He sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. I will never understand girls. “Then I guess you’ll just have to do double the work at Christmas, is that better? Is that what you want me to say? When it’s okay, I mean it. I’m not messing with you. Trust me, you are not the thing I’m disappointed in at the moment. Can we enjoy the rest of the day now?”
“S-sure,” she mumbled.
“Good, because you’re acting more emo than me, still. Unless you’re converting to my dark ways. I won’t complain. You’d look pretty hot in black.” He cracked a smile, trying to be funny. She smiled too, so it must have at least sort of worked.
“I’d have to dye my hair,” Tait said and twirled some of her blonde hair on a finger. “Besides, isn’t it one of your Gothic fantasies to take advantage of the poor, sweet, innocent cheerleader?”
“When you describe it like that, you make us seem so cliché.”
She gave his hand a squeeze. “Most of the good things in life are. Everyone wants to be happy, and people want a lot of the same things.”
Orlando nodded and finished coloring. He decided he’d get a head start on his homework for the weekend. Most of it was reading or researching for some kind of project that was due at the end of the semester. There’d be a lot of free time over the weekend, but the sooner he could get it done, the better. He had video games to play, books to read, and a pupil to train.
“You know,” he said as he turned the page of his Spanish book. “You never did tell me what the fight with your Dad was about. Figured maybe you’d want my manly shoulder to cry on. If not, humor me and pretend you do?”
“I do want your manly shoulder. I want all of you.” She leaned her head on him as if to prove her point. He didn’t want to read too much into her statement. All of him could have been a number of things, and he interpreted it in the emotional sense. “I didn’t want to say anything last night because I didn’t want them to freak out on me even more.”
“Understandable, so...?”
She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “My parents are mad at me because I want to quit cheerleading.”
“I thought you liked being on the squad?” Orlando asked. In fact, Tait’s devotion to the team was impressive. He’d never seen anyone love something so much. Which was saying a lot because his dad was obsessed with golf. Tait lived and breathed cheerleading. It didn’t make sense for her to want to quit.
She shrugged. “I do to a point. It might be time for me to focus on other things. Like getting into college, I hear that’s important. Besides, cheering for the other teams isn’t as fun as football. I might not quit completely. There’s still next year too, so I don’t know why it’s a huge deal.”
“So why are your parents throwing such a huge fit over it to the point where they’ll ground you?”
“It’s not quite like being grounded. He just said maybe I need some time to think about things for myself without your influence, or something. Apparently it’s your fault, but they don’t want me to quit because of image. I’ve been cheering since seventh or eighth grade. I’m the youngest captain in a long time. Maybe they’re worried I’ll lose that. I don’t know.”
Orlando nodded, again, only sort of understanding. Lyssa cared about image too. After Dallas died, there was a period of time when his sister had tried to push him back into doing the activities he used to partake in. Football, speech and debate, golf, tennis, even bowling. Around a year ago she’d given up on the idea. He wasn’t interested and that was all there was to it. It made everyone’s life easier.
“Are you going to be okay?” he asked. She nodded. He continued. “Okay, good. If they give you more problems, remind them how rich I am. That usually helps with all the image issues. Besides, if anyone is corrupting someone, it’s you. Lyssa is noticing, and she’s going on and on about how you’re such a good influence and how I’m ‘normal’ again.”
“My parents are not that shallow.”
“I’m apparently not funny anymore.”
“Nope. I’m going to get you a joke book for Christmas.”
“How thoughtful of you.” He paused. “I feel like I should give you an Eskimo kiss now.”
She laughed. “Please don’t. I think I’m catching a cold so my nose is all gross.”
“Ew.”
“Tell me about it.”
The bell rang. He had one more class until lunch when he’d get to see her again. Every other day they sat together in the cafeteria. Sometimes she went to join her friends and those were the days he ate in the library, the back corner of the cafeteria, or with her brother. He’d tried to eat with her friends and cheerleading companions a few times, but the girls gave him a headache. Too much talk about makeup and the latest gossip. Their respective boyfriends were there too of course, but they tended to ignore Orlando. He didn’t want to be included, so it all worked out. Rather than make things awkward, he decided to go on his own. The last thing he wanted to do was keep her from her friends, so they worked out their system.
“I’ll see you soon,” Orlando said as he walked her out of the room, and was surprised when she responded to him by giving him a firm, slow kiss on the lips.
When she pulled away, she was blushing. “You said we could be more affectionate in public.”
“Uh-huh,” he managed, completely flustered. He hadn’t expected her to take him seriously, but he kind of liked it and the fact that she was so comfortable with him. Even more so that she wasn’t ashamed of him.
“I’ll see you soon. Thanks for being so great. Someday I’ll pay you back.” Tait gave his hands a squeeze before jogging off in the opposite direction as they both made their way to class.
“Wow,” he breathed and jumped when Peyton spoke.
“What’s wow now?”
“Your sister.”
Peyton arched an eyebrow. “I do not want to know.”
Orlando shook his head. “We’ve talked about this. Our relationship isn’t like that. Nor will it be any time soon because I’d rather you not demolish my kidneys with your fists.”
