Convergence - The Last Science #2.1 - In Plain Sight

B2: Chapter 2 - The Goddess of Kent - V

  Hailey dangled her legs off the roof of the White residence, which was the last name Jessica's parents had ended up with. Jessica was inside finishing off a late night snack, while her parents were presumably asleep elsewhere in the house. Rupert was long-gone, hopefully before either of the Silverdales had gotten home. They'd never noticed him yet, so Hailey wasn't too worried.

  "I really should introduce him though, before they just walk in on him one day," she mused.

  "So he's nice?"

  "Yeah."

  "He's so good looking, and studying to be a nurse, and that accent. How are you always so lucky?"

  "Didn't you hear? I'm a goddess now, apparently," Hailey said, laughing.

  She frowned, stealing a bit of Hailey's mirth. "They called me that, you know."

  "Yeah... They still do." Hailey sighed. "He's really nice. I think we might actually have something."

  "I'm really happy for you, Hailey."

  "Thanks, BB." Hailey laid back on the roof and stared at the sky. "I dunno. Still feels weird."

  "What?"

  "BB. Sounds weird to me. Is that really what I called you?"

  "Everyone did," Beverly replied quietly. She laid down too, but there was a foot of space between them. Any of her other friends and Hailey would be right next to them. If it were Jessica, they'd practically be cuddling. Something about Beverly always kept her at a slight remove. Hailey wasn't sure if it was Beverly keeping them apart, or herself.

  "Didn't like your real name?"

  "Something like that." Beverly smiled slightly. "I don't hate it so much anymore though. If you want, call me Beverly. Call me whatever you like, really."

  "Almighty Grey-eyes the Fearsome and Powerful?"

  "Okay, don't call me that."

  "You know I—" Hailey cut off as Beverly abruptly vanished without so much as a sound. She simply disappeared into thin air. She waited patiently, and after a few minutes Beverly returned, popping back into the same spot and laying down again as if nothing had happened. "I went out to Rallsburg tonight."

  "Oh." Beverly paused. "How are they doing?"

  "They're okay. Mostly just bored, I think." She hesitated, but she decided Beverly deserved to know. If they were gonna try to redo this whole friendship thing, they ought to do it right. "Cinza's pushing for us to start going out and finding people again. But not like they used to. She wants it to be more cooperative. More, I dunno... Aggressive, kinda?"

  "Oh." Beverly didn't say anything for a while, and neither did Hailey. They just stared at the break in the clouds above, where a few stars peeked through the grey. Beverly disappeared again, leaving Hailey alone for another few minutes. She was just about to get up when Beverly finally reappeared.

  "Twice in one night? That's new."

  "It's only going to get faster." Beverly laid down again. "I hope you guys are ready for it."

  "We're trying." Hailey shrugged. "We'd be trying more, but everyone's still scared. I don't blame them, either. Their first try went really, really badly."

  "I know," Beverly said quietly.

  "Do you have any ideas on what to do?"

  She shook her head. "I know what I have to do. Past that, I have no clue. It was never my job to figure it out, and now I have no idea whose it is."

  "Mine, I guess," Hailey murmured. "Mine, or Cinza's, or Josh's, or who knows? All of us, maybe."

  "Just not mine. I can't be that person."

  Hailey sighed. "We all know who that person is supposed to be."

  Beverly didn't respond to the implied question. Hailey waited in silence for a few minutes, but Beverly still wouldn't answer. Finally, she sat up again and summoned up a few blocks of air to help her walk back down to her window. Jessica was already curled up in their bed, waiting for Hailey to join her. "Night, BB. See you again next week?"

  Beverly nodded. "Yeah. See you then."