A Rare Gem

Chapter 2 – Pizza and Possibilities

While you were waiting for the pizza, you sat on the couch looking around at your new surroundings. It was familiar being here after all those times meeting Twilight, and yet now it felt like you stepped into the place for the first time. Now this wasn’t just you visiting for a short while your sister before making the journey back home. This now was your home, at least for now.  You had no illusion of staying in your sister’s apartment as this was a temporary situation to a permanent problem of finding a job and finally being able to live on your own.

Your wait for the pizza took less time than you thought as a sudden ring of the doorbell signaled the arrival of your dinner.

“Oh the pizza’s here,” Twilight said, “Can you get the soda, paper plates and two glasses out?”

“Sure,” you said with a little salute as you made your way into the kitchen, collecting the necessary items. You couldn’t help but chuckle as you noticed how even the food in the fridge was neatly organized like it was never meant to be eaten but put on display.

“Same Twilight,” you said as you grabbed the soda and returned to the kitchen table as your sister returned carrying the pizza box. The smell from beyond the cardboard was intoxicating as she set it down on the table and took a seat, like it was the first time you ever had a pizza.

“So I have to ask you something,” she said as she took a slice from the box and set it on her plate, “What made you decide to leave home? I mean, don’t me wrong, I love hanging out with you and having my brother as a roommate is great, but you know, I just was interested.”

“Well, my parents have been on me about finding a job after college. I just thought it was time to start a life on my own and hope to find something along the way. Speaking of family, how is Shining?”

“Oh he’s fine. I don’t see him nearly enough that I want to ever since he went into the military and then married Cadence. Who would have thought that my big brother would fall in love with the same person that used to babysit me and you?”

“Yeah, that was a shock,” you said thinking about your memories with Shining . He was always the protector of the family, making sure you and Twilight were safe in school. Even in high school and college, he always took the time out of sports and his social life to be with his two younger siblings. It was a sad day that he went into the military academy, and you were worried every time he went to war if he would be ok, but he seemed to manage to be safe while keeping others safe. You memories of him were suddenly shattered by the sound of a belch that came from your sister who tried to cover up the social slip despite you knowing who it was.

“What,” she said seeing your goofy look, “Oh like you’re the perfect gentleman!”

“Well, you’re no princess either,” you said with a chuckle, “Except maybe the princess of eggheads or creepy magic.”

“I’m not an egghead,” Twilight said knowing you and her have been having the same conversation before, now playing back like a song on repeat.

“Oh don’t deny it. Look at you. You live above a bookstore, work in the same bookstore, volunteer at the library every night.”

“Just on a Saturday,” Twilight interjected to set the record straight, which still didn’t convince you.

“And don’t get me started about how your apartment looks more like a library than a place you live in. I mean really, do you have a life other than book related?”

“Of course I have. I hang out with friends, go to movies, stuff like that. I just like books as my main hobby that’s all.”

“Egghead,” you say while mimicking coughing, something that Twilight sees right through and gives you one of her deathly glares.

“Alright then, what are you interested in other than video games and blaring your music so that everyone around in a one mile radius can hear?”

“Well… um… I do… other stuff.”

“Really,” Twilight said slyly, “What kind of stuff?”

“Well… um…stuff?’ stuff you said as your mask of being the cool social guy quickly started to fall apart.

“Yeah, sure Spike,” she said rolling her eyes as she started on another slice.

“Hey, I’ll be doing more,” you said trying to recover your dignity with your sister, “I just moved here what like an hour ago. I want to see what this city has to offer. You know, with places to go, things to do.”

“Girlfriends to meet?” Twilight interjected which made you red in the face knowing exactly what she meant.

“I thought you weren’t going to bring that up,” you said coldly.

“Oh Spike, I’m not trying to make fun of you. I’m just saying that it’s been a while since your last girlfriend, what was her name?”

“Sherri,” you said hoping to appease your sister enough so she would drop the bad memory.

“Right, you two split a long time ago. You need to get back on the horse and meet someone. It isn’t like you’re going to meet your next girlfriend on the street without talking to her, right?”

“Yeah you’re right,” you replied knowing that Twilight always seemed like the voice of reason.

“I’ll tell you what,” your sister said, “Why don’t I give you a little tour of the city, to some places I like to go. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something or someone you like.”

“I guess it’s worth a try.”

“That’s the spirit,” Twilight said, “Now let’s get this table cleaned up so we can start unpacking more of your things. Oh, that reminds me. Watch this!”

Twilight then focused on a box you had sitting on the floor, staring at it with a strange intensity. Then she placed her hands out in front of her and lifted them as if lifting an invisible object.

“Uh… sis? What are you doing?”

She didn’t respond but kept focusing on her target when to your surprise the box started to vibrate like something was bumping it. Then it slowly began to levitate it into the air.

“Twilight, you’re moving the box!”

“Actually it’s called telekinesis, something I’ve been working on. You didn’t think that all those magic books were just for reading, did you?”

“Well no, but this is whoa!”

“Yeah, isn’t it great,” she said giggling with glee, “Stick with me and we’ll get your room set up in no time!”