Better Eight Than Never

Chapter 32: The joke's on you

It was finally Saturday, and the weather couldn't be better for turf wars. The mood however just wasn't there, and Jill felt like a void made of dread was filling her chest. This could be it; The very last day She'd ever spend with Simon. The very thought sent a few more dribbles of unease coursing through her. She'd done everything she could think of, and they'd still remained distant from her, like they thought that would make it hurt less. News flash, it didn't!... She couldn't bring herself to blame them though... At least they were wearing the friendship bracelet she'd made for them the night before; She'd made it in pink and purple, their favorite colors and everything. But as they walked through the halls of the Coral Riff apartment complex, she still wracked her brain for possible ways to get them to talk to her.

"Hey, do you remember which house is Bato's?" She asked in as perky a manor as she could muster. In reply, they pointed at a door which read '524' before shoving their hands back into their pockets. She sighed and knocked politely on the front door, it had been worth a shot

A moment later, the door opened and a brown-skinned woman with lovely pink eyes stood there, looking between the two of them. "You must be Simon and Jill?" She said, smiling warmly.

"Hi~ That's us! I'm Jill, this is Simon." She said, holding out a hand and giving a big smile, though she could feel herself forcing it a little.

She nodded, shaking her hand. "I'm Leah, Bato's mother; it's nice to finally meet you both. Bato's in the kitchen, helping Tanya with breakfast." She told them, stepping aside to let them in.

"Do we have to take off our shoes?" Jill asked as she stepped inside.

"Only if you want to." Leah chuckled.

"Ok~ Just asking because these are complicated laces." She said, waving one boot around. "I would get one where the laces are decorative and have a zip on the side... But really what would be the point? Like this they stay on better too."

She smiled. "Yes, so I've heard. I would think that the laces would present a problem if they were ever to come undone in the middle of the match, though?"

"Yeah, that did used to be a problem... Then I tied knots in the laces right here." Jill said, tapping a little bit down the boot. "They're not coming off or undone unless I tell them to!"

Leah examined the boots, then nodded approvingly. "Oh, that's very clever!"

"Isn't it?" Jill grinned, then glanced at Simon, who simply kicked off their shoes with reckless abandon. She swallowed and turned her attention instead to Bato, who'd just poked his head around a corner. Judd, he looked so tired, with bags under his eyes and a weary expression.

"Hey guys." He greeted. "Mom, you said you got another thing of strawberries yesterday?"

"Ooo, strawberries~!" Jill smiled. "Morning B~!"

Leah chuckled. "Yes, it should be behind the casserole."

"Got it." He nodded, ducking back around the corner again.

Leah smiled, then quietly cleared her throat. "Well, you two please make yourselves at home; the living room and kitchen are that way-" She gestured to the right. "-And the restroom's just to the left here if you need it."

"Alright! Thanks for having us over~" Jill beamed.

Leah nodded, then went off to the left.

Jill watched her for a moment, then glanced at Simon with a smile before heading to the right toward the living room. There she saw Toda sitting on the couch, dressed in his splatfest shirt; the short sleeves revealing a bandage on his arm, a reminder of his battle a few days ago. He had bags under his eyes, much darker than Bato's had been, like he'd been through not just one night of restlessness, but several. He was hunched over his phone, and from this angle she could see him playing Floaty Zapfish, and rather badly.