Chapter 5 - To Forget

Chapter Five: To Forget

It was a little after eleven on Sunday morning when Trixie walked through the front door of her home. She sighed as she dropped her house keys on the table next to the door and walked up the stairs to her room. As soon as she made it to her room she began stripping off her clothes and looking for something to wear for the day as she prepared to take a bath.

Once in her own bathroom, she ran herself a bubble bath. She was about to take off the necklace that Spud had given her before she remembered that he asked her to never take it off and so she left it on before she slowly eased herself into the hot water. It felt good and inviting against the now sore areas of her body and skin as she relaxed her head against the wall and closed her eyes.

Unbidden tears slipped down her cheeks as she thought about the night before. Trixie had always imagined that Spud would be her first. Though she didn''t act like it a lot of teh time, she did care for him, and she knew Spud knew that. But what she couldn''t understand was why she had woken up alone and why there was no sign of Spud even being in the room? Why would he slip away in the middle of the night like that? As if she was just anyone and not the woman he had claimed to love?

Trixie held herself tightly as more tears fell from her eyes and into the water that surrounded her. She didn''t want to feel this way, like Spud had lied to her. There was an explanation, she knew it. There just had to be. So with that in mind Trixie finished her bath and got dressed. She then grabbed the house phone. She paced as she speed dialed Spud''s cell number only to discover it was disconnect, which wasn''t a surprise as he often forgot to pay his bill, no matter how much he was reminded to pay it on time. She would have called his house, but most likely his sister, Johanna would have picked up and Trixie didn''t feel like dealing with her today. So Trixie jumped onto her unmade bed before rolling over onto her back and dialing up Jake.

Jake was out training with his grandfather and Fu Dog near the Giant Village. They were on a break and Jake found himself under the shade of a tree when his cell phone rung. “Hello?”

“Hey, Jake. It''s me,” she began. “What you up to?” she asked.

Jake looked to his watch. “You know me, I''m doing my Am-drag thing. My break is almost over, so did you need anything?”

“I was just wondering if you''ve heard from Spud?” she asked casually.

“Why are you asking me?” he inquired, his tone now different. “Weren''t you guys together all day yesterday. . . and all night too?” Trixie made a curious face as Jake''s voice almost sounded as if he was accusing her of something. Jake realizing the same thing, cleared his throat and began again. “Look, what I meant was. . . shoot,” he whispered to himself. “That came out wrong,” he told her. “But no, I haven''t heard from Spud,” he finally answered his question.

“Jake, break time is over!” Jake heard Lao Shi calling for him.

“I gotta go, Trixie. I''ll see you tomorrow, alright?” Jake stood up and dusted his pants off with his free hand.

“Yeah, tomorrow,” Trixie responded before hanging up the phone.

“Jake!” yelled Lao Shi.

“Yo chill, gramps. I''m coming,” Jake told him as he ran over to him and Fu Dog transforming into his dragon form as he did do. He had abandoned his ''Dragon up'' battle-cry years ago.

“I will not ''chill'',” Lao Shi began agitated before covering his hand over his mouth and coughing heavily. “You are still young and have much to learn.”

Jake looked with concern felt eyes at his aging grandfather. “I know.” Jake gave a small bow. “Please, I am ready to learn,” he made clear.

“So Jake,” yelled out Fu Dog, removing his shades as rested in a lawn chair, sipping on some fruity looking drink. “So who were you on the phone with, one of your many female admirers.” Fu Dog waggled his eyebrow.

“Nope,” Jake sighed as he got into the last fight stance he was in before the break. “Just Trixie wondering if I''ve seen Spud.”

“That Trixie, she''s one hell of a girl, that one. A keeper in my book.” Fu Dog replaced his shades. “But why is she looking for a potato?”

“Ha ha, very funny, Fu,” Jake said sarcastically before beginning up his training with Lao Shi again.
OoOoO

It was Monday morning and Trixie was just finishing up an egg sandwich she had made herself as she grabbed her book bag and headed towards the front door to head to school. As she swung the door opened and looked outside she stopped in her tracks. Spud who had always walked her to school wasn''t sitting on her porch waiting for her. Trixie checked the time, this was the normal time she usually came out.

She then locked the door behind before taking a few steps down and looking around to see if he was on his way. Where is that boy? she thought before deciding to take a sit and wait for Spud to show up. Then as one minute turned into five and five into ten, Trixie slowly stood. Realizing he wasn''t coming, she began walking to school by herself before she missed the bell for her first class.

Jake was already at school talking to people outside of the the entrance as he did every morning as he waited for Spud and Trixie. That particular morning, he rain into Alex, the guy which the so not subtle crush on Trixie. “Hi, man,” Jake began as Alex approached him. “I just want to apologize again for Friday and Spud''s surprise birthday party being canceled so last minute.” Alex looked at him curiously and was about to say something, but Jake began again. “But trust, I know my girl, Trix, is so going to hook me up when my birthday rolls around this summer. So considered yourself invited,” he told him.

