Author's Note: So starting from this chapter, I'm going to use the Author's POV or the 3rd POV to express and let you guys understand the other characters' feelings and thoughts. I hope you guys don't mind and will continue to support/read this story.
I appreciate every bit of it, the loud and active readers, also the silent ones. I hope you have fun reading as much as I had fun imagining and writing this. Thank you very much.
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"Have you not realize it yet? We're the same as Wade..." Zheon spoke with an annoyed tone.
"Hottie calm down. It's not Navi's fault," Arien calmed him, hugging his arms to quiet him down.
Zheon looked at Arien who was clinging to him, in one glance at his lover's face his heart started to soothe and his facial expression also softened.
'I know... It's just we're here, she's here, right in front of us. We can speak to her yet we can't tell her anything,' he thought.
Navier was taken aback. She observed her friend's faces but when she tries to look straight at them, they would avoid their gazes and instead look far away, some would look at the ground with still upset expressions.
Zheon sighed which caught Navier's attention.
"I'm sorry. It's just frustrating to not tell the truth when we really want to," He apologized making sure she didn't hear the last part.
Navier could see her friends hesitating and in a state of awkwardness. The tips of Navier's lips trembled slightly. After hesitating, she finally spilled her innermost thoughts.
"I know. I already had my suspicion since Arien and Aniel showed up."
She raised her head and strongly looked at them. That one phrase that struck their ears couldn't connect to their brain right away.
Navier may be a simpleton but she sure isn't an idiot who can't see signs.
What Navier's saying is true. When they first met she was confused, even though it was the first time they have seen each other the twins were already comfortable with her.
They already know things about her and the things around her, she looked back at the times where sometimes it looks like they know much more about her than she knows about herself. At first, she thought, they're Star Spirits, a different being it's given that they'll have much more refined information but since yesterday, since earlier when she met the other two and at this moment, she was now dang sure about her assumptions.
The feeling that she's with someone who knew her for a lot of years already, the feeling about familiarity and comfortableness, she knew it's not something someone can feel when it's their first time meeting each other.
When she met Wade, she already knows how to expect the unexpected.
"Whenever I'm with you guys or when we speak with each other my head would always cloud and at some point would start to hurt," she confessed.
"I noticed your signs... I notice how you guys would give me stares as if you want to say something to me but you can't. If I do random things, sometimes you guys would smile as if you have remembered something."
Continuing the confusion and feelings she kept, she burst them all out at the same time.
"To be honest, when my grandma would tell me her stories my head would ache little by little. It was like my brain was pulling memories, it was the same ache but stronger and crazier when Wade came into my view for the very first time. I even felt pain both in heart and mind."
"In addition, just by your existence near me, my head would just randomly hurt. It hurts often that I already have gotten used to the pain, I think when the time comes when I'll get a normal headache I wouldn't notice it anymore. With all that, it only means that my head is aching often because my memories are being triggered, just like how grandma would attempt to tell me about my memories, just like how I found out that Wade is my boyfriend. "
There were a lot of clues and Navier is surely not insensitive.
"Wait what?" Wade looked at her with a half angry and half worried expression.
"You were hurting? You were having headaches? Why didn't you tell me?" Wade bolted and touched her forehead. Navier was slightly surprised by the sudden closeness.
"Huh? Eh? Well- uhh...."
"I told you not to keep it to yourself. That's what friends are for, that's what we're here for."
"But you guys didn't explain everything clearly to me too," Navier jolted back at him.
Wade was silent with her response. He knew it was true.
"I admit I'm an airhead but I'm not that stupid," she pouted hoping to make the atmosphere a bit lighter.
Navier smiled proudly at herself for thinking this far, but when she came back to her senses, she expected the others to smile but was met with completely different moods.
They were looking at Navier with worried, guilt, and pained expressions.
"Wait no this isn't the atmosphere I was thinking of," Navier panicked in her thoughts. She instantly felt guilty. They were having so much fun earlier.
The place went silent, no one dared to speak. It was a long silent mood when Xyleen decided to speak up.
"I'm sorry!" She hugged Navier from behind.
"Huh?"
"My choice of words is unforgivable. I'm sorry for calling you an idiot, you certainly did not deserve it. I'm at fault, I'm really really sorry," she took a deep breath before continuing.
"It was wrong of me to not think about you when you were in the middle of all of this. I didn't even take the time to think that maybe you were hurting as well. I apologize. I shouldn't be feeling like this!" Xyleen had a self-mocking smile.
