. What do you want me to say? I have taken over her duties for ten years.. These are my people to protect as well." I can hear his footsteps step away from her and grow louder as they follow my path.

"We aren't finished with this discussion!" He hollers at me. I flip my braid back and scoff, ignoring his tantrum. I was still a little drunk and tried my best to remember the way back to Edna's apartment but failed. I looked down the dark streets and pretended to have full confidence in the direction I was going. Less buildings and more vegetation surrounded me, I think I was walking out of the city. I gulp seeing the dark flat horizon, nowhere to run to keep ignoring Deecon's advance on my trail.

He huffs, "If you're lost just admit it!" He mocks me, now only half a block away from me. I still don't answer, Edna was right, I do deal with my problems like this. I didn't want to talk to him though, I knew I would just yell and then he would yell. It would be a loop of threats from me and garbage from him. No place for me to hide, no alley to duck into. I could fly away from him though, I don't know what powers Deecon has accumulated since my death and I hoped he never figured out levitation.

I press my palms down and lift myself into the night sky.

Quiet.

I never thought I would enjoy silence so much until my light and dark stopped their whispers. I even close my eyes for a brief second from the absolute pleasure I got from it.

Trees.

I see the forest that they have restored, several miles from the posts which means thirty or so miles away from Deecon. I think back to when I went to a small patch of forest in Sky Valley all those years ago. My infant strength as I lifted ten feet in the air and smacked down into the muddy puddle.

I didn't mind being alone for the night, no Aries telling me I deserve finer things, no Edna chanting team Deecon and no fucking Deecon to shout into my thick skull. I plant my feet on one of the branches and set my palm to the base. The branches sprouting new stems to create a hammock like shape for me to wait out this drunk feeling. I rest my eyes for a brief second, my ear twitches at the sound of a nearby branch snapping in front of me.

Deecon. Always, Deecon.

I guess he did master levitation.

He stands on a sturdier branch on the tree across from me, mimicking my power and creating a nice seat for himself.

"Will you give me a moment of your time now? I won't yell." He says raising his hands in surrender.

I go to step out of the branches, to take myself to my house on Sky and a chuckle leaves his mouth. "Are you going to ignore me for the rest of eternity?"

I shoot my daggers at him, nodding.

He fidgets with his hands and looks down to them, hating the anger in my eyes.

"There was a time that you begged me to chase after you."

I roll my eyes, biting my lower lip to keep from answering him. I knew that I would only say hurtful things.. And every lash I gave to him, would slice my back. He was the only one who could bring me back but in this new form I didn't need it. Didn't need him to coddle me, to protect me from harsh words or heartache. At one point, he was the heartache. The one who made me give up wanting to live another day.. And then he became my entire reason for living. How on Darus do I even start a conversation with him? To tell him I hate him? I don't hate, If that word ever left my lips.. I would mourn that piece of me that kept me from ever feeling it.

"Fly anywhere in this galaxy and I will still chase after you, Gemini. I've hurt you.. And I-" His sadness pouring out and grabbing at his throat. "I don't care if you believe it but I need to say it.. This life will be so empty without you in it. I experienced it for ten years.. Only ten damn years and I went numb."

I grab onto the tree, fighting back my urge to comfort him. My heart hurts at the sound of his tear filled voice... but I was angry, so angry and hurt that I kept my mouth shut.

He throws his arms up, "Yell at me! Snap at me! Say anything! Fight with me! Argue with me! Your silence hurts far more than your threats!" He stands up from the branches, holding the base to keep steady as he waves his arm as he yells.

"I showed you memories of how cruel Scorpz was to me.. And it only took five years for you to push back her sins and push me from your head." The words leave my mouth and bite down on my lip so hard that I taste the silver from the cut.

"You want to know why I finally gave in?" He replies softly, trying not to spook me.

I shake my head so fast, the smallest detail of him lying with Scorpz could crumble me.

"Because-" He goes to continue but I lash out, throwing my hand to the location of the base of the branch. The strong wind sliced the base of the branch and left Deecon to jump to the one beside him. "Gemini!"

"I hope your guilt eats at your heart the way your betrayal eats at mine!"

And just like that, I shoot off the branch and disappear into the night.

To my house on Sky, the only place he cannot hurt me.

Aries sat on the couch, "Deecon come to ruin your fun?" He jokes and his face falls from my grim reaction. "I should have stayed in that coffin." I admit to him, ignoring all of his sweet words as I climb my stairs and slam my bedroom door.