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"And if you turn to page, 204.. The theoretical and mechanical usage of acceleration charges via rare minerals…" the teachers monotone calming voice carried on.
Not that the bluenette was listening, she wasn't ignoring his words either, instead Jinx was swinging back on her chair with reckless abandon. Arms dangling down beside her and a pen resting on her top lip under her nose.
It was during one of her many bobs back and forth, making sure the pen never dropped that she noticed a cane rising limply to point in her direction. "And if you were to attempt to harness such a power Miss Lane how would you seek to control it?"
Jinx raised a single eyebrow, collapsing forward onto her desk folding her arms and leaning across her desk studying the blackboard. Her professor patiently in front of it.
"Gotta spin it, you know Fortune Cookie, really crank it up" she replied, the cocky smirk on her wild grin only growing in size with every word.
"Ahhh, I see… yes that maybe… a sufficient solution to our problem class… To as Miss Lane, put it, to crank it, will create an equilibrium causing the energy to find a centre-" the teacher carried on.
Jinx leaned back again finding her own centre, balancing back on the chair with her pen once again on her face. She didn't hate class, in fact she enjoyed the ramblings. Problem was it never excited her, she was going to ace the test, always did.
You can do anything pow pow!
She shook it away, her mind always toyed with her at times like these. She shut her eyes and instead lost herself to the class. The ticking of the clock on the wall, the sound of the birds outside the window.
The slow rhythmic beat of her heart.
"And that will be all for today… if you can remember to hand me your assignments on your way out-"
The words woke her up from her half slumber, class was over and it was time to spring back to reality. Bouncing out her chair which swiftly clanked on the floor Jinx raced for the door. Her hands were hovering right over the door handle when-
"Not you Miss Lane… a quick, word of you will," her teacher spoke, softly as he always did while baring her escape with a flick of his cane.
"Arghhh seriously Viktor! I handed you the assignment weeks ago," Jinx protested pouting and folding her arms, as others knocked her shoulder on there way out. Even Ekko her best friend quickly hushed, "Don't be late for the band!" as he made a swift exit.
"Traitor," mumbled with a pout.
Viktor, not responding to Jinx's childish antics, slowly made his way over to his desk before sitting down on it, the swivel chair squeaking as he twisted and the varnished oak desk making a dull thunk as he set his cane upon it.
"I will, ignore your use of my name… it is professor during class hours… Jinx," Viktor calmly stated but his smile betrayed him.
"Yeah yeah Fortune Cookie what you want," Jinx replied her hand resting on her hip as she favoured one leg, she liked Viktor, he wasn't a bad teacher in fact she new he was brilliant, one of the rare people that came from the same side of town she did, yet having made it, never gave up who he was. Even if he did keep, suspect company.
Reaching across his desk brushing papers aside Viktor spoke in the same soft tone he always did "It is not what you think… I'm not about to ask about," he looked up at her, "home life, if that's what your wondering."
Jinx snatched her face away, a snarling click of her tongue escaping her lips, "better not" her eyes snapped back to Viktor, "You ain't a snitch Fortune Cookie, but I know what I tell you gets back to her."
"And which her.. are you referring to," his immediate reply, caught Jinx on the back foot.
"Stop! Don't even try. If that's what this is I'm leaving," Jinx snapped, spinning on her heel.
"Wait, wait.. a curios mind is a curse, I'm sure you understand." Rising out his chair, using the desk as support Viktor reached across to Jinx, a large stack of paper in hand. "I only wish to ask if you would be my courier."
Jinx's eyes flicked down at the papers, "Yeeaaah no thanks," she rolled her eyes, "Got places to be, people to see. Bye bye Prof, ain't got time to hand out twenty papers for you."
"Actually… it is just one, although, I admit it is a rather large, paper," Viktor gently chuckled, as he grabbed his cane, "may be the only one to ramble as much as you, but only with her pen, especially on this… the subject of light and refraction on lens bend, in photography." He knew at this point he had her attention. "I can't ask her to make her way all the way to my class of course, you should find her in the library."
