"Bye Alexis!" Yale said, waving at the man as we walked out of the store.
"You two take care, you hear me?" He called, waving at us, making eye contact with me.
I couldn't wave back with the dress bag in my hands, so I just nodded at him. Turning around, we walked away, slowly.
"You saw that, didn't you?" I asked, looking at her from the corner of my eyes.
"Of course. Before we even entered. One of the toxins is hanging around the store." She said, holding her school bag in front of her. "But we can't do anything about it. We are just cleaners."
"I know," I said, handing the bag to her. "Cleaners just take care of the leftovers of the Hunters and the mess they left behind. But that doesn't mean they need to know."
"How will you make them not know?" Yale asked, taking the bag in her hands. "They are alerted anytime someone goes into battle."
"I am not going into battle," I said, looking around me to make sure no one is watching.
It is a good thing it is still a little early in the morning. There are not many people. And we are also surrounded by trees everywhere so that provides extra coverage.
Rubbing my hands together, I felt the cold grow in the palm of my hands before opening it to reveal a tiny bunny in my hands. Its ears twitched as it looked around, confused.
"Cute," Yale remarked, looking at the creature. "So unlike you though."
"It needs to be as subtle as possible," I said, bringing the bunny closer as I blew a cloud of cold air at it. "You know what to do. Come back to me after you are done."
It nodded and hopped off my hands, disappearing into the tall grasses as it made its way back to the store.
"Impressive," Yale said as I took the bags from her again. "You are improving in your creature sculpting."
"It's not there yet," I said as we continued to walk again. "I can't make big creatures yet. Creatures like elephants."
"I think that is aiming too high." She chuckled, wrapping her arms around mine. "Your creations are small but they are deadly. I've seen them in action before."
"I guess size doesn't really matter?" I mumbled, hearing a tiny explosion in the distance. "It took care of that toxin."
"Already??"
A wave of cold air rushed at us, getting absorbed into my body. "Yeah. This one was smaller but deadlier."
"And cuter."
"You like cute?"
"I like cute and deadly. Just like me." She grinned at me, pride written all over her face as she dared me to refute that.
"Yeah. Just like you." I said, throwing her off-guard immediately. "By the way, are you free after classes?"
"Well, I might have to go for some kind of party." She said, taking out my phone and called her parents to confirm. "Why? You want to ask me to go somewhere?"
"Yes. Actually." I said, trying not to look at her face as she started grinning like an idiot.
"Hello? Father?" She said into the phone. "Is there anywhere we need to be after classes today? I see. Well, I am skipping. Yes. No, it's with Zion. Ok."
She handed the phone to me, "He wants to talk to you."
Taking the phone from her, I placed it to my ear, "Hello, sir?"
"Zion! My boy." Her father said, voice beaming. "How are you? How are your classes?"
"They are alright, sir," I said, hearing a voice in the background. Oh, I think her mother is there too.
"Let me talk." The woman's voice suddenly became clearer. "Zion! How are you, my dear?"
"I am alright, ma'am. What about you?"
"I am fine as well." She said, laughing. "Are you coming with us today? We have this party with the people from the entertainment industry. Is there anyone you are a fan of?"
"Not particularly, ma'am. And I apologise, I am not going to be able to attend today." I said, watching Yale let go of my hands the moment she spotted a pretty bush of flowers at the side of the road.
"That is such a shame. I would like to show off my future son in law." She said, sounding disappointed.
"Perhaps next time," I said, trying to appease her while I stood by Yale still admiring the flowers. "I heard that your birthday is coming up, ma'am. Will you finally be turning twenty then?"
"Oh, you." She chuckled, "Such a charmer. No wonder my DAUGHTER fell for you."
I frowned the moment she said that, the air growing uncomfortable. Talking to her always made me a little annoyed but she is easy to please. Sometimes.
"Right, ma'am," I said, making eye contact with Yale as though she noticed my discomfort. "Oh, is it alright if I keep Yale with me tonight as well? I will bring her back first thing in the morning."
"You know we will always say yes to you, Zion." She laughed. "She can stay as long as she likes, you need only inform us. And do come to my birthday party, I want to show you off a bit."
"Thank you so much and of course I will," I said, wishing them well before I kept the phone, sighing.
"My mother?"
"Yeah."
"Hopefully she didn't give you too hard of a time." Yale wrapped her arms around my waist.
This was her way of trying to comfort me. She isn't very good at it and neither am I, but compared to everyone that tried to comfort me in the past, hers is the only one I didn't mind.
"She's alright," I said, shrugging. "And she allowed you to skip out."
"Only because you were the one that asked." Yale pouted slightly as we continued walking. "They would not allow me to skip if I asked. My parents really like you, you know that?"
"I had a feeling?"
"How did you do it? Everyone you meet, they like you." She asked, looking right at my eyes. "What is your secret?"
"I think you have it wrong. You are the one that everyone likes." I remarked, pushing a stray hair behind her ears.
"Liar." She got annoyed, walking ahead of me, arms crossed over her chest.
"I am not called the Princess of the school."
That made her pause and turn to me with a proud smile on her face as she twirled her hair in her fingers.
"Well, they are not wrong." She said, looking right at me. "Am I the princess to you too?"
"Well, I go to the same school as you and you are the princess of that school so I guess so."
"Address me as 'your highness' then. And carry my bag." She gave me a cat-like grin, holding out her school bag. "Well?"
Her antics are something else. I thought, taking the bag from her and then placed a kiss on her hand. "Of course, your highness. Anything you wish for."
"Good boy." She said, voice soft and hand running through my dark hair.
______________________
Riing!
Getting up from my seat to go for lunch, I paused as some boys surrounded me, sneering.
What do they want now?
"Can I help you?"
"We want to meet you. After school." One of them said, slamming his hand on the table.
That was completely unnecessary. Does he want to seem intimidating or something?
"I am busy after school," I said, trying to walk past them but they would not let me through.
"You like acting all high and mighty for a nobody. You know that?" One of the boys said, smiling proudly at himself as if he said something incredibly smart.
"Oh? You think so?" I asked, walking away from them.
Did I remember to pack lunch? Yale slept in my place and didn't go back home so she doesn't have any lunch. Should I take her to the cafeteria? Will she even want to eat that?
How did I forget lunch like that?
"Hey! I'm not done talking to you!" The first boy said, grabbing my shoulder.
"Oh? I thought you were." I said, looking at him from the corner of my eyes. "I told you I am busy. Maybe some other time."
"Listen, you are just an orphan with nothing to your name! You are nothing! Stop acting like you have so important when you are worth less than dirt!" One of them shouted the moment I spotted Yale in the doorway, her smile falling.
Oh. I think she heard that. Oh dear, she looks annoyed. Better get rid of this before it gets more annoying.
Sighing, I took out my glasses and pinched the bridge of my nose, turning to the boys. "All these just to meet me after school? If you like me so much you can just tell me."
"W-what? When did I ever-" He stuttered, taking a step back.
"But if you want to talk that badly after school that you try to insult me to get me to react, I guess I can't refuse." I walked to Yale, giving her a reassuring nod before turning back to them.
"H-hey!"
"I will see you after school." And we left.