The Pearl

Stage 22: Bipolar Friendship

What have I done?

Something stupid, that's what.

I run forward to catch up to the others and beg for an apology, but they only increase their speed. Being the smartest of the three, Iimura turns the water vapor in the air into a thick, humid, mist. I then hear footsteps rapidly go down the hall.

For some reason, I feel angry. What am I saying; I know exactly why I'm angry, and who I'm angry at. I'm angry at Hunter for taking my friends away from me, angry at Iimura for making that smoke, angry at the three for not hearing me out, and angry at myself for not being a better person.

I shove my arms in front of me and imagine my breath being sucked out of myself. As I exhale, a gush of air shoots toward the vapor and creates an area for me to walk through while still seeing. I stomp in the direction where I last heard Amanda, Iimura, and Jett. After a few minutes of retracing my steps, I finally catch sight of the guys and the rest of the group. I'm about to walk over and apologize to my friends when I see them sitting in a circle, just the three of them, laughing and chatting like nothing had ever happened. I could practically hear my heart cracking in my chest. But, I guess that was suspected. I was nothing to the team. Jett brought the humor, Iimura brought the cheerfulness, and Amanda brought the sarcastic edge. Me? What did I contribute?

Absolutely nothing at all except for my somewhat of a pretty face.

I'm just kidding; I'm revolting.

I back away from them before they notice me. "So," a voice says from behind me, "what'd he say to you?" I turn around to meet Stina's large, green eyes.

"Oh um...nothing about your sister."

Stina gives me a reassuring smile as she pulls my arm to the far and secluded side of the room. "I don't care about that; I kind of expected it. What did he tell you?"

I bite my lip. "Promise you won't lash out on me like the other three?"

"Please. I don't even trust the guy. I personally think that Mellie would be less tragic than he. Hunter probably only gave the lot of you bad fortunes because it just adds to his dramatic and dreadful air."

"First of all: you know the others' fortunes? And second, you sound like someone from Shakespeare."

"Yeah, they told me when they came back. They said nothing of you, on the contrary, so you better hurry it up. As for my speech, perhaps it isn't I that is speaking of too high a manner, but of you who is too low as to understand it."

"Don't back-talk me, kid." I sigh and run my hand through my hair. "He basically said that we'd be in battle, for me, and they'd be fighting for me. They'd be risking their life for me when I would be running away like the friggin cowardly bitch I am."

Stina surprisingly glows with a warm smile. "You're the first person I've ever heard say that, with truthful words instead of joking ones." She enwraps me in a hug, and I almost melt at her cuteness. If I had a little sister, I'd love her to be like Stina. "No one would ever even dare to admit that they're - no offense - a monster to themselves, let alone other people. You telling me this just shows you're that much more of a hero than the villain you think you are. You obviously know what the right choices are, you've just sort of lost your head and can't see which one it is."

"Oh shut up; your wiseness is making me feel bad." We both chuckle and break apart.

"Go to your friends, Kei. But don't give them an apology, give them a confession."

"What's the difference?" I ask stupidly, to which Stina rolls her eyes.

"An apology is begging for forgiveness without a reason. A confession is the telling of the truth. You're good at that. Just tell them what you told me, minus the first part."