“Glad you remember. Another reason why I like you so much,” Peyton said with a grin. He was the typical quarterback of the football team, but much like his sister he didn’t seclude himself to only one social circle. The two were a lot alike. Peyton was more laid-back which was a plus. It made him all the easier to get along with.
Orlando ran a hand coolly through his unnaturally black hair. “I’m sure there are a lot of those. I mean, what’s not to like? I’m a dreamboat.”
“Um, sure?” Peyton laughed. “On a more serious note, I wanted to say how bummed I am you’re not going to be around tomorrow. I tried so hard to make it happen, but I got overruled.” Orlando pinched the bridge of his nose and that was all the sign Peyton should have needed to shut up, but he didn’t. “I wish I understood their beef. Cheering is one of the few things that makes her happy. Why force her to quit?”
“Huh?” Didn’t she say they wanted her to stay on the squad? Orlando had heard correctly, he was positive. The conversation happened all of five minutes ago and he didn’t forget important things.
“Didn’t make sense to me either. If her grades don’t get back up though...” Peyton paused and must have noticed Orlando frowning at this point because he did too. “She didn’t talk to you about this yet?”
Play dumb, Orlando decided. He shook his head. “We haven’t been around to do much talking. Just some vague things.”
“Then I’ll let her share the details.”
“All right.” Orlando was too confused to keep the conversation going and was happy to see his next classroom. With a slight wave, he went inside.
So she is lying to me.
Chapter Thirteen
School had dragged all day. In fact, every hour since she got home, did as well. Angela couldn’t handle waiting for the action that would be taking place later in the evening. Even if they wouldn’t be doing much besides spying, it was still exciting to her. She was now one st
ep closer to getting her justice. When JD came in and told her it was time to leave, she was already set to head out the door.
They picked up Cadence and met the others at a coffee shop near Lunar Falls. The park where the meeting would be held was close to the high school. She wasn’t too familiar with the area which made the whole experience that much more fun. Like she was some kind of secret agent on a special mission. In a way she was, only for another planet.
“Does anyone want anything?” Orlando asked, pulling out his wallet. “I’ll treat.”
“I’m game, might need it,” JD said.
“Exactly what I was thinking. I’m prepared for a long night.”
Alan read the menu, and took his time doing so. “I know of coffee and I’m familiar with tea, but what are mochas?” Which he pronounced incorrectly as “mo-cha”. “I don’t know what a lot of these drinks are actually.”
“Delicious! I’ll have one of those with white chocolate and skim please.” Angela giggled.
Orlando gestured for her to go to the counter and order. “Pick something good out for Alan.”
“Do you like sweet things?” she asked the alien and briefly glanced back at him. For a moment, he stopped tugging at the coat he wore, to acknowledge her, before going back to playing with it as he thought over his answer. Orlando had given him some clothes to help the guy blend in. Alan was obviously uncomfortable. Angela was pretty sure he’d rip the thing off if he were allowed. While she wouldn’t have minded because his perfect abdomen was nice to look at, his clothing choices also made things awkward for everyone.
“I do not enjoy coffee black if that’s what you mean,” Alan said and played with the zipper on the front of his coat.
“A latte might be a good idea, one of those with a little vanilla.” She told the barista what to make and stepped away so the others could order too. Her brother and Cadence soon followed with a plain coffee and a hot chocolate, respectively.
Orlando finished up. “One of those iced caramel coffee blended things with a lot of whipped cream.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged you as a foo-foo drink guy,” Angela said.
“I like variety. Besides, it’s practical. Big, caffeinated, full of sugar. I’ll be awake for hours,” he said, as cool as ever. She was convinced he could make anything look good.
“Let us find a table to sit at while we wait for my comrade, and discuss how we will divide for our...project.” Alan motioned for them to go towards the back of the shop.
JD sipped on his coffee. “Comrade? I didn’t know someone else was joining us.”
“It’s a new development,” Alan said and took a sip from his drink as well. He paused, his eyes going wide for a moment, and then his body relaxed. “This is delicious. What is it?”
“Latte,” Angela said.
“This is coffee?”
“Yep.”
Alan shrugged. “Impressive. What a versatile bean.”
“If you think that’s impressive, you should see all the things chocolate can do,” Angela said.
They all turned at the sound of an unfamiliar voice from a stranger standing by their table.
“I hope I am not interrupting anything important,” a young man said. He looked close in age to Alan, if not slightly younger. Angela would have guessed he was about nineteen-years-old, whereas Alan could pass for being in his early twenties. The man was slightly shorter than Alan, which made him taller than her brother and about even with Orlando. While he held his body loose and light, there was a seriousness in his hazel eyes. This guy was all business. Everything else about his appearance was hard to decipher because he wore a thick winter coat and a hat.
“Sir Tuliyogljaes,” Alan said and pointed at the last chair so his friend could join them.
“You may call me Jaes while we’re here. I much prefer it to Tuliy or my full name. It’s much more simple, and I don’t like being called sir, least of all by you. You know this already,” Jaes said with a smile and sat down.
