Jett Fulgen - Book 3, Chapter 12: Girls' Night

Yeah, it’s girls’ night

Will they? Won’t they?

It doesn’t matter

Nothing can stand in our way

As long as we cry (Together)

As long as we fight (Together)

When we’re together as one

We’re unstoppable

It’s Girls’ Night

—“Girls’ Night,” Lumina Wonder

“Are you all right, Lys?” asked Evan.

“I’m nervous,” said Lys.

[You need to relax.]

They were in a rideshare, on their way to Evan’s family’s house on a suburban sublevel.

“I feel silly,” she said. “I’m a legend, right? Supposedly? And I don’t doubt your family’s nice. It’s just… easier to face an enemy sorcerer than a crowd of people. Well no, not even that. I’ve faced crowds of people. Commendations, press conferences. Sometimes strangers are easier than friendly people. I don’t know why.”

“No, I get it. Strangers sit further away, and they leave when you’re done. My family, on the other hand? My siblings and cousins will sometimes warm a new friend up for weeks before they bring them to a gathering. So from that standpoint you’re pretty brave. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they don’t swamp you.”

“Thank you. That’s actually comforting. Ugh, what do I say, though? What do I do?”

“Just, I dunno, do a water trick.”

“A water trick?”

Evan blushed. “It mighta come up when I mentioned you were coming. Of course everyone knows who you are, and they’re gonna be curious. I know I’m gonna have to show off my new abilities, especially since they’re weird. If you’re willing, I’m sure they’d enjoy a quick demonstration. Mind you, you don’t have to either. I didn’t promise them anything. It’s just an idea.”

She thought about it. “Actually? That’s not a bad idea. Something I’m used to doing. It’s bound to be an icebreaker.”

“Oh, no doubt. The kids’ll love it. And honestly, if you charm the kids? Get them to sit still and be quiet for a few minutes? All the parents will love you forever.”

She laughed. “I still can’t believe I’m doing this.”

“There’s that phrase again.”

“Sorry.”

“It was a joke.”

Lys chewed on her lip. “Evan, I… I’d like to get your take on what happened between you and Jessie.”

“Oh.” He chuckled. “Guess it was gonna come up sooner or later. And you say you’re nervous.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sure it’s a sensitive topic. But it’s nagging at me, and if we’re going to…”

She trailed off, looking at him. She wasn’t sure where she was going with that. Evan studied her. He really did have kind, earnest eyes. Okay, wow, she was really getting ahead of herself.

He shrugged. “I got scared. Easy to feel like you’re just gonna get swept along by what’s around you, right? Especially when you’re one of seven kids. Especially when you’re just a runebander and people can’t believe you made it into the Elites. Then next thing you know you’re partnered with Jessica Faxton herself, who’s scary skilled, but also rich and beautiful to boot—damn, I didn’t mean to say that.”

Lys shrugged. “It’s true enough. Jessie does turn eyes. I always felt plain next to her.”

“You’re not,” he said quickly. “I mean… well, I guess that is what I mean.”

There was a long pause. Lys’s cheeks burned.

“Well, thank you,” she finally said, managing a smirk. She wasn’t sure she believed it, but it was nice of him to say. “But that doesn’t mean you can skip the rest.”

“Oh yeah, too right. A valiant attempt though, eh? So after the titan and the controversy over the Captain’s pardon… I just felt too small for it all. Other cops started nudging me, saying, ‘Can you believe what your partner did?’ There it is again, with the believing. Anyway, yes, I was afraid of going down with her, of having what little reputation I had ruined. But what really got me…”

He hung his head. “What really got me was I was tempted to agree with them, just to save face. ‘Oh yeah, she’s crazy.’ It almost came out of me a couple of times, and I knew I had to escape. Transferring away felt like the lesser evil. I know it was cowardly, and it was a slap to Jessie’s face. But that seemed better than stabbing her in the back. I know a real friend, a real partner would have actually stood by her. I wasn’t brave enough to do that. And… maybe I underestimated the difference it would make. The difference I coulda made.

