“This is a lot.” Mars said rubbiemple as she took in Aya’s tale of the m’s events. Somehow eve of saying goodbye had bee extraordinarily plicated.

  Aya leaned ba the chair, throwing her head ba exhaustion.

  “Yeah, I ’t imagine how he feels.” Aya said getting up to dump her pte in the sink so she could wash it before they had to pack up the kit. “He really did seem like he had been searg forever.”

  “Axen is a pretty optimal pce to hide, that’s why I came here. It’s incredible that the Eos querors were able to hunt me down.” Mars sighed. She looked at Aya’s back.

  The girl was mindlessly scrubbing a now pte and would tinue unless Mars went to stop her. The dark haired girl took a deep breath, knowing she would have to ask the hard question or Aya would bottle it up.

  “And how do you feel about your dad...being alive?” Mars asked slowly.

  “I don’t know.” Aya said glumly. “I don’t even want to think about the state he’s in. I didn’t hear him over the pho all!”

  Aya gritted her teeth, letting go of the pte, it cttered as it fell into the cheap aluminum basin. She gripped the edge and tried to calm herself down.

  “What happeo him? Grandma said he was in an act and we just never heard from him again.” Aya said. “I thought he was dead. I thought…”

  Mars kept silent, letting her friend air out her frustrations.

  “I thought I was an orphan.” Aya said quietly, she fell face first into Mars’s chest tiredly.

  Mars shifted in surprise from the sudde on her, but raised her arms to around Aya. Despite her disfort, Aya needed her presence, Mars didn’t want to let her down.

  “I ’t say I know how you feel but I’m here, Aya.” Mars said. She felt Aya mumble something into her chest, assuming it was some words of thanks Mars tinued.

  “It’s okay to feel sad, life be such bullshit.” Mars said awkwardly patting Aya on the head.

  “Holy.” Aya agreed, pulling back. Mars was surprised she wasn’t g from the stress of it all. Was Aya growing out of those tendencies? She hoped not!

  Aya brushed her curls bad spoke calmly, too calmly for the current situation. Mars sensed something off about it but chose not to pry. After all, her friend was dealing with a lot of uainty right now.

  “I’m meeting Ats in a bit so I have to get ready.”

  “When and where?” Mars asked.

  “Rolfe’s the bakery.” Aya reminded with a ugh. Mars shook her head and soon heard the shower running. Mars checked her phone.

  The moving van was already en route and would be at the plex just before noon the day. She nodded, everything was going acc to pn. Soon they would be out of Axen and out of the crosshairs of the potential E.C scout.

  Mars grimaced at the thought of Arlo finding her aing back to the team leader.

  “I’m going to tinue pag and, maybe ter I’ll head out.” Mars said.

  “Sounds good.” Aya called, running into her room to choose an outfit for the meet up.

  Mars leaned against the tertop top looking over at her apartment, well soon to be former apartment. This would be the third time she would be moving her life around. Twice because of the Eos querors. It was enough to make her angry.

  A life of moving around was not what she wanted, it was only a necessary sacrifice. Mars wasn’t someone who lost her cool easily. She got one over on E.C before and she would do it again and again and…

  She paused.

  Now she had Aya to worry about and that plicated things. Mars sighed, deep and heavy at the thought of her only friend.

  Yes, that plicated things.

  ----------

  “How do I look?” Aya asked from the doorway of her room. She spun around in her outfit waiting for Mars to ent.

  Mars chuckled, pushing off the ter to see the outfit her friend had picked out for the meet up.

  “You look cute.” Mars said with a nod.

  Aya wore a simple white short-sleeved turtleneck blouse with a knee length bck skirt and bck leggings underh. Her thick curly hair ut up in a way that fttered her face. Mars noticed she didn’t wear any jewelry but supposed she’d never seen Aya wear any.

  Aya’s brown eyes lit up with excitement.

  “You think so?” Aya asked, holding her face. “I feel a little ridiculous but this is like the hing I own.” her face heated up in embarrassment.

  Aya didn’t know why she wao dress up so nicely, but she liked how she looked and was to as well.

  “Maybe I should ge? Scratch that, I’m absolutely going to ge!” She said, iing her outfit and already halfway into her room. Mars grabbed her arm before she could run.

  “Don’t move I’ll be right back.” Mars said walking to her own room to retrieve something. Aya waited patiently w what her friend wanted.

  The sound of Mars rummaging through her things filled the air, making Aya even more curious. Mars returned shortly after with a familiar bck, bomber jacket Aya reized instantly.

  “That’s the jacket you wore the night we met!” Aya muttered.

  Mars raised an eyebrow, w how Aya remembered such a thing, she lifted the jacket and realized she was right. Huh, Mars didn’t think she had worn the jacket enough for Aya t. e to think of it, Mars hadn’t worn the jacket in a long time.

  A smile tugged at her lips to know what Aya reized it but she kept her expression stoid approached her waiting friend.

  “I guess so.” Mars said stopping in front of Aya and ying the jacket over her shoulders. “There, now you look great.”

  “Thanks, Mars.” Aya said beaming up at the dark haired girl, she tugged the jacket closer around herself and tinued smiling.

  Mars opened her mouth to say something but closed it, letting go of the jacket colr where their hands met.

  Aing go of Aya.

  The brue hurried off and slipped on her shoes so she could be on her way. She waved back at Mars who hadn’t moved from the door way of Aya’s room.

  “See you ter, Mars.” Aya said.

  Mars waved baontly, watg Aya head out the door and close it behind her. She was once agai alone as she had been for most of the day.

  “I guess I’ll pack up the kit ao gaming.” she said with a shrug.

  Sunghost