Grey > Alma

Movie #2

Miss Peregrine watched the three peculiars leave her property and, once they were out of her sight, went back inside. The children had returned to the movie room. "What's this?" she asked. The day was September 2nd. They should have gone to bed already. 

"Horace says there's another part of the movies tonight!" Claire piped up in explanation. 

"If this is an addition to that-" 

"It isn't about the kiss," Horace stated matter-of-factly. "It's Jake and Riya's trip home. I believe the children would like to see how the siblings took to them." When Miss Peregrine still seemed hesitant, he added, "And, of course, your mind can be put to rest on whether they reached home safely." 

Successfully manipulated, Alma walked over to the lights and switched them off. 

The moment Emma retreated into the cave and Jake and Riya exited it, Riya burst into laughter. Real, true laughter. Though, they were seeing through her eyes.

Jake just looked at her. He had an aura. It was a comfortable shade of brown. Was this what she always saw?

It took her a minute, but Riya reigned it in. She put her hands on her stomach. "Sorry, I've been holding that in all day." The image of Jake face down in a pile of rubbish flashed in her mind and she snorted, losing it again. "You were so scared!" she wheezed. "You knocked yourself out!" 

Jake started laughing too. 

She sobered and turned to her brother. "So, did you know we had many friends back in Florida. 'Cause no one told me!" 

"I was thinking the same thing! It's weird. Emma said Miss Peregrine's guesses are never wrong," Jake contradicted his own statement. 

"Maybe she was wrong. Or she lied. Or falsely guessed." 

"Why?" 

"So she didn't get the kids' hopes up?" she guessed, shrugging. "I mean, you legally can't stay in Wales. Unless you just hid from dad in the loop." 

Jake chuckled. "Oddly, I can imagine that." 

Riya snorted then fell back into her laughter, losing her footing so she just swayed back and forth. 

*

The singlings' dad ran up behind them. "I've been all around this damn island. Where the hell were you?"

It was clear to the Peculiar Children that Riya's mood greatly soured at the presence of her father.

"We were with... Worm? And Dirty... D?" It seemed like she was trying to remember their names. 

"And lost track of time," Jake added.

"Dirty D? You know what? This is... this is good. This is healthy. This is- you're making real friends. Doing teenage stuff. I think this is normal. I am sure that Dr. Golan will approve. And Riya didn't scare them off! That's gotta be an improvement!"

Riya sighed silently, shaking her head. 'Thanks, dad. You dick,' echoed through her head and through the movie room.

He had a yellow aura at the moment before it shifted back to its usual ugly green.

The scene shifted and the Priest Home had aged and not gracefully.

Riya was in the kitchen, spreading peanut butter on some bread.

Jake walked in. "You didn't eat dinner." 

"Wasn't hungry," Riya replied emotionlessly.