Shattered mirrors

Chapter 2

"Is it okay with you if I stay for a bit? My house burnt down last night." My friend, Cerya (su-reye-uh) , tells me.

"If it's okay with little J," I say, acting serious.

I whisper to Jasmine, " Are you ok if Cerya stays for a bit?"

Playing along, she makes a serious face and nods. I laugh, since her serious face looks funny.

Cerya questions "Is it ok?"

"Its ok with little J."

* * *

Jasmine plays with a piece of my platinum blonde hair.

"Hey Jazz," I say, passing time, since we're waiting for Cerya, "Maybe I can find you a new dad. I know it's sudden and all, but I really like the recent guys I've been dating. His name is Hatoro Korima. He's really sweet, and I think he'd be a good dad to you."

She goes, "Asian?"

Jasmine is insanely smart, so she recognizes names.

"Don't say that when he gets here, sweetie." I instruct. "He's from Japan, which is kinda cool. Tokyo, actually. Oh, Cerya's here!"

"Yay!" Jazzy yells, and runs to the door.

I nickname Jasmine, Jazzy, Jazz or little J often.

Cerya is like a second mom to J, she's so used to seeing her. Cerya has always wanted a kid, but is single. She might adopt some day...

"Come in!" I shout to Cerya, the door unlocked.

She has a key to open the door anyway.

"Cery!" I exclaim.

"Ari!" She replies right back.

I call her 'Cery', short for Cerya, she calls me Ari, short for Arena.

We hug for a little bit, and Jazz gives her a hug.

"How's my little Jazzy?" She asks, pinching her cheeks gently.

She responds, her voice like a bell, L good. Is my little Cerya good?"

We all laugh, and, still laughing, Cerya goes, "Yep!"

* * *

We sit down, and Very gets situated.

And I hear a knock on the door.

I open the door to see Hatoro.

"Hey, Hatoro! You can come in. Just a little heads up, my friend Cerya is staying for a bit." I inform him.

He greets me, " Hey. How are you?"

He can speak full Japanese but I'm helping him work on his English, since he's in the US now.

"I'm great!" How about you?"

He takes a minute to take it in, like he did when I told him the whole 'Cerya thing'.

Sometimes I forget that he doesn't speak great English, so I just talk and he looks confused.

"Oh, I'm good."

I swear he's emotionless.

"You know you would make a good Japanese teacher. Well, come in!"

He sits there, so lost.

"Oh, sorry..."

"I forgive you."