“I felt guilty as soon as I transferred. I also realized my mistake. I wasn’t making any friends in my new unit. Jessie wasn’t any more popular with them, at least before that warehouse incident. But a cop who abandons his partner? That was worse. They never said it out loud, but I could feel the ice. I ruined my reputation anyway. So I tried to get back in Jessie’s good graces—tried too hard, and it wasn’t appropriate. I was desperate, and that’s how I acted. I even lashed out at Jett, and that made things worse still.”

Lys mulled that over. “I see.”

“Yeah. I suck.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I mean, you figured it out, right?”

“I don’t know if I’d say that. But yes, I finally apologized to Jessie. I even finally got Jett’s autograph.”

“And Jessie accepted when you applied to be a liaison.”

Evan smirked. “She asked me to apply. When you left the force and Firelance needed a replacement? I'm the one she contacted. I still think it might be a penance. The team is great, but Jett and Fu are both close to Jessie. They remember, and it seems they don’t wanna let me forget either.”

“I actually think Jett is giving you a chance, in his own smartass way.”

“Really?”

“He wouldn’t give you a hard time if he really wanted nothing to do with you. Honestly, even Fu—”

“I’m pretty sure Fu just flat out hates me.”

“Fu talked to me, actually. She says she’ll back off. She even apologized—I hope she apologizes directly to you, but we’ll see. She even called you ‘Evan’ through the whole conversation, so she might be rethinking that nasty nickname.”

“Huh. Did she say what changed her mind?”

“I did.” Her face burned. “When she heard about… us. She said if I see something in you she doesn’t see yet, she trusts my judgment.”

“And… do you?”

The cab lurched to a halt. “Oh,” she said, “we're here.”

Evan moved to open the door, but Lys grabbed his wrist. “Wait. That was an important question, and I don't want to just drop it. The truth is, I'm still deciding what I see. But I've decided not to see your past.”

Evan nodded. “Fair. Maybe even that is more than I deserve.”

“You know? Sometimes what we need to do better is more than what we deserve. That gap? I think it’s called grace. Sorry, that sounded melodramatic.”

Evan’s eyes were shining. “I don’t think it was. You know, Jett’s always the first to say being a Guardian doesn’t make you smarter or wiser. Well, if not? Maybe those amulets just really know who to pick.”

Lys’s heart swelled. Why did such a simple line affect her like that? Maybe because it was clear: Evan didn’t do lines. His comment about amulets wasn’t any more rehearsed than her comment about grace. There was something exciting about that.

“So,” he said. “You’re trying to decide what you see? I can tell you a couple of things right off the bat, with all due apologies. First, you’re gonna see some very loud people who happen to be my blood relatives. And second? If you’re not careful they might try to see how many tamales and how much tequila they can fit into you.”

He stepped out and extended his hand. Lys hesitated a moment, then took it. “You know?” she said. “There are worse things. Fine, I can see that first.”

He laughed as he helped her to her feet. “Even the tequila?”

“I am the Water Guardian, after all,” said Lys, smiling. “I’m anything but dry.”

Girls’ Night grew.

Jessie couldn’t help asking if Fu could come along—she needed some kind of buffer. Fu had joined the outing a couple of times, but she liked to respect that it was an Ambassador girls’ reunion. Plus, she tended to spend most of her free evenings with Jett these days. With Jessie in the mix, all bets were off. So not only did Fu come along, but also Lina and, ultimately, Eunbi.

With Yuki, Tina, Mina, Tala, and Melody in the mix that made nine. If one counted Koyuki, Yuki’s lecti—and one almost had to, because she was as talkative as any human—it became ten. The only one missing from the Firelance-Ambassador circle was Lys, who was… otherwise occupied.

It was relaxing, Jessie had to admit. Just going out, actually interacting with the team members outside of a mission, showing anyone who would listen what wine to order, watching with satisfaction when they were surprised by the first sip. Eunbi drank a soda, looking lost in thought. Fu kept giving her concerned glances. There was something going on there.

Well, Eunbi was under Jessie’s charge as much as anyone. “How are you, Eunbi?” she asked. “We really don’t get to speak enough. Are you looking forward to the concert?”

