Teaser: Jade has a bittersweet realization about her Crush on Megabyte

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December 31st, 2001, 10:30pm
The Ship

Megabyte stood there staring at me, wondering what was going on, not saying a word, but suspicions were running through his mind.

I stood in front of Megabyte, feeling awkward, shifting my weight from foot to foot.

A sudden impulse overtook me as I tried to act coy, and girlish toward Megabyte, in another attempt to gain his attention. I was dressed in a nice silk blouse, and a miniskirt, which I hoped, showed off my legs. Megabyte noticed this, sighed, rolling his eyes, and with an exeperasated glance, growled in frustration.

"Grow. up. Jade! Get it through your head, I do NOT like you the way you like me.", were Megabyte's hurtful words, that rang in my ears, like a downpour of ice-cold water. His eyes were glinting with frustration. He continued relentlessly. "I'm sorry to say it this way, but I've had enough!"

I blinked rapidly, holding back tears. My throat choked up tightly, and my lip started to quiver. Megabyte stared at me resolutely, not budging, stoic lines marring his face. Oh God, how dare he?! After all I've tried to do to impress him, even dressing up as a grownup! What more does he want? ~ I glared at him in mounting anger, written across my whole body, stiff with outrage.

I turned around rapidly, without another word, and vanished.

Megabyte watched helplessly as I vanished in a static burst that seemed to linger in sullen red energy.

Megabyte's last thought was of concern, and embarrassment at his outburst. How could he know that she felt so deeply for him? He had always somewhat known that she liked him, but he had always seen her as a little kid, like a little sister. "Oh damn." He sought out Jade's mental presence to find her. To his sudden surprise, he couldn't find a trace of her. "Jade?" [ JADE?! Where are you? ] His eyes clouded up with worry, dismay becoming apparent in his body language. "I hope I didn't hurt her too much..."

A burst of crackling red static exploded into the chilly evening air. Fuming, I strode blindly toward home, unseeing anything around me. Somehow I made it into my room, when my anger drained out of me. Maybe...I was just expecting too much. It hurt. It hurt a lot. I curled up on my bed, tears staining the pillow. Damn Megabyte.

Megabye grew frantic at the silence that usually accompanied her usual presence. Now it was as if there was a blank spot. Wild thoughts ran through his mind, thoughts of where she could have gone.

At last, one answer seemed to stick out. "Home."

Without another thought, he concentrated, vanishing in a static white burst, that illuminated the Ship for a mere moment, then left the Inner Chamber empty, and dim, other than the Central Core's Light.

Bursting into my bedroom a few minutes earlier, I now marveled at the back of my mind that I hadn't woken anyone up. I had turned on my desk lamp to give off soft illumination. I sniffled softly, wiping my nose with my sleeve, still sullen. Jesse leaned his head on my lap, whining softly, which brought a small smile to my face. Dependable Jesse. He could always make me smile, no matter what happened. I absent-mindedly petted Jesse's head, scritching behind the ears.

Damn Megabyte. Why did you have to be so gallant, and so much fun? Why couldn't you return my feelings? Maybe I just held on too long to this... I was just too blind...

A white implosion of light materialized near Jade's home. Megabyte scanned the surroundings frantically, seeking any trace of Jade. He gazed up at the dimly lit window that was her bedroom.

[ Jade! Are you up there? ]

His telepathic inquiry sent panic through my veins.

He mustn't know I'm here! I don't want to see him!

I strove to keep my shields as solid as I could make them.

[ Jade? I'm sorry....]

He's sorry? Who the hell do you think you are, anyways??

Megabyte strained his eyes, squinting at the window, trying to determine why Jade wasn't talking, since the lack of response was unsettling. That did nothing but to annoy him. "Alright! I'm coming up, if you don't like it, too bad. But I gotta talk to you...."

[ Jade! I'm coming up. I'm sorry if you're pissed, but I have to talk to you now. ], was his telepathic message, just before he teleported.

I widened my eyes slightly as he acidly sent his last message. Something inside me was reluctant to escape, and brood.

Megabyte appeared in a crescendo of white light, looking embarrassed, annoyed, and apologetic.

I sighed grumpily, "What do you want?", obviously in no mood to talk.

Megabyte exhaled heavily. "Jade. Listen to me. I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. I just ..."

I glared at him, at his hesitation. "Just...what?" My voice dripped with sarcasm, "Just being an ass?" Jesse started growling softly, as if he were picking up on my mood.

Megabyte hastened to explain. I turned a look on him, frostily.

"It's... like this... I have somewhat known that you were ...having feelings for me. For a while now. I've just been too uncomfortable, and didn't know how to tell you."

"Now...I know." Sadness crept into my voice, and a tear ran down my cheek.

Megabyte gazed at me with regret, regret that he couldn't return my feelings.

A realization slowly dawned. A bitter one. I knew He couldn't return my feelings, but I still.. loved him. Probing deeper within, and analyzing the bruised feelings, I discovered...I loved Megabyte...as he was. No more. No Less. Not a lover to be, but as a friend. Absent mindedly fondling Jesse's head, I glanced at Megabyte as if to say something. Jesse quietened to a soft whine, imperceptible to anyone but me.

Megabyte shifted from foot to foot, uncertain of what to say, or do. He simply stared at me, as if waiting.

"Megabyte... I..think I figured it out. I love you. As a friend. How could I be so stupid?"

His expression grew relieved yet tenative, full of compassion, and understanding. "It's alright, Jade. I've been blind to my emotions before."

I started to smile softly, then realized something.

"What time is it, Megabyte??" I exclaimed with mild alarm tinging my voice.

"Uhhh? Ship's Time?", Megabyte ventured hazily, "Nearly..Midnight?"

"We have to get to the Ship!" I scrambled to my feet in a flash.

"Why...? OH! It's...Okay!" He stood up next to me, closing his eyes.

Both of us concentrated on the Ship's Inner Chamber, vanishing in bright static bursts of light.

As we materialized into the Ship, the others were there. I waved toward Kevin, Ami, and Adam.

Ami walked forward and hugged me tenderly, whispering, "You okay, Jade?" I smiled softly, nodding slightly.

Kevin grinned at Megabyte, companionably.

Adam smiled, and gazed at his watch. "It's almost time, you guys!"

[ 5.....4......3......2......1, Happy New Years!! ], was our telepathic chorus to each other.

I looked around at each Tomorrow Person, and knew they would be friends, forever.

Happy New Years, to the folks in 2002!

[Fin]