Jay's POV

I awkwardly fiddled with the control stick, only focusing on the clock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

A sound brought me back to reality as Kai stood up, throwing his controller on my lap.

"Where are you going?" I asked him with a frown.

"To get the razor, where else?" he snapped back at me in a mocking tone, rolling his eyes.

Okay, rude. "I'm sure she'll turn up soon."

Much to my relief, he went to the fridge, grabbing my energy drink. "It's been two hours, Jay," he said, taking a sip out of the bottle. "And since you don't have anything to shave, I guess we'll move on to cutting."

I gulped as he walked closer to me. FSM, wherever you may be right now, I hope you show me some mercy-

The doorbell rang. FSM, I'll tell my ma to make cookies for you when we get home.

I laughed awkwardly, stepping out of Kai's path as I swung the door open.

On the other side stood Nya, who was being held against her will by a taller redhead with piercing amber eyes. While Nya was still in her pyjamas, she was wearing an apron over her orange clothes. They both smelled like noodles.

"I have a special delivery for Jay Walker," she smirked, pushing Nya towards me and onto my chest. She flinched a little.

Okay, too close.

I took a step back, clearing my throat. "Thanks, Sky. Do you wanna stay here until we leave?"

"Leave for what?" both the Smith siblings asked.

Skylor laughed. "For our double date, obviously."

As they both looked at me in shock, I realised my...mistake. "And by that she means date along with third and fourth-wheeling," I said. "After that, you two are going shopping," I gestured between Nya and Skylor.

"I'm not going anywhere, okay? Not shopping, not to the therapist. I'm just going home," Nya told us.

"Yeah, no way I'm letting you go back there. Where do you even live?" Kai asked her. I exchanged a look with Skylor, knowing this wasn't gonna end well.

"With Morro. I'm going back there to get my stuff and then I'll consider coming here. But no therapist."

"You'll either go to Wu or Mystaké. Your choice."

Ouch. I mean, I remember Mystaké acting...not the best towards Nya. She has the same mentality as her, really, which would be tough love, but I don't think that's what's what Nya needs right now.

She would always tell her to act like a lady, but at the same time she would teach her how to defend herself. Not that she needs it, thinking about it.

"You can't do that!"

"Uh, yes I can. Now, go to your room and change, because we're going out-"

"Can we wait for like an hour? I haven't gotten any sleep since my shift ended," Skylor yawned, giving her best puppy eyes to Kai. Yeah, she's like Kai's only weakness. Then again, mine is Nya, so I can't really judge him.

"What happened to your eye?" she yelled, brushing her hands over his scar.

He sighed. "I'll explain later. Just come to sleep with me."

Kai falling asleep at noon? I mean, he usually sleeps until noon, but oh well. Just what love can do to you.

"You two get ready. Or sleep or something, I don't care. Just don't get out of the house," he finally told us, waving his hand as Skylor led him to the bedroom, closing the door.

Which means that Nya and I are alone. Again.

"How did you know I was gonna be there?" she asked me, rubbing her arms as she looked at the ground.

I sat her down on the couch, plopping down next to her. "Well, this is like the only other place you know in this City. The others would never let you drive or go anywhere on your own so you just slept in the car or listened to music. But then you would forget the route we came from," I told her. "You only remember how to get to Chen's Noodle House because Skylor needed help setting up the place for the mayor. And then she dressed you in a cute waitress outfit that you hated but had to wear because it was a formal event. She also let you drive and you kinda broke Kai's left mirror-"

She put her hand over my mouth, her eyes popped open. "How do you remember all of this?"

I write in my diary about you. "Just...photographic memory, I guess."

"That makes sense. I guess..."

I patted my fingers on the arm rest, trying to think of something to do with her. Come on Jay, think!

Well, there is one thing I could try to do...

"Nya? Can we talk?"

I finally catch her attention. "What is it?" she said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Do you want to talk about it on my bed?"

She shook her head quickly, scooting a little further from me as she finally got comfortable at the edge of the couch.

Okay, bad move. "Well, do you want to talk about it here?"

She shook her head again.

"Do you want to do anything with me?"

As expected, she shook her head again.

I sighed. "Well, I'll be in my room if you need me-"

She grabbed my hand, locking her fingers with mine.

I couldn't help but let out a yelp, but then again, what other choice did I have? That's like the third time we've made physical contact throughout our four years of knowing each other.

I tried to ignore my warm cheeks and instead waited for her to speak.

"I have an essay, but I don't know how to format it very well," she told me out of the blue. "Can you help me?"

It's no secret that I'm pretty good with computers, but I never thought it would lead to...this.

I nodded. "Where's your laptop?"

She gestured behind me where I could barely spot it on the kitchen table. I got up, picked it up-it was surprisingly heavy for its kind-and plopped it down on my lap as I sat next to her again.

Her document was already open, luckily and it was...not great.

I started working, but when I looked back at her, I noticed her raising her chin to take a better look at the screen.

"Do you...want to come closer?" I asked her. "It's so I can show you."

Slowly but surely, she scooted next to me, our knees barely touching as she moved towards me. It felt...nice.

I turned my head around to look at her again. Our faces were a bit too close. Not that I mind, it's just that we're touching, well, everything; shoulders, arms and faces...

I guess I don't disgust her as much as I thought.

Okay, Jay. Words. You can do this.

"So first you, uh-" Come on Jay! Words! "Deoxyribonucleic acid."

"What?"

"Um, nothing. Nevermind."

"Jay, it's okay if you can't do it-"

"No, no, I can do it!" I quickly told her, "so, first you have to adjust your paragraphs because this is...a mess."

"Not as messy as your room," she pointed out with a chuckle.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I cleaned that just for you!"

"Last time I went into your room, you had underwear on a plant," she smirked.

I blushed. Honestly, not my proudest moment. "Yeah, but back then I lived in a junkyard. And also-"

My voice trailed off as I felt something on my hip. It burned. A lot.

I looked down and quickly put the laptop aside. "Why does it burn so much?" I asked, putting my hand over the hit air the device breathed out.

"Because that's what laptops do?"

"No, it's not that. This one's overheating way too quickly..." I picked it up again, inspecting it in the air. "Do you think you could bring it by the tech shop tomorrow? I can give you the address."

She was hesitant to speak. "I mean, it's not that broken, is it?"

"Well, it may explode on your face and electrocute you, but that's about it." Okay, I may have been a little too dramatic, but oh well.

"Oh."

"So...is tomorrow morning okay?"

"I guess..."

"It's a date then," I smiled. "I mean, it depends on what term of date you mean, but you get the point-"

She slapped her hand over my mouth. "Just show me how to format the text."

My lips curved into a smile as I nodded quickly. I wanted to do something, honestly, like maybe wrap my arm around her (well, my arm is dead by now anyway with its current position between our bodies), but I guess that's too far.

At least I can try and help, right?

Right.