Project X - Agents & Assassins [COMPLETE]

Chapter 14

Kalea hadn't gone to school for almost a week. Not saying she didn't want to, but because she was unconscious for most of the time. It was until she noticed she was seeing sunlight again through her eyelids that she knew she wasn't in the cellar anymore. She was sitting, straight up in a wheelchair. In front of her sat Richard behind his desk typing and hacking on his computer. Her throat felt dry and her eyelids were heavy. 'What day is it?', she asked. Richard looked up from his computer and managed to give her a fake, emotionless smile. 'You shouldn't talk,' he said quietly while signalling to a camera in the corner of the room. Kalea didn't care about it and went on. 'What day is it Richard?'

'Wednesday.'

Kalea silenced and stared at her legs. She tried to move them but was unable to. 'I'll be riding you to school today,' Richard said. Kalea nodded and looked around. Richard had redecorated his room and had his curtains shut.

She didn't like it.

She watched how Richard finished with his work, stood up from his desk and pushed Kalea out of the house. He drove a fan that had extra space in the back for people with wheelchairs and Kalea gladly arrived at school on time. Kalea hadn't even seen what she wore that day until she saw her reflection in the glass doors of her classroom. She wore plain grey trousers and a dark red sweater. Her waving hair fell to her back and a checked headband kept her hair out of her face. Almost all people cleared out of the way when she passed through the halls and Kalea was feeling comforted by the fact that she didn't have to carry all her books anymore. She passed her locker at the end of the day and took out her algebra book. While she did that, a paper folder fluttered onto her wheelchair. She grabbed it and read what it said.

Dance classes! Because dancers are made, not born.

She'd forgotten about that folder and now it just seemed like a useless object that she once held onto. She couldn't go to dance classes like this and she was probably too late anyway to give herself up for them. She frowned her eyebrows.

Perhaps it wasn't too bad to just watch?

She pushed herself through the emptying hallways and took the elevator to the fourth floor. Once arrived she placed her wheelchair in front of the glass door and well, watched.

But not did she just watch no, she watched with amazement. Around a dozen ballet dancers including two boys were practicing and stretching on the barre. One whole wall was covered with mirrors and in the corner, was a pale, wrinkled lady and a man behind a piano. The lady noticed Kalea, pulled her nose up and ignored her. Kalea didn't really mind that much. People ignored her day in day out so this wasn't anything new. As she watched how de dancers left the barre and started practicing pirouettes. As Kalea watched, she fell eyes burning in the back of her neck. At first, she waited but after a while she turned around to see who was watching her. In the doorway to the library stood a boy smiling down at Kalea. He had dark blonde hair and cool grey eyes that were hidden behind his browline glasses. She didn't know how long he had been watching her but when their eyes met he confidently walked up to her. 'Who are you?', Kalea asked as turned her wheelchair to face the boy. The boy managed a shy smile and sighed. 'The man of your dreams,' he replied. Immediately both of their heads turned red and the boy hit his head with a book out of embarrassment. 'God, that sounded way better in my head,' he mumbled to himself. Kalea tried not to smirk and felt how everything in her body started feeling hot. She'd never felt this way before. 'I just- Well I wanted to-', he sighed and rushed his hand through his hair. 'No, never mind. It's stupid.'

'What's your name?', Kalea asked him with a smile. She pushed her wheelchair away from the glass window. 'Felix,' he answered, 'Felix Chips.'

After he told her his name he gave a quick stare at her with a I-dare-you-joke-about-my-name-I-dare-you-I-swear-to-god-if-you-do-that-you're-dead look on his face. But Kalea gave him a soft smile and nodded. 'I'm Kalea Addams,' she said. Her phone buzzed and Kalea took it out in surprise.

Richard

- I'm picking you up. See you in 10 minutes.

She sighed and put the phone back in her bag. 'Who was it?', Felix asked when he saw the disappointed look on Kalea's face. 'Oh, my uh- My brother,' she answered, 'he's picking me up in 10 minutes.'

Kalea noticed how her body started to cool down but noticed how Felix's head was turning from red to purple.

'Should I walk you to the exit?', he asked uncertainly.

'It would be my pleasure.'

They walked and chatted through the halls as if they'd known each other for a million years. Even though Kalea didn't have a lot to talk about, she loved listening to Felix's stories of the books he liked to read. Once outside they saw Richard standing next to the white van. He wore a black leather jacket and dark shaded sunglasses. 'Lea!', he yelled as he saw Kalea and Felix struggling at the large stairs. He rushed himself to their side and sighed. 'You can leave now,' he said coldly as he turned to Felix.

Felix looked at Richard and didn't know what to say. The guy before him was tall and intimidating. 'He's with me,' Kalea said calmly.

'He's not allowed to be with you,' Richard replied, 'you know that.'

He wanted to tilt her wheelchair but Kalea grasped his arm. Richard looked in her and saw her normally kind eyes turn into cold, lifeless eyes.

'I said he's with me.'

Richard slowly backed away. If he'd done anything she'd probably still be able to get him hurt in a pretty bad way even though her legs were unable to move.

Richard took off his sunglasses and looked at the duo.

'Fine. You can walk home. I'll tell Raphael your late for dinner.' After that he turned around, walked to the van and drove away from the parking lot.

Felix quietly lay his hand on Kalea's shoulder. For a moment, he could see the look on her face, but as soon as he touched her she tensed and let go of her sharpness. 'Are you okay?', he asked as he smoothly picked Kalea up from her wheelchair. 'Yeah,' she said, 'I needed a walk anyway.'