High Energy Collision [Completed]

Chapter 17 - not today

When Mean finally made it to his class, he found it difficult to focus on his studies.

He had missed music theory and composition this morning, because of White Hand... because of Plan, to be precise. Plan was also the reason he couldn't focus on his lab practice in applied physics right now.

While his lab partners were busy setting up the experiment, merely seeing mathematical formulas on the black board made his thoughts jump to the newest member of White Hand.

It might just have been his lucky day.

Last night, as soon as Mean had seen the trending video about Plan, he had known that Plan would likely not know what hit him. But White Hand could step in to protect him and if they did it right, they might actually get him to join their group.

Mean had been on the phone with Viola for half the night to prepare their intervention and alert the others – and he was still pleased with himself how flawlessly it had all worked out. After that article calling him a bad leader, it had felt particularly good to prove to himself, and the world, that he wasn't completely useless.

Plus, Tio must have been right about Plan.

By the looks of it, Plan didn't stay mad at him forever and giving him space had been exactly the right thing to do. At least, he didn't seem hostile towards him anymore.

On the contrary.

If Mean dared to dream... it had felt like Plan hadn't just been glad to rely on White Hand this morning, but on him, specifically.

Was it too much to hope that Plan couldn't forget their date at the planetarium, either? Even now, it was one of the best memories of Mean's life.

He tried to come up with a better memory on the spot, but he couldn't; and his mind drifted back under the artificial night sky, and onto the soft shimmer of Plan's temporarily silver hair in the dark twilight of the projector.

"Did you hear about that physics genius?"

Mean automatically listened up, when he heard these words behind him. Two of the Applied Physics tutors were talking to each other while they were waiting for the students to finish their assignments.

At first, Mean thought it wasn't surprising that they were discussing Plan – he was, after all, the current campus sensation.

However, as they talked, Mean was worried to hear that they didn't discuss the video at all, instead... they were mentioning Plan's lunch boxes.

Apparently, Plan suspected that one of the maids of Mean's household was making them and...

Shit, it appeared as if he had asked his seniors for help to find out who it was without being obvious?

"Let's meet after this and show these useless theoretical physicists how to set up a proper photo trap."

"It's so exciting! Like assisting in an old-fashioned romantic comedy. I bet he'll woo that girl afterwards, pretending not to know it's her."

Mean doubted that it would go that way. Not least because it wouldn't be a stranger or a girl... but even if it were a girl. It was cute how they assumed Plan would go after her.

Plan wouldn't?

Would he?

The conversation behind him was still going strong:

"You're watching romance movies?"

"Classics! They're classics! With Doris Day and Rock Hudson. Pillow Talk even won an Oscar!"