Private Finished Three Days Later

It was not the answer he wanted to hear, but if Jude was being honest with himself, he couldn't even imagine a version of Xavier's answer that would have really satisfied him. No matter what he said, his actions wouldn't have changed. He still would have lied to Jude. He still would have put the safety of a racist wannabe murderer over the lives of every demon on the island. He still would have lied to the police to protect someone who'd tried to commit a hate crime.

He was angry. He was so angry and all of Gyan's lessons about meditation weren't helping at all. He couldn't stop being angry. He couldn't stop thinking about what Alma would be like if it had been her rather than Chloe who'd had the bucket dumped on her...

In that moment he envied Alexis so, so much. He could just turn it off. Could handle things-
Why couldn't he do that? He could modify his past memories. But why did it have to be limited to his long term memories? Why not process things as they were happening?

Jude reached up, pressing his palm flat to his chest as he forced himself to take deep breaths before he did something he'd regret. And then, working live, he started to peel the emotional layer out of his short term memories.

The effect would be visible as the tension eased out of Jude's shoulder, his body relaxing. It took maybe thirty seconds for him to be back to normal, although he was far less expressive. He just had to keep doing it. Had to keep not caring.

Because if he didn't, there was a very good chance he was going to strangle Xavier where he sat.

He took another deep long breath, and then he said his piece.

"You're right, Xavier. You are an idiot. Every single part of this entire situation is your fault. Chloe's paranoia is your fault. Your sister nearly dying is your fault. Every demon in the entire school's fear is your fault. My anger is your fault. Xarrah's guilt is your fault.

"You have been, in the last week, presented with a dozen different ways you could have solved this situation. You could have declined the prank. You could have told the school when you realized. You could have told the cops when they came knocking. You could have told me when I came to ask. But you didn't. Instead, you were a coward who hurt every single person around you, and you show no signs of stopping.

"I can't change what you do. I can't change your actions. But I can change mine. So I'm leaving. We aren't friends anymore. You're nothing to me, and if you ever considered us friends at all, you'll leave me be."

Jude's eyes slid over to Gabe.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do or not do. But I'll be waiting in that little park we passed on our way here, either way."

He gave only a brief nod before turning back to Xavier for what was, in Jude's mind, the very last time.

"Chi ha fatto il mala, faccia la penitenza."

And with that, Jude turned, heading away from the poor lost mermaid.