Jinx froze, and a crooked mischievous grin slowly appeared across her face, even if she tried to hide it from the professor who had now made his way beside her. She couldn't.
"Oh you should have said this is for the princess," Jinx almost purred in excitement,"just leave that stack with good ol'Jinxie." She carried on almost snatching them from Viktor, "won't let you down." She finished winking. And before Viktor could say anything else, she was gone dashing out the room.
Viktor went and sat back at his desk. This was the reaction he was hoping for. It's rare to see this kind of excitement from Jinx. He had seen the two together often, and was hopeful they had been getting on lately, it would be good for Jinx to get on with her. He knew he had trouble finding connection topside. But maybe Jinx takes after her sister after all.
It didn't take long for Jinx to find her, exactly where fortune cookie said she would be.
Jinx had her usual bounce as she began to approach but something stopped her, a force she couldn't explain held her there. Staring across the room at the girl. No, thee girl.
Sitting by a window slightly ajar, the wind blowing her hair held down by a single hairband, as the sun poked through gaps in the tree leaves illuminating her portrait, in golden colours.
Her laptop was open with complex stats and numbers, while a notepad and book rest directly before her. Carefully placed on the table. Neat and tidy which matched how she always was.
Nothing out of place, everything exactly where it needed to be. Almost a vision of efficiency.
Look at her, being all prim and proper. She probably wakes up thinking she is better than everyone, and can get away with everything. There isn't even a crack in that perfect facade.
Although then Jinx noticed something was different about her today. The only telling sign of, something out of the ordinary was her earphones, playing music loud enough for Jinx to hear from all her way across the silent hush of the old library, and a gentle tapping of a pencil against the table.
A rythmic, metronome of a tap.
A beat so perfect, Jinx instantly felt her heart syncing up to it.
'mother fu-" Jinx shook her head again letting her long braids whip around her thin frame. "Nope careful Jinxie, stupid idea."
Letting out a quick sigh, Jinx puffed herself back up, unconsciously bouncing on her heels, she quickly approached the blonde.
Thwack!
The huge stack of papers slamming down in front of her, immediately brought the blonde out of her daydream.
"What the-" she began but Jinx cut her up before she could finish.
"Exxxpress delivery, courtesy of your vile villainess the arbiter of your nightmares and sweetest of dreams. The one and only-"
"Oh… it's you," The blonde replied dull-ly, "Hello Jinx. Care to explain why you have a stack of-' her eyes glanced down at the papers, realizing it was her own work from her name written in delicate neat handwriting Luxanna Crownguard in the corner, "-my work with you."
Jinx grinned her most wicked grin, leaping backwards into the table to sit in front of Lux, "Fortune Cookie needed someone who can really make long strides to get your work back to you." She teased in a playful voice. "Couldn't have him jog allll the way down here himself now could I Blondie"
Lux's face tensed, "No I suppose you couldn't," she reached out scooping her papers backwards towards her. "Thank you, I suppose…" Lux glanced at her pages, the feeling of dread falling over her "Urghh of course."
"Took the opportunity to fix your page order, evens with evens, odds with odds makes it a less boring read. Seriously Blondie, subject of blah and blahblah blah on lens blah, at least sounds fun. But photography jeez, could you be more basic." Jinx chuckled, leaning backwards onto her hands and swinging out one of her pencil legs over the other.
Closing her eyes and taking a long calming breath, Lux neatly tapped the pages on the table before reaching down and placing them into her bag, "Photography is about capturing a moment, a frozen still of time through the transposition of light. For a second everything can be exactly how it is, devoid of feelings or emotions. Or it can be full of them. It's meaning that makes even the most boring thing beautiful Jinx."
"Pfft boring is boring Blondie." Jinx replied flatly rolling her eyes before flopping over the entire table and knocking Lux's laptop closed. Totally on purpose.