“Yeah man, that''s great. I''ll so be there,” Alex told him as the first bell rung within the school''s halls. “But I think you may got be mixed up with someone else,” he started towards the school. “I don''t know anyone named Spud,” he informed Jake before disappearing with a crowd of students heading inside.

Jake was confused about Alex''s comment and was about to go after him to ask him about it when he saw Trixie walking towards the school by herself. Jake raised an eyebrow, he couldn''t clearly remember the last time that had happened or if it had ever happened at all. “Where''s Spud?” he asked when she was within earshot.

Trixie merely shrugged her shoulders at the question. “Come on, we''re already late,” she stated flatly before she too headed inside.

The two friends, due to their schedules for the day didn''t see each other again until lunch. “Jake!” Trixie rushed over to him, when she saw him sitting down at their normal table, looking as if he had been waiting for her. “There''s something really weird going,” she told him as she sat across from him.

“You''ve notice it to, huh? Good, because I thought I was going crazy,” he told her.

“No one seems to remember Spud,” she said worriedly. “Everytime I bring him up, people ask me who he is.”

“I know,” Jake shook his head. “The two classes we have together before lunch – neither teacher called his namel. Like he was never enrolled in the first place.”

“I don''t like this, Jakey.” She looked around suspiciously. “This isn''t right. What do we do?”

Jake stood up. “To the roof,” was all he said as he walked around the table and out to the stair case with Trixie right on his heels.

“What can we possibly do on the roof, Jake,” she asked as they opened the door and stepped outside. Trixie watched as Jake made his way over to the edge.

Jake looked down at the distance to the ground from where he stood. “Do you trust me?” he asked Trixie before turning to look at her.

Trixie looked at him for a moment. “Of course,” she said unsurely not sure where he was going with such a question.

“Then close your eyes and don''t open them until I say so.” Trixie brow furrowed at the instruction, but she followed them anyway.

A moment later, Trixie felt Jake behind her before feeling his arms around her body. “Jake?”

“Just don''t open your eyes. I know you don''t do heights and I can''t have you freakin'' out on me.” Trixie gave him a simple nod before she felt her feet leave the surface of the roof. She tensed up once she felt the rush of wind against her face. “Calm down. This is the quickest way to Spud''s place and back before our next class,” he explained as he made his way higher into the sky as to not be easily seen by those on the ground.

“If you drop me, Jake, I''ll kick your @$$ from here to California. You hear me?” She threatened, but Jake didn''t think much of it as he felt her hands tighten on his arms.

“Don''t worry, Trixie. I''d never let you fall,” he reassured her as Spud''s house came into his view and he allowed his wing to glide them towards the ground. They landed in an alleyway before Jake transformed back into his human form. The two of them made there way across the street to Spud''s home. They walked up the porch stairs and knocked on the door, but no one answered.

Trixie leaned over to look inside of the window. “Everything looks normal,” she informed Jake. “Everything is where is was the last time we were here.” She turned back to Jake. “Now what?” she asked.

Jake took a step back from the door before looking around to make sure no one was around. “We go inside,” he suggested.

“Hell no,” Trixie protested as Jake brought out his claws. “That''s breaking and entering! As in jail time!”

“Then what do you want us to then?” he asked angrily. “Just go on about our lives as if Spud never existed?”

“That''s exactly what you should do.” Trixie and Jake were startled by the voice behind them. They turned around to see Johanna behind them carrying a grocery bag. She walked up the stairs as she shook her head in a disappointed manner. “Damn my brother,” she began. “I told him to leave you two out of it.” She then grabbed onto the collar of Jake''s shirt.

“Hey!” he yelled out as she yanked it down revealing the necklace around his neck.

“The Jewel of Eskaw,” Johanna whispered. “I should have known he would protect you in this world and in ours.”

“In your world?” Trixie spoke. “What does that mean?” she asked curiously.

Johanna then turned to Trixie. “I guess you have one too then.” She went to look at the jewel around Trixie''s neck, but as soon as their skin touched, Johanna pulled her hand away as if she had been burned.

“What?” Trixie asked as her own hand went to her neck.

Johanna only smiled at her as she shook her head. “Nothing.” Johanna then pulled out her keys to unlock her door. “Now listen closely you two,” she spoke with her back to them, “since my brother, Arthur, did not. Even with one as skilled in our art as he is, what he must do is dangerous-”

“Dangerous?” Jake interrupted. “What kind of danger? Where is Spud?” he demanded to know.

Johanna continued as if she hadn''t been cut off. “-chances are. . . he isn''t coming back,” she lowered her head, her voice breaking. “He should have spared you of his memories. A luxury I wish I had.” She then stepped into her home placing her bag on the floor. Her eyes glistened with unshared tears as she looked at the teenagers before her. “It would be best if you forgot him and seek us no more,” with that said she closed the door on them.

Jake and Trixie looked at each other, wondering, after what they had just learned and having so many more questions to ask, how Johanna could possibly think, that when it came to Spud, they could do something as difficult as . . . to forget.

To Be Continued. . .

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