The Cracks In Her Mirror

Chapter Seventeen

Ginger and Kimmy sat in Kimmy's living room on the night before the twelfth making some final edits to their submission. Griffin and Niko had been sitting in the kitchen working on some physics homework.

"I'm actually really excited about this," Ginger mused, "I think it came out really good."

"Yeah, it did," Kimmy grinned, "It says something really important." Just then, Ginger noticed Niko with his head in the fridge and a look of disapproval on his face.

"You have no fun stuff in here," he called out.

"Yes Niko," Kimmy replied, "Make yourself at home." Her voice was playfully sarcastic and he grinned.

"What do you do when you wake up at two a.m. craving something sweet?" Niko asked.

"If I'm waking up at two a.m. something is seriously wrong and the answer to it is not sweets," Kimmy replied as she made her way into the kitchen. Ginger stayed in her seat making some more final adjustments when her cell phone let out a shrill ring. She looked at the caller ID and saw Carter's name. She answered on the third ring.

"Hey baby," Ginger answered.

"Hi, what're you up to?" he asked.

"Finishing this film project. I told you earlier. Why what's up?"

"Oh yeah, the film project. Who are you with?" he asked her. She turned her head behind her to see Niko holding an object over Kimmy's head and Kimmy struggling to reach it. Her futile attempts to seize whatever he was holding seemed to amuse him to no end. Griffin had his head in his books and wasn't even paying attention to the whole scene. Ginger turned back around.

"Kimmy," she answered, "...And Griffin."

"Just Kimmy and Griffin?" he asked. Ginger didn't know why she felt so uncomfortable mentioning Niko's name to Carter.

"Niko is here too," Ginger said finally, "Studying with Griffin." She turned her head around again and saw that Niko had finally given Kimmy the object. Kimmy was now behind Griffin with her arms wrapped around him and her head buried in his neck. Griffin had a slight smile playing on his lips and Niko was no longer paying attention to them.

"Oh," Carter replied.

"Yeah. But it's not a hanging out thing really, it's more like a working thing."

"Yeah," Carter replied, "It's late though. How are you getting home?"

"Uh," Ginger began, "I'm not sure."

"Do you want me to pick you up?" he asked.

"No," she said quickly, "I don't know when I'll be done here but I'll get a ride. I don't want to trouble you." He didn't speak for a moment.

"Okay," he said, "Be safe."

"I love you," Ginger said.

"You too," he replied. Just as she hung up, she heard a voice behind her.

"Who do you love?" he asked. Her body stiffened at the idea of those words coming from his mouth. She turned quickly and saw Niko standing behind her with his knowing smile and clear gray eyes. She cleared her throat and didn't speak until he sat down on the couch beside her.

"I was just speaking to Carter," she explained.

"Oh," Niko replied.

"Why are you in here?" Ginger smiled, "Are you done with your work?" He chuckled.

"See, I would be doing that, but someone got distracted," he got louder at the end of the sentence to ensure that Griffin and Kimmy would hear him. Ginger laughed and looked at the two of them.