In The Next Life

Chapter 4

New woke up the next morning to the brown hair tucked right under his nose. Now this he was used to, having lived with In for over 3 years now it's not really uncommon to have someone in his arms. It was however VERY uncommon for there to be two heads of brown hair in his line of sight. Both In and Jew were tucked against his sides, passed out, their snores mixing with the menu screen music on the TV. He was startled for a minute before yesterday's events started to come back to him. Everything happening with Jew, In and Dew meeting them at the house with popcorn and soda for their spur of the moment movie night.

He sighs, letting his head fall back against the couch behind him as he thinks over his newfound knowledge. He had promised not to tell In...but he's never kept anything from that shorty. Maybe he'll forgive him just this once...

"Look who's awake." A quiet voice teases him. New looks over to the entrance of the living room, where Dew is standing with a spatula in her hand. "Breakfast is ready, if you wanna wake those two up. She smiles before heading back into the kitchen.

New decides to give them a few more minutes to rest.

~

After breakfast that morning, In and Dew had to go to class first as their classes started sooner than the two engineers. New and Jew had settled themselves in the engineering campus courtyard. She barely registers New's warning of "incoming," before she's being ambushed with a tiny In wrapping his body around her. She was expecting this talk at breakfast, but she supposed that now was as good a time as any for In to try and break her.

"Please talk to me. I'm worried about you. You never keep anything from me and now you're not talking to me so I know something's really wrong and I'm your best friend. I love you and care about you so please will you just t-mmmmm!" He gets cut off as she covers his mouth, her eyes glimmering in amusement.

"In. Take a breath. And let me breathe. Please."

She laughs at In's little whine as he detaches himself from her and walks around the table to sit next to New. She barely hears Dew's apology as she sits down.

"Sorry he's...he's worried. We all are. And we respect your privacy but..."

"But you're curious and worried and...that's okay. But I don't want to talk about it. So please. Just drop it." She turns her attention down to the open mathematics book in front of her.

"But-" Dew starts.

"No."

"But Je-" In tries again.

"In I said no. Drop it. Please." She looks at him but he just huffs grabbing his bag.

"And I thought I was your best friend.." he turns and walks off, his bag in hand. New calls after him but he doesn't turn around or stop, so Dew quickly gathers her stuff.

"I'll watch him. Sorry about this..." she rushes off following him. Jew just groans, dropping her head to the book.

"I know I should talk to him but they like Em...I can't just...I can't just make her into the villain like that."

"But she is the villain. She hurt you, Jew, and it's okay to make her out to be the bad guy. You know they'd both take your side."

"I..." she sighs as she sits up. "I know I just...I don't want them to be hurt..."

New can't seem to think of an answer to that. He just reaches over resting his hand on hers as she thinks it over.

"You'll figure this out. I believe in you." He gently squeezes her hands. She smiles at him then turns her focus completely to the book.