Chapter 15

Ariel sat on her bed, poking at her ribs in wonder. Can we make our own runes? Are there humans with magic? Other than healing and transformative, what magic can he do? The runes had a versatile list, but I don't know if they're the same.

Knock, knock.

"I remembered a towel, but I forgot to bring the clothes I bought today." Jade peeked into her room, holding onto the towel around his waist as his hair dripped onto the floor.

"Want me to grab it?" She glanced at him and looked away immediately. "Or you can run by and change upstairs while I look over there." She held her hand up to block her sight and turned away.

He rushed past, and she could hear the rustling of clothes before he came back down. "On this note, how does laundry work here?" He held up his pile.

"You can leave it in the bin, and I'll get to it tomorrow." She pointed at the tall, white bin with holes all around it.

"Teach me, and I can help with it." Jade tossed them in the bin and sat beside her on her bed.

"Ah, don't leave your hair so wet."

"I tried to use the towel, but it only works so well. I usually air dry."

Ariel rushed over to the bathroom, grabbed a hair dryer, and came back with it in hand. "This is a hair drier." She plugged it in and held it in front of him. "Flick this switch to turn it on after you plug it in, and hold here if you want cool air instead of hot air." She sat on the bed on her feet behind him. "I only use it a bit for drying so it's not dripping wet, otherwise it'd take too long." She ran her hands through his wet, silky hair as she used the dryer.

"Wind in your hands, and it's not magic." Jade chuckled. "Humans have all sorts of inventions."

"Indeed, we do."

"With most of our technology, we have to use magic or runes to assist with it."

"I guess our societies advanced differently because of a lack of magic."

Jade's shoulder slouched and eyes closed as he sighed. "I swear, I could fall asleep right here."

"I don't really mind, but I don't think I could move you to your bed."

"If it happens, and you want your bed back, just roll me off; I'll be fine." Jade yawned. "Anyway, am I able to borrow a library card? I went to the library today, but since I don't have an ID card, I can't fill out the form to get one so I can borrow books. I spent a long time reading there, but it'd be nice to take it home. I suppose I could use magic to sway the woman into helping me with it, but I'd rather avoid that."

"Sway? Do you have some sort of magic that lets you manipulate people?" Now that sounds dangerous.

"It's taxing to use, and frowned upon in my world, but it is possible. I don't think a library card is enough to make me use it."

"Agreed. You can borrow mine."

"Is that allowed?"

Ariel shrugged. "No idea, but I doubt anyone would care. Easier to use that than figure out how to get you one of your own. You can use the self checkout spot and no one will notice."

"Well, maybe the woman who helped me while there. She knows I don't have a card."

"If you're talking about who I think you're talking about, she's busy most of the time. Lie low, and she won't notice."

"If you're not busy tomorrow, would you go to the library with me?"

Ariel's heart skipped a beat. "S-sure." Stupid heart. He's asking for help, not for a date; don't react like that. She turned the dryer off and rubbed her shoulder. "It's not completely dry, but it's better."

"Thank you. Oh, I forgot to ask. Do you have school tomorrow? I don't know your schedule."

Ariel pulled out her phone, open to a calendar app, and leaned over to show him. "This is how we separate days, weeks, and months. I go to school Monday to Friday, with Saturday and Sunday off."

Jade nodded as he looked at the calendar. "So, you have two days off?"

"Yup."

"And this thing."

"Oh, my phone? I guess it'd be good to get you one, but I'm not sure—"

"If it is money." Jade pulled out a wade of money with a clip around it. "Maybe this can be of some help."

Her eyes widened. Holy crap. How much is that? "I'm sure that could pay for a phone, a new wardrobe, and more, but we don't know how long you'll be here, so you might want to use it sparingly."

"I have a whole sack of gold coins, and selling one got me this much."

Ariel's jaw dropped. How is that possible? Is a gold coin worth that much? Can't say I ever paid attention to gold prices. "I guess you'll be good for a long while, but my comment still stands."

"If it comes down to it, I'll find a job that pays under the table, since I'm sure you all have some setup that would require an ID."

"If you're here that long, maybe we can claim you have amnesia, and then they might help. It's not like they can deport you to your home planet. Technically, your home is at war, so you'd qualify as a refugee, but again, the different planet thing comes into play."

"So complicated." Jade sighed. "I've used it a little at the library, but would you mind assisting me with the computer? I saw you had found information on runes, and it would be silly of me to constrain myself by only using the nearby library for information."

"Oh, sure."

Jade followed her upstairs, where she sat at the desk, and pulled a chair over beside hers from the table. "I must've looked like a toddler to her as I poked at it." Jade pointed at the keyboard.

"I guess I should help you learn proper form and where all the keys are, too. There's this website with instructions and games to help."

"Computers seem to be everywhere, so I guess it's an important skill."

"Typing? Yes, it is."

The chair scrapped the floor as he scooched closer. "I'll do my best to pick it up fast, teacher." He smiled at her.

"Teacher?"

"Isn't that what you are to me? Teacher, friend..." He lightly touched her hand on the mouse. "Lifeline and saviour."

I'm so weak. Why does a little touch from him make my skin tingle? She swallowed hard and concentrated on looking for her Typing Teacher software from years ago.

"Don't worry; I'll teach you to cook and fight."

"I do know a bit about self defence, but it's hard when you're outnumbered and freeze in the moment." Conner must be ashamed that I can't defend myself when I need to.

"I may be able to help with that, too. One thing at a time, though."

"Oh, we should probably switch seats, so you can practice typing."

"If we're going for the most convenient while you teach me, we should sit together."

"Together?" Ariel chuckled. "Don't be silly; there's not enough space on the chair."

"Not what I meant." Jade smirked and stood with her. "But I suppose it would be too much to ask you to sit on my lap, even if only to help you teach me."

"Y-yeah, that's a bit much." Geez, who suggests that kind of thing? Especially to me.

"I figured it would be easier to teach me. You are on the small side, so it would be easy for someone like me to see around you."

"Jade."

"Yes?"

"Quit teasing me, or I'll leave you here to learn on your own."

"Teasing you is fun, but I guess I'll back off for now." He smiled at her, and she averted her gaze, her eyes trained on the screen. "I wouldn't want you running away; I'd like to learn."

"And that's what we'll do." Assuming I can stand being in super-close proximity for long enough.