Running On Empty

Chapter 25 PT 2

~FRICA~

"Why do I have to go to see Jaylin now? It's been over two years!" Silya didn't bother to help me one bit, so I had to drag her all the way to the store. Her head hung like a rag doll being held by the arm by a child.

"I realized that I waited too long for you to get over him. Don't you dare think you can just forget how to live a normal life just because he's in Japan? I'm sure he misses you as well. So, you need to trust me." I stopped as soon as we walked through the doors of Oak Pine Mall.

"I...don't want to see him. Seeing Jaylin now, would only make it harder for both of us to say goodbye again. Besides the Head Master told me I had to keep my deal. I'm breaking it by traveling to Japan just to see him, aren't I?" Her brown eyes looked at my face, giving me the shivers.

If Silya had acted this way two years ago, I wouldn't have let her get anywhere near Jaylin, but after meeting Rako, everything seemed better. Seeing her down like this, I only felt the bitterness creeping up inside of me. Where was she? Where was that girl that I had been honored to compete with? Where was the girl where he had fallen for?

The girl that I had right beside me had the same name, always dressed the same way, but for some reason, it was like her soul was gone away from this world. I wanted Silya back to the girl I knew I could fight with honesty.

"Look, you made that deal with him, but I never made any sort of deal with him, neither did Rako. As efficient as he is, I'm sure Rako has already found a way to keep this trip a secret from the Head Master." I could see Rako in my head, smiling at me, his green eyes and flaming red hair glimmering in the sunlight.

I loved the sound of his voice. Even if our relationship was only that of a butler and his mistress, I knew that there was something more between us. After all, he had made sure that I had a good birthday. That's all I could have asked for. How childish was I to be nineteen years old and to still feel the sparks fly with a guy that I had barely known for a year?

"You really think Rako managed to do that?" Silya's hand tugged on my sleeve like a lost child.

"You really are...hopeless, Silya." I smiled and pulled her in for a hug, taking in the warmth from her body. It had been so long snice she had last felt this...warm.

Two years ago, I'd never thought I could except that she and Jaylin liked each other. Silya had lost a lot of weight over these last few years. She was thinner and her hair had seemed to be messier. Was she taking care of herself properly? Had she been truly eating well after he had left? I had Rako check on her form time to time and I even managed to go over to her house a couple of times just to make sure she was still in the land of the living. My hunch was right though every time, she had changed so much, it was sickening and sad. She was nothing more than a bag of bones. How could I have left my friends in such a state?

"I don't think I should meet up with him, after all he hasn't said a word to me in two years. Any sort of relationship would fall apart from that."

Why could she just come back? Why was she so despondent? How was she just going to let this chance let her slide?

I let go of her, feeling the small space between her and I widen rapidly. She fell to the ground, slowly. It was then that I noticed what she was wearing. The white lacy dress had light hazel blossoms on it. She had a light green ribbon tied at the back going just above her stomach. She had her hair hidden underneath a white summery hat that covered her eyes. She wore white tennis shoes with green and hazel ribbons entangled in the white laces. Despite losing weight, she looked rather elegant, like she had been waiting for this day to come.