Again Lux's face tightened, it was one of Jinx's funniest games. See how far she can push and watch as the mask begins to crack. Uptowners were always fun to tease, but Lux, oh Lux was special. The princess on a pedestal sitting upon her iron throne… a very mobile throne.
"Look if that is all you have for me then I really must be going," Lux retorted quickly packing her things and laying her bag in her lap, before starting to leave.
But as she did Jinx reached out grabbing hold of her-
"Don't touch that!" Lux snapped at her spinning around, "I've told you before Jinx I don't like to be-"
"Pushed Blondie?" Jinx sweetly replied rolling onto her side, pulling back her outstretched arm to rest her head upon it. "Jeez you're in a wheelchair Blondie not a pushchair, even I know the difference."
Lux's face immediately darkened, the glare she now gave Jinx was icy, cold and full of fury.
Jinx just grinned looking down at her, the only way Jinx did, the only person who ever would dare to.
Ever since Lux could remember, she had always been treated like she was made of glass, always needing to be wrapped up and protected. She hated that, just due to how she was born, different. Suddenly so much of her life was now chosen for her, eyes never looked at her the same, a silent cage built just to confine her.
Everyone saw only her wheels and the fragility of her condition, well all except the chaotic menace to her peace and quiet that was the crazed bluenette now sliding to a sitting position in front of her.
"Come on Blondie, that one was pretty good right, can at least giggle a little. Grease those breaks a bit. Don't be so flat wheeled." Jinx continued.
Lux chewed the inside of her cheek to stop herself from saying something she would regret. "No, I think we are done here. I have piano lessons this afternoon. I don't want to be late. Thank you again for the papers Jinx." And she turned and begun to wheel herself away, "gonna enjoy re-organising that one later."
"Awww going so soon," Jinx groaned flopping her head down and twirling a braid in her fingers. "But piano practice hey, so you got some music know how," jumping down from the table and dashing passed Lux to the doorway before Lux could leave, "but why play the classics, blaughh boring."
Lux stopped with her new found roadblock in the way, "classical is fun, least I'm not out there doing who knows what I'm sure you get up to"
"Oh you interested in what I get up to now." Jinx teased again, noticing Lux's eye twitch with her words, "I can tell you it's soooo much more fun than just hitting a few simple keys…. Er, don't tell Zeri I said that."
Lux rolled her eyes, "yeah like I'm ever gonna get close enough to her to say anything, now can I leave."
A wild grin sprang across Jinx's face. One that Lux knew would cause her to regret what came next, "see you just need a chance Blondie, hey how bout you don't be boring and came with me to my band practice instead. We can show ya some real music."
Lux froze in her chair, "Band practice?! Me? why would I want to do that?"
"Since your boring and it's time for you to spring your spokes, come on have some fun." Jinx pushed leaning down at Lux and arm hanging limp downwards, the other resting on the small of her back.
"I-I'm not boring! Now seriously out of my way Jinx, you're unbelievable sometimes. Why would I come watch you play in your grungy garage band."
"Er it's punk actually, grunge was just a phase, and I'm not inviting you to watch, but fine go on to you lesson princess the keys await" Jinx backed away, allowing Lux to pass, but there was a slight disappointment across her face. Though Lux never could tell if it was serious or not.
Lux wasn't waiting to find out however and hastily wheeled herself over the fine carpet through the door and onto the wood, feeling the ease in her arms she pushes forward, now free of her normally giggling tormentor.
"I thought you could be our drummer actually." Jinx said, not loud or in her normal over enthusiastic way, it was soft. Almost.. fragile.
It made Lux pause, "What?" Normally she would have just carried on, but it was something about how Jinx had said it that she couldn't just pass by. "Play drums?"
Jinx snapping back to reality and her body jolting to look at Lux before immediately flat lining again, as if her brain was working overdrive to realize what she had said.
"Er wha'-yes, yes! Drums you know, big cans on sticks and you hit them with other sticks made of wood, the cans on sticks aren't wooden there metal well not the cans but the symbol is and it makes big sounds like badum cha….."
