Rising Shards

Kalei’s brain felt like it was keysmashing. She hadn’t worked up the nerve to text Nikki to see where she was, so she was hoping that she’d be back at her usual spot.

It’s her first day back, this is dumb. She’s maybe not even here. I didn’t think she’d be here at all, I thought I’d just be texting her. But I couldn’t even do that so maybe this is better. Snow fell around her, and it crunched under each step she took.

Lillia’s talking to Ko, I have to do this. But if I don’t find her, I can say I tried at least.

Kalei realized that not finding Nikki meant she’d have to text her to ‘fulfil the parameters’ or however Lillia described it, so she picked up her pace slightly. She froze when she heard notes from a guitar. Unless there was a new girl playing guitar in the gazebo Nikki always played in, her search was likely over.

A swirl of emotions filled Kalei as she approached, the image of Nikki’s long orange hair becoming clearer. How long Kalei had been crushing on her, how long it took her the nerve to talk to her, how soon after Nikki took one of the Wildfire Hearts spots to save Kalei from being back with Endorans, how they’d had a few precious chats with each other online. How those conversations dried up and they’d barely spoken. And now Nikki was back at Rising Shards.

I get myself now. It’s different this time.

Kalei listened to Nikki sing a melancholy song, not wanting to interrupt. Kalei decided she really liked Nikki in winter wear, with her somehow making a regular coat, fingerless gloves, and a beanie a rockstar look. Nikki played with her eyes closed. She opened them eventually, spotting Kalei near the end of the song. She didn’t stop playing, but she tilted her head for Kalei to join her. When the song wrapped up, Kalei clapped, then felt kinda like a dork for doing that. But it didn’t matter. Nikki put her guitar away.

“Hey.” Kalei said.

Nikki smiled. “Hey.”

Alright, dumbass, now say something. If this turns out to be a dream, it’s just good practice. So just…say something already, oh my god, she’s staring. She’s so friggin’ cute. I’m so gay. Why did I ever think I was not? I am. Very gay. And still just standing here, oh my god, say something, please.

“I…hey.” Kalei said. “I missed you. Oh my god, that’s such a dorky way to start.”

“No, no!” Nikki said. “I missed you too, dude.”

“Heh,” Kalei said. “I know I said it a bunch but uh, thanks for the save back there. Back when. With the Wildfire Hearts thing.”

“It’s cool,” Nikki said. “I hope I’m back for good soon.”

Kalei wasn’t sure if she should sit by Nikki, so she leaned on one of the pillar deals of the gazebo. “Yeah, we gotta win that recreant game or whatever. I’ve been preparing ever since Caya told me about it.”

“Caya told you about it?” Nikki asked.

“Like right after everyone got raided, I was pretty determined to get you…get everyone back. So I’ve been training.” Kalei said.

“That’s sick,” Nikki said.

“Yeah,” Kalei said. “I’ll win it. Whatever it is. I don’t really know what it is so I’ve just been doing my beam chasers training harder. So, uh, yeah. I’ll win it for you and so, like so you’re back and stuff.”

“I like the sound of that.” Nikki said.

Alright. Now say the important thing. The thing you pinky swore you’d say.

“Hey, so also. Just wanna say. Like while you were gone, I’ve been like, self-realizing and all that, so like.” Wait, this is not the thing? Is this the thing? Kalei felt like her mouth was speaking without input from her brain. “I’m uh, lesbians.”

Oh my god. Did you just say ‘I’m uh, lesbians?’ Kalei braced for Nikki to laugh her out of the gazebo, but she didn’t.

“Rock on, dude.” Nikki said. “That’s pretty badass you got yourself figured out like that.”

“Yeah!” Kalei said. OK, now say the thing. “And I also was self-realizing. Or just regular realizing. That we never got that hang out. So um, is there, if you want? A good time?”

One day. I will be able to communicate regular sentences to her. But! I said it! I asked! Pinky swear fulfilled!

Kalei fortunately didn’t have to deal with an agonizing wait for Nikki’s answer like she did when she imagined doing this. “Yeah, I’m definitely down,” Nikki said. “They said I have to take some weird makeup class this week, but like. Not like makeup like face stuff, but like, Wildfire Hearts has a crap routine and I skipped a bunch of classes. But anyways, yeah. Soon, we shall hang.”

“Awesome.” Kalei said. “Awesome. I missed you.” She snorted. “Sorry, just, I already said that.”

“It’s fine, Kalei.” Nikki said. “Hey, it’s pretty cold, but returners have to go to a seminar thing, so I wanted something nice before that. Do you wanna hear me play one more song before I go back inside?”

“I would love that.” Kalei said.

* * *

“Zates! Oaks! You done making out?” Kalei pounded on the door to her room.

“They said they’d be presentable in about—” Lillia started, appearing out of nowhere and making Kalei jump. “My apologies. They said in about five minutes they’d be ready. So I’ve been pacing.”

“Right, so when did you start pacing?” Kalei asked.

“About…six minutes ago? So any second they should be ready.”

“And I take it you want to wait until our full team is assembled before reporting in?”

Lillia nodded.

“Yeah, me too.” Kalei said.

Zeta opened the door. “Why would you say that so loud, Kalei?”

“Loudness ensures that I don’t walk in on you guys doing anything.” Kalei said.

“The rest of the hallway probably heard that.” Oka said.

“Don’t you wanna brag about how you were making out with your girl, Oaks?” Kalei asked. “I was just doing some bragging for you.”

Oka squinted. “Fine, whatever, let’s just sit.”

“How’d it go?” Zeta asked.

Kalei beamed. “For me? I think it went pretty damn well.”

“I’d say the same.” Lillia said.

“So…that means?” Oka asked.

“I would say that means Ko and I are in the negotiation phase.” Lillia said. “To ensure our joint sessions will be adequately timed.”

“Right, same here, schedules are a bitch and whatnot.” Kalei said. “But. Progress was made. I got to talk to Nikki again, and hear her play music again, and soon, Lils and I here will have…dates? Hang outs?”

“I prefer to think dates.” Lillia said.

“Right. Me too.”

“Well, congrats. You both deserve it.” Oka said.

“It takes a lot of nerve to ask your crush out, so pat yourselves on the back!” Zeta said. “Or, backs? Pat yourselves on the backs? Whatever just be proud, got it?”

“Right, Zates,” Kalei said. “Thanks for the motivation, Lillia. If I ever need a push again, I know just the girl to call.”

“Likewise,” Lillia said. “I doubt I would have accomplished what I needed to today otherwise.”

Kalei held up her pinky again, and Lillia responded by linking hers, the two beaming.