Zheon also subconsciously started to speak quietly.
"I'm sorry too."
"Wait no, why are you guys saying sorry? It's understandable to feel that way. That's how emotions work, they can be complicated especially when you don't know the other's perspective," Navier tried to calm them down.
"I should not be feeling like this?" She repeated. She shook her head and look at Xyleen's who is still hugging her from behind.
"There are no 'shoulds' when it comes to being human, yeah you guys are not humans anymore but you were once and you know what it feels. No need to apologize for feeling shitty. It happens at least once in your life. What's wrong is feeling shitty for too long."
"If you guys still feel bad, then I forgive you guys. I hope you guys would also forgive me. Let's forgive each other ey?" She looked around the garden. Everyone was paying attention to her.
"I know everybody is pressured and anxious about the situation right now but.. how about tonight, just for tonight, let's put everything down and have fun. Let's not question each other and be our actual selves? I actually wish for that." Navier pleaded with a sincere smiling face.
"..."
They seem to be processing her speech word by word.
"Guys?" Navier ventured.
"ALRIGHT! You heard that Star Spirits! We shall make her wish come true then!" Wade who was only observing from the side finally spoke.
With Wade's shout of encouragement, they finally snap out of their thoughts and looked back at Navier, their faces asking if she's sure about what she's talking about.
"Yep!" Navier cheerfully nodded.
The four looked at each other and smiled, Zheon shrugged and opened a bottle. Xyleen moved in front of Navier and wrap her arms around her shoulders before kissing her cheeks.
"No fair!" Arien jealously ran and jump towards them. Navier tried to stop her, waving her hands around but was too late.
"No Arien- AHHH!"
The three of them fell to the ground. The three boys who are now seated in their seats simultaneously stared at them implausibly done with them.
Even though they were looking at them like that, it was obvious for a sole second that they peak and made sure that they were not hurt before putting on a poker face but unfortunately, the girls didn't take notice of it.
"Oh wow, you guys are truly a gentleman," Xyleen complained and the boys snickered at her.
"Say, do you guys want wine or beer?" Zheon askes completely ignoring them. They all agreed that there was no point in being sentimental on a happy occasion.
"Beer," Aniel and Wade responded as they sat next to each other. The girls helped themselves up and sat back down together as they laugh.
The atmosphere came back to what it used to before, cheerful and free.
The boys and girls are in a separate conversation. The boys being boys and the girls talking about some funny memories.
"Oh, that's right. I didn't get to know how I and Wade got together," Navier remembered.
"Oh! That, you see- AAHAHAHA!"
"What? Stop laughing, tell me the story first so we can laugh together!"
"He pfft- AAHAHAHA!"
"Arien will gladly tell Navi the story," Arien raised her hands voluntarily. Navier nodded at her saying, "Yes please."
"Long story short Wade-" Arien was about to start but was cut off.
"Wade cornered you suddenly in a locker and said 'Choose, be my girl, or I'll be your man.' You were flushing red that time but managed to say yes and with that, you two walked out of the building holding each other's hand. The next day he woke up and thought that what happened was just a dream so he came to us and told us that he had a great dream and jokingly said that you said yes to him."
"And you were like 'ah so that was just a dream, okay okay, guys you heard him it was just a dream', he was confused for a second but AAHAHAHA his face when he realized that it really happened was hilarious!" Xyleen told holding her tummy from laughing too much.
"Hey! Arien was about to tell Navi the story!" Arien was sulking and glaring at Xyleen who is still laughing loudly. Of course, needless to say, Navier was speechless and felt cringe.
"Wait really? He pinned me to a locker?" Navier asked with a smirk on her face.
"Yeah! Can you believe that! Like AAHAHAHA, maybe he felt like he was a male lead in a movie or something!" With Xyleen's contagious laughter the two girls couldn't help but laugh back.
"Oy! Keep it down," Aniel exclaimed from the other side holding a can of beer in his hand.
The girls turned in the direction of the boys noticing the beers.
"Oh!" Xyleen tried to reach out for the container of the beers, and Arien and Navier supported her but before her hands could even touch the container, it was lifted by Zheon.
"What are you doing?" asked Wade.
"The beer, give us the beer," said Xyleen.
The girls stared at them with excitement and anticipation. The boys gave them a tired look but the girls fought back and showed a puppy-like smile.
