Being a Teenager Is Hard

"...Are you sure about this?" came the deep, smooth voice of Callum Castor. He stood with his arms crossed, looking down at the small girl in front of him.

Gemma Castor was quiet for a moment before nodding, avoiding eye contact with her bigger brother. "Yeah, I'm sure." The two stood beneath a large tree off the side of the path that led to the Castors' houses a small ways outside the city. The area around the path was sparsely wooded, but it still managed to shield most of their home from view at this distance.

"Look at me, Gemma," Callum said, and his little sister complied. "Remember what I told you, okay? Not everyone has a cozy life like we do. You have to be considerate if you want to get anywhere with the people here."

Gemma nodded again and went to say something, but Callum looked up and over her head. "Someone's coming. I'll see you back at the house, okay? I'll make you something."

Callum unfolded his arms and turned to head up the path, and after a moment Gemma lifted her hand up to wave. With that, she turned to see who it was that Callum sensed. She had sent a text to Tomomi earlier on Nova's phone, giving her a quick apology and asking if she'd come meet her so they could talk. She'd even included a set of directions to where she was standing now; Gemma hoped Tomo hadn't gotten lost. The sight of the heavily clouded sky made her a little nervous, so she'd brought two umbrellas just in case it started to rain on them.

Her talk with Callum managed to calm her down a bit, but not completely. Gemma's tail fidgeted and swayed as she waited, and she discreetly wiped her clammy hands on her dress with half hopes that no one would see.

Gemma had felt guilty ever since Tomo left the community center after their confrontation. She still had things she wanted to say--and more things she wanted to say now that it was over--and she was just glad Tomo hadn't bailed on her or outright refused to meet up. She'd never been sure just how Tomo felt about her; with all Tomo's teasing, she had wondered a lot whether she was just another person to pick on to her.

She didn't get very far with her thoughts before Tomo stopped nearby. Fiddling with one of the umbrellas hooked on her wrist, she nodded. "Um--yeah, I did..." For a moment she was silent, trying to figure out how to word what was running through her mind. She had been having trouble with that the past few weeks.

"I'm sorry for what happened at the community center," she started off slowly. "I shouldn't have called you out like that in front of everyone; it was rude of me, because then everyone could just jump in on what should've been private--like this." Her long tail fidgeted and swayed a little.

She felt almost stupid standing here, unable to keep track of what she was saying or even think of what was coming next before it slipped her mind. Would Tomo even listen to her? Or would she just tune it all out until Gemma was finished blabbering on and just say 'okay' or something and leave? Talking with people was hard. It was hard sharing her feelings--most of the time she just didn't say anything because even she couldn't figure out what was going through her head. How could anyone else even hope to understand her feelings if she couldn't do it herself?

"I--I wanted to say that I don't hate you, or anything, Tomo. Really. I just wanna be your friend, but I can never tell if you like me or not...I mean yeah you tease and pick on everyone, it's just I don't know if you're trying to be nice or mean or what and I'm just really confused. I didn't mean to make you think I don't like you. I just...don't know. Things have been weird lately, but I don't want to mess things up even more."

Gemma blinked, listening to Tomo's defeated words with a baffled expression. What had happened to Tomo? The Tomo who was so self-confident that these sorts of words would never ever even come to mind? Were things really worse than she thought--? Just how much had Gemma been missing out on with all her friends? Shiro was acting weird and awkward and depressed, Tomo was talking like she was going to kill herself soon, and even Tadashi had wandered from his sweet big-brother personality to something just...strange.

Did growing up really mean having to give up happiness?

Callum hadn't prepared her for this. Gemma thought she'd have to deal with an angry, closed-off bakeneko, not...She was confused, and she just wanted to help Tomo even if they has misunderstood each other.

Gemma said softly, "You don't have to deal with that weirdness alone. I know we aren't super close, but--but I care about you, you know? I don't want to feel so closed off from you guys anymore. I want to be around you, and I wanna help."

"I don't even mind if you tease people a lot, I just...wanted to know if you really hated me or not. And I'm okay, now that I know I didn't do anything wrong, I think."

"So, just...what's going on, Tomo?"

Gemma was once again filled with confusion when Tomo started to laugh. Had she said something funny? A cut pun slipped into her speech? It wasn't often that she got laughed at--oh. Tomo must've thought her situation was too horrible and convoluted for her, right? This wasn't the first time.

"I grew up on this island, Tomo, and I've heard a lot of stuff. I've met a lotta people who've done bad things before and I don't think any differently of them for their pasts 'cause I know what they did can't be changed." She didn't think much could shock her at this point, other than what had happened with Shiro (but maybe that shouldn't shock her too much either).

Her tail swayed lightly, her ear twitching as she thought she could hear rain falling in another part of the city. Hopefully it would take its time in coming over here.

This was no time for bubbly smiles and laughter on her end, so Gemma's expression sobered, though her big bright eyes did little for her case. "So I'm ready for whatever you got to throw at me. I really wanna hear it."

Gemma knew people didn't like other people interjecting in their story to throw their opinions around like they were all-important--it was...dismissive. So she stayed quiet while Tomo told her story, tilting her head when the bakeneko displayed her missing fingers but not saying anything just yet.

There was no disgust or horror in her eyes, there was no urge to run away from her right now and block her number or something. There was only understanding, because Gemma could understand. She had known worse, werewolves and wendigos who were mass murderers and lust demons who had no one to teach them how to control their urges, and while yeah they were definitely worse than Tomo, it didn't erase the importance of her past. Her feelings were still very valid and Gemma didn't want to make her feel like they weren't or make her feel like she was the monster she insisted she was. Tomo had these feelings for a reason and a simple 'no you're not' wasn't going to fix that.

"I understand," she said softly again. "Maybe I wasn't the one who went through it, but I get why you did what you did. There was a reason for all of it; there's always a reason. What you went through was horrible and that's never gonna change, but that doesn't have to define you. You've changed since then; you even said you don't kill people anymore, and I haven't heard you putting more people in wheelchairs since you got here. That's a really good thing."

"I think you can change, Tomo. If you want to change even a little bit, that's all that matters. I believe in you." She gave her a soft smile. Gemma didn't think Tomo was a bad person, even after she'd heard about her past. She didn't think Tomo really wanted to be a monster, and if she could help her come to terms with her past then she was going to stick right by her until she could.

Gemma wasn't going to run away from her friend; she was no fraidy cat.