Time Stopped for You

How Quickly Things Change

"Harlow, take your team down to the riverside there's been a disturbance with some medium level demons," my mom, also my superior at work, walks by my desk as I'm sorting through some files with the newest exwires listed in them, "you can worry about those later it's not like we need any more help here, they should really send those kids to the Japan branch or the American branch, they need the exorcists."
"Alright, thanks mom," I laugh throwing the files down and grabbing my gun off the desk, "oh and don't worry I've been sending a few of the latest graduates to those branches."
"Good girl," my mom flashes me a smile before running off to give more orders, I think she really is glad I am an exorcist, especially since Brit has no interest in it at all.
I head down the line of desks until I reach Rex, he's the oldest of my team being twenty-five as of last month, yet he is also the most childish.
"We got a job to do lazy-bones," I shove him on his chair so he is spinning in circles, "where's Cara?"
"Aye Harley why you gotta be such an ass, I was taking a snooze," he groans jumping out of his chair, he punches my shoulder playfully as he looks around the room, "Sparkles must still be in the break room."
"Want to go get her?" I beg giving my best puppy eyes I can, I hate the break room people always stare at me like I'm some freak.
"Hmmm," a smirk slowly spreads across his face, "I'll go get her if you go on that date with me, how's that sound sugar?"
"You'd have better chances scoring a date with a Naberius," I stick my tongue out turning and quickly taking off for the break room before he can reply.
I nearly run into Cara as I get there, she drops her purse startled by my quick appearance, "Jeez Harley why you in such a hurry?"
She is the youngest of the three of us, she just turned twenty-one this week, lucky me I'm the middle age and somehow still the leader at twenty-two, everyone says it's because of my mother, but I think I earned it.
"We actually got a job that's why," I grin grabbing her hand so I can drag her along, I barley give her time to pick up her bag.
I pull her back to Rex practically running, her curly pink hair bounces off her shoulders.
"Woah there Sugar slow down," Rex grabs my shoulders stopping me from crashing into him, "you're gonna make Sparkles loose her sparkles."
Cara groans her cheeks turning a light pink, "let's get this over with already."
Rex always has called her Sparkles since the day we were assigned as a team five years ago, we became a rag tag family after spending so much time together, but the nickname never faded away.
Together we head out of the office towards the riverside, "I'm betting two beers and twenty bucks it's just some hobogoblins who stole an old ladies purse," Rex holds both his hands out, "and your bets ladies?"
"I'm betting ten bucks and a movie it's just some reapers attacking tourists," Cara shakes his hand avoiding looking him in the eyes, sometimes it really shocks me Rex doesn't know she has a crush on him.
"I'm betting thirty bucks it's a naberius eating a food stand," I laugh shaking Rex's other hand firmly.
He puts his arm around both of our shoulders, "and this is how to get two pretty ladies to pay for your drinks."
I roll my eyes shaking his arm off of me letting a small giggle escape me, "you're such a jackass sometimes Rex."
"Just doing my job Sugar," he grins at me with his crooked cocky grin, his light green eyes shining, "someone has to keep it interesting don't they?"
I don't satisfy him with a response, besides we just made it to the walk, so far I can't see any demons from here, they must be further down. I listen closely able to hear someone scream, I wave for my team to follow me as I head towards the noise.
Cara won the bet this time, well sort of, it's three large reapers harassing a family, one has a man wrapped in it's long slimy tongue thrashing him in the air.
"You know the drill guys," I nod at them taking my gun out, I fire at the reaper holding the man first, it takes five bullets before it dies, or disappears whatever it is they do.
Just as long as they are not here I don't really care where they are, I go up to the man as he thuds on the ground, he seems uninjured, so I leave him be going to help with the other reapers.
We finish them off rather quickly I think, Cara checks up on the family to make sure they are okay while Rex and I make sure the cost is clear of more demons.
We accompany the family to their vehicle just to ensure they are safe, most people are paranoid after demon attacks, which is understandable.
They thank us at least a thousand times before letting us finally leave, Cara smiles to herself as we leave the riverside behind us, "looks like I won."
"I think you should just get a movie," Rex mumbles shoving his hands in his pockets, "after all they weren't tourists, right Harley?"
"I normally wouldn't agree, but he does have a point," I giggle watching her get frustrated and try to get ahead of us.
"Good work out there Sugar," Rex snickers punching my shoulder teasingly, "keep it up I might have to call you boss."
I laugh shaking my head, he tries so hard sometimes it's almost sad, I stick my tongue out at him, "keep that attitude up I might have to call you dumbass."
He smiles at me shaking his head, we catch up with Cara who glances up at me sighing, I feel bad for her sometimes. I don't mean to take Rex's attention, he just openly gives it to me and not her...
