Legacy Mutation (Book Eight)

Chapter 13: Cheerleader & Egg Babies

At school the next week, the Hamato clan seems to just go through the motions. Dean watches the football team list every time he passes by the bulletin board, anxiously awaiting the news of whether he made it or not.

As he walks by the board for the umpteenth time, his eyes light up when he sees the list. He races over, scanning the list hurriedly. His mouth falls open when he sees his name and position.

Dean Hamato - Quarterback

"NO WAY!" he shrieks in excitement.

"Woah, calm down there," a new voice says.

He looks behind him to see a rather tall girl with extremely dark brown eyes and brunette hair with ombré tips. She stands with an air of confidence, her body lithe and fitting to her height. She smirks and moves to his side as he blinks in surprise.

Woah...

"Sorry," he apologizes, his eyes a little wide.

"You're Dean, right?" she asks, her face curious.

"Yeah, that's me. How'd you know?"

"Chase mentioned you," she responds. She looks him over and nods once as if to approve of him.

He smiles a little. "You're into football?"

She shrugs. "It's okay. I end up watching because of cheerleading though."

He raises an eyebrow. "You're a cheerleader?"

She tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Yeah...just the junior team though. I've been into gymnastics for a while, and I thought being a cheerleader would be fun."

"Well, I'm the junior football team quarterback," he tells her.

"Then we'll probably be seeing more of each other in the future," she says. She flutters her eyelashes a little. "I'm Katie."

"Dean."

"I know." She laughs lightly and looks down the hall. "Well, I've got to get to class, but I'll see you around."

She turns and walks away with her head held high. Dean smiles and heads towards his locker, thinking of the cute girl he just met. She seems nice, and he definitely doesn't mind the fact that she's going to be around his football games either.

"Who was that?" Elisabeth asks as they head to their next class.

"Who?"

"That girl you were talking to..." She looks down briefly, looking embarrassed. "I saw you guys near the bulletin board when I was getting a drink."

"Oh, her name's Katie. She's on the cheerleading team," he answers, smiling a little. "She seems cool."

"Cool..." she mumbles, hugging her books tighter to her chest.

🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕

Asher and Dakota walk side by side with Lukas and Kelly as they head to science.

"We're doing that group project today," Kelly remembers.

"Is it that genetics thing?" Lukas asks.

"No. It's the one where you pair up with someone and take care of an egg the way you would care for a baby," Dakota reminds them.

"Oh! Right! I knew that," he says, nodding.

"Well, it should be fun," Asher agrees.

They head into class, settling down in their spots as they wait for the class to begin. Sure enough, everyone settles down and the teacher starts his talking.

"Afternoon students. Today we're starting our egg baby project," their teacher begins. "I've chosen your partners for you. When I call you up, please come and get an egg."

The four friends look to each other nervously as the teacher prepares his list.

"Damn it..." Lukas mutters. "I wanted to pick partners.

The names are read.

"Ally and Samuel, Zeke and Dedre, Dakota and Lukas, Carly and Tucker, Kelly and Asher, Remy and Penelope..."

Lukas smirks and nudges Dakota, who smiles lightly. Kelly looks to Asher, the two smiling at each other. The rest of the names are read off and everyone disperses to rejoin their new partners. Asher sits next to Kelly as the two examine their new egg, eyes narrowed in concentration.

"What should we name him?" he asks.

"Is it a boy egg?" she wonders.

He shrugs. "Unless you want a girl..."

"Boy is fine."

"Cool." Kelly smirks. "Usually, I'd say something simple like James or Wesley, but I think his name should be something cooler like Shredder or Ripper."

She doesn't seem to notice the brief flash of fear in the teenage boy's eyes. The stories his parents and the other adults told him about Oroku Saki, the Shredder, is enough to think of the former Foot Clan master with sheer terror. The name only sends chills up Asher's spine, a feeling he attempts to hide.

Good thing Uncle Leo destroyed him.

"Um...Ripper is cool," he gulps.

"Nice." She tilts her head a little. "Are you okay? You seem a little green."

He shakes his head. "Fine. Let's start this."

The redhead shakes his sudden mood change off, and Asher looks to his sister. She looks back at him with a knowing look, and he can just tell she was listening.