Fire and Ice

Chapter 7

Kaden

I was laying back in the grass, staring at the blue sky above. I hated a lot of things, but there was something about the sky that I loved. Maybe it was because the sky meant space. Freedom. Something I didn't have.

"Hey, man." Mike kicked my foot and then sat next to me. "You look like you're contemplating murder."

I let out a small laugh and closed my eyes. "Maybe I am."

"I'll help with the body." Mike opened his can of Pringles.

I sighed, allowing myself to relax for a moment. Life was chaotic. This moment was nice.

"Hey, best friend!"

Moment ruined.

I opened my eyes and glared up at Alyssa as she plopped herself next to me. Her green eyes were brighter today with the fall sun.

I then glared at Mike. "Why is she here?" I growled.

"Uh, well..."

"Because you're my friend." Alyssa answered for him. She was already eating her salad. Like a pig again.

I sat up. "What luck I have." I muttered.

Alyssa hummed happily and wiggled her feet as she ate. It was almost... adorable.

"Don't you have friends?" I asked, actually curious if she did have friends. Wouldn't she be hanging out with them?

"My friend will join us in just a few minutes, don't worry." Alyssa smiled at me. "I share good food. In exchange you teach me how to fight."

There it was again. I didn't fully like the thought of her fighting. Then again, after seeing how Brandon treated her the other day... maybe it would be better for when no one was around to help. Alyssa was firey, but incredibly small.

"No. You don't need it." I answered simply.

Alyssa pouted. "You're a cold, cruel man, you know that right?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not cruel. Just because I'm not... like you, doesn't mean I'm cruel. And please eat like a decent human being."

She leaned toward me and shoveled in a massive bite of her salad. "No." She muffled between her full mouth.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "That's revolting." Even then, I almost wanted to laugh.

"So I stole all the door stops in the school. Some of the teachers are losing their minds." Alyssa chuckled evilly. "It's a beautiful thing to witness. Notice anything?" She quirked an eyebrow at me.

"That was you?" I snorted a laugh. "Mr. Right flipped out."

Her green eyes widened. "You laughed!"

I raised my eyebrow. "I'm human, I can laugh, Shorty."

Mike shook his head. "He's given you a nickname, Alyssa. You're in for it now."

"Aw, how sweet." Alyssa suddenly hooked her arm around my neck, pulling me down a hundred miles down to her height in a sort of headlock/hug.

My body seemed to freeze for a moment from the contact. I quickly struggled out of her oddly strong grip. "You nearly broke my neck, Shorty." I complained, straightening my hair.

Alyssa laughed. It was a cute sputtering laugh that pulled my lips into a tiny smile. But I quickly wiped the emotion away.

"Hey! I'm finally here!" A girl I recognized as Myla Jones came running up, puffing from her run. "Geeze, I hate some teachers."

Mike went tense beside me and I muffled a laugh with a hand. He liked this girl apparently. I could read him like a book. The big teddy bear had a crush.

Myla waved at us. "Hi."

Mike smiled big. "Hey. Rough class today?"

Myla blew out a breath. "Like you wouldn't believe. I had a huge test that I didn't even know about, so I had to stay after to study. I ran away."

Alyssa laughed. "Myla, you're an awesome failure, join the club. Want some salad?"

"Not if you ate all the croutons." Myla knelt in front of her friend and Alyssa fed her a forkfull of salad.

I watched the two in amusement. Girls were strange. These two in particular.

Beside me, Mike was practically melting as he watched Myla. I would definitely have to tease him about this later.

Myla, Mike, and Alyssa all soon sank into a conversation about pranking teachers and I listened, now more interested than annoyed.

Mike wasn't a huge people person, like me. Though I chose to hate people while he just couldn't handle others in general. He was a scary looking giant, but in reality he was a teddy bear with anxiety.

Seeing him being this open and relaxed was nice, and I found myself appreciating Alyssa's need to annoy me. It was good for Mike.

Alyssa looked over at me and raised an eyebrow in silent question. "Train me?" She mouthed.

I rolled my eyes, as I realized I was doing a lot lately, and mouthed back, "No."

She scrunched up her face and turned back to the conversation.

The best way I could describe her at the moment was adorable but extremely annoying. Alyssa was just confusing to me.

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And part seven woot! Hope you're enjoying it so far! Vote if you like it, that would be awesome 😁. Thanks for reading (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)