Sigma/Star

Chapter 16: Evolution

Porter struggled to stay awake through Mr. Toriyama's lectures. He found he was much sleepier since the battle at Easley and yet he somehow didn't seem to care. Something about tapping into so much power made him wonder if training was really necessary anymore. Only Mr. Shotuku's classes required he pay attention, and only so that he missed being hit by flying footwear.

It wasn't that he was suddenly a slacker student. Porter had always sort of never thought about school quite enough, mostly because he was always late and didn't think he had a hope in the world. Now he had a bit of an excuse not to care and to pay more attention to looking after the White Storm, who was still in for repairs, and focusing on his chi and, more importantly, figuring out how to talk to Riya.

He was watching her now, envisioning the two of them running through the fields outside Easley and frolicking for a lifetime. He shook his head. That felt like a weird dream, almost like it wasn't his but somebody else's.

With class dismissed Porter scooted out of the room before Nami could tackle him and let out a long breath of relief when he felt safe enough away. Beside him a garbage can rattled around a little, shaking in the spot, and he stared at it queerly. Tentatively he took a step towards it then stopped, remembering that whole episode with the crazy Space Wolf everyone tried to tell him about (since he had slept through the whole thing).

The lid on the garbage can exploded off and out popped Nami with streams of confetti on either side. She jumped onto Porter and took him down to the ground, wrapping him up in an enormous hug. "Oh my goodness Porter, I never got to thank you for saving us down there! You're my hero."

"You smell terrible Nami, get off me." The bewildered Porter pushed the stalker girl aside and brushed himself off as he got up. She was still beaming at him non-stop and it was starting to creep him out. "I thought we discussed the whole no following thing."

"Yes but I thought that changed after...you know...that time...in the dark."

Porter's face went beet red and he stood dumbstruck for a bit in the hallway, his brain making a little sizzling sound as it tried to come up with a possible reason to explain away what happened. "Now look Nami, it isn't that you aren't a great girl and all and I'm sure you'll...umm...you'll make somebody very happy." She giggled a little at his words. "But what happened in the dark was just that. Something in the dark! I didn't know it was you. I mean if I had I wouldn't have because I...I....well I just don't like you that way Nami. I'm sorry."

Nami's eyes went glassy as they filled with tears but she held them back with a sniffle. "Fine then, if that's how you want it to be. I can play this game too you know!" Porter backed away from the distraught teenager and ran down the hallway as fast as he could towards the hangar. Maybe he would be safe from her within his Goliath.

Nami watched her boy run away from her and wiped away her tears. Well, she thought, if he is going to be that way then I'll just have to step up my approach a little bit! But I'm going to have to use the ultimate female trump card...the jealousy move! Time to find me a decoy. She skipped back down the hall to begin her quest for a boy with which to make Porter jealous.

* * * * *

Raul sat with his arms folded in the cafeteria. He was sitting at one of the table looking down at Chase and Ardwen, who were sitting across from each other, and shaking his head at them. Ardwen slammed down a sheet of paper in front of Chase and grinned. "Ninety-nine percent on my test there Chase. How do you like that?"

"What happened to the other one percent?" Chase pulled out his own test with a one hundred written across the top.

"B-b-but you...you don't...your grades aren't that high!" A flabbergasted Ardwen snatched the two tests off the table and compared them.