Out of This World

Krel

"So... little brother?" Aja said, with that stupid shit eating grin on her face, the one she always wore to tease Krel. She was hovering over his shoulder as he exchanged two books at his locker in between classes.

He rolled his eyes. "What, Aja?"

"That hoo-man girl, I think she is very pretty," said Aja, wiggling her eyebrows.

He closed the locker with a bang. "She is human," he said. "Made of flesh, soft, biological."

"And currently," said Aja, poking him in the chest, "so are you!"

"Eugh, don't remind me," he groaned, walking to history class.

"But you do not think she is pretty?"

"I didn't say that, I- Seklos and Gaylen, Aja, I have to go to class! I do not want to worry about this right now! Please leave me alone!"

She rolled her eyes at his little outburst, smiling. "Okay little brother. See you after school!"

The rest of the day passed pretty quickly, and with it, the rest of the week. A full week after House Tarron had crash landed on this mudball of a planet, Krel was now comfortable with his new schedule and his new routine. Krel had a few more classes with Andy, including math. In fact, the two of them had become almost friends. After Ms. Janeth's super easy math class, she came up to him.

"So... I couldn't help notice you are like, amazing at math. Like, beyond amazing at it," she said, holding her book bag in front of her.

"I mean, I do like math," said Krel. "I wouldn't say I am beyond amazing at it though. I just have a bit more experience with it than the average kid."

"Would... would you tutor me?" she squeaked. "I got a C on my last math test and I'm trying to graduate with honors. If I don't get an A in this class I'll lose that achievement."

"What is the benefit of graduating with honor? Doesn't everyone feel honor upon completing school?" he asked, readjusting his backpack. The two of them began walking to the exit.

"I guess," she said. "But graduating with honors means that I got super super good grades, and more colleges will want me to attend their schools."

"Okay," Krel said, as if he understood. He did not.

"You'll tutor me?" she asked, turning around with a dorky half smile.

"I mean sure," he said, shrugging. "You seem like a studious person. I'd be happy to help you."

"Come around my house at around eight?" she suggested, holding her hand out.

"Sure," he said. He looked down at her open palm, as if she were waiting for him to give her something. "Wait, what do you want me to give you?"

"Your phone! So I can put in my number and address of course," she said, weight shifted over her right leg.

"Oh, yeah, right," he said, pulling out his cell phone and handing it to her. "May I... also have yours?"

"Yep!" She fished her phone out of her left front pocket, handing it to him, and he punched his number into a new contact.

"See you tonight!" she said, smiling, as she handed his phone back to him.

He returned her phone as well and flashed her an awkward smile as well. "See you tonight."

"Wait wait wait what?" Aja shouted, laughing incredulously. She grabbed Krel's shoulders. "You're going to tutor her in math!?"

The twins were walking the somewhat short distance from school back to the Mothership, their home, which was currently being disguised as a typical Earth domicile. It was a bit out of date, but a lot of the humans seemed to think this was, in the Eli's words, "dope" and "wicked." Krel wasn't sure what the Eli thought was wicked about Mother, she was not programmed to be evil.

"I mean yeah," he said, brushing her hands away. "She's smart enough. Shouldn't be too hard. She just wants to do a little better is all."

Aja gave him that same shit eating grin from before. He rolled his eyes. "Great Gaylen's core, Aja, you are the worst."

When they got back to the house, Aja kicked open the door. "VARVATOS!" she yelled gleefully. "You are never going to guess what Krel is going to do!"

Varvatos Vex was sitting on his reclining chair, watching a game show. He did this every night. Turning down the volume, he looked to the twins. "Your yelling upsets Varvatos Vex," he grumbled. "He wishes you would not speak above the television."

"Sorry Vex," Aja chirped. "Krel's got a date!"

"I do not!" he protested, as soon as she said those words. "It's a school thing!" he pushed her shoulder and she pushed him back.

"He's going to a girl's house," she giggled. Krel tried to tackle her.

Vex rolled his eyes.

"All she needs is help in math," Krel snapped. "I am not courting a human."

Vex made a face at the thought. "Of course not, why would you?"

"I wouldn't," he growled. "Not like Aja."

"Hey, Steve is no ordinary human," she protested.

"You are correct!" Krel said, sitting down on the couch. "He is remarkably stupid, even by a remarkably stupid species's standards!"

"That is not very nice," said Aja. "he is good to me. Much better than either of you!"

"Beh." Krel made a noise of dismissal and rolled his eyes.