III

"Sienna!"

It only took about half a week for her new clothes to arrive at the house, and when they did, she took her sweet time collecting them. She still felt guilty about letting him waste his money on her, but she knew she couldn't wear the same clothes everyday. Eventually she'd start to smell like a sewer rat, and...well, who likes smelling like that?

Her eyes landed on the small stack of packages sitting at Jason's feet. They flickered from the packages to him, her brow arching. "Can I help you?"

Jason shrugged and closed the door behind him, returning to his seat at the kitchen table. Sienna huffed and bent down to pick up the packages. Her knees ached in protest. Just as she rose to her feet, Jason turned around, catching a glimpse of ink beneath his friend's shirt. "What the hell?"

"What?" Sienna replied, immediately stopping dead in her tracks. Her cheeks burned.

Her elder didn't respond. Instead he got up and carefully lifted her shirt, revealing the small, though colorful tattoo painted on her lower back. "What is this?"

"I don't have eyes in the back of my head, Jason."

"I don't have eyes in the back of my head, Jason." He mimicked, taking out his phone.

Sienna rolled her eyes and waited for him to take the stupid picture. "Are you done yet?"

"Are you done yet?"

Jason groaned as her elbow jabbed into his ribs.

"How did that feel?" She taunted, snatching the phone out of his hands.

Her breath hitched in her throat. The tattoo was that of a blossoming lotus surrounded by two koi fish serving as representatives of Pisces. While one pertained the traditional orange pigments, the other was black and white. They circled the lotus like wolves, though eternally trapped in place on Sienna's lower back; meanwhile the flower's colourful petals seemed to reach out, like hands reaching for the sky. Splashes of water encompassed the fish.

"The hell...?" Sienna muttered. "Why didn't Myst tell me?"

"Wait," Jason interrupted. "You slept with her?"

At last, Sienna shook herself out of her daze. "When did I say that?"

He followed her up the stairs. "You didn't have to."

The younger one dumped the pile of packages onto her bed and faced Jason. "What was it like?"

"I dunno. I don't remember anything after meeting her in the alley," Sienna sighed. "Why do you care?"

Jason grinned. "That's my girl."

Her cheeks flushed, and she finally shoved him out the door. "Wow."

"What?" He replied innocently, as she slammed the door on his face.

"Nothing."

~*~

"You didn't tell me I had a tattoo."

"Sienna."

"S**t," She muttered, hanging up on Myst. Her pajama pants brushed against the floor as she sleepily crossed the room to the door and opened it. "Welcome to McDonald's. How can I help you?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Are you hungry?"

"I guess," Sienna replied, rubbing her eyes. "Why?"

"Then get your shoes on, and let's go."

"Wait," Sienna called, scrambling for her sneakers. "Where are we going?"

There was no answer. Jason was already waiting for her in the car when she stepped outside; she climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut behind her, fumbling sluggishly with the seat belt. As soon as she was safely buckled in, Jason eased out of the driveway and out onto the road. Sienna contented herself with watching the scenery pass them by, though there wasn't much to see: just the trees and the houses, and the occasional store. But she would take the dark, quiet outskirts landscape over the city any day.

"So. Are you going to tell me where we're going?" She finally said, turning her head so she could see him.

Jason kept his eyes focused on the road. Sienna could just barely make out that ridiculous ghost of a smile on his lips. "You'll see."

She huffed and went back to staring out the window. At last they rolled into town, and Jason parked the car in the Dairy Queen parking lot. Sienna's brow furrowed. The lot was empty, save two or three of the employees' cars, and it was almost ten o'clock. They were bound to be closed. Why would he bring her all the way out here at this hour?

Then it hit her. "Dude, if you're trying to upstage Myst - "

Jason laughed as though that was the most absurd thing he'd ever heard. Sienna arced a brow and shook her head, unbuckling her seat belt. Jason did the same and climbed out of the car. The younger one followed him inside the restaurant and mumbled something under her breath before taking a seat in the corner. Jason glanced over his shoulders at the girl and faced the menu again.

A rather bored looking teen snapped her fingers. "Are you gonna order or what, buddy?"

Jason narrowed his eyes at the girl and ordered their food. Sienna watched from her spot in the corner and pressed her knees to her chest. It was hard to ignore the thundering of her heart against her ribs, but it only got worse when Jason returned. "The food should be here any minute."

She nodded and let her eyes wander over the ancient black and white photos hanging on the walls. As promised, the food arrived a few minutes later, along with two huge Blizzards. "I wasn't sure what you wanted, so I got you a chicken basket and a Blizzard."

Sienna eyed the tray suspiciously. "What kind of Blizzard?"

"Mint chocolate chip."

She warily unfurled her legs and reached for the box. Jason handed it to her, and for a brief moment, their hands met awkwardly. Sienna looked away and gratefully took the dinner from him. Meanwhile Jason picked up his Blizzard and began picking at it, taking his sweet time licking the spoon.

"So." He finally said.

Sienna peered at him over her chicken.

"Do you have any idea how you got that tattoo?"

She swallowed a mouthful of the meat and downed it with her Blizzard, ignoring her burnt tongue. Then she shook her head. "I told you, I don't remember anything."

Jason sighed and finished the rest of his ice cream. Sienna watched him chow his cheeseburgers silently while working on her own Blizzard. The doctor had predicted that the amnesia would last indefinitely, but the sudden outcry of her heart earlier whispered otherwise. She still couldn't explain why the teen behind the counter looked familiar. However, something told Sienna that she was to be avoided at all costs.

When Jason was done eating, Sienna tossed her napkin on the tray and took care of their trash, careful to keep her head down. Just as they were about to pass the counter he teasingly flicked her hood on. The young adult wrinkled her nose but didn't protest. It wasn't quite down pouring outside, but the rain was beginning to fall rather heavily.

As soon as he started the car, Jason blasted the heat. Sienna shivered and leaned into the seat, rubbing her hands together frantically in her lap. After a few minutes of sitting in awkward silence, she leaned forward and turned on the radio, spinning the dial until she landed on a classic rock station. For the longest time, she only listened. Then something peculiar happened: she began to hum. Of course, when the song was over, she stopped. But Jason thought it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.

"What?"

He shook his head. Next to him, Sienna scowled and folded her arms across her chest, pouting like a baby. Fortunately for him, Sienna wasn't terribly angry in the face of the oncoming storm. Much to his delight, he quickly found that she was rather prone to suggestion, actually; for she let him drag her upstairs to his room without question. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was the feeling of her body hitting the mattress and gentle song of the rain on the roof, then darkness.