Lux just watched as Jinx was making jazz hands after her insane ramble , "Another joke… Great thanks Jinx and goodbye"
"No er-um a bet no a dare! Ha-ha yes," Jinx was continuing, seemingly saving herself from some internal struggle. "Was just a dare Blondie, didn't think you would go for it. Boring princess on her high throne and all."
Lux stopped, Jinx had been pushing today, pushing really hard. And this was the final bloody straw. "I AM NOT BORING!" she growled out loudly, spinning round, "Okay fine, you want a drummer you got one, how hard can it be. Just hit cans with sticks right. Bring it, deal!"
Suddenly the fragileness and stammering from Jinx disappeared all at once, no bravado just a sheer and utter joy, her wildest and most manic grin, she bound over to Lux, standing upright with all the swagger in the world.
"Bold move, Hotwheels." Jinx expected Lux to chicken out,but she didn't, "Bold move indeed, pick ya up outside the gate. Ooh and bring your things, haha gonna be so much fun!"
"Urgh she's late!"
"Isn't she always?"
Ekko had to give Zeri that, she had a point there.
"Let's just start without her," Ekko sighed, picking up his bass from the corner. One day this band will just become a duo act between them. It's all falling apart. But at least Zeri was still smiling at him. He knew she loves playing with him, so maybe them becoming a duo act would not be so bad.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Hey, Little Man," if only they weren't interrupted by that scratchy familiar voice," Open up! You better not start without us!"
Us?
The word made Ekko pause for a brief moment, before he decided to press the button for the garage door. With loud squeaking and rattling it slowly slid up.
First thing that came into view, where Jinx's signature worn out combat boots. But then there was a second shadow next to her. Unlike the two linear shadow two legs would cast this one was a wider rectangle. It didn't take long before Ekko saw wheels.
"She didn't," he mouthed, as there was only one person he'd know that wheelchair would belong to. And she would be the last person he expected Jinx to be around out of her own free will, yet invite to their band practice.
Jinx slipped inside as soon as the gate was open enough for her, leaving the set of wheels behind.
"Argh finally," she said patting her thighs, "I've got a big announcement for the band."
Ekko could already feel himself groaning at Jinx's antics again.
Then Jinx wildly waved her hands around. "Ta-dada-aaaaaa! Meeeeet Hotwheels!"
She timed her flourish with the garage doors opening revealing the blonde with a headband sitting in her wheelchair. She gave them a shy nod.
"Since our old drummer, who shall not be named, left us because of some fancy cupcakes…"
In reality. Vi just acquired a real full time job, and was too busy to keep up with the band. The fact she met her new girlfriend at said new job was pure coincidence.
"…she's gonna be our new drummer!"
Now Ekko and Zeri's jaw dropped.
Just a second later Ekko exploded, "What the fuck Jinx? This prank isn't funny, stop messing with that girl." Throughout he was waving madly with his arms at Jinx.
"Sheesh Ekko," Jinx spit back, "She isn't paraplegic, just has brittle bones. And since when does that mean someone can't play drums."
Ekko didn't know what surprised him more, that Jinx somehow knew exactly what disability Lux has —He can't remember the blonde ever revealing it— or that Jinx actually is serious about this.
"We weren't saying she… never meant they won't be able-" Ekko began, getting more and more shy under the upward stare of the blonde slowly folding her arms. His attempt at a warming genuine smile did nothing to releave the awkwardness "Jinx seriously" he whispered pulling Jinx to one side.
Leaving Zeri and Lux alone during their sidebar, Zeri took a short few steps over to Lux, "er, you know what Ekko's like, just looking out for everyone, and guess you know Jinx"
"Not really Zeri, you all seem to avoid me." Lux replied, not looking at Zeri as she spoke, instead intently watching as Ekko and Jinx bickered further and further away from her.
