Chapter 2: Lyrically Involved

                                    

                                          
George hadn't left her alone. For days he pulled her aside, telling her the same things every time. Her father had sent him and this so-called father wanted to meet her. She still didn't care. If anything she could care less about the man.
It didn't matter how many times she ignored him, he was still there, waiting for her to take the invitation. A small part of it was that George was an old family friend, an annoying one when he would continue to bother her nonstop. 
After all, she had left her life as the Princess of Sky City for a reason. None of it was supposed to come back into her life. 
And to make sure he wouldn't kidnap her to Sky City while she was asleep, she locked her windows and her door. She almost seemed glad her locket was nowhere to be found. 
Nobody had seen it that night, and no one had ever seen her enter with a chain around her neck anyways. So for now, the locket remained lost.  
It wasn't much of a comfort anyways, it just made her think of what life she could have had if the city wasn't a floating island, and if her father had never left. Sure it was a reminder, but that didn't make it hurt any less. It made her remember the huge secret she has kept for the past three years. Everything she left in Sky City was a burden for her to carry herself. Heck, she was probably one of the very few that would only remember everything. 
She was about to fall asleep right then and there, but a voice came from the other side of the door. "Jesse, can we talk?" 
Jesse sighed, reluctantly replying, "Yeah, come in." 
As the door opened, the familiar blue bandana and fiery red hair appeared on the figure, and she knew no one else that sported that style. "Petra,"
"Ar- Are you ok?" The redhead asked uncertainty.
Jesse smiled at her, "Of course, why?" 
Petra walked farther into the room, sitting on the bed beside Jesse. "You've been disappearing a lot lately." 
"I-It's just that I've been keeping a secret from you guys." She said nervously.
"And what's this 'secret'?"  
"Um..." She tried looking around the room and spotted some random mic on the nightstand. She stood up, grabbing it. "Uh...this." 
"That's it? That's the secret?" She did not look impressed. If anything, she seemed confused and annoyed. 
"Yeah..." 
Petra stood up beside her. "That's a stupid secret!" It was, but she wasn't ready to tell them the real secret just yet. She didn't know if she'd ever be ready, to be honest.
"I know, but I kinda felt insecure about it." Jesse lied. Well, maybe that was true... 
Petra took the mic from her, raising it to her lips. "What do you do with this? Are you like, 'Oh hi, I'm Jesse and I'm a huge NERD.'" 
"That's insulting." She crossed her arms, almost glaring at Petra. 
Why you gotta be so Rude?" Jesse elbowed her, taking the mic back. 
"Don't ya know I'm human too?"
Jesse looks up at her, almost laughing. "Shut up," 
"You started it." Petra chuckled, 
elbowing her back. 
"I never meant to start a war." She mumbled. 
"I just wanted you to let me in. See? You're starting it again!" The warrior groaned. 
Jesse smirked, laughing. "That's my secret, lol." 
"Uh-huh. If it is, then you'll have no problem if I bring Lukas in here to hear a cover of his song." Oh crap. Petra got her now. That meant she knew this embarrassing secret she had other than her ties to Sky City.  "LUKAS!" 
"Why the heck are you yelling? I'm literally on the other side of the wall." Lukas muttered, emerging from the kitchen into the bedroom. 
"Is it too late now to say sorry?" Petra's mischievous look was directly at Jesse. 
The girl just stared at her. "Just stop." 
"I can't, I'm just Non-Stop." 
"Ok, I know I don't wanna be in the room where it happens." Lukas smiled, slowly backing away. 
Jesse facepalmed. "Not you too!"  
"I'm leaving now." Lukas tried to duck out of the room. 
Something snapped inside of Jesse. "Stay? Won't you stay?" 
"I've been waiting so long," Petra whispered from the corner. The other two just shook their heads at her. 
Lukas's gaze was now on her, confusion was his only expression. "What did you just say?" 
Jesse cut herself off, "I said-" 
"W-Was that my song?" 
Jesse was embarrassed, so she pointed a finger at Petra. "She made me do it." 
"Duh! I had to do something to show you how silly this supposed 'secret' was." Petra huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. 
Lukas hesitated, before saying. "You'll never see me again."  The door slammed behind him. 
"I hate you," Jesse said coldly, as soon as Lukas left. 
"What? I had to. After all, I am not throwing away my shot."
"Ugh. Please stop with the references. It's making this a lot worse than this has to be." Jesse stared daggers at the redhead, very clearly annoyed, and with embarrassment hidden under the mask. 
"Jesse, don't take it seriously. Lukas and I were just joking around with you."  Petra said softly.
"This isn't a joke. Secrets are not jokes." 
"That wasn't even a secret. You made that all up to cover what you're hiding."  Jesse didn't even answer. 
Petra sighed, "I know you, Jesse. I can tell something's wrong." 
The raven-haired girl laughed bitterly. "I don't know what you're talking about." 
"You have friends for a reason. When you realize that, come find me." With that, Petra left the room. The two of them had been left on bad terms for days. 
(Back in New Sky City) 
A guard was racing on the paths at night, trying to reach one person.     
The guard knocked on a certain door, behind it was Milo. "Reginald." 
"Sir, George has sent me a message." Reggie pulled out a slip, handing it to Milo. 
Milo read it intently, his new plan brewing up inside of his mind. 
He lifted his head to face Reginald again. Nodding his head, Milo closed the door, as Reginald headed off. 
"Isa?" 
Isa walked into the room, intently waiting for her ex-husband's need. 
"Yes, Milo?"
"Could you fetch me my traveling satchel? I will retrieve the girl myself." 
"Do you think that will work?" Isa wondered. 
"Of course. She just knows me as the Leader of the Secret Builders Club." Milo replied. 
"You can't avoid the truth forever though." 
Milo sighed. "I know she won't like one bit of it."