Jo didn’t even breathe before rearing back and slapping him across the back of the head, something she used to do (with far less force) whenever he was acting stupid. His headphones didn’t fly off, though, and he didn’t turn towards her with a shout and a crude gesture. In fact, Jo was pretty sure the action hurt her more than it hurt him. Deep down, though, she hoped she could at least give him a weird, unexplainedheadache.
If she knew how to use her blasted watch and time and magic, she could appear before him. She could be like some Latina ghost of Christmas Present wielding a “what do you think you’re doing”chancleta. But watching him obliviously race down the same rabbit hole that had gotten him killed the first time? That was the last straw. Something she couldn’t quite describe broke at theidea.
“Take me back,” Jo whispered, suddenly too tired to even believe the door would appear to her if she tried. When Wayne didn’t immediately respond, she turned towards him more completely, eyes pleading. “Take me home.Please.”
For a long moment, Wayne looked as if he was trying to figure out what to say. An apology maybe. Or some kind of comfort. But in the end, he did as told, leading her back to the Society without aword.
Chapter 10
Ready, Aim, Fire!
IT HAD BEENa whole day since she’d last left her room in theSociety.
At least, Jo thought it had been a day. She hadn’t turtled like this in quite some time. The hours washed over her like the one stone they couldn’t erode. Her anger was just as present as it had been when she’d left Yuusuke’sapartment.
She’d wished to save his life, and her family’s. But her mom seemed in no better shape—if anything, worse—without Jo’s monthly stipend deposited into her account. And Yuu was headed right toward failure with all the determination of a high-speedrail.
What was the point of her wish? What was the point of her even beinghere?
A knock on the door startled Jo from her thoughts. She twisted her head, looking dully at the offending portal. Didn’t everyone know that she was too busy sulking and feeling sorry for herself toentertain?
Another knock signified that her self-pity was officiallyover.
“Come in,” Jo called out. After a brief pause that seemed almost hesitant, Jo watched the knob turn and the door creakopen.
“Jo?” Takako peeked around it, taking a cautious step into her room once she caught sight of her. “Wayne said you’d come back here after seeing your family, and no one else has mentioned seeing you for two days,” she said, as if trying to explain herpresence.
“So, it’s been two days, huh?” Jo mumbled. She sat and massaged the stiffness from her shoulders. “I guess I really don’t need to eatanymore.”
“No, youdon’t.”
Takako’s matter-of-fact manner brought a small smile to Jo’s lips, one she quickly abandoned. “So, what’sup?”
“Wayne said you were prettyupset.”
“I don’t need taking care of,” Jo huffed, even though her actions screamed to the contrary. “And I certainly don’t need Wayne spreading my personalbusiness.”
“All he said was that you visited family and that you were upset. We don’t really pry when it comes to past lives.” To Jo’s surprise, Takako laughed—a soft breath of sound—but enough for Jo to hear. When she glanced back at the other woman, she was smirking, a subtle, barely-there tilt at the corner of her mouth. “And I’m sure you don’t need ‘taking care of.’ Even if you did, that’s more Nico’sthing.”
“All right then. What’s yourthing?”
“Well,” Takako said, shoving her hands in her pockets. “I figured you might want to let off somesteam.”
“What might that entail?” Jo already knew it would involve finally leaving her bedroom. It was way pasttime.
Takako just gave a nod of her head and strode out the door, leaving Jo to disentangle herself from the cocoon of sheets. At the sound of Jo’s door closing, Takako glimpsed over her shoulder, as if to make sure Jo was stillfollowing.
When they got to the Four-Way, Takako led her straight across, where Wayne had pointed out the recreation rooms. There hadn’t been much detail offered on her tour, so Jo’s old curiosity perked up right away at the possibility for newinformation.
They stopped in front of one of two rooms positioned across from each other. Further down the hall, Jo spotted a solid black door to the left, and one in white at the very end. Neither had nameplates. At least, she thought neither of them did. They were so far away that she could make out little other than theircolor.
Before Jo could ask about the mysterious black and white rooms, however, Takako was pulling her smartphone out of her pocket and placing it on a small, gold shelf next to the door in front ofthem.
“We have to leave our watches outside?” Jo asked, involuntarily reaching for her ownwrist.
“Don’t bother.” Takako stopped her from taking off her wristband. “No one can touch another person’s watch. And once yours is on the shelf, no one can alter that recreation roomeither.”
Eyeing Takako’s smartphone, Jo asked, “What do you mean no one else can ‘alter’ it? Use it, you mean? Like a sock on thedoor?”