“Oh. Um, I’m fine.”

A quick glance at Fu yielded a small headshake and a shrug.

Eunbi looked annoyed, perhaps sensing some of the exchange. Still, she continued. “And thank you very much for getting us those VIP passes. I hope it didn’t put you out too much.”

Jessie waved her hand. “A few execs in my pipeline grumbled about the discounts I told them to offer Trillium Nexus, but it didn’t really sting them one bit. It was my pleasure. I don’t mind flexing if it’s for a good cause.”

“And Bumblebee,” said Fu, “you are a good cause.”

Eunbi blushed, but she made a show of sipping her soda. Fu shrugged again. Jessie nodded. She knew Fu would keep working on it. She’d figure it out.

So Jessie focused on the others. “Tala,” she said, “how have you been settling in with Ambassador?”

“Oh.” The woman adjusted her glasses. “It’s been good. The best fit, I think. I miss Snowcrest—I’m sure we all miss it, at least the version before things went wrong—but Brandon’s great, and so are the girls here, and everyone loves Sora so much he’s practically the team mascot. And I like working with you again, Miss Fax—Jessie, sorry.”

Jessie smirked. “At least you didn’t call me Corporal or Sergeant.”

Tala smiled. “Right. So, Jessie, I was wondering…”

Oh, great. Here it came.

Or perhaps not.

“So, Fu,” said Tina. “How are things with the Fireman? Getting pretty serious?”

“Oh, don’t get me started!” said Lina. “I mean, they’re always all over each other. The whole company knows it. But lately, especially with Fu becoming a Guardian… things might be escalating, huh?”

“I don’t know what y’all are talking about,” said Fu, pointedly sipping her whiskey. “‘Course I love him. I say that every day, don’t care who hears. And, ya know, we got a good thing going. Right Bumblebee?”

“Huh?” said Eunbi. “Oh, yeah. It’s wonderful, Imo Fu.”

“Oh, for the love of the Shones!” squeaked Koyuki, practically bouncing around the table. “I refuse to dance around it anymore! Is he gonna pop the question or not?”

There was a moment of silence.

Fu became uncharacteristically nervous. “Well, ya know,” she said carefully, “it’s not really something we’ve…”

“Ooh, she wants it,” said Mina. “Listen to her. She’s waiting for it. Somebody better give him a nudge.”

“Y’all are crazy.”

“Fu,” said Jessie. “Come on, you can tell me. Say he asked tomorrow. What would you say?”

“I-I’d have to think about it. Damn, since when do people grill the Fu?”

“Since you became half of the biggest power couple in the company,” said Jessie.

“So,” said Melody, stirring her glass, “I have a more immediate question. How is he, Fu? The Fire Guardian? In the… you know?”

“How is—?” Fu’s eyes widened, and she burst into laughter. “Damn, new girl don’t pull any punches! I knew I liked ya, Breezy!”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Oh, Shones!” Jessie took a big sip of wine, trying not to laugh. “This is not the information I need to hear! I know too much about Jett already!”

“There’s a reason why these are noise-cancelling,” Eunbi said dryly, tapping her headphones as they hung around her neck.

“Come on, Fu!” said Tala. “It’s girls’ night! This is what we talk about! You have to give us something!”

“Well,” she said carefully, “my man has magic hands. I mean that literally. Always warm, ‘cause of his abilities. In fact, he can make them warmer than warm, and he’s been studying massage. He is my personal hot stone masseuse, only he don’t need stones.”

“Aww,” said Yuki. “Poor Wally runs cold. Half the time he has to run his hands under a warm faucet before we—”

She suddenly turned red and dove into her drink. Fu howled.

“Damn though, that does sound nice,” said Mina. “Can he do me?”

Fu nearly spat out her drink. “Can he what? I knew y’all’d be jealous, but I didn’t think—”

“What? No, I just meant the massage! It would be a great way to loosen up between missions! Don’t make it weird!”

“Me too!” said Lina.

“And me!” said Tina.