We're nearly back at the office when my phone starts ringing, I pull it out frowning it's an unknown caller.
"Hello...?"
"Hello, is this Harlow Trenston?" A female voice responds sounding very business like.
"Yes it is," I reply curiously, I wave away Rex who is trying to eavesdrop.
"Wonderful, I'd like to inform you that you're being transferred to the Japan Branch, you'll be working at the exorcist academy as well as being available for missions."
"What? Transferred?" I murmur startled, I haven't been told about this before...,
"Yes, a plane is booked to take you to Tokyo in three days."
"Oh..." is all I manage to say as the lady hangs up leaving me with more questions than answers and a very sick feeling settling in my gut.
I shove my phone back in my pocket looking at Rex and Cara mortified, "I'm being transferred to Japan..."
They both start laughing while I just stare at them ready to start crying, I feel tears well up in my eyes.
Rex suddenly looks at me falling silent, "y-you weren't joking...?"
I shake my head wiping my face with my hands, I feel both of their arms around me in an instant, "You can't leave us!"
Cara starts to cry I feel her tears soaking into my shirt, "Harley what are we gonna do without you?"
"You're our kickass boss, we can't have anyone else but you," Rex grumbles squeezing me a bit, I think he's crying to, however he is hiding it much better than Cara.
I say nothing knowing my words will be lost in sobs, I just let them hold me tight for a few minutes not able to imagine my life without them.
"Guys..." I sigh once I'm able to control my crying, "how about we go to the bar?"
"Drinks are on me," Rex smiles weakly not meeting my eyes, Cara just nods solemnly holding my hand tight in hers.
Rex leads the way after we finally break from our embrace, Cara however is still holding my hand, I have never saw her so upset before.
The hardest part is going to be telling my mom, maybe she'll be happy for me, but she's going to miss me and worry like crazy, Brit won't though I guess that's a plus...
Once we finally make it to the bar we go sit at the counter and order our drinks, I know I can't drink to many since I still have to talk to my mom, but maybe I can get just a little buzz to make it easier...
None of us speak the entire time we are at the bar, I don't think any of us know what to say, a numbness has settled over us as we are hoping this nightmare is really just that, and I am not being shipped across the world.
We part ways on the walk home, we all live in very different parts of the neighborhood, but we can walk to each other's houses if we so desire, I make my way home to discover the lights still on, very unusual considering Brit goes to bed early and mom doesn't get home until late, later than this.
I go inside to find she is sitting in the dining room wiping tears from her eyes, she walks over to me quickly pulling me into a hug, she knows...
"I'm so proud of you Harlow," she pets my head slowly, "and so scared...."
"I know mom," I mumble quietly enjoying the warmth of her hug, "I'm scared too,  I don't even wanna go."
"It's big step for you, you're working your way to being the best, you have to go to keep it up," she sighs letting go of me, she puts a hand on my cheek, "I'll come visit you whenever I can you know that."
"But what if I'm happy here?" I feel ready to cry again, "I have friends, I have family here, I have nothing there..."
"You will," she smiles taking her hand away, "I'll help you pack and everything tomorrow okay?"
I nod weakly my head starting to hurt a bit, "I'm going to go to bed okay?"
She nods chuckling a bit, "if I were you I would've been a lot drunker."
I smile a bit as I go upstairs, maybe Rex and Cara will visit me too...
Brit surprisingly is still awake, she looks at me as I sit on my bed, but as usual she refuses to speak to me, in fact she's probably glad I'm leaving...
I don't bother to put pjs on instead just laying back in my jeans and t-shirt, I set my phone on my nightstand noticing afterwards I have an unread message, I glance at it finding yet another unknown number.
The message reads: "Greetings Miss Trenston, you don't know me quite yet, however you will here shortly, very well in fact, I am Mephisto Pheles head of True Cross Academy. I am told you'll be a teacher for some time here, and I may have set that up myself, none the less you will be working for me as an exorcist too with a dorm on the campus as your living arrangement completely free of charge might I add. Looking forwards to meeting you darling <3"
Just reading it makes me feel sick, I have to work for some guy who sounds like a total creep?
Not to mention the fact he's going to know where I live, Japan is already looking like it's going to be hell both literally and figuratively.
I shut my phone off not wanting to get anymore messages even close to resembling that of Mephisto Pheles's, I curl up in my blankets knowing sleep is not going to come easy tonight.
"Congratulations Harlow, once again you're the favorite," Brit mutters I assume she thinks I'm asleep, "and you're not even supposed to be here."
I feel sicker than I did now a knot forming in my gut, maybe it's better that I'm leaving after all...
Who will I turn to now...?