Survivors

Chapter 17: The Best Laid Plans

"So this is you and Alex's room? I like it." Jess started. Jeremiah had sat two table chairs up in their room so Dr. Ryan could begin her one on ones. They all had a time today but it had been decided that Kara would go first since the girl looked more anxious than she did on the first day of school, everyone wondering when she would shoot off into the sky and try to fly over the Atlantic.

"Alex decorated it. I stay here...she lets me sleep in here with her."

"She lets you? That is an interesting way to put it. From what I understand Alex wouldn't let you sleep anywhere else. Do you not consider this your room as well?"

Kara shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, I do."

Jess took in the girl before her. She was obviously nervous, scared even, walking on eggshells.

"Kara, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. We can sit here the whole time and not talk about anything. I won't tell."

Kara looked at her doubtfully. "You wouldn't? But everyone else is going to talk. I have to."

"No you don't. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. I'm not here to find out information that you don't want anyone to know unless you want me to know. There is a lot about you that I want to know. You are from another planet, someone I never thought I would meet. But I don't want you to tell me if you feel you have to."

"What do you want to know?" the girl asked.

"You squeeze your hands when you are nervous. Have you always done that?"

The blonde shrugged her shoulders. "I guess. I used to do it if I had a difficult assignment and wasn't sure of the answer. It was important to be right."

"I see. I have something you can try out if you want while we talk. It might help ease your nerves. Take a look at this." Jessica reached into her handbag and pulled out a colorful cube she hoped to use as a prop, then handed it to the blonde.

"What is this?"

"Its called a Rubik's Cube. See the color squares should all be on the same side as their color. Once the cube is a solid color on all sides, the puzzle is solved. It can be fun to play with. I used to play with it when I needed to relax. It took my mind off my problems and gave me something to focus on. It can be quite time consuming. Give it a try."

Before Jessica's amazed eyes, Kara's hands and the cube in them blurred for a few seconds only to stop with a perfectly solved cube.

"Here you go." the blonde offered, handing it back.

"Extremely smart and fast...right? Probably not the best prop. Thank you Kara. So what did you and your family do after I left yesterday? I hope you didn't sit around the house on a beautiful Saturday."

"No!" the girl brightened. "We went shopping! I actually wore a skirt. It was weird. I've never worn one around...I've never worn one. I swore I wouldn't but Alex looks cool in hers. Its weird feeling air on my legs still, even though I have gotten used to shorts and a swimsuit. It isn't worse than the first time I wore a swimsuit. That was embarrassing. This just felt more free I guess, less confining. I could move easier."

"Not many skirts on Krypton, huh?"

"No. Clothing like that was forbidden. But I kind of like them, they are very comfortable."

"Sounds like you are going to be wearing a lot more skirts in the future. So you went to the Mall?"

"Yes, I had six Pot Stickers and we visited a Ben and Jerry's before we left the city. Do you know what a Ben...of course you do. You are from here. I love Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I like cones too. They are fun to eat. I never tasted anything like ice cream on Krypton. All our food was made in laboratories and tended to have the same base flavor. Food on Earth is amazing." Kara admitted.