Jaya Week 2024

Look Over Here

There's something so funny about memory because times you consider the worst of your lives sometimes end up being the ones you wish you could return to.

I still remember how pathetic I was when I first met Nya.

"Hey, Jay." Cole nudged me. "Hello? Anyone in there?" He waved his hand in front of my face, trying to gain my attention.

"What?" I looked at him, annoyed.

"You're staring again." He pointed out.

I gave him a look before rolling my eyes.

"I don't get it," he said after a minute.

I frowned at him. "Don't get what?"

He pointed over at Nya, who was minding her own business on the training course.

I watched as she skillfully dodged an incoming projectile, somehow managing to land on her feet without so much as a stumble.

There is no doubt about it. Nya is amazing.

"That. I don't get that." He shook his head. "You're so captivated by a girl you met a week ago, mind you, that you have barely interacted with. You're practically swooning!"

"Did you see that?" I ran a hand through my hair. "I bet she'd make a better ninja than any of us would."

Beside me, Cole groaned. "You're hopeless. I'm going to go talk to Kai." He stood up off of the step, but before walking away, he turned to me one last time. "If you really want to get to know her, try talking to her. Even if she just ends up listening to you ramble, it's still better than all the creepy staring you're doing."

I turned to look at him as he walked over to where Zane was asking Kai a series of questions about Ignacia.

Sitting by myself, I just felt useless. And I was starting to think Cole had a point.

Hesitantly, I got up and began walking over to Nya.

And then I realized I wouldn't even know what I'd say to her, so I turned right back around, but it was too late. She saw me.

"Jay? What are you doing?" I heard her confused voice say.

Pivoting on my heel, I turned back to face her. "I uh... you're really good at that, and I was wondering if you had any tips for me?" I laughed nervously, hoping I hadn't just made things awkward.

To my surprise, she just gave me a lopsided grin. "Sure. What do you need to work on?"

"I'm just wondering how you're so good with your balance. I can't balance worth, well, the three bucks in my wallet."

Great job, Jay. You're blowing it.

I wish I could go back to those moments, instead of just remembering her as a person long gone.

Rolling out of bed, I grab my notebook off of my nightstand and walk down the steps to the main floor.

Monday, May fifteenth.

I was thinking about Nya again. It's almost been a year since she's been gone, but I can't get her out of my head.

She heard the call of the ocean, and she left us forever, but I just couldn't let her go.

There was a time when I promised her that I would follow her to the ends of the earth, and I've kept that promise.

Not long after her memorial service, I packed my things and made my way to the place closest to the center of the ocean as I could get.

Sometimes, it's like I can hear her. Her whisper over the sound of silence, calling out to me and granting me hope that one day she might return.

I keep glasses of water around me because I know it's the closest to her I can get.

I also keep glasses of alcohol and other things with me because if I drink enough, I can hear her talk to me.

These are things I shouldn't do. I know that life isn't waiting for me to move on, but life isn't waiting for Nya to return, either, so I'll just have to wait by myself and try to catch up when it comes to it.

Nya, if you ever see these, I love you.

Water Lily. Flower Lily. Delara. That isn't who you are. You aren't just a girl. You are so much more than that.

You are a Samurai. You are the water ninja. The ocean itself.

And let the record show I was right. You did something none of us ever could. You beat Prince Kalmaar. You beat Wojira.

I love you Nya, and I may be alive, but I can hardly call this living if you aren't here with me.

Wiping a tear from my eye, I close the journal and set it back down.

I look around the lighthouse, remembering the last time we were here.

Hiding. It's all that we ever do here.

I'm hiding from my grief, from my team. Because there is no team without Nya.

And it seems, like it always goes at the lighthouse, that I've been found.

There's a boat approaching.

My first instinct is to lock the doors, hide in the basement where I won't be found, and wait for them to leave.

But I can't avoid them forever.

And maybe, just maybe, I don't want to.