Infinite

During the Storm- Part 3

Lucas

I can feel my muscles relaxing as I lean back in the padded dining chair. I don't know about Cooper, but my entire body hurts from crawling around on the floor and tightening straps for the last week. I glance over at Rachel as everyone finishes taking their seats. She looks incredible in the emerald silk that covers her body. It's one of my favorite colors, and my heart fills with joy as I think about her choosing it because she knows that.

She crosses her right leg over her left, and the fabric of her dress falls down at the side of her chair, revealing her long, perfect legs. I reach my hand out and set it on her knee. She turns to me and blushes before quickly glancing down at her lap. Her pink lips curve into a sweet smile as she rests her hand on top of mine.

The audience begins to clap and cheer loudly, and I turn my attention to the back of the room. Our table is right in front of the dance floor, so we have a clear view of the stage. A tall, blondish looking man walks out and waves to the room. He must have bright white teeth because I can see them from her as he smiles. He steps up to the podium in the center of the stage, and the lights from the floral archway above him make him look like he's glowing because he's so tan.

There is a large TV on the right side of the stage that comes on, giving us a close up of the man's face.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for coming out to Vanguard Preparatory's annual fundraising event tonight." He nods to the crowd and there's a light cheering. "For those of you who do not already know me," he pauses and looks around the room for a moment before his eyes stop on our table. It felt like he looked right at me, but I can't really tell from this distance. I feel Rachel shift under my hand, as he clears his throat before starting again. "I am Acting Principal Marconi, taking over for Principal Jeffreys while she is out on maternity leave."

Rachel mentioned this last week as we were heading to the first test of the space habitat. I don't remember her giving me any details about it, however.

"Principal Jeffreys put a tremendous amount of work into planning tonight's event, but there was still a lot left to be finished." He nods at the crowd again, smiling.

His accent is similar to Cooper's in terms of how he pronounces words, but his pace is much slower. Cooper tends to talk faster than most people, however.

"I was left with specific instructions for who should be put in charge of ensuring that tonight's event was perfect in Principal Jeffreys' absence." His eyes land on our table again. "Over the past week, Mrs. Clarke and Mrs. Finnegan have worked tirelessly every day after school ended; making phone calls, picking food, and arguing over how much alcohol is appropriate to have at a social gathering."

The crowd begins to laugh along with Principal Marconi, and I glance over at Rachel and Artemis. They're giggling at each other as Rachel points at her accusingly across the table.

"Tonight would not have been possible without the two of them, so please give them a round of applause." The room is filled with clapping and shouting as people turn to smile at our table.

Rachel's cheeks turn bright red and she waves politely around the room. She always looks adorable when she gets embarrassed. She's never been good at taking a compliment, she always responds with something silly or self deprecating to try and deflect it.

"I would also like to thank all of the staff who are helping us make this a fantastic evening for you."

The crowd cheers again as Principal Marconi flashes a wide smile. He's a very good looking guy, and his voice is definitely captivating. Cooper's voice usually gives me instant stress, but that's because he's always messing with me.