Chimera

Nainai

It's near the start of lunch, the following day, but a hungover Genevieve was hiding under the bleaches, with a book in hand and her butt on her jacket. It was overcast and the gray clouds provide the perfect canopy for reading. The smell of the watered soccer field behind her filled the air while the sound of deafening silence surrounded her ears. The smell of the lunch ladies' cooking spread in the atmosphere. "Shouldn't you be in some class, pretending to be paying attention," a voice asked from the fence. "Or at least, inside."

She didn't bother to look up at who was talking to her. "Shouldn't you be in some class, pretending to be paying attention? Or, at least inside?" she repeated, still not looking up.

He chuckled at her. "Between us," he began, "I wouldn't have mind spending the night in your room." The bell rang behind them while Genevieve bookmarked her book and stood up and left. "Whoa, whoa. Where're you going? We're having a conversation."

Genevieve turned back to Tony and stood inches away from him. "It's lunchtime for everyone but me. It's time for me to go home and sleep. Good night."

He grabbed her hand through the fence with a small smile. "No good night kiss?" She scoffed at him as he came closer towards the fence. "Good night," he stated then closed his eyes and puffed up his lips, still gripping her wrist. After exhaling defeatedly, she stepped closer to him and kissed him. Constricted by the fence but it was a pleasurable sensation; a new type of pleasurable.

She pulled away unexpectedly. "Good night, Tony."

She turned on her heel and stealthy crept to her car and drove through the Braid woods - the same route that led to her grandmother's house. Grandma Mimasaka's manor was near Sansa Creek. If one were to follow the road parallel to the creek, one would arrive in Boise in less than half the time on the main road.

The manor had three levels and is completely deserted - apart from the enigmatic old lady who lived there. Genevieve's grandmother's been in a wheelchair since Genevieve could remember yet she could wander about all three levels of her house without any issues.

The red BMW convertible pulled up next to the scrawny evergreen tree, near the front door. The atmosphere went eerie when she stepped out of her car and found the front door to be unlocked. Unusual, even for an old woman like Misao Mimasaka, but the familiar smell that roamed throughout the house put Genevieve at ease. Secret ingredient vanilla and white chocolate brownies!

Genevieve hurried up the first staircase and turned into the kitchen. "Nainai," she called and found her apple doll grandmother pulling a tray out the oven. "Nainai." Her grandmother rested the tray on a cooling rack before rolling herself towards her only grandchild. "Nainai!"

She hurried over and fell to her knees then lowered her head onto her grandmother's lap. "My Akira," her grandmother whispered lovingly. "Out of school again," she asked sternly. "No matter. I needed a taste test." Genevieve stood up and turned to the tray of brownies. "Help yourself."

"You always make them the same way; why would they taste differently this time?"

Grandma Mimasaka let out a hummed chuckle. "My secret ingredient. I usually add milk to it but I tried water this time."

Genevieve took a hearty bit out of the brownie and nodded. "It's nice but not the same."

Her grandma nodded then set them aside. "Watered down to Cerise Coffee, milky ones to the Harringtons." Genevieve raised an eyebrow at her grandmother. Mrs. Harrington made it explicitly clear that she never wanted grandma Mimasaka's food near her family. "Your father invited me for dinner tonight. Said there's a cause for celebration. Some project of his is a success."