“KASE! I said I was sorry!”
“And I said it was oh-kay.”
“What more do I need to do?”
“You are a free person, you don’t need me to tell you what to do.”
“Kase, I love you.”

“No, I love you,” Kase started, building a soft smile.“And that’s the problem because you love you too.” He finished. He danced with a few dramatic ideas in his head before he leaned in close. Their lips just barely close enough to touch. Before she could lean in and close the remaining space between them, he uttered softly, “I can’t say goodnight anymore.”

“Then don’t.” She whispered, and leaned to kiss the lips of that devilish young boy. Kase held on tightly to her waist and they swayed back and forth in the hallway for a while, then he pulled away ever so softly to look deep into her eyes.

“Goodbye.” he said so sweetly that the real effect of his words was lost on her until he was too far away to ever get back. Slowly she came to know that Kase meant goodbye, and not goodnight. She reached out into the darkness and sunk down to nothing right there on her front steps.

Kase stood in the center of the Atrium at Flayhete, looking through the kaleidoscope at a memory from the before time. His heart ached at the memory of Jesse. She was his entire world, and she was a world away.

“Hey blondie, who’s the girl?” Adalaide called out from behind him. The kaleidoscope went dark and Kase lowered his gaze.

“What do you want Ada?”

“You’re needed in room 220.”

“220?”

“Yes, it’s underneath the gate. Hurry out there. ND is waiting.”

“ND?”

“I know it really doesn’t fit… but, we called Charles Wayne CW, so i tried ND.”

“Really Ada, there is a reason why you’re a conduit. And we don’t just give people nicknames, they earn them.”

“I apologize. Now get out of the Atrium and get to the bridge fast because despite my low status as conduit among my peers, I still posses a higher power than you do.”

“Yes may’am miss conduit. Although technically we’re peers, since you are also a student.”

“I’m still coming by this afternoon to relieve your stress Torrance.”

“Oh believe me Adelaide, I’ll be looking forward to those winding hips and soft hands all day.”

“I’m speaking of your pitching stresses.”

“I was too, why did it come off as something more?”

“Your tone was misconstruing.”

“I like the way you stir your hips when you pitch, that’s all.”

“Go.” Adelaide pushed Kase out of the Atrium door and walked slowly to the kaleidoscope. She could see her baby brother running up to her in the park. He just hit his first home run and he reached out for a big hug. She could still feel the subtle curve of his head on her stomach and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

“Nada sin ti.” She whispered. “Nothing without you.”