A Different Way

chapter 4

There was a long pause before Xailendra decided to speak up.

"Please don't take this the wrong way," She sighs and purses her lips. "But why do you... care?"

"Because," Jesy sighs. "Some people needs someone to care for them too, even once in a while. You can tell me how much or how little, because sometimes you just got to let it out."

The green-eyed girl runs her hands through her hair anxiously. "Let's just say... something bad happened between my father and I, and this happened," She said while motioning to both of her hands. "And well, I needed to run away from it all. I'm sorry, that didn't even answer you question, but yeah."

The older woman just nodded understandingly. Both girls were once again swallowed by silence; but a comfortable kind. They both stared out to space. Then Jesy decided to break the silence.

"You were a fan?" She asked.

"Still am. Every since LM5," The girl says and laughs a little. "Damn, saying that out loud makes me realise how invested I am on being a Mixer. The commitment."

"Wait, how old are you?" Jesy asks, confused.

"I'm seventeen, Miss Nelson. I'm a junior, remember?"

"Wait, what's your name? Sai- Sandra?" Jesy giggles, still not remembering what the younger girl's name was even though she already introduced herself days ago.

"Gosh, it's Xailendra. Spelled with an X," The girl laughs back. "You really are bad at names, aren't you?"

"I'm probably worst than you thought, actually," She said as her laugh died down. "Wa—wait, is your back all good? You might've hit it pretty badly a—"

"I'm all good. I'm feeling awesome, actually," She smiled widely. "Thank you for uh, cleaning my cuts by the way."

"Hey! It's no problem," Jesy replied happily. "Would you like to watch a movie? It... um, seems like you still need time away from your home, even just for a little." She offers.

"That would be nice but I don't want to intrude—"

"You wouldn't be intruding! I mean, if it isn't that obvious, I live alone and it'd be lovely if I'd get to help you."

Xailendra beamed at Jesy. "Yeah. Sure. I'll stay."

Jesy stood up from the couch. "I'm gonna go grab the snacks. Choose a movie that you like, I'll be right back."

"Want me to help you?"

"Yeah, c'mon, I'll show you the way to the kitchen."

Once they got the snacks, they made their way back to the living room.

"What movie d'ya wanna watch?" The woman asked.

"I want something old but gold," Xailendra giggled. "Miss Congeniality?"

"Mh, okay." She said as she looks the movie up. Once she found it, she played the movie and grabbed a handful of chips.

Both girls did not know why they were naturally so comfortable with each other, like they've known each other in a mother and daughter type of way, but both of them certainly aren't complaining.

Xailendra didn't really pay attention that much to the first part of the movie when she got the full realisation that this was the Jesy Nelson, the woman who was her role model, the person who'd been through a lot of shit throughout her career and it made her sad when she remembered the painkillers, the attempted suicide, the mistreatment that she and the other girls got years ago.

Although her mind was occupied with all of this, she decided not to speak up about it, at least not now, since it's obviously a sensitive topic for the older brunnette.

Throughout the movie, they made small talks that turned into full conversations that took off their attention for the movie.

"Where did your name come from?" Jes curiously asked. "It's unique."

"I never got any answers from my parents about that, actually," She said, shaking her head. "But, like, back in seventh grade, we discussed these, what, empires? Like, in Asia, and all that, and there's this one called Sailendra, spelled exactly like my name, except mine's with 'X', and I'm guessing that's where my name came from?"

Jesy laughs a little on the girl's confusion.

A lot more friendly jokes were thrown around, more talking, and it was obvious that there was a bond forming. But all good things need to end, they say. Xailendra checked the time and realised that it was late so she decided to bid goodbyes to her teacher.

"Look at the time, I, uh, got to go. My parents are probably looking for me at this point," No they won't, Xailendra thought, they don't care.

"Yeah, it's getting pretty late. Be careful on you way home," Jesy said.

"Yeah. Thanks, Miss Nelson." See smiled.

"No need to call me Miss Nelson when we're not in school. Call me Jesy instead, yeah?"

"Mhm, okay." She answered and made her way out of the woman's house.

Xailendra walked happily to her house, thinking about how she met and hung out with one of the people she looks up to that day.

Back in Jesy's house, the woman went upstairs and sat down on her bed, wondering why the girl that was with her earlier didn't even freak out that she met one of her favorite popstars.

☆。*。☆