Unsung

Chapter Nineteen

 "You know, I don't think we should make this a habit," I said, handing McKayla a drink, while trying to balance all of the other things in my hands.

"Why not?" McKayla asked, grabbing the frosty beverage happily. "I was thinking it should become a tradition."

"One where you pick up the drinks sometimes, too?" I asked, my eyebrow raised.

"But you do such a great job! I wouldn't want to spoil it," McKayla exclaimed. "Besides, I don't even know how you take yours."

"It's easy, I drink—" I started, but she cut me off.

"You got actual workout clothes!" McKayla exclaimed, changing the subject like it was a special skill she'd honed over many years of practice. She walked around me to take it all in, then appeared in front of me again. "I approve."

I saw my reflection in one of the mirrors near the lockers and studied myself uncomfortably. I'd never worn spandex in my entire life, but there I was, in a pair of skintight black capris with a racing stripe of grey down each side. It's not like my skinny jeans were any less clingy, but come on! It was spandex, and therefore the devil.

My jeans had done okay when we'd just been meditating, but that was mostly because we'd been instructed to sit in whatever way made us most comfortable. After seeing the other kids training though, I knew I had to get clothes better suited to squatting and kicking and climbing.

So after signing all the registration papers, Mom had taken me to the store to buy what I was wearing today: The spandex (ugh), black Nike sneakers (which, admittedly, weren't all that bad) and a sports bra (not that it had much to support, but whatever). Topping it off was one of the five different tank tops the center had for its members to wear.

I traced the HERO in training phrase with my finger, admittedly feeling a tiny bit cooler just wearing it.

"Okay, Tyra, lets go show off your new duds to the others," McKayla said, slurping down the rest of her drink and tossing the empty plastic cup in the recycle bin.

I looked at my own cup and sighed. I'd barely gotten to drink half of it.

Note to self: Checking oneself out in the mirror is not nearly as satisfying as a vanilla bean frappaccino.

Tossing my things into an empty locker, I readied myself for my first official day as a Hero trainee. Then I sprinted to the main floor after McKayla.

"Kida!" Garrick said.

Did his face just light up when he saw me? Or was he just a happy guy?

Before I could register what was happening—and pass out from giddy anticipation—Garrick was moving toward me and giving me a big hug. As he patted my back, I caught a whiff of something sweet coming from him. Fruity. Like apples...and something else. A kind of flower, maybe? Whatever it was, it was coming from his hair and must have been left over from his shampoo. Though it was a girlier scent than even I would have bathed in, it seemed oddly perfect on Garrick.

He was definitely one of a kind, that was for sure.

Garrick pulled away, but held onto both my arms. His hands were warm and I didn't even mind that his outburst was drawing the attention of half the room. In fact, I even laughed a little. "It's been so long!" he said, his face serious.

I laughed again. "I just saw you yesterday, Garrick," I said, blushing from all the eyes that were focused on us.

"Still. You don't call. You don't write," he continued.

"I didn't realize I was supposed to," I said.

"You weren't. Well, not really. But, if you gave me your number, than maybe I could call you? Or text. Whichever you prefer. But we really should stay in better touch," he said, a goofy grin breaking out onto his face as he nodded.

"Wait—are you asking for my number?" I asked, confused. I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. The only guys who had my number were Chuck and Fergus, and we rarely contacted each other. If ever. Ours was more like a guy friendship. We didn't chat or catch up on gossip. We only talked on the phone when it was completely necessary, and even then, it was while using as few words as possible.

"Ugh, just give it to him, Kida, otherwise he'll only keep asking for it," McKayla said, exasperated. Then she turned to him. "And could you be any nerdier, Garrick?"

"Haven't you heard, McKayla?" he responded, nonplussed by her comment. "Nerds are totally in right now."

"And that is one trend that needs to die out," she said, rolling her eyes. "Forever."

"I'll get your number after class then?" Garrick asked me, a sparkle in his eyes.

"Sure. Yeah," I said. "So we can...keep in touch."

My voice almost cracked as I said it and my heart felt like it was hammering out of my chest. The thing was, Garrick was such a jokester that I wasn't sure if he was just being friendly or if he really was interested. And despite the fact I thought he was cute, I wasn't sure which of the two options I wanted to be true. I hadn't come here to find a boyfriend, after all.

But would I say no toit if it were to happen?