"No," Sadly the boys were strong enough to not get caught in their smiles.
The anticipation had completely collapsed and there was a feeling of slight anger and disappointment visible through the girl's faces.
"What? Why?!" The girls dumbfoundedly complained.
"No, not tonight!" Wade forbid while Xyleen stood up and fought for the container.
"What? Huh! I'm 21 years old, I can drink whenever I want!" Xyleen confronted.
"Arien is 22!"
"I'm also 22."
The girls certainly weren't going to give up the container but the boys were much stronger.
"We're Star Spirits but we can still get drunk," Aniel frowned at them. He subconsciously unbuttoned the top of his shirt as he felt hot.
"And?" Xyleen still fought back. Xyleen started to button up his shirt.
"What? I was feeling hot," Aniel whispered to her.
"Then give me one too so that we can feel hit together," Xyleen, who was not thinking about what to say casually blurted out. Wade and Navier who was staying quiet gave them a disgusted look in the background.
"No is no. You guys are really handful when you're drunk," Zheon goes straight to the point.
"What does that mean? Handful everyone gets handful when drunk!"
"Xyleen, I left you for a minute, and when I came back you and a fucking stranger were looking around the room!" Aniel once again unbuttoned his shirt.
"What? I don't remember that... And maybe I'm just helping him look for something, I like helping people!" Xyleen laughed nervously.
"Yeah, you were trying to help a stranger rob, not to forget my apartment. When I beat him up into a pulp and ask if you were okay you broke down and cried, I thought you were hurt but then you said... 'I was helping him search for money, how dare you! We both are broke and we don't have any money!'"
"Wait-AHAHAHA I remember!" Wade almost falls off his chair laughing.
"Indeed. You wouldn't stop crying because you couldn't find any money in your wallet," Zheon joined the conversation.
"Oh-oh! Arien also remembers! When Aniel decided to calm Xyleen down using his own money, Xyleen looked at him amazed that Arien could remember seeing stars in her eyes, and then she asked Aniel to be her sugar daddy."
"Heck! You could even see Aniel's red face in that dark room, I reckon you he was flushed by the idea of Xyleen calling him daddy or something," Wade teased.
"What the fuck? You got turned on by that?" Zheon followed Wade's lead.
Tired and slightly angry, Aniel looked at them as he tried hard not to curse.
"You guys... I hate you both."
"We hate you better."
"Huh turned on?" Arien questioned. Navier who was sitting close to her covered her ears and glared at the boys.
"No! You guys go to horny jail!"
"No, Navier you're going down with me. We're best friends so you don't have a say in this considering you go wild when you're drunk,"
"What?! I do?" Navier blurted out surprised by the sudden information.
"Yeah, you almost gave Wade a heart attack every single time," Zheon nodded as he casually took a sip from the canned beer.
"SHUT UP!"
"At least you get the pleasure. I go broke when Xyleen's drunk," Aniel frowned.
"Hey! Money is important okay! I'm past pretending money doesn't make me happy." Xyleen sat beside her boyfriend and secretly took a sip from his beer.
"Xyleen!"
"Ha! These idiots," Zheon smirked and pulled Arien closer to him. The scene in front of them was chaos. With Navier completely shock, questioning Wade about how she acts when drunk and Wade in a complete flush, the other couple fighting for one canned beer. Chaos indeed.
"Oh Lord help us all," Arien said under her breath.
Navier took notice of Zheon's action and Arien's plead, she almost squealed but curiosity strikes her first.
"Then how does Arien goes when she's drunk?"
"Oh, Arien has a high tolerance for alcohol," Aniel answered.
"Oh!" Navier formed an o-shaped mouth.
The conversation lasted for a long time. They were switching topics to topics real fast, and somehow they ended up talking about how ants can be killed in many ways.
It was a fun night, they were having their time. Navier especially was so happy, but happiness does not last forever.
BEEP BEEP!
A car parked in front of her house. It was a familiar car. They heard the car's noises and wondered why it was parked there.
They all turned their heads outside the fence. Navier's eyes clouded over at that moment.
The others did not notice the look in Navier's eyes that seemed to be in a panic.
"Wait! That's mom's car!"
They all shifted their attention to Navier.
"Huh?" They all looked at each other with dumb faces before looking around the messy garden.
"Agh, I'm tired," Navier's mom's voice can be heard from the distance as she opened the car door.
