Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

"Oh, hello young man, here to check on Kaley? She is still sleeping, she was crying the whole time as she told me everything that happened while we're gone. You two have been through a lot and she kept on saying how grateful she is of you being there at all of those times." Marisha said.

I faintly smiled then I saw Kaley sleeping soundly on her lap.

"Is that so, Kaley's been crying for a while then? I noticed that her eyelids are still wet. She's been keeping it together when they both were here. There was one time when Olivia started to doubt whether you two would come back, she reassured her and kept strong for both of them." I said softly so Kaley wouldn't wake up from our conversation.

"It was really… I can't even find the right words to thank you for what you did for me and for them. What my husband did for us just to go back here is… unspeakable... but necessary. He never talked about it even on our long trip to get here…" Marisha said.

"Oh, that? He actually mentioned it to me earlier." I replied.

"Oh? Really? That oaf opened up to you? Hmm, that's good." Marisha asked.

"Yeah, we talked earlier in the rooftop. He told me that he did things that he was not proud of but I told him that he made the right decision. He got mad at me first but I told him my side of the story. I'm not really sure if he understood me but he just kept quiet." I said.

"He actually told you first before he talked to me…that's a first…" she trailed.

Marisha just looked at me with a caring expression. She caressed Kaley's hair while she hummed a tune that calmed me.

"Marisha really looks like Kaley; the only difference is their demeanor. She's very calm and collected and her aura seems to calm you as well. She has a few gray lines in her hair but she definitely looks like Kaley if she was a few decades younger. I feel like I could talk to her about everything." I thought to myself while looking at her.

"Oh, that's probably why Kaley said that I should talk to her about what I said when we were fishing… but..." I trailed in my head.

"Is there something on your mind?" Marisha asked.

"Hmm? N-Not at the moment…" I trailed.

Marisha smiled at me and then she said, "Just approach me when you feel comfortable, okay? I'm always here to listen."

I was taken aback but I didn't show it on my face. Her smile was bright even with the little wrinkles that you could see in her eyes and forehead.

"I don't believe in real-life psychics but she definitely read me." I thought to myself.

I gave a helpless smile and asked, "A-Anyway, what are your plans for now?"

"Oh, my husband wanted to move to one of the houses here but this young lady right here and my much younger lady wanted to stay here for the moment. I agree with them but I wonder, why is Olivia's clothes the only thing that is in here? Hmm?" Marisha asked.

A cold gust of air seemed to pass through me even if we were inside a closed space. I saw her looking at me with a relaxed yet chilling expression, vastly different from her very approachable look from earlier.

"W-w-well w-w-we're…" I stuttered then I looked down.

"Why am I shaking?! It's a pretty easy thing to answer right? I could say that something has happe- wait, could I even say that? But she'll definitely find out if I say something else. Her powers are definitely much stronger than Kaley. This is definitely a boss battle. Why am I thinking of game mechanics right now? AHHHHH!!! This definitely something I don't have experience about! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! Just be cool… be cool… nope! Doing it like that would make me seem like an asshole. Think Sky, think! Use that brain you're so proud of! Brain Blast! Dammit! Why did I think of that reference right now?! I'll just say what's on my mind. Right, that will definitely work. Okay, okay." I almost had an aneurysm in my head.

Marisha was still looking at me intently while I tried to piece my words one by one.

"Hmm? Hey… you're here..." I heard a faint voice.

Kaley woke up and she wiped her eyes with the jacket she was wearing.

"Oh, hi dear, I was just asking him as to why your clothes are not in this room." Marisha said while giving the same look.

"Oh, ahaha... let me go to the bathroom first." Kaley quickly escaped and she left me inside with her mom.

The door closed immediately.

Silence.

"NOOOO~! This is betrayal!" I shouted in my head.

"Have you formed your answer then?" Marisha asked again.

"To be honest with you ma'am, it just… happened I-" then I got cut off.

"Nevermind that, I already know from that look. Do you know that she waited for you for 3 years?" she interrupted.

"Wai- huh? 3 years? What do you mean?" I was confused.

"You sweet summer child…" she replied but the tense atmosphere was gone.

"Hold on, 3 years? Is that when we were in high school after she transferred? B-but I thought- I-I was very different from back then. I could never hope-" I stammered once more.

"Do you think that my daughter would only look from outer appearances? She always talked about how interesting and amazing of a person you are. She thought she wasn't good enough for you that's why she studied so hard to at least beat you." Marisha said.

"Wait, her? But she's s-someone I c-could only dream of…" I thought to myself but she was looking at me.

I was giving a confused look then she continued.

"Her father would get mad every time she talks about you. She told us a lot of stories but she said that you weren't interested in her. She told us that you were more focused on your studies." Marisha added.

"H-Hold on..." my head was in shambles.

"You got it all wrong! I was the one who thought that she's being a really good friend! I'm only really good at studying and maybe... maybe… No, that doesn't make any sense! When she tied me the first time, I got so fired up and I stopped getting complacent. It was the first time someone actually managed to catch my attention. I just… I j-just really thought that she wouldn't think of me that way…" I said earnestly.

"Oh my lord… she tried real hard and she waited 3 years for you and you didn't even notice? Never noticed simple signs or anything?" she was flabbergasted but amused.

"People would call me a genius but on this kind of thing, I'm really an idiot. She waited for 3 years huh? Hmm, I waited my whole life for her…" I trailed as I looked down. However, I was faintly smiling and a peaceful look was plastered on my face.

"…!" Marisha was about to say something but it just turned to a very bright smile.

"Who would've thought?" I thought to myself.

"Did you just two waited for the whole world to end for you two to just be together?" Marisha said with a smile.

"Hah! I almost left her at the airport…" I confessed.

"You did, you doofus! Good thing that she saw you; she told me what happened, remember?" Marisha said as she shook her head.

Marisha stood up and she gave me a hug.

"Listen to me, okay? She might know if you're being untruthful to her but also know that she would sometimes keep secrets of her own. She got that from her dad though she would always tells me what they are. Take care of her, will you?" she whispered while hugging me.

"Always." I replied as I hugged her back.

"Well, now that you got my approval, the real problem starts with my husband. I won't meddle with your affairs with him but know that he's really bull-headed. He sticks to what he thinks and he rarely listens to anyone. You have a tough time ahead of you. What I could say is… no, you can figure it out for yourself. Kaley is already an adult and could already think for herself but this approval thing is… let's just say, tradition." Marisha said to me.

"I didn't have to ask her for her approval eh? She really understands people. Mr. Matthew is a different case though; it would take maybe a few years to get to his shell." I said to myself.

I then said goodbye and I headed down. I can't seem to find where Kaley was so I grabbed the minis I took from the restaurant. I placed it neatly to one of my display cases along with a number of them that were already on display with a few books and rolled-up papers. I placed a dragon statue with five different colored heads near a behemoth and a huge sea monster on the top of the display case. After that, I grabbed a huge dice bag and placed it below the drawer along with a few loose dice that I've collected over the years.

"I might need to arrange a few of these later." I thought to myself.

I heard the doors opening and closing from outside and didn't mind it.

"It might be Mrs. Marisha going down. Wait, hmmm? Could she still be hiding in the bathroom? Hope she didn't hear what her mother and I talked about earlier." I said to myself.