Chapter 3
Jesse
I’ve always loved this feeling. The feeling of the power of the engine beneath us as the wind runs over me. I could tell Genji was feeling the same way as every time I sped up I could feel his grip on my shoulder get tighter. I could imagine the grin on his face right now. Genji’s always been one for adrenaline, that why he taught the younger kids parkour in their gymnastics lessons. The kids always loved watching him fly through the air over obstacles.
I always wondered how he learned to do that. Well, being a Shimiada probably comes with some level of self-defence but parkour wasn’t exactly a thing most kids knew. Not that it hadn’t come in handy a few times breaking in and out of places after hours.
The drive home from school didn’t take long. As we pulled into our road I could immediately tell that Fareeha had just gotten home from her school because the door was still open. We didn’t live in a big house but it was nicer than most of the foster places I’ve been to. It was a two story house with bare bricks, classic suburban style housing. I pulled up alongside the garage and asked Genji to get off and open the door, but before I got on answer I was greeted by cheers of delight.
“Jesse, that was amazing! You have to teach me how to ride this thing!” he yelled, taking off the helmet “you think my father will let me get one?”
I laughed back at him, removing my own helmet “Genji, I’m surprised your dad even let you outside th’ house”
“Good point” he moved over to the garage door as I walked it inside.
Suddenly I heard footsteps run though the house, sprinting towards us. Genji panicked and turned his head but before i could explain a figure came bursting through the door that connects the house to garage. The figure tackled me to the ground and I felt my back hit the hard concrete floor.
“Jesse!” called Genji, raising his hand in preparation to throw the attacker off of me
“Now hold on there!” I called “you two ain’t been formally introduced yet”
I stood up with the ‘attacker’ in my arms.
“Genji, I’d like you to meet my little sister Fareeha Amari. Fareeha, this is Genji”
Fareeha jumped out of my arms and greeted Genji, embarrassed about what just happened “sorry for scaring you, I forgot you’d be coming”
Genji bowed his head a little in greeting “hajimemashite Fareeha, and don’t worry about it. I should’ve have figured it was you based on how much Jesse talks about you”
“Really!?” she responded, her face turned red “What has he been saying!”
Genji gave me a playful look “nothing serious, don’t worry about it”
Fareeha’s only 14 but she has the biggest crush on Angela, Genji’s lady-friend. I told him a few weeks ago but Angela doesn’t know.
“Don’t give me that!” she cried angrily “what did he say?”
Genji crouched down onto her eyes level “well he says you have a very impressive model plane you’re working on, can I see it?”
“Sure!” Fareeha chimed “it’s in the living room, follow me”
We walked into the living room with Fareeha talking to Genji about planes and how difficult it was to find the primer for her paint. Genji obviously didn’t understand a word of it but kept asking Fareeha about the model and the paint occasionally chiming in with “wow, you must be really good at this!” Genji’s always been good with kids and Fareeha was no exception, he always knew what kind of stuff to say to make them feel like grown-ups so they always trusted him.
Once we got into the living room she showed him the model. I have to admit, it was pretty impressive. The whole thing was about 4 feet long and it stretched along the floor in front of the TV. Next to the model I saw the laptop open like she’d been using it recently.
“Hey sis’, has Mom called yet?”
“Yeah you just missed her, I didn’t think she was gonna call today but I was at home and the laptop starting ringing for a Skype call. I pulled it over to the plane so I could do that and talk to her at the same time.”
“Ah okay then.” I said “She on a deployment yet or not?”
“Nah, her squad’s next mission isn’t till tonight, so she’s free for now”
I was about to ask something but Genji quickly interrupted “Could I quickly go upstairs to change for tonight? I’ve got some clothes in my school bag but I’ll probably need to borrow a belt or something.”
“Yea no problem big fella’.” I replied “There’s probably one in the draw on the left in my room; y’know where it is, right?”
“Yeah I know, thanks.” he dashed up the stair and into my room.
I turned back to Fareeha and she was looking at me quizzically
“Soo… how are Genji and Angela?”
