Layer of Ice

Chapter 12 - Jyle

It's my stop. I get up and walk to the front of the bus. Thanking the driver, I step off, unsure of where to go.

Home? Where I would have to face an eternity of punishment? Thankfully, I didn't have to take that one.

Leather jacket, short, messy, black hair; Everglade. She approches me like a sullen child and examines my minor cuts and scratches.

"I don't even know what to say," she looks up at me and cocks her head.

"You can start by saying sorry."

"Hm," Eve twists her fingers. "I don't think you need an apology. You're breathing."

"Thanks to Adele."

"We'll talk about Adele later. There's someone that wants to meet you," Everglade's fingers comb through my hair, straightening the tangled mess.

I don't realize how close we are until she backs off and leads me towards the motorcycle.

She keeps quiet the whole time we're on the freeway. I don't complain when light rain starts to fall or when she exits the freeway and slows down.

After hanging on for almost an hour, my limbs are sore and I'm tempted to get some shuteye.

Eve pulls into the parking lot of a five story apartment building. She leaves the motorcycle in the rain and walks towards the building.

I run to catch up with her and almost slip. Not surprisingly, Eve starts to scale the building with ease and motions for me to follow.

Considering what I just did. I almost welcome the slippery holds and pull myself up to the balcony of the third floor.

"Shocker," Eve whispers. "Your twin brother is alive."

I don't know how to react. Ray? She's bluffing. It can't be real.

I still remember the day Ray never came back. Never.

"Ray. Wait for me! I want to go too!"

"Not in the woods. Last time you touched poison ivy," Ray pushes me back.

"Stay home and tell mom I'll be back later."

Reluctantly, I step inside and start scribbling on a random piece of homework. Y = mx + b... 3x*3y*3z=k, x-48(556) = 58. All the stuff stuck in my brain and more.

A few hours pass and Ray doesn't come back. A few days later, and Ray is officially the topic of gossip. A month later, and Ray is declared dead. A year later, and Ray is forgotten. My parents stopped mentioning him. Hanalei became part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Everglade squeezes my hand tightly and kicks the window open. We climbed in.

"Ray. There's something you want to see. Come. Quickly," Eve shouts.

The door creaks open.

"Jyle?" Ray's voice is soft and unsure.

"Raylen Tigris Pinewood." I recite his full name.

Without hesitation, Ray and I burst into the stories and mischief we'd gotten into that past years. When we're done, it's already 10 pm and there's no sign of Everglade.

"Look, she left a note."

Go home twins. Home to your mother and beloved sister. Don't try to find me. -Everglade

It was written in her neat, cursive handwriting.

"She's gone and she's not coming back," Ray croons.

I open my mouth to speak but Ray cuts me off.

"You liked her, didn't you? Like, liked her," Ray mutters.

"How do you know?"

"I've always been able to tell who you liked, remember?"

The memories flood my brain and I remember.

"Get over her. An assassin doesn't make a good partner," Ray laughs softly.

"You're right. I can't believe she left me, after all, I still owe her lots of things including my life," I lie.

I could still feel her fingers combing through my hair. The note was all I had left of her. Everglade had taken everything while we were talking. She disappears as easily as she appears. I still remembered the day I freed her. The small girl she'd been when Eve was locked up in her cell.

All those memories of her. The love I felt for her. Her star name: Rigel.

I let it go. I let her go.

Finally, everything is back to normal. Now, Everytime I walk into my classroom, I glance towards the window, hoping to capture her shadow again.