Page 60 of Zero
I couldn’t meet his eyes.
After an eternity, Justice rose and headed for the door. His footsteps stopped.
“You know,” he said. “Not all of us are lucky enough to have what you’ve found with Zero. Most of us struggle. We fall for the person who doesn’t even know we’re alive to give us a second look. And go from one heartbreak to another and another until our hearts are so scarred it will never be whole again. But you—Zero fell into your lap and you’ve managed to blow it all up. So, forgive me for not wanting to sit back and watch you throw it away.”
“Just because he saved your life, doesn’t mean you can trade me to him.”
“Do you hear yourself?!” Justice intoned. “Do you know how big of an idiot you sound like, right now?”
When I didn’t speak, Justice clear his throat.
“I never realized before.” He muttered. “I never realized just how big of an asshole you really are.”
With that, he was gone.
I blinked and another week slipped by.
Each time I tried speaking to Rei, my pride or stupidity got in my way. He called a few times, but I couldn’t scrape up enough courage to answer or return any of his messages.
Each time I saw him in the distance, something curled my insides and I just knew the world would end if I spoke to him.
Another few days slithered by and I parked across from where he was busy training with the recruits and Justice. Nitro was sitting atop a large barrel, holding a stopwatch and cheering while Patrick, Eton, Rei, Justice and Jasmine ran the course.
“You guys can do it!” Nitro called, waving her free hand above her head. “Almost! Push! Push! Push!”
She cheered loudly when they all finished it. Zero jogged over to her to look at the watch. They spoke for a bit before he gripped her waist and lifted her down to the ground. Seeing him hold her like that angered me to the point all I could see a blank sheet of white in front of my eyes.
I blinked to clear it then drove away and back up the hill.
That evening, Nitro stopped by the house, but I pretended I wasn’t home while she knocked. After a while, my phone vibrated in my lap. I checked the face to see she was calling but I didn’t answer. Between that night and the next day, Justice and Nitro took turns calling. Ignoring their calls, I stayed in bed with the sheets pulled up over my head.
Chapter 13
Rei
My stint with the JDF was over.
I was exhausted, a little bruised, but with Crash, we’d managed to get the team whipped into shape. Then again, nothing said a thorough training than hands-on experience. After their graduation ceremony, we wandered away from the others and closed ourselves into the hanger we’d been using as our base.
Crash stood at the front of the room and shrugged. “The reason I met anyone on CIRO was because I was on vacation and couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble.” He began. “And I’m not sure how it happened, but now I’m a part of this family who accepts me and if I’m ever in trouble, all I have to do is pick up the phone. I’d never known friendship like that before and that’s what I wish for you guys. I’ve been given the pleasure of telling you that your team has now been branded the JDF Scorpions.”
They cheered.
“It has been my pleasure to be a small part of what you’re to become.” Crash smiled. “Thank you.”
We applauded him.
Then the room slipped into silence.
I didn’t think it would be this hard to say goodbye.
For a while, no one spoke until I removed my hat and set it on the desk. I stood at the front and rubbed the back of my neck.
“I wanted to thank you.” I began. “For welcoming me here. I was nervous coming down, especially since I’m somewhat of a weird concept.”
Their confused stare made me smile.
“Japanese man who has a German accent.”
