Juniper bends over on the ground as she picks up one of Effy’s toys behind the sofa. She didn’t know why she kept it around, she was at an age where she was learning to let go of it. Dusting it off and handing it to the girl who was eager to ‘help’. “Effy, how does your stuff even end up under here?” She questioned her shaking her head.

“It just does. Can I help you clean?”

Her ‘help’ always ended up making a mess thrice as worse. She’d delegate her more often if she didn't accidentally spill stuff or throw perfectly usable utilities in the trash can.

“Can I sweep the floor, Juniper, pretty please?” she asked with a squeaky voice. Her eyes lit up like a furnace. Dancing around the broom like she was a little witch.

“I’d rather have you observe what I’m doing. Watch and learn kiddo” She said taking the broom away.

“You never let me do anything around you.” Effy bit the bottom of her lip dramatically, staring at her like she was a criminal. Well, she may as well have been one.

Her words hurt more than they should have. She really wanted to spend more time with her. But most days she didn’t have the emotional energy necessary. Now she had all this extra stuff to deal with. She barely got a breather from the death sentence that was handed out to her yesterday.

“Effy, it’s Only because you're like a ball of hyper-attractive chaos.” she moaned to the girl. “Let me do the grown-up stuff. You stick to being a kid.”

“bleh. “ Effy pulled her eyebags and stuck out her tongue in retaliation.

“Why don’t you sit with Remy for a while? You two do fun stuff all the time.”

“But, I want to spend time with you sister. We never get to do sister things. Besides he’s busy these with studying, and when he’s not studying he is doing ‘coding’ whatever that means.”

Juniper sighed. If there was more time in a day, she’d give Effy more attention. She’d hoped electronic devices would zap her attention but to no avail.

“Like what…did you have in mind.” she may as well have consorted with the devil by conceding.

She starts jumping on the sofa, Juniper restraining her by putting her down to sit, much like a spider, she twirls around her arms, and lands behind her neck. Shouts in her ear.

“There's a circus coming to the city next week, I wanna go. please..please..please..please…”

“A circus!?” She was confronted by a dilemma, remembering the boy she saved from the speeding truck. “It’s dangerous outside Effy, there are super bad guys, who’d– um, it’s just not safe okay?” she refrained from saying something obscene

.

“Stop treating me like I’m dumb, I know it’s a dangerous city. We’re taught safety protocols in school.” she started stretching strands of her, Jun, gritted her teeth in pain. “It’s not fair, Gemma’s parents let her go anywhere she wants.”

“Hhaaaah,” she moaned. Letting out an air of frustration. Trying to pluck her off. “ I’ll think about it.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Really?!”

“Yep. As long as you behave”

“Yippee.” Effy jumped off her neck, immediately resigned herself to her room. She couldn’t help but laugh at her joy, when was the last time she saw her genuinely happy.. Maybe she should do her best not to ruin this for her.

Juniper exhaled deeply as she moved other pieces of furniture.

[Energy+1: improved by learning the discipline of tidying up ]

[Attagirl You’re just doing some cardio, that’s all there is to it.] Syschan interjected.

“Do I need bullshit powers, if I could just train myself to become a peak human?” she asked, wiping sweat from her broom.

[Oh no no no, law of diminishing returns, you could only do so much fitness. Even olympiad strength will plateau, extraordinary conditions and situations are what you are looking for.] she dragged on.

She groaned. “Like what, being pummeled by a six-foot superhuman?”

[Yes.(≖⌣≖)]

“You are so wrong for making this inappropriate.”

There was a sudden knock on the door, making her freeze. Eight on the clock. Anxiety kicked in, she didn’t want to go see who it was. Who the fuck was at the door. It was barely 9 in the early morning, the sun had barely come out, and she wanted to take the day off, clean the apartment, and play some games. She doubted it was Kanako. She usually slept late, hopefully, it wasn’t Avaree again.

She grabbed the broom instinctively as a makeshift weapon, just in case it was someone looking for trouble. She’d sweep them away.

Opening the screeching door, peaking through slightly, she started panicking.

A girl with blond pigtails and black lipstick was staring her up... Though she appeared to be changing colors like a poisonous plant. It was Annemarie, the cashier girl who handed her a number and casually flirted with her. Dress in a stylish black outfit, she’d dare argue was gothic. Black lipstick, a frilly skirt, and knee-high pantyhose that had cute skull-like patterns on them. Her obsidian black boots seemed more like war armor than fashion-related wear.

She greets Juniper with a sultry smile. “Still kicking? You never contacted me. How rude of you?”

She was flustered, blushing like crazy. Her face heated. A cute girl was standing in front of her door. How did she know where I live?

“Um…how did you even find me?” Annemarie put her finger on her lips. “It’s a secret.”

Juniper gulps. She might be kinda dangerous.

“So…you wanna hang out with me?” her tone was innocent but their was the hint of a tease. “Come on you promised me… "Annemarie pouted, legs turning inwards. Tapping her two index fingers together. Her eyes enlarged.

“I uh…I don’t know, I’m kinda busy…”

“Come on…busy with what. ” she poked at her stomach.”Cleaning? That's so boring, I thought you were kinda a fun girl when I met you.”

Looks like some signals were misinterpreted.

“Well… I’m not dressed for ‘whatever’ it is what you wanted to do.”

“I don’t mind.” she shrugged, grinning like a lost cat.

Remy walked into the living room, his eyes going wide at the girl standing at the door, even his cheeks were flushed. She glared at him. A stare said. ‘Don’t gape.’

The sight of Annemarie left him gushing. He always had a thing for goths. He leaned forward a bit curious, stammering. “Uh… hi…you’re here for my sister?”

Annemarie, grabbed Juniper by the cheeks, “Yep, stealing her for a moment.”

“I–I can’t,” she muttered as her cheeks were in a hold. “I have things to do, this is so sudden–”

“It’s my only day off too,” Anne turned to her brother, making a face like she was ready to cry. “She promised me, and now she’s leaving me hanging.”

Juniper hesitates, glancing at her brother, clutching the broom in her hand. she didn’t want to leave them alone on a saturday morning, but…there was an inkling to get away for a moment.

Her brother nods to her, with a gaping mouth, waving her off. “Go you need it.”

“Are you sure you guys will be okay?”

“Yes, now go already!”

Juniper hesitated at the door, “This feels over hastened Annemarie, can’t we do this another day.”

“That’s the point, Juniper.” Annemarie adjusted the straps of her boots, clearly in no mood for delays. “Life waits for no one.”

This girl was So strange. WHat do you think sys-chan?

Syschan?

There was complete silence, her companion was not responding, she was on her own. The system itself, it worked. She wanted to check her stats if something was wrong but the girl dragged her away. “Come on, It’ll be fun.”