"Oh, and who's this?" Emma asks, pointing to the redhead.
"It's... Olive..." Jade tells her.
"She's pretty."
"Yeah..."
"That dress looks so cute on her!" Emma says, eyeing the pastel green dress.
"We still have it." Jade says. "You can take it. I don't know if Norman would let you, since it did belong to his girlfriend... It doesn't fit me. Olive was a tiny child for being like sixteen."
"Oh, it's fine. I think I have a similar one, actually."
"You know... What Norman said to you... I don't think he fully meant it." She tells him. "He's never mean like that."
"I... I doubted him at first. I thought he didn't mean it, but that night, I went over it in my head. He was right. I'm just some dumbass murderer."
"No, you aren't! He was just sad!"
"Ugh... I guess I can't say anything..."
"Can we change the subject?"
"I mean, I guess."
"What's your family like?"
"I don't have any siblings, and my mom isn't around. It's just me and my dad, Yugo, in a small apartment."
"I don't know my biological parents. I was adopted by Norman's, then they died. It was a year ago. Ace was eighteen. He watches over us now. Makes sure I don't stay up until four in the morning watching anime." Jade smiles. "Olive used to live with us, since her family... Well, they were like demons. They didn't care about her. She came to live with us... what do you do for fun?"
"I usually go on my phone or play a video game."
"I watch anime. Go on Discord. Kill people. You know, that stuff!"
"Hold on, you kill people!?"
Jade breaks out laughing like the teenagers fighting about whether they were in a Wendy's or a Walmart... they were in an Aldi. "It's a joke!"
"I thought that, too. What's your favorite anime? I don't watch much anime."
"Easy. Naruto, Death Note, Kimetsu no Yaiba, Boku no Hero Academia..." Jade stops. "Sorry... uh, my favorite is Kimetsu no Yaiba."
"I did watch that. It's pretty good."
"I miss Rengoku..."
"Who's that? I forgot."
"The flame Hashira. What's your favorite video game?" Jade asks.
"Slime Rancher," Emma says.
"I like that game, but I like a very depressing game that is centered around the guilt of killing your sister by accident." Jade smiles. "It's really good. I don't have it 'cause it's not on Switch yet, but I love it. That's where Kel came from. I love Kel..."
"I don't want to know the title," Emma jokes.
"Omori," Jade answers. "Do you have any pets?"
"No."
"I want an axolotl, but I can't. Ace says I can't. Says I'm too clumsy," Jade pouts. "And I want a Shiba Inu, and I'll name him Hector after Kel and Hero's dog. From Omori. Hector is also Kel's pet rock in the dream world."
"What's your favorite song?" Emma asks.
"Younger by Nightly. Easy."
"I've never heard it."
"And I have Spotify premium!" Jade replies.
"Oh no..."
Jade takes out her phone and plays the song.
"It sounds good," Emma tells her.
"Oh... The song playing next is also good," Jade says. "Let's listen to music!"
...
"Hey, uh... I know you hate me... because I'm dating you sister or something, but whatever. Uh... wanna watch Death Note with me since I'm bored and lonely and depressed?" Ace knocks on the door of Norman's room.
No answer.
"Hey, I know you hate me. Answer."
No answer, again.
"Can I come in?"
No answer, a third time.
he opens the door. "Okay, idiot, I'm-" He gasps at what he sees.
...
Jade picks up her phone.
"Me and Emma were listening to music!" She exclaims. "Is it important?"
A tear falls down her face, followed by many more. "You're not joking... That would be a much too cruel joke... Ace, this isn't funny!" She yells. "I'll leave you if it is!"
He says something.
"Damn it! Should I tell... okay..." She puts her phone away. Her voice shakes as she cries into her hands. "You pathetic retard! Crying gets you nowhere! It just makes people stare!" She screams.
"Jade...?" Emma puts her hand on Jade's shoulder.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have called myself that..."
"What happened? Why are you crying?" Emma asks.
"It's personal... Ace said that everything is going to be okay... I have to trust him... I love him... He's trustworthy, although an insomniac..." Jade whispers, her voice shaking. "It's fine. I won't blame you... go see your other friends... okay?"
...
"It's... It's weird. Jade has never cried as long as I knew her, and she said that it's personal..." Emma says through the phone.
"She almost cried the one time that Ace called her."
"That was because she didn't know what it would do to Nor-" Emma cuts off.
"Damn internet. Emma, you good?" Ray asks.
"I think I know what happened..." She whispers. "And I hate myself for assuming this..."
"Tell me or I'll set my house on fire."
"Ray, you know that Isabella will murder you, right?"
"Eh. I like fire. I could also set yours on fire. Now tell me."
"I think... that Norman..."
"Wait... hold on..."
"But Jade said that... everything would be fine!?"
"She's lying!"
"No... I think it failed..."
"It's all that damn girl's fault!"
"Who? Olive? No, it was my fault. Olive killed herself for me to be happy..."
"Why would you say that!?"
"It's true!"
"Shut up, it's not!" Ray yells. "It's her own!"
"You shut up..." Emma says.
"Never mind." Ray says, ending the call. I barely knew you... why am I crying? Because you mattered so much to Emma? Probably. Damn... I'm a mess.
...
"Jade, are you okay?" Ace asks her. She doesn't answer, just leans her head on his shoulder. "You're upset?"
She nods.
He pulls her closer to him. "It's okay... Everything's going to be okay..."
She starts crying, then sobbing. "I told Norman that... Now look what's happened!"
"Look at me." She looks at him. He gives her forehead a quick kiss. "It's alright..."
"I won't..." She starts. "I won't blame Emma. I won't follow him... and I'll promise that..."
"Jade, he's still alive," Ace tells her.
"I know that, but..." Her voice trails off. "The fact he wanted to die... it just hurts. And I didn't tell Emma... she's probably so confused right now..."
"It was for the best. It might destroy her, like it did you..." He says and grabs Jade's hand. "It's going to be okay."
"Is it?" Jade asks. "Emma's going to try to get him to talk to her... Then she'll realize what he did?"
"Just don't tell her..."
ns 15.158.61.8da2
