be a carnival without ‘em,” I smiled wide, flashing my teeth.
“I just want you all to have fun,” she said, exaggerating a sigh.
“Speaking of fun, look who just walked in,” Calliope leered at Orion.
“Him? The dude is ancient,” scolded a jealous Landon. “He’s not even attractive.”
He was dead on about one thing .
“He’s not ancient, he’s mature, sophisticated and more importantly, hot,” replied Calliope. “Please enlighten us, Landon. What kind of guys do you find appealing?”
Landon gaped, rendered speechless; he took a bite of his burger, looking away.
“I heard he’s married or something,” I said, attempting to dissuade Calliope from this particularly creepy clown.
“Well, I ain’t a home wrecker so that’s a total bust,” she sulked, scrunching her face sourly. “Hmm, what a pity.” She eyed Orion as he ordered lunch.
“Gotta bounce—I have a paper to submit,” Landon said, snagging Marla’s last fry. “And for the record, I find Nicholas to be a strapping, still ancient, man. He clearly swept Z off her feet,” he raised his brow, winking at Calliope.
“I’m leaving too. Official boyfriend time,” I announced, motioning over toward Nicholas who stood in the lane way, waiting for me.
“Maybe I should get me one of those,” Calliope said, intrigued by the idea.
“You know that’d involve seeing them on more than one occasion,” Marla said, jokingly.
“I’m aware of that, thanks,” Calliope sneered, twisting a shiny black lock of hair between her fingers.
I snickered, waving goodbye.
As I approached Nicholas, he grinned mischievously. “You want to get outta here? Maybe grab a drink?” he asked, oddly.
“I guess we could. We’re way past due for boyfriend-girlfriend time,” I said, playing along.
“You read my mind,” he hugged me tightly. “I’ll get my car. Meet you out front?”
“Hurry back,” I chirped, immediately embarrassed once the words left my mouth. I knew he’d return quickly, just as I always expected Kiran to pop out of nowhere.
My Cyclopod rang, startling me. It was Edric calling with the phone I had provided on loan.
“Hey, way to get with the times.”
“Funny, Xenia,” he said, continuing in a more serious tone, “Is Nicholas acting out of the ordinary?”
“No more than usual.”
“Listen, there’s something you need to know,” he said, intercepted by static.
“Hello?” I called out, while the static ridden line broke up into crackles and Edric mumbled, “Stupid phone,” before it disconnected.
“Who was that?” Nicholas asked, catching me off guard.
“Edric, but we were disconnected.”
“That’s too bad,” he smirked, “You should send him a text. We don’t want the big old dog to worry, now do we?”
I giggled, sending Edric a quick text that I would be home later. He was quickly becoming rather protective of me. It was likely his strange way of showing gratitude for extending my home to him.
Nicholas gallantly opened the door for me, as he often did, when I got in his car.
“On second thought,” he said, while taking off down the road, “Can we swing by my place first? I have an old journal that we could look through—might be of use.”
“Of course, anything that could help,” I said continuing, “I’m dying to know what Orion has uncovered—he’s up to something, I’m sure.”
Nicholas smirked, while gazing ahead at the long stretch of road. “You really loath him, don’t you?”
“Loath doesn’t even cut it. He’s screwed with my mind one too many times. He’s a walking contradiction,” I explained, examining Nicholas’s face. He appeared indifferent.
“Are you sure you don’t have feelings for him? Because if you did, I’d understand. After all, in my absence, I know you two had grown fond of one another.”
“Oh God—just stop right there. There’s nothing between us. He somehow took advantage of my loneliness and boredom.”
“I see,” he
“I just want you all to have fun,” she said, exaggerating a sigh.
“Speaking of fun, look who just walked in,” Calliope leered at Orion.
“Him? The dude is ancient,” scolded a jealous Landon. “He’s not even attractive.”
He was dead on about one thing .
“He’s not ancient, he’s mature, sophisticated and more importantly, hot,” replied Calliope. “Please enlighten us, Landon. What kind of guys do you find appealing?”
Landon gaped, rendered speechless; he took a bite of his burger, looking away.
“I heard he’s married or something,” I said, attempting to dissuade Calliope from this particularly creepy clown.
“Well, I ain’t a home wrecker so that’s a total bust,” she sulked, scrunching her face sourly. “Hmm, what a pity.” She eyed Orion as he ordered lunch.
“Gotta bounce—I have a paper to submit,” Landon said, snagging Marla’s last fry. “And for the record, I find Nicholas to be a strapping, still ancient, man. He clearly swept Z off her feet,” he raised his brow, winking at Calliope.
“I’m leaving too. Official boyfriend time,” I announced, motioning over toward Nicholas who stood in the lane way, waiting for me.
“Maybe I should get me one of those,” Calliope said, intrigued by the idea.
“You know that’d involve seeing them on more than one occasion,” Marla said, jokingly.
“I’m aware of that, thanks,” Calliope sneered, twisting a shiny black lock of hair between her fingers.
I snickered, waving goodbye.
As I approached Nicholas, he grinned mischievously. “You want to get outta here? Maybe grab a drink?” he asked, oddly.
“I guess we could. We’re way past due for boyfriend-girlfriend time,” I said, playing along.
“You read my mind,” he hugged me tightly. “I’ll get my car. Meet you out front?”
“Hurry back,” I chirped, immediately embarrassed once the words left my mouth. I knew he’d return quickly, just as I always expected Kiran to pop out of nowhere.
My Cyclopod rang, startling me. It was Edric calling with the phone I had provided on loan.
“Hey, way to get with the times.”
“Funny, Xenia,” he said, continuing in a more serious tone, “Is Nicholas acting out of the ordinary?”
“No more than usual.”
“Listen, there’s something you need to know,” he said, intercepted by static.
“Hello?” I called out, while the static ridden line broke up into crackles and Edric mumbled, “Stupid phone,” before it disconnected.
“Who was that?” Nicholas asked, catching me off guard.
“Edric, but we were disconnected.”
“That’s too bad,” he smirked, “You should send him a text. We don’t want the big old dog to worry, now do we?”
I giggled, sending Edric a quick text that I would be home later. He was quickly becoming rather protective of me. It was likely his strange way of showing gratitude for extending my home to him.
Nicholas gallantly opened the door for me, as he often did, when I got in his car.
“On second thought,” he said, while taking off down the road, “Can we swing by my place first? I have an old journal that we could look through—might be of use.”
“Of course, anything that could help,” I said continuing, “I’m dying to know what Orion has uncovered—he’s up to something, I’m sure.”
Nicholas smirked, while gazing ahead at the long stretch of road. “You really loath him, don’t you?”
“Loath doesn’t even cut it. He’s screwed with my mind one too many times. He’s a walking contradiction,” I explained, examining Nicholas’s face. He appeared indifferent.
“Are you sure you don’t have feelings for him? Because if you did, I’d understand. After all, in my absence, I know you two had grown fond of one another.”
“Oh God—just stop right there. There’s nothing between us. He somehow took advantage of my loneliness and boredom.”
“I see,” he
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