12 Running Through My Head (Josh)

As I sat at the table, I tapped my foot, waiting for my sister. I checked my watch. 9:45.

She should be here by now, I thought.

"Still waiting for your sister?" I looked up, and saw the waitress. Her nametag said "Ariana" in a cursive font.

"Yeah, I am. I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked. She was average height and had long brown hair. She had fair skin, and I felt like I knew her from somewhere.

"I guess not." She held out her hand. "Ariana. Earth element." I shook it and had some bad memories return to my head.

My first experience with an earth element was about 4 years ago. I was ten or so, and my sister and I were wandering the streets of an industrialized city in one of the islands on the eastern ring. We were in the slums and didn't have any particular occasion, but we wanted to do something fun that day.

As we wandered the streets, I started noticing people were following us. I started powering up my hands and my sister followed. Before we could jump into any action, we heard thuds behind us. Bianca and I turned around and saw the guys who were following us were on the floor with one guy standing among them. As one thing turned into another, we became friends with Justin.

"Hello?" I snapped out of my daydream and saw Ariana waving her hand at me.

"Yeah? Sorry." I have a habit for my mind to wander.

"So, why are you meeting your sister here?" She asked.

"It doesn't concern you," I snapped.

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Sorry. I was trying to engage in small-talk with customers."

"Oh... Yeah..."

"Josh!" Bianca speed walked toward our table.

As she saw Bianca, Ariana stood up and before leaving said, "Nice seeing you again." She walked away without another word and I just sat there thinking *What just happened?*

"Who was that?" Bianca asked. "Your girlfriend?"

I smiled.

I was going to do it. I was going to tell her. I need to tell her. "What do you want to order?" I asked.

"I'll just get my usual." Pancakes with scrambled eggs on the side.

"I'll order when a waiter or waitress pass by." I started to feel sweat bead on my forehead. "So, Bianca, just wondering..." I needed to tell her. "What would you do if an incident were t-"

"Incident? Like what?" She's making it really difficult for me.

"Like, if invaders get onto the island, what would you do?"

"I'd stay by you, or Diana, or Ben. And I guess probably Tyler now."

I smirked. "Heh. Tyler. I got a brief run-down on how things are going to go down from now on."

"Are you alright with it?" she asked.

"I mean, it's definitely sudden, but Tyler's pretty strong. I have respect for the dude."

She sighed in relief. "That's good. Ben wasn't so open."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? I'll talk to him about it."

"Seriously? Why?"

I shrugged. "I guess I feel like it would just be easier on everyone if we didn't fight it."

She smiled. "That's good."

"Excuse me?" We both looked up to see Ariana. "May I take your order?"

---

I dodged his attack and countered with mine. He dodged it effortlessly and started a series of cast signs.

"Mille pugione percutiens!"

My eyes widened. Since when could he use that cast? I started my own series and completed them. "Fulgur amnis!" My lightning stream dashed across the sky, hitting every dagger possible shattering them upon impact.

Not gonna lie, I had to strain to keep the stream going.

Once the dust settled, both Ben and I just stood there, out of breath.

"Let's take a break!" I yell at him. He nods.

I take a seat next to him and open my Larom bottle and take a sip from it. I then begin to lay down and start staring at the clouds.

"Hey Ben."

"Yeah."

"What's your opinion on the entire Tyler thing?" I promised Bianca.

"I hate it." I turned toward him and raised an eyebrow. "How does he think he can come into our lives and just be our boss? I won't let him."

Nice. It doesn't look like he has a counter against my argument. "From what I heard, Tyler made the team to protect Diana from other armies overworking her."

"Then why did he need us?"

"He said he wanted Diana to be in a group with people she knew. I also think it's because he doesn't know anybody else."

"I still don't accept it."

I sighed. "Dude, just cooperate. Besides, if it weren't for him, all of us would be in a different place right now. Besides, Tyler seems to be a respectable dude. Just listen and I know you'll live."

He sighed. "Alright. Fine. I'll cooperate. Only for you though. Not for Tyler."

I smiled, then stood up. I put my hand out to Ben and said, "One more round. By the way, where did you learn that other move back there?"

He grinned and simply said, "Tyler."

---

After Ben and I finished sparring, I went to the library to pick up a book I needed to look into. I was just walking out when I noticed two dudes were following me. I grinned in malicious delight.

I walked into a narrow alleyway, and jumped into the air and landed on the top of a building. As they walked into the alley, I heard them arguing amongst themselves. They both wore black jackets with the hood on their head, covering their faces.

"On one hand I could ask you two why you were following me," I yelled down at them. "Or I could just bust your heads. I like the second option better."

They started running out of the alleyway and I grinned at the sight.

I ran after them and jumped down from the building. That was my first mistake.

As I landed on the ground, I realized they were powering up their hands and did the same.

One casted hand signs extremely quickly while the other used simple attacks. They were earth element.

I gritted my teeth. They weren't supposed to be involved with this. I dodged all the basic attacks and casted my own. The other guy thrust his hand into the ground and yelled, "Terra carcerem!" Earth prison.

I jumped into the air and put my hand forward and yelled, "Fulgur amnis!" Lightning extended from my hand and hit one of the guys then quickly dashed to the other guy. It hit both of them successfully and the guy who casted the earth prison was knocked unconscious, while the other could hardly stand.

"I don't know who you are, or who you work for," I yelled out to him. "But if I ever see you two again, I won't be as merciful."

The one who could barely stand raised his hand and the ground rose underneath the unconscious one and left with the other floating behind him.

---

I walked into my new home at around 7 PM. I faintly smelled pizza as I locked the door behind me.

I had already dropped my stuff off at the house this morning. I walked up the stairs and saw all the doors to the rooms were closed. All but one.

I walked toward the room and saw all of my stuff was on the bed. Before I could walk all the way into the room, there was a footstep behind me.

"Josh." I turned around and saw Tyler holding a box. "You got a brief rundown of the new... lifestyle you'll be taking on, but I never gave you this." He held out the box and I took it. After opening it, I saw it was a black smartphone. "Call it a welcoming gift to the squad. I already gave you your schedule, and if you want there's some pepperoni pizza in the fridge if you want to warm it up."

"Nah, I'm good. I prefer plain cheese," I replied.

"Note taken. Oh, and thanks for talking to Ben. It makes things a lot easier on me."

"No problem."

"Anyway, I would recommend getting used to that phone. You'll be needing it."

"I will." I walked into the room, but before completely closing the door I called out, "Night dude," then closed the door without waiting for a reply.

I jumped onto my bed and lied down. I started messing with my phone. I realized I was tapping on the walls a lot. It's a habit that I haven't broken since I've never had a neighbor. As I tapped, I realized the walls were soundproof. That'll make things easier.

As I looked through my phone I added a single contact: "Black."