"Riiighhht…" Zeri let out in a long groaning way, "you get that's due to you being in the posh squad, not anything else. Just making that clear." She clarified, no point hiding that they kept a distance, but Zeri wanted at least Lux to be sure of the reason.
It was what finally got Lux to shift her glare over towards Zeri, looking up with her half lidded eyes. "Thank you so much." Lux spoke in her sweetest yet most obviously fake way.
"And that's why," Zeri answered quickly, throwing her arms up and turning back towards her keyboard. A thought did enter her mind however, so before she fully stomped off and stopped the potential of Jinx punching Ekko during their 'conversation' she looked back towards Lux.
"Brittle bone, isn't gentle exercise meant to help? How come you've never stood the whole time we've known you, hell last month I watched you wheel that thing over the grass, why not get up and push it?" Zeri didn't ask in a mean way, it was pure curiosity. Maybe due to that Lux fully turned to look at her.
"Because of you." Lux gave a quick short simple answer, it was so direct yet Zeri could feel it didn't hit right.
"Me? Wait… explain!"
"How would you react, having got out of someone's way as they move through the corridor, watch someone park in a disabled space or cut through a queue. Only to stand up and walk normal, the stares the jeers and whispers. Learned long ago in the library when I stood to get a book from a high shelf… it's not worth it."
Zeri paused thinking on Lux's words, but before she could reply, Jinx was bouncing her way back to them.
"Alright bitches! Ready to rock?"
Before Lux could protest she rolled off towards an old dilapidated drum set. Jinx proceeded to kick away a stool, and put Lux in its place. From the looks of it the set has seen many many years of use and love. Clearly made by Jinx, it was adorned with little stick figures, clouds, and a lot of hearts and "VI's".
There were so many different drums, and pedals, Lux had no idea what's what.
"Jinx I dunno what to-"
"Easy Hotwheels," she said, though her usual smugness had some gentle undertones, "First we'll take your feet-" while explaining, she squatted down and grabbed Lux's legs by the ankles. The motion was too fast to process "-and then put them on the hi-hats and bass." Her left foot was placed on a pedal connected to two brass plates, and her right foot was put on a pedal behind the biggest drum of the set.
"Now here is the important bit, with your right foot, you give the tempo. You know how you tap your feet or finger earlier in the library when listening to music, yeah just do that with your right foot."
"Uh-okay?" Lux proceeded to try, but everything faded away when she saw those pink eyes stare at her foot pushing the pedal in a steady rhythm.
Ba-dum, ba-dum
The rhythm of her heartbeat.
"Oh careful there Blondie, we don't go too fast. Keep the tempo steady!" That broke Lux out of her fixation, and she noticed her speed increased in sync with her heart.
She felt the heat still on her cheeks, when a pair of pink sticks were thrust into her vision.
"You know what sticks are."
At least that part she was familiar with, but only from watching.
"Yes," Lux answered when she took them. They didn't feel right in her hands. This pink was someone else's color, and the same VI from the drum set was edged into their grips. She was taking someone else's place. She had a feeling who. "Who's sticks are these?" Lux blurted out the question and immediately regretted it.
"Doesn't matter, she left us," Jinx murmured. Lux could barely hear it.
"What was that-"
"Anyway sticks, Blondie!" Immediately her frown was buried underneath a manic grin, "Lemme show ya what to do!"
After that her wrists were grabbed by thin agile fingers with blue and pink nails. Another involuntary invasion of her personal space. Jinx explained something about counting, and hitting the snare with the right timing. As much as Lux tried to follow, the warmth radiating from the other girl kept most of her mind occupied. So did her voice that became low and raspy up close.
"-ey Hotwheels! You listening?"
"Uh," Lux shook her head, only discovering that their faces were only inches apart, "Yes, I was." At least that part wasn't a lie, for some reason she found Jinx nerding out captivating. She also found that Jinx had extremely cute freckles, she could spend all day counting them.
Oh no, where was she?
"Heh, of course you were nerd," Jinx teased, "Alright next part is-"
"Jinx!" Ekko interrupted them," You done holding hands with your girlfriend. I thought you were ready to rock?!"
