The Gemini

14. The Reunion

Lena Matthews

"Take me with you," Jane-Anne demanded again.

"No!" I repeated. "I want to see Finn alone."

"So? We can see Finn alone together."

"That completely defeats the purpose, Jane-Anne." I sighed.

"It doesn't have to if I promise to be quiet. You won't even notice I'm there." Jane-Anne promised.

"Trust me, I'll notice if you're there," I replied, rummaging through my closet for a cardigan. Jessica had bought me way too many, and I felt like I had to go out of my way to wear all of them.

"I can't be alone with them," Jane-Anne confessed.

"What do you mean?" Now I was starting to get frustrated.

"They tolerate me, but if I bring too much attention to myself I'm-" Jane-Anne choked on her words for a second. "I think I know what they see me as, even if they're trying not to."

I closed the closet door slowly, unsure of what to say. "We're not-"

"You don't know that!" Jane-Anne protested. "No one fully knows what's going on with me. I don't even know what's going on. I mean, I never know what's going on-"

"So maybe you shouldn't travel halfway across the country with me." I finished. "Why do you want to go so badly?"

"I don't know," Jane-Anne admitted. "I just don't think I can be here anymore."

I stopped packing and made the mistake of looking at Jane-Anne's deep brown eyes. They almost reminded me of Aurelie. The same innocence, but also the same despair. That was enough for me to break.

"You'll be on your best behavior, right?" I asked Jane-Anne.

"Of course!" Jane-Anne nodded enthusiastically, practically jumping up and down. She held out her pinky like an elementary schooler at a slumber party.

"What's this?" I asked, staring at her hand apathetically.

"It's a pinky swear," Jane-Anne answered. "Have you never done one?"

"I know what it is, I just..." I shook my head. "What are we, six?"

"You're sixteen, I'm seventeen, and we can do whatever we want!" Jane-Anne protested.

"You're older than me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"It's a long story." Jane-Anne huffed. When my expression didn't move, she started talking. "My mom held me back. Twice."

When the corner of my mouth twitched, Jane-Anne rolled her eyes. "Just do it!"

I held out my pinky obediently, still scoffing at how childlike this was.

"Okay, I need you to chant this with me," Jane-Anne instructed. "Ready?"

Whenever I did a pinky swear, which was basically never considering that I didn't have friends until Atalka, it was always one quick motion, and never required words.

"Yubi kiri genman," Jane-Anne chanted, her finger still intertwined with mine.

"What are you doing, casting a spell?" I asked.

"It's just a song, you'll be fine," said Jane-Anne. "Can we keep going?" She waited for me to nod before starting over. "Yubi kiri genman, uso tsuitara hari sen bon nomasu, yubikita!"

"What did I promise to do, exactly?" I asked, rubbing my Forbidden brand nervously.

"It doesn't mean anything bad, or at least, I don't think so." Jane-Anne thought for a moment. "I think if you break the promise you have to drink a thousand needles or something."