The Girl From Another World ( TMNT 2007 Universe )

Chapter 37 - Enemy Grounds

Raphael

"Trust me, I've known him long enough to know that..."

I quickly slipped into the nearest open room, which just happened to be the bathroom, when I heard April's voice. I'd been heading to Jazmin's door to see if she would be willing to talk to me but I hadn't expected April to be with her. Were they like besties now or something? Jealousy flared in my chest again.

I heard April's footsteps continue down the hallway but they stopped at the entrance of the bathroom. I shrank back further into the small room but it didn't help me any. "I know you're in there, Raphael. I don't have to see you."

I groaned and left my hiding spot behind the door, coming into the dim light in the hallway. I put on a guilty grin and hoped she'd spare me a lecture. April liked to give those.

She put her hands on her hips and looked me up and down. "What are you doing in there?"

"Heh... It's not what it looks like." I nervously scratched the back of my neck.

"And what does it look like, Raphael?"

As much as she used my full name made me appreciate Jazmin's nicknamed of "Red." I'd prefer that name over anything. Funny how I'd hated it at first. "Like I did something and I'm hiding from it."

"That's not what it looks like at all, Raphael. Actually, it looks like you were on your way to talk with Jazmin but hadn't realized I was with her."

I didn't respond. How in the hell did she know?

A small smile formed on her face. "I wouldn't talk to her now. Jazmin is taking a very much needed nap. You can talk to her when she wakes up."

But the confidence I had from my talk with Casey might be gone by then. "Is there any way I can just-"

"Raphael." She started to tap her toe and it made me squirm even more to get away from her. "I know you're eager to fix things with Jazmin but it'll be better for both of you if she isn't exhausted and hung over. I suggest you wait."

I sighed. "Okay."

She started to turn away but she didn't completely leave with out letting me know something else. "That girl cares about you more than you'll ever know. When you do talk to her, make sure you let your heart speak too and not just your mind."

I couldn't find words to respond to that either. It was as if Master Splinter had just spoken through her.

***

My nerves built up until night finally came. I was so eager to talk to Jazmin now and she was no where in sight. Not even when we all gathered in the living room of her small house did she show up. As my brothers and I started to pack up the Tortuga, those nerves turned into worry. What if something had happened? The house had been locked down for as long as we'd been here but something still could've happened to her.

My irrational fears were put out, however, when she walked into the room to join us. She looked better than she had this morning, her eyes were no longer red and swollen and her face wasn't streaked with tears.

She'd fixed her makeup and added some sort of black paint above her eyelids that arched out to the sides, creating a point. Her hair was woven into a long thick braid that hung down her back and she wore all black. Her tank top, army camo pants, and boots all bore he same color. Her machetes hung at her sides, slipped neatly into the sheaths of her belt and numerous guns hung all the way around her waist.

If anyone was dressed to kill, it was Jazmin.

April walked in right after her, looking from me to her and back to me. I knew she'd talked to Jazmin like Casey had talked to me. I just hoped it had gone well. Judging by what little I'd heard, it sounded like it. But I was still nervous for when we really would talk.