"She's not, we're not…!"
Lux was relieved at the little outburst, because Jinx put some distance in between them. Only now did she realize she was holding her breath.
"Okay gang! Then let's rock! You read sheet music right?" Zeri intervened, already knowing a spat would break out in between them, "Your cue Lux!"
Suddenly all attention was on her, including Jinx's pink eyes.
"Remember Blondie, like I showed ya," she said with an excited glee barely held back, "Ah-one, and ah-two."
"Uh ah?!" Heat rose to her cheeks as suddenly all attention was on her. Lux quickly had to scramble for her sticks an continue the countdown. "One, two, three, four!"
With Lux at the lead, the band found their cue. It started off simple with a guitar intro by Jinx. Just a few beats later, and the rest started playing, the song now in full swing. Their singer of course was Jinx, and because of their formation in the garage, she was looking directly at Lux.
Thunka-dunka!
Her heart went into overdrive. It was like Jinx was singing to her. The ways her eyes sparkle, how her lips wet themselves with each syllable. It felt real, like she wasn't hiding anymore under layers of snark and smugness. She was just Jinx.
Only now did Lux realise she couldn't look away from that hypnotic gaze. It makes her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, it can't be. She cannot be attracted to her, no, no way.
Thunka-dunka! Thunka-dunka!
In her panic her heart did more summersaults, and she lost control of her sticks.
"Stop!" Ekko interrupted everything. "Lux your tempo was off." He pinned Lux with an interrogative gaze. She felt herself shrink into her chair.
"Sorry, sorry," she said nervously.
Only for Ekko's features to soften, "Okay, this was just your first time. Let's just try again."
The second round went much better. No weird gay thoughts entering Lux's mind, she just held her head down, and looked at her drums. She did not want to know if Jinx was still watching her.
It was still weird the way she looked at her without her usual contempt. Today Jinx has been acting kind of different. Sure she was still Jinx, still an asshole, especially to Lux, but never because Lux was disabled. She treated Lux like anyone else, but she never got the feeling she hated her. Looking back that rang more true than ever, and now she treated Lux like like an equal, and maybe now like a friend. For the first time in her life she felt seen.
She wasn't coddled by her, or given special treatment. She looked at Lux, not the chair.
"Aah Stop! Again!" Ekko yelled over the music, "Lux you gotta lock in!"
"Right, right, sorry," Lux murmured.
He sighed again, "Okay, just keep it simple. Concentrate the beat, we'll do the rest."
The beat, yeah Lux could do that. Taking a deep breath, she counted down for the third try.
This time no distraction. Just simple, one, two, three, four. She got this.
"Come on, louder Blondie!"
But now she felt her joints started to ache, both in her knees and arms. If she kept going she might break something.
"You can do it, don't hold back!"
Jinx was right, no more holding back, no more letting anyone tell her what to do. Quickly she wiped the sweat from her forehead and kept going. She could play through the pain. Just let it out, let out all her frustration, no matter how it hurt, or because it all hurt. Screw it if its going to hurt tomorrow, screw it if her family would ask question. Screw taking it easy.
Then she screamed through the pain.
"No, No, Jinx, stop it," Ekko shouted, "She's had enough look at her."
"I can keep go-" Lux tried to protest, she wanted to do more, she knew she could.
"No," he replied, "Look at you. You had enough. No one is getting hurt during practice on my watch."
Now Lux got quiet, she couldn't deny the strained expression on her face, or the sweat running down her temples. If she kept going, she couldn't even wheel herself home or would end up in a hospital.
"I am sorry Jinx put you in danger," he continued to explain, "You can leave anytime, no hard feelings."
She knew what that meant. They're too polite to tell her the truth. Not wanting to stir up any more conflict, Lux released a heavy sigh. "No I get it," she said pushing herself over to the door button, and opened the garage, "I'll be out of your hair."