“Jaes, all right, I wasn’t aware you had a preference.” Alan took a long drink from his latte. “Jaes is another member in my program. We attend the same university.”
A.K.A., another alien on your ship. Good cover up. Angela watched the two interact. Jaes seemed much more at ease than Alan. In fact, Alan’s entire body was tense and he took up circling his now empty cup in his fingers as if this young man’s presence made him nervous. As well as irritated. The name thing seemed to bother Alan. She wasn’t about to complain. On Altura, their naming system was a lot more complicated than Earth. Someday she wanted to understand how it all worked.
Jaes on the other hand was calm and collected, natural even. “This must be your host family.”
“Something like that,” Alan said. Then he pointed around the table at all of the teenagers, introducing them. His comrade made sure to give them all a handshake and greet them as if they were equals. With that out of the way, Jaes pulled out an electronic tablet. On the screen was a map of the area. Angela recognized the street names, and layout of the coffee shop.
He pointed at a large green spot on the map. “This is where the meeting is taking place. There is a picnic shelter located along the north border as well as a playground and small swimming pool. Approximately ten feet east of here is an entrance to the tunnels. It is here where I believe the meeting will take place.” With a quick flick of his fingers, he was able to zoom in on the park and the details were clearer. Angela could see the building he referred to, as well as the playground equipment. “After meeting here, they will most likely go into the tunnel system to assure a more private conversation. We will have one team stationed outside and two inside, so long as this is acceptable to you, uh...”
“They call me Alan here,” Alan said quietly. “And that would be fine. As you know, not all of them are aggressive in power.”
“I’m aware,” Jaes said. “The two who are will be paired, and we shall each take one of the others.” His eyes settled on Cadence. “Perhaps it is best I go with her. We will be able to talk strategy with ease instead of doing so via the communicators.”
JD frowned. “Yeah I guess that would be okay. Is there a whole lot of strategy needed for a recon mission though?”
“Things can change quickly. I’m sure you know this by now given your previous adventures,” Jaes stated.
For once, her brother held his tongue, but Angela knew him well enough to know he had a rebuttal. JD hardly ever gave up on his opinions at home without a fight. He got at least one more argument in with their parents before doing what he was told. The reply must have not been good enough, plus Angela caught sight of the glare Cadence was giving him. If anyone could keep him in line, it was her.
He’s probably just jealous anyway. Heaven forbid Cadence spend time with another guy. Angela suppressed an eye roll, not wanting anyone to think she was being rude and doing it to something being said. Jaes was talking more logistics, and lost her attention. Most of it was said directly to Alan anyway, so she felt like a third wheel of sorts. She usually did, but that was all the more reason for her to try and prove her worth to the team. So she could feel like she was a part of it.
“Now for your two firepower units,” Jaes said and looked at Angela and then Orlando. “You will be stationed outside with a communicator. Your job is to tell those of us stationed inside when the meeting is moving into the tunnels, and be ready to provide some backup if needed. We’re hoping to go unnoticed of course, but it’s always good to have a backup plan.” He handed them both a small earpiece. “This will allow for you to hear anything within the same vicinity. If you park your car in the lot on the hill above the park, you should be able to hear any conversations taking place near the tunnel entrance. They connect to a microphone so you’ll be able to relay to us any information you happen to overhear. Give it a try.”
Angela took the earpiece and put it in, curious how much she’d actually be able to pick up around her. All of a sudden a multitude of conv
ersations began to pour through her ears and so loudly it was like everyone was shouting at her at the same time. It took her a moment to get the hang of it, but eventually she could filter the different voices and start to pick out where they came from.
“And I kid you not Lillie, she was making out with him in front of everyone. I couldn’t believe it,” one girl in the back said.
“Is it too early to ask a girl to prom? I know it’s almost six months away, but I don’t want to be too late,” a guy said from three tables away.
“I don’t think so, but you know asking a girl to prom is super complicated. It’s like a marriage proposal! You have to do it right, or they’ll say no,” his friend said.
Getting a headache, Angela took out the piece and put it in her coat pocket for safekeeping. Orlando, on the other hand, was smirking and cupping his ear toward the girls in back.
“Find something interesting?” Jaes raised both his eyebrows.
Orlando shrugged and then pulled out the piece as well. “I guess you could say that. Eavesdropping is kind of a fun pastime of mine.”
“Then you should be good at this particular aspect of your mission.” He pointed to the device Orlando held. “There’s a button that when pressed will allow for you to send to our communicators. They should all be synced together. Caution when using them however because when you are speaking to us, or we to you, the sounds you were observing will become muted. Make sure to wait until a pause in the conversation. A glitch we are currently trying to work through. Bring something to take notes.”
“Got it.” Orlando examined the piece in his hands for a moment longer before putting it away.
Jaes then pulled out an even smaller device. “The rest of us will be using these. A much simpler version of what you have. It doesn’t pick up the sounds of the area, but they will allow us to communicate with each other effectively. Now I believe it is time for us to get into our positions. The four of us will go to a tunnel entrance closer to the school. We’ll be able to park a car on the street there with ease. You do have multiple vehicles to use, yes?”
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