They were alarmed and hurriedly got up. Sparkles surround the Star Spirits, as they moved their hands the particles spread and obeyed their motion.
Wade who didn't use his magic approached Navier and fix her appearance while Navier was standing there amazed by the bright lights.
The sparks moved faster as they heard the door lock being unlocked.
"AH!" Them who was using magic groaned as their sparkles disappear.
"What happened? Are you guys okay?" Navier asked worriedly as she was done being flabbergast.
"It's normal. Our magic is stopped by the limitations every time someone is nearby," Wae explained to her. The sliding door opened that surprised everyone, Xyleen who was beside Navi ran to hide which made the others who were not in their right mind and a bit tipsy also ran to hide.
"Wait why are we hiding? She can't see us. Argh- Xyleen..." Wade stopped running after he came back to his senses. The others also stopped and glared at Xyleen while she only giggled.
"Ugh, gosh-Oh! Navi? Why are you still up?" Navier's mom who was leaning on the door removing her shoes asked. They all look in her direction.
"Uhh..." Navier blinked.
"Are you cleaning?" Navier's mom asked, entering the garden.
"Huh?" She gave a questioning look before feeling a solid wood in her hands. She looked at her hands that are now holding a broom.
Xyleen who is now beside her gave a peace sign as she smiled at her. Wade who was also next to her facepalmed.
"Yes! Yes, I am," Navier answered awkwardly to her mom.
"Wah! Mrs. Evangeline didn't change one bit," Arien walked towards her mom and observed her from a close.
"At 12:34? Honey..." Mrs. Evangline gave her daughter a troubled look.
"Are you sure you don't want me to send you to a hospital?" She asked.
"What no! I'm perfectly fine!" Navier furiously answered back recalling the guessing game her mother did when she first met Wade at Lerish Mountain.
"Mom aren't you tired? Go to sleep, I'll take care of things."
"I indeed am tired but..."
"No buts!"
"However-"
"MOM!"
"Okay okay! Are you on your period today or?"
"Mom go take a rest already. Our conversation is not going anywhere," Navier insisted until the end holding back her humiliation.
The Star Spirits who apparently aren't seen by Mrs. Evangeline were laughing and giggling at them.
"Yup, Mrs. Evangeline hasn't changed," Aniel agreed with his twin. His expression is now back to its normal form, and innocent poker face.
"After you're done cleaning, go and sleep okay? Do you want to sleep next to mommy?" Mrs. Evangeline taunted more. Her daughter pouted at her, her expression almost begging for her mother to stop.
Navier's mother let out a cute giggle showing that she's having fun with this.
"Alright, alright. I'm tired, I love you, honey!" Navier's mom gave a flying kiss and walked upstairs.
"I didn't realize it was already this late," Navier smiled back at them, completely ignoring what happened.
"Yeah, time flies fast when you're having fun. Now, Navi go to bed."
"AH!"
Navier was surprised when Wade lift her up in a bridal position like she was just cotton. He walked inside with Navi still in his arms.
"But the others?" Navier asked as she glanced back at them.
"Xyleen's already sleepy. We're heading back first," Aniel took Xyleen's arm.
"Huh? Whosh drunk? WWHOSH SLEEPY HUH?! I'M NOT!" Xyleen hugged his boyfriend.
"Sure sure, Let's just pretend I'm gonna believe that when you already have your eyes closed," Aniel lifter her up. Xyleen who was 'not' sleepy clung to Aniel's neck from the front and wrapped her legs in his waist.
"See ya," Aniel said, golden particles encloses them as they disappear.
"We're planning on taking a walk first before going back," Zheon held Arien's hands and tugged her beside him.
"Arien is gonna kill Wade if he does something to Navi. She swears! Navi have a good night! Arien loves you!"
"Oh, Arien! I love you too! You're so sweet!"
The boys frowned hearing their conversation. They felt like they're the one third-wheeling.
"Let's go," Zheon walked away with Arien as both girls still glimpsed at each other exchanging flying kisses.
Wade and Navier arrived on the second floor. It was now quiet, only the sound of footsteps can be heard.
"You can put me down. I can still walk."
"No, I like you in my arms."
"Hmmm... Okay."
Wade opened Navier's room door and entered. He gently rested her down her bed and covered her in blankets. He took the chair and guitar and positioned them beside Navi's bed.
"We're finally alone," Wade gave a quick smile.
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I.L.Y.S.M.I.C.L.Y.G.