Mark Moore
Banned
November 20:
“Are we going to be okay?” Sylvia asked.
Richard had to think about it for a moment. “I hope so.”
“Are we going to be okay?” Sylvia asked.
Richard had to think about it for a moment. “I hope so.”
“Hello to you, pretty lady!” Kalie beams and hugs me from her place on the ground. “How’s my walrus?”
“Not allowed to eat the foods that would make me a walrus. What in the world are you even doing here?”
We sit up together, side by side on the ground.
“It’s not like you’re not all over the news or anything. Big Poppa’s been saving money to get me here since you left. We were going to wait until the spring when the track meets start, but after all this mess you’ve gotten yourself into, Poppa thought now’d be a good time to cash in on my best friend’s media attention.”
“Aah, so I’m being used is what you’re saying.”
“Little bit.”
“Well, considering there are probably already pictures and rumors flying online about you being my secret lesbian lover that I’ve dumped Ardent for, use away.”
[FONT="]“Awesome. Are they still watching? Quick, gimme a smooch.” She leans in, lips dramatically overpuckered, but her lips only finds my hand as I shove her back to arm’s length. She flaps her arms towards me in jest until we both break out laughing and fall into a hug.[/FONT]
On the other hand, my other hand is free.
“So, question,” she whispers. “He can program a robot, but do you think he can… you know?” She flexes her prosthesis. “I’m jonesing for a few changes.”
I glance over at Liao, who keeps sneaking looks at Kalie and bashfully looking away. He is so obviously smitten it’s adorable. And I know just what to do, too.
“Actually,” I whisper back. “Would you believe me if I told you he’s Brainiac?”
She thinks it over for a second, then raises an eyebrow.
“You’re pulling my prosthesis.”
“Cross my heart.”
And then Ajax is in my arms and Kalie’s on the other side, draping herself over Liao. The poor guy’s gone red with “girl touching me” panic.
“So, hey, cutie,” she purrs. “I hear you’re the guy to talk to about upgrades.”
Oh my god, I’ve just hooked up an addict with the guy who invented the drug.
My stupid stomach decides now is the stupid time to be stupid hungry and announces it to the world at large with a growl worthy of a feral warthog.
“Wow, okay, I’m going to go jump in a lake with embarrassment now.”
To my surprise, he laughs. It’s a sad laugh trying to disguise itself, but it’s still a laugh.
“Don’t do that, or I’ll have to jump in after you.” He walks over and wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have just dumped all that on you. I misread our chemistry. I mean, I’m an actor. I should have picked up that you were acting too. I’m so used to having girls want me, I guess I just always assumed some part of you did as well.”
I wrap my arm around his waist. “You deserve a girl who has more than one part that wants you. I honestly don’t even know what I want.”
“Aside from dinner?”
“I always want dinner. I mean, in a guy. I just never wanted to get attached. I always figured I’d end up moving away to wherever I got sent to work. Boyfriends and crushes never came into that equation.”
“That’s something I always liked about you, Syn. You’re…” He grins. “Synsible.”
“I hate you and am going to murder you in your sleep.”
The fire and the force field die out at the same time, and the cool air of the room seems to tickle me as much as the idea that I just jumped in front of another fireball for Bug.
"There's quite a crowd out there," Kitty said.
"Do they have pitchforks?" Gabe asked.