Jett

47

They took the bus back— which, Kayden found out, had been stashed behind the apartment complex the whole time.

His head had cleared up and though he still couldn't clearly remember much after the second shot he was no longer disoriented. Whatever had momentarily overcome him didn't seem to be posing a permanent problem. As a result, for the time being, he could push it to the side and worry about other things.

Like the fact that Jett was leaving.

They sat next to each other silently the entirety of the bus ride back to his house.

Jinx looked back at him when they pulled up in front of the familiar building. A sad smile had spread over his features, letting him know that it was time to get off. He turned back to Jett, who seemed quite intently focused on his home, and waited a beat or two to see if she would say something.

He felt himself frown when she just kept her gaze stubbornly focused outside.

"Come back later tonight," he blurted out before he could properly think the words over.

"What?" That got her to turn in his direction.

"I know you don't leave until tomorrow evening," he continued upon her confusion, "but tonight will probably be the last chance we could... you know..." —he felt his cheeks flush, which later he would most definitely blame on the alcohol—"be alone together."

Jett watched him carefully, making him feel stupider and stupider as the seconds ticked on before turning to look back out the bus window. He almost missed the, "okay," that left her lips.

He smiled, "great, see that huge tree outside my window? Be there at 11." His mother's job demanded an early bed time, making 11 a time she would probably be out cold.

Jett nodded, still not looking at him.

He didn't let it faze him as he grabbed his duffle and took a step to leave, though some nagging feeling within him wouldn't let him leave it there. Instead he turned back around, only to find that she had been watching him leave.

She raised a brow at the sudden hesitation, the question clearly written over her features.

"Just in case I forget to say this later," he started, quite aware that the other two would shamelessly eavesdrop on his words. "Thank you."

'Thank you for never failing to save my ass. For all the truths you gave me about yourself. For all the kisses...' He didn't want to elaborate on those, Naziah and Jinx didn't need to know the intimacies of what went on between them. He just hoped that Jett would understand what he meant.

"Just," he added, more quietly, "thank you for existing."

The way she looked back at him then told him that she understood. She nodded back at him before standing up and pulling him into a brief kiss that tasted too much like a goodbye.

"I'll see you later, right?" He needed to confirm in order to get rid of the sinking feeling in his chest.

Jett was quiet for a moment before shrugging, letting out a non-committal "sure," and returning to her seat.

Kayden knew better than to make a scene in front of the other two assassins, so instead he hoisted his duffle further up his shoulder and turned to where Naziah was waiting for him at the bus's exit. She had been nominated to escort him to his door considering that Jazz had been the one to pick him up and they needed to maintain consistency.

Jinx pulled him into a tight hug before he could step out, something that caused a slight smile to cross his features.

"Come on Jinx," Naziah warned, causing the small girl to let him go, "I think we've kept his mother waiting long enough."

The door swung open before either of them could knock and Kayden's mother had pulled him into a bone crushing hug while Naziah stood awkwardly off to the side, trying to look professional.

"I've missed you so much," his mother spoke as she pulled back and put her hands on her hips while looking over him. Her eyes narrowed at the sight, "something's changed about you."

Kayden's eyes widened slightly as his gaze flicked to Naziah in slight panic. That was, until his mother continued.

"Have you grown?"

He felt himself relax as he let out a relieved chuckle, "I don't think so?"

His mother just grinned at him before she noticed Naziah.

"Ah Jasmine nice to see you again," she greeted with a kind smile before gesturing to Kayden and adding teasingly, "it's good to see that there's not a scratch on it. Good to know you can deliver your promises."

Kayden felt his stomach drop at the joke. His brain quite vividly remembering Jazz, dark eyed and determined as she stood across from Jett in the apartment's living room.

"I promised his mother that we'd return him alive and I have the full intentions to fulfil that promise."

To her credit Naziah barely batted an eye at the words; instead she returned his mother's grin. "What can I say, Miss Schäfer?"— she spoke in the British accent they instructed her to use— "I'd rather die than break a promise to someone as trusting as yourself," Naziah even added a wink in after the words but Kayden could see the slight strain to the quirk of her lips. "Now, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, we still have one student to deliver home and we wouldn't want to keep her parents waiting."

His mother nodded understandingly, "of course, have a good evening, Jasmine."

Naziah bid his mother the same before turning and walking back to the bus.

She caught Kayden's gaze before the bus doors closed behind her, giving him a slight nod before turning away.

As he watched them leave, Kayden had this irrational fear that it would be the last time he saw them again.

'No,' he tried to remind himself as he followed his mother back inside, 'I still have tonight.'

____

Just a few more chapters to wrap everything up! I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it all, please don't hesitate to comment anything you think while you read the chapters. 

Until tonight, 

Stay safe and treat yourselves kindly, 

Artemis.