Sparkle (KOTLC) {Completed}

12

For days after, Janessa didn't speak much, other than small talk, even when Sophie got back and told her Keefe was hurt. In the morning, she would go and stand at the edge of the cliff to drop the leaping crystal, but she couldn't drop it, then she would sit down and just practice pyrokinesis by herself to try to calm herself down. 

Sophie, Linh,  Biana, and even Edaline would walk up to her and try to get her to open up, but she didn't say much other than "I'm fine". She couldn't help but notice that neither Keefe nor Dex came. Part of her was glad Keefe was injured, that way she wouldn't have to face him, but she couldn't stop wishing for the day where Dex had tried teaching her technopathy and made the Twiggler. 

With every day that passed, the small stab of disappointment was stronger; he was right not to come though, she deserved it.

After a week of the same routine, Biana had had enough and physically dragged Janessa away.

"Ok, you're not just sitting here again."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Shopping." Biana grinned.

Janessa smiled slightly, eyes lightening. "Ok."

Biana dragged her by the hand to the Leapmaster and yelled out "Mysterium!"

They reappeared in a dark city with identical plain black buildings. Janessa stumbled after Biana, who was speed walking towards the only colourful thing in sight.

It was a strange building of at least twenty different colours with curved walls and a crooked roof. The sight of it made Janessa smile, until she saw the sign, "Slurp and Burps: Your Merry Apothecary."

"Hey, isn't that the Dizznee's store?" Janessa asked worriedly. Biana didn't answer, which made Janessa's heart clench. She tried to pull away, but the brunette was surprisingly strong.

When they entered the store, the door belched, and a smiling face that was so familiar — even with a new hairstyle — appeared in the cramped aisle. Dex's face fell to shock when he saw Janessa but he didn't even hesitate to hurry towards her and wrap his arms around her waist. 

For a second Janessa didn't move, then she returned the hug, her arms around his neck. It felt like coming home. Even his emotions, they just flowed over her and made her feel better, even if she couldn't differentiate them from each other. They were just warm.

Dex pulled away slightly and his periwinkle eyes pierced hers. "Are you ok? Did they hurt you? How did you get out?"

Janessa's body started trembling to the point where the only thing keeping her upright was Dex. Her eyes glanced fearfully around the store as she tried to hold herself together.

"Here, come with me." Dex led her carefully to the back of the store. Biana squeezed her shoulder goodbye as they entered the back room that looked like a workshop of sorts.

Once they were alone, Janessa collapsed on a workbench.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't wanna see me. Biana dragged me here. I shouldn't have-"  

Dex grabbed Janessa's hand cutting her off. "Why would I not wanna see you? I've been so scared I was never gonna see you again after you were kidnapped!"

Janessa's lip trembled. "I- I thought. Y-you didn't come visit me, but everyone else did. I thought you didn't wanna see me. You- " Janessa's voice broke.

"What do you mean, visit you? How long have you been back?" Dex wondered confusedly.

Janessa's jaw dropped, a million thoughts running through her head. "You- no one told you? I've been back over a week."

"What!" Dex yelled angrily. 

They sat in silence for a minute. "You... you still wanna be friends with me then?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Dex exclaimed, still silently fuming at the others.

Janessa started trembling again and this time she let the tears fall freely, meeting Dex's eyes without looking away. "I- I don't deserve you. Any of you. I'm s-sorry. I'm really sorry." 

Dex wrapped her in his arms swiftly again. "You don't have to be sorry. Why are you saying that?"

Janessa sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm sorry! I couldn't- I wasn't- I'm a traitor! I-I let him get under my skin! I got so lost in the idea of a dad that I forgot about everything! I might as well have betrayed all of you for him! I should've been stronger! I shouldn't have gotten lost in it!"

Dex tightened his hold on her. "Who are you talking about?"

Janessa hiccuped. "F-Fintan. I-I can't get away from him. He- he acted like... like a dad, and I was so desperate for any dad that I forgot about everything and now I can't get rid of him! He- he was manipulating me the whole time and I know that but I still can't get rid of him! Every morning I try to throw that stupid leaping crystal off the cliff but I can't. I can't throw it out, no matter how badly I need to. I can't get him out of my head!"

Dex put his hand on the crown of her head, rubbing her back with his other hand comfortingly. He pulled back slightly. "Where is this crystal?"

With shaking hands, Janessa pulled the necklace out from under her tunic and Dex held it gently. 

"Where does it go?" 

Janessa took a deep breath, trying not to burst into tears again. "It-it's the forest where he would teach me pyrokinesis. He- he acted so proud of me and once I manifested, I could feel how... fond he was of me and then I was lost. We played catch with Everblaze. I hugged him there. I hugged him, not the other way around. I-I'm so disgusted with myself that I let myself forget everything and let him manipulate me so that I would stay." Janessa paused. "I could have left weeks ago. That's why I feel so guilty. I was staying willingly, no matter how much I convinced myself I wasn't betraying you." Janessa met Dex's eyes again, lips trembling. "I'm sorry. I- I-" 

Dex put his hands on her shoulders, sending his warm emotions that she couldn't decipher through her. "It's not your fault."

The simple phrase sent a shock down Janessa's spine and her eyes widened, lost and hopeless.  

"Nessie." The nickname seemed to wake her up. "It's not your fault."

Those words made something break in Janessa and she fell against Dex, hugging him again, but not sobbing. All fight and tension seemed to have left her body as silent tears slid down her face.

Once Janessa started to pull away, Dex smiled at her, showing the familiar dimples that made her smile back. "I'm really happy you're ok, well not ok, but safe, and I will always be your friend. Ok?"

Janessa nodded weakly. 

"Now, how about we get rid of this crystal together?" Dex suggested.

Janessa nodded again.

Together, they made their way out of the store, light leaping to Havenfield, where Dex pulled a shaky Janessa to the cliff's edge.

Once she pulled out the crystal, Dex covered her shaking hand with his and pried them open, letting the crystal fall down to the crashing waves below.

Janessa gasped as it fell, eyes filling with tears that she forced herself not to let fall. Focusing on Dex's hand in hers, she let the warmth of his emotions flow through her and managed a smile.

"Thank you." She whispered bittersweetly, squeezing his hand lightly.

He pulled her into another hug, a proper one where she wasn't crying anymore. "I missed you, Nessie. I was so worried."

"I missed you too."

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A/N

Not sure how much I like this part, but I don't want to change it cuz then the rest of the book will just not make sense. Also I've hit a bit of writer's block so I'm really sorry I'm not writing a lot. It's also really hard cuz school is hectic rn. Hopefully I'll have time soon!!