Roomies ✔

12 - Pep Talk

Juice was plagued by a strange nervous feeling when he put the shopping bag on the table and started to clear it out. He thought back to the enthusiasm in Jamie's voice when he told her that he would make dinner for her and his lips curled up. He wasn't used to people who liked to have him around. It wasn't like people were annoyed by him, but he always had the feeling they liked someone else's company just as much. And even though he knew Jamie was happy with whoever visited her, he also knew she was genuinely happy with his company. After last night, there was nothing he wanted more than making sure that she was okay, and it felt like he couldn't be convinced of that until he could hold her in his arms. 

He frowned as he saw her backpack next to the table. Was she already home? 

"James?" he called. 

No answer came. She wasn't someone who often distanced herself. Was she feeling sick? He went to her bedroom and knocked on the door. "James?" he repeated. 

Silence. 

Or wait... He thought to hear a quiet sobbing and opened the door a bit. She was lying on her bed, her back towards him. The fact that she refused to turn around, worried him. Sitting down on the bed, he hesitated and laid a hand on her hip. 

"James? What's wrong?"

She sniffled as she wiped her eyes, leaving behind streaks of mascara on her hand. "Nothing. I've just been stupid." She had wrapped her arms around a large Pikachu, pressing the stuffed animal to her stomach. Her glance was aimed at the wall, as if she didn't want to show him that she was crying.

"Did something happen at the excavation? Or... is it because of Esai?"

The way her shoulders tensed when he mentioned the man's name, gave away the answer. Something dark arose in his stomach. "Look at me, Jamie," he said, his tone compelling. 

With a deep sigh the girl turned around. Her eyes were puffy, her face exhausted. He suspected her to lie her for a long time, being plagued by various crying jags. The sight of her tear-stained face made an icy fury flare up inside him; it took a lot to make a cheerful girl like Jamie sad. 

"Did he do something you didn't want? For I swear to you – if he touched you in a way you didn't like I'm going after him and I'm going to break all his bones."

She barely responded; she had rolled on her other side now and stared past him. Assuming she needed some time before she could tell him what had happened, he laid down on his side too, his head on the same pillow. Their faces were very close, but he didn't have the feeling he was invading her personal space; she was always cuddly and something told him she would have done the same if he had been the one that was bothered by something. Her eyes focused on his. Because of her tears they were a perfect mix of green and blue, and he had a feeling he could stare into them for hours. 

"You can tell me anything, you know that right?"

She cast her glance at the floor. "I feel ashamed."

Her words seemed to cut into his stomach like thorns. He felt the urge to wipe the tears from her face, but as long as he didn't know what had happened to her, he didn't dare to touch her. 

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you're not the one who should feel ashamed."

Skittishly she looked up. Something had damaged her self-image and he hated Esai for it.

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" he tried to push her. "Okay?"

When she didn't respond, he rolled a tuft of her blue hair between his fingers, pulling her out of her thoughts again.