I laughed “It’s not gonna happen darlin’. Hell’ll freezer over before those two spilt up, sorry.”
“Can’t hate a girl for trying, right?” she threw her hands up in defence
“Guess not. Speaking o’ couples, has Jack popped the question yet?”
Fareeha rolled her eyes “Nah, he’s too sacred. I think he’s gonna wait till they get home.”
Jack and Gabriel our mom’s squad mates and they’ve been dating for a few years now. A recently they moved in together and Jacks been waiting to ask Gabe to marry him ever since.
“That guy’s gotta learn t’ grow a spine, he already knows that Gabe’ll say yes, what’s he waitin for?”
“Maybe he just wants it to be romantic.” she said with a cheery grin
“Somethin’ tells me Gabe isn’t the romantic type.” I laughed
At that moment, Genji down the stairs in his party clothes. He wore black skinny jeans with a green tight fitting shirt that complimented his figure very well. On top of the shirt however he wore a silver light hoodie with Japanese symbols along the front. Overall he looked pretty good, but his hair still needed some work. It looks like he’d just been thrown into a bush.
“I am done!” he declared
“No you’re not.”
He looked at me confused “What do you mean?”
I rolled my eyes “Fareeha, help the guy out with his hair will ya? I’m gonna go put on some better clothes.”
As I walked always I could hear Genji’s moaning. “What’s wrong with my hair!?” he called
“Sooo much, just sit down and I’ll sort it out.” Fareeha chimed
I chuckled to myself as I walked up the stairs and into my room, or, the room that I called mine. As much as I loved this place it still didn’t feel like home yet. I referred to it as my place but I don’t feel, y’know, connected to it yet.
I walked into my room and closed the door so I had some privacy. I still couldn’t tell these people who my family were. Not that I think they’d judge me, but I just don’t want to be treated the same way Genji does. His family is right in his name. Everyone knows who he is as soon as they hear 'Genji Shimada'. They know to keep their distance, they know to respect him or else and he hates it. He’s learned to live with who he is and has his own personal mission to ‘earn his honour back!’ but that kinda stuff just don’t work for me. I still had to keep secrets.
I opened my wallet and brought out the key that I had hidden in one of the pockets. Then I reached into my draw and moved the clothes to one side so that I could see the safe box hidden beneath them. I placed the key into the keyhole and turned it until I heard the familiar clicking sound and opened the box.
I looked inside the box and breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was still there.
Inside the box were my emergency supplies in case my mother and father decided they wanted their son back. $500 USD, a train pass, a cell phone, two weeks of rations and a bandanna to hide my face. Inside the bandanna was wrapped another two items, a fake ID and a glock-17 sidearm, courtesy of Mako Rutledge. That guy could get you anything, no questions asked, provided you could pay him enough.
Let’s just say there was a reason I ran away from home.
Suddenly, I hear the reminder on my phone go off, telling me to leave. I check the time and see that the party starts in just a few hours. I haven’t even gotten Lena a present yet.
I quickly put everything back into the box and locked it up again before quickly putting on a red t-shirt and jeans. I grabbed by leather jacket from the back of a chair and ran downstairs to Genji and Fareeha.
“Alright, I’m good to go! You comin’ Genji?”
He turned around towards me “Leaving already?”
“Yeah, with or without you, so c’mon!” I laughed
Genji stood and thanked Fareeha for fixing his hair, “Arigato gozaimas!” Then he turned to follow me into the garage. As we were leaving I called out to Fareeha.
“Don’ worry about cooking for two tonight, I’ll eat at the party!”
“Who says I won’t have a boyfriend over and give your food to him?”
“Boyfriend? You? That’s cute.”
Before she could reply, I closed the door and entered the garage with Genji right behind me. “Get the door will ya’?” I called as I climbed onto the bike and started the engine.
He nodded and opened the door before picking up his custom helmet from the table he left it on earlier. He admired it for a moment before putting it on and passing me mine.
“I definitely like this helmet”
“You’re welcome.” I put on my helmet “Now get on the damn bike.” I laughed as Genji climbed onto the back of the bike and the hum of the engine filled the room.