Crystalline Cavern: The Brigaders

Chapter 13

Nicole

      I had gotten a message from Eliza yesterday that she needed to speak with me after the test and that I had to meet her at her and Jane's room. She texted me earlier saying that Jane was going out for lunch in town before her next class with another friend of hers so I had to be quick. She said she had serious news to tell me, about Kai. Hopefully, nothing bad had happened and it results in me beating the crap out of him.

      As soon as I got to the door, I didn't really have the chance to knock since the door swung open. I only assumed that Vi sensed me with her aura. "Oh good, you're finally here." She pulled me inside by yanking my arm, how violent, but then again, I shouldn't really talk. "Ow, what the fuck!"

      "I have something big, and I mean big to tell you!" She closed the door behind her after she pulled me in. "Does this have something to do with what happened between you and Kai last night?"

      "Ugh, I knew it was too obvious but yes! So sit!" She led me to her desk and pulled me down on a chair, then sat in front of me on her bed. She was giving me this creepy-ass smile and I'll admit I'm a little scared. Only a little. "So are you gonna tell me or are you just gonna sit there smiling?"

      "Ok, let me explain. So when Kai came over to study with me, it started off pretty normal like any other study session we've had."

      "So did things get a little steamy in here then?" I put my two fingers under my chin while grinning in the same creepy way Eliza was doing earlier, except creepier. when I said that, which of course, got me a face full of pillow. Was she in love with him? "What are your exact feelings for him anyway?" She looked at anything but me so I assumed she was looking for the right words. "I care about him a lot." I looked at her closely. She seemed to believe her own words. "What did Kai tell you?"

      "Well, he was the one who mentioned it first."

      "He did?!" Could this mean that he's over Alina? "So what's the status of you guys' relationship?"

      "Well we haven't talked about it but he asked me out on a date for this weekend so I guess I'll let you know what happens later on." I guess things will be a lot less tension between them from now on but it makes me wonder what else they talked about besides the test and their feelings for each other. Wait, she wouldn't tell him about... "You didn't tell him about the letter did you?!"

      "What?! Of course not! We didn't talk about TNT much. Besides, I kept quiet knowing that if I did tell him, you'd kill me." I sighed in relief. The others can't know just yet. There are so many other things to worry about, right? Eliza looked about me pretty weird though. "What's on your mind Vi?"

      "We can't keep hiding this from the others much longer. You do know that, right?" I thought about it for a second. "If we tell them, then they might start to worry and get distracted! I'm sure that's what NW wants us to be right now so we'll be too busy to worry about them possibly trying to challenge us beforehand and then neither of us will be training enough for TNT!"

      "Do you really believe that the rest of us will stop training for TNT because we'll be too worried over some challenge that might not happen?"

      "NW would never have sent that message in vain!" She kept quiet for a second. "That might be true knowing how they are, but did you ever stop to think that this letter might help the others train harder? Maybe Ocean will take his leveling course sooner!"

      "Or maybe he might get cold feet and stop training altogether!"

      "Or maybe, he might work harder. We won't know unless we tell the others." I took a deep breath to collect my thoughts for a bit. There's a possibility for anything and everything right now. Especially since TNT is so close. "Look, I agree that it might cause some drama and a bit of rage throughout the group, but keeping this from them might make it worse later on in the future." I looked at her and thought about it. I don't like losing an argument, but this could be the right call. "Ok, call a meeting, but do it during the weekend so there won't be too much stress on the others. I have a test tomorrow anyway." She smiled at me and agreed. "Is there anything else you want to talk about because I really need to study." She laughed. "No, that's all the drama for today."

      "Are you gonna call your brother and tell him about it?"

      "Maybe later on in the week." She looked up towards the ceiling and smiled. "Besides, he's busy on a mission right now anyways." Her older brother Anthony was chosen to be a level 10 Neon Warrior. She looks up to him and tells him everything. As she looked up towards the ceiling, I could tell that she was talking about a mission he had on the surface. "Well ok then. I'm gonna get going. It's almost curfew anyways and Ruby will be here any minute."

      "Ok, see you later Nicole." I walked towards the door and let myself out. As I was walking down the hallway, I walked past Ruby. She looked at me weird and stopped next to me. "What are you doing here? It's almost curfew." Violet probably wouldn't want her to know or she'll tell Ruby herself so I decided not to say anything. "I just came to drop off some notes Violet left in my dorm room the other day. I'm going back to my dorm to study." I've always been a good liar and no matter how long Ruby has known me for, she still can't tell when I'm lying. "Oh, ok then. Good night." She walked towards her and Violet's dorm room and went inside. I kept walking towards the stairs to get to my own room. I'm not too excited for when Vi sends the message to call a meeting this weekend. Hopefully the others won't react too rashly and do something they'll regret. After all, I almost did.