“Yeah,” said Fu with a laugh, “all three ‘Inas’ wanna line up to undress in front of my man? I ain’t the one makin’ this weird. Sorry, girls. If he’s cookin’ food y’all can share. If he’s cookin’ anything else, that is the Fu’s exclusive domain.”

“Does he ever set himself on fire?” asked Koyuki. “In the bedroom, I mean?”

Fu blinked. “You mean like… during?”

“Gah!” Jessie covered her ears, but she couldn’t keep from giggling—nor could she bring herself to shut the conversation out completely.

“Or before!” said Koyuki. “Come on, I bet he puts on a hell of a show! What guy could resist? Does he ever light himself, you know… down there?”

The whole table lost it at that. Eunbi just buried her face in her hands.

“Holy shit, Surprise!” Fu wheezed. “Ya gotta get your lecti in check!”

“I am aware,” said Yuki, but she was also fighting laughter. “Imagine having to hear it in your head. She posed the theory to me a few weeks ago and won’t shut up about it.”

“Oh, sue me!” said Koyuki. “You know me. I like to speculate, and I’m enthusiastic. It’s what I do!”

“Well, you’ve been doubly enthusiastic about this!”

Yuki finally gave up and burst into one of her laughing fits.

“Okay, okay!” said Fu, pulling out her phone, “Speaking of Fireman setting himself on fire, you Ambassador ladies gotta see what my man did to his hair. Might as well get the giggles out here, ‘cause he's being a little bit sensitive about it. Even though it’s hilarious.”

“His hair?” Jessie cocked her head. “Forward it to me too.”

Phones beeped around the table.

“Oh no, he didn't.” Mina laughed. “He tried to do a Taeo?”

“It’s not bad,” said Tina. “I like it!”

“I think he looks a little like Rin from Veilwing,” said Yuki. “You know, Monarch’s crush? In… a good way, I guess?”

Even Jessie guffawed as the image came up on her phone. “Oh Fu, only you could’ve gotten him to do that. He's always been super proud of that hair. Especially since other kids used to make fun of him for it.”

Fu huffed. “Hey! I did not say he should change it. I just… pointed out Taeo was nice to look at, is all! I didn't talk up any particular traits. In fact, I said Taeo looks a little like Fireman!”

“I see the resemblance,” said Melody. “But come on, you compare a guy to a celebrity and he's gonna try to close the gap. It's science.”

Fu was genuinely flustered. “Come on! He's gotta be even more famous than Taeo by this point! Honestly!” She ran her hands through her hair. Then she tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Ya know, this all does give me an idea…”

“Wait, wait, wait!” said Tina. She pointed at Jessie. “We still have another very important boy question on the agenda. Don’t think we’ve forgotten, fearless leader!”

Oh, shit.

“Oh, right!” said Lina. “Come on Jess, spill! What is up with you and Julian?”

Fu’s expression turned guarded, but she looked at Jessie with just as much interest as anyone.

“I mean,” said Jessie, “we were—”

“You were artifact hunter trainees together, blah blah,” said Fu. “You were young and free. The sun set over the jungle, and you talked dumb shit about rocks. Come on Bee-ho, tell us about now. He flies in, drops a certain artifact on the table—still sorry that got awkward, by the way—holds your precious knife hostage, and now what? He’s in your office five times a day? Are you ‘negotiating,’ or have y’all worked out some other arrangement?”

“Ladies… there’s really nothing to tell.”

“That’s not the question though, is it?” said Melody. “The question is, do you wish there were?”

All eyes were on Jessie. Her cheeks burned. The hell of it was, that was indeed the question. And she still didn’t know the answer. So instead, she raised her glass.

“To girls’ night,” she said. “I want to thank you all for inviting me. I would like to do this more often… and I’m picking up the tab.”

There was another moment of silence. Finally Fu clapped. “All right. All right, three cheers for Jess. Three cheers for girls’ night!”

Everyone else cheered, but Fu raised an eyebrow at Jessie after emptying her glass. She was taking her offer for the bribe it was, and she was definitely going to revisit that question on some future date.

Bless her… and damn her.

← [Previous] | [Next] →