Claimed By Zodiacs

Chapter 26

# Sam Summerfield

I shuffled the basket to my other arm to make room as Nova sidled closer. Not in a romantic way. In fact, she almost squashed me as we moved past the dining hall towards the infirmary.  The hall had been full to bursting since Winter came...and we've been dodging the crowd since then.

"Careful Sam!" Nova hissed as she picked up the fruits that had fallen off. "We might get caught."

"Don't be silly. We asked permission for this...and besides, it's on the house."

She snorted, dropping it back the basket. "Right after you flirted with her like a dog in heat."

I chuckled, pulling her along. "Come now, don't be jealous."

"You wish dude." Her once hazel eyes had permanently turned a bright shade of violet. It looked eerie....and dare I say it--pretty.

"What's with the get-up?" I asked as soon as we're out of the crowd. She was wearing a turtleneck green sweater that stood in contrast with her raven hair and fair complexion.

Nova brushed her hands off her tight jeans. "What? This? Gabriel gave me some modern winter clothes. It doesn't look good?"

I eyed the way the jeans hugged her legs and shook my head. No. It looks too good.

"You look great," I mumbled. She was looking too good this past few days. All she ever wore before was her uniform which was nothing more to see than leather armor and fighting gear. Not to mention her always in camouflage. Now she's taking an effort to control it, which, in my opinion, is a hassle for a girl of her character.

"Wait--" I glanced at her. "Gabriel gave you clothes?"

"Uhh," she smiled sheepishly. "Yeah?"

* Nova? Sheepish? That's a first. *

"Are you two together?"

There. I said it. The two had become awfully close these past few days. Yesterday, I saw them exchanging notes. The other day, they were exchanging food at the dining hall. The other, other day, I caught them playing chess on Room 73.

Nova opened her mouth to reply but was cut short when a familiar redhead in green scrubs shot past the corridor, bumping Nova out of the way.

I caught her immediately. The fruits didn't have much luck. It scattered on the floor. A bunch of grapes were flattened by the sudden intruder.

"Miss Maddie?!" Nova exclaimed, frantically pushing herself away from my hold. As if I have anything to hold...at all.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

I immediately pulled her aside, away from Mad Maddie. It was hard to, since she was furious with her now flattened grape.

"Nova, stop. She's holding a knife."

She huffed, eyeing the knife before the medic disappeared in the corridors.

"Did the bolts in her head actually came loose this time?"-Nova

"Probably. We shou-" A shout sounded farther down the corridor. "What was that?" We turned around as the shout happened again, louder this time. It was from the lab, where Miss Maddie emerged from. Together we sprinted towards the open doors, the fruits forgotten.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!"

It was Cenna, shouting in pain as he shook with electricity. We both froze, watching his face turn purple.

"Help him!" Nova pushed me towards the poor berserker.

I gave her the death glare. Unfazed, she pushed me further.