"Wait Hotwheels!" She could hear Jinx try to bring her back, but Lux had enough. Not looking back she went outside.
As the garage door came down behind her, Lux taking a deep breath and long sigh, she tilted her head skywards. The sun had moved much further across the clear blue than she had expected, and pulling her phone out her pocket she could see a few missed calls from her brother.
"He isn't gonna be happy about this." She murmured to herself before replying on her phone to one of the many messages how she got held up, and if he could pick her up from the corner by the bus stop. Lux knew she was in for it, if it wasn't for how sore she was maybe she could have even got the bus.
She grabbed on of her wrists with the other hand giving it a gentle squeeze to gauge the pain. Manageable was her first thought, and before she could even realize she caught herself smiling. Funny how for once the pain seemed so good, fresh. Almost enjoyable in a way she couldn't explain, it was something she had chosen and strangest of all it was actually thanks to—
"Jinx! What is wrong with you!" A sharp shout came from behind the garage door making Lux jump about as much as anyone sat on a chair with wheels could. Carefully spinning round to face the door again she leaned forward.
"… I know your enjoying this…. You always had …. …. for her …"
Lux couldn't make out everything, some words came clear others muffled as if Ekko as that was clearly Ekko talking was moving around inside.
"Shut .. that's …. Business.. I treat her…. Your the one acting…. Everyone else" Jinx shouted in reply, it sounded harsh and cold, almost bitter.
"Then why are you…. Like this… toying with her…. Trying…. Hurt her" that one was Zeri softer but now Lux learned closer, they were obviously talking about her and she knew Ekko and Zeri were confronting Jinx about something.
Then came a cackle a signature Jinx cackle and Lux's heart began to sink.
"… Hurting her!… She's just some stuck up princess…. See what she really is!"
The words cut Lux deeper than she had ever felt possible from Jinx, this was the girl who constantly teased, constantly pranked her. Yet never had she got to Lux like this, how quickly she thought she may had been seen only to feel the ground swallow her whole.
"Jinx I didn't mean" Lux could barely hear much of what Ekko was saying but it sounded sorry, probably just feeling bad for being part of Jinx's silly games against her.
"You never do…. Just forget it… that's all…" suddenly the garage door began to rise. "Just one big prank."
"Is this all I was? A prank?!" Lux growled, out hunched, tears streaming from a sky blue eyes, suddenly the aching from her joints wasn't just a dull ache but agony, like shackles tying her, caging her down more than ever.
"No- I…" Before Jinx could finish, Lux was already stormed off. Wheeling herself down and off the driveway turning towards the bus stop.
Jinx just stood there frozen, watching her, her own heart feeling like a vacuum sucking up everything inside her to nothingness.
"Shit she must have been listening behind the door, she can't have heard properly if—" Zeri began taking a step towards Jinx who snapped round cutting her off.
"Don't! Don't come near me.. I-" Jinx began lifting her hands to her head, clawing at her face trying to silence the taunting growing louder in her mind. "You.. you just don't get it do you."
"Jinx, that was a misunderstanding we can explain." Ekko knowing how much pain his friend was in tried to reach out but Jinx backed away.
Straightening up and walking backwards Jinx's hands went limp at her sides. "Not everything that hurts is visible". And she spun on her feet and raced off down the road.
Left alone in the garage, Zeri turned to Ekko, flipping her head on his shoulder, "Give her some time, you know how she gets she. Needs space."
"I know.. just hate that we can't clear this up somehow, it's my fault I didn't see… know how she—"
"Don't kid yourself lil' man" Zeri interrupted, "you could have all the time in the world and still never figure out what she's really thinking."
That made Ekko chuckle slightly but he still felt awful, always hated things falling apart, slipping away. "Guess so." Was all he could manage before resting his own head on Zeri's, "Should we let her know, might be the only one who can find her."
Zeri sighed, knowing who Ekko was referring too. "I.. urgh I dunno Ekko" suddenly turning back towards the drum set. "I guess like sister like… uh sister."