Perfect School

Andrew:

I promptly looked through the photos, many of which were odd angles of everyday objects, including one plush giraffe. When iI found the picture of her I sighed. Of course she wouldn't have given it all away. At least now I knew what color her, hair, eyes, and skin were. And I was 98% sure she was a girl.

"You don't appear satisfied....was it a bad picture? I know I don't like my freckles..." I asked him through texts before turning my attention to the others. "Any more questions for me? Or shall I start handing out assignments, jobs, and training?"

Andrew:

“It's not very much of you...” I sent the text as casually as I could, but I coculd tell both Jonah and Kyra were surreptitiously watching me. Did they know I was doing more than simply exploring the phone?

Jonah:

I had many many questions for her, but they could be asked in private, not in front of my team, and especially Kira.

“I have no pressing question.” I answered and glanced at the other four, giving them their chance to ask. “What are our assignments?”

"Later. I'm in charge of your team now! You'll get to see me eventually! I'm flattered though... " The text was sent quickly and soon followed by a reply to Jonah through the TV.

"For now your assignment is simple. Adjust to living here. Tomorrow I have a training program to put into effect to increase areas of weakness for the team. If you have questions you do not wish to share you are welcome to send me a message or call me. Anything else?" I leaned back in my seat searching the faces of each person.

Kyra:

The first few days went about the same. He had much more free time than we did at the school because we studied on our own, our meal times were up to us, and we only had group training in the afternoons. I was often the last person up in the morning, taking great advantage of my opportunity to sleep in. Jonah made no objections, he was willing to let us do whatever we wanted as long as we did what we were supposed to.

When break came around, Jonah and Kira told us they would be leaving a day early to go to their patron. I caught the sad look on Paublo's face when he realized he would be alone in the house over the break. After, I talked with Andrew about having him join the two of us on our trip. He agreed with a shrug.

That evening I helped Paublo prepare dinner for all of us. “So I was thinking, since you cant be with your family over the holiday, why don’t you join Andrew and I on our trip? We are going skiing.” I offered.

Paublo:

Zero's trainings were rough. They worked us in the area's that we were weakest. Kira and Jonah at the school had worked much the same but Zero took it to a whole different level. She went even further into basics. In my regard that meant I was working on flexability. And so the Brazilian curses flowed out of me like the Amazon. Strong I could do. Punch I could do. Touch my toes? Nope.

My joys were the times where I wasn't working out and just spending time with the others. I didn't have a real family, but I felt more at home when they were here. It was with trepidation that I counted the days until everyone would be gone. At the school I had one or two people I could talk too. Here? I'd be all alone. It was starting to weigh heavily on my mind until I got the offer from Kyra.

"What?" I asked with a look of surprise. So shocked that my knife stopped mid cut, only partially through the pineapple I was dicing up.

Kyra:

“I mean, you certainly don't have to if you don’t want to.” I back peddled. It had not occured to me that Paublo would not wish to join us. Maybe he had his own plans for the break, maybe he enjoyed the solitude on the few occasions he got it. “But you are more than welcome to join us. Andrew agreed too. You wouldn't be a burden or anything.”

Slowly my gaze dropped to the fruit on the cutting board before me. My lips parted and I almost said, "I've never gotten to go anywhere before." But I bit it back and nodded slowly. Though I had tried to play somewhat aloof I couldn't keep both the eagerness from my tone. Nor the gratitude, "I'd love to come if it's really alright."

Kyra:

I bounced and clapped my hands in happiness then gave him a big hug. “It's going to be great! You can meet our family. You'll love them!” I took the fruits from him and finished the chopping myself with a pleased smile.

It was probably for the best that she took the knife from me. Bouncing and a hug had done little to improve my self control and the actions had answered the question that always sat in the back of my mind. If Kyra was wearing a bra or not. "Yeah." I stated lamely then offered my own smile to her as I moved around to her other side and set to work on the next bit.

Kyra:

We flew to meet our father at a ski resort in California.  We were waiting at the airport for a few minutes before my dad spotted us.  He clearly saw Paublo as he walked up, but upon greeting us he failed to even notice him until I called hi attention to it and introduced them.  It was the first time my father had ever looked like a small man to me, always before, he had towered over anyone, but not compared to Paublo.

So far, flying? Not my thing. Big man in a small seat, not to mention the bit of turbulence we'd experienced had me gripping the seat rests. I was grateful though that I had Kyra and Andrew in the seats with me. But I couldn't have been happier to be touching down in California. That was until we got off the plane and it really hit me that I was about to go meet my friend's father. Meeting a teacher was different. A father? I'd never had one of those and it felt intimate only to me to be meeting the father of the girl I had a crush on. But though I was taller than Kyle, I certainly didn't feel bigger. Not with his blatant ignore and the stare he gave me during the introduction. "Pleasure to meet you Senhor" I offered my hand with the intention of giving him a firm shake.

Kyra:

I looked at my dad with bright big eyes as he looked at Paublo. For a fearful moment I thought he wouldn't take his hand but then he did. It was a short shake, and all he responded with wan an, “mmh.”

“The car is parked out this way.” He told the to of us, again not paying attention to our friend. I gave him a pained apologetic look. Things would be better once he met Krissy and Michael. There wasn’t a soul those two didn't get along with.

When we arrived at the car my stomach gave another uncomfortable turn of embarrassment. My father had a passion for beautiful cars, the one he drove today way an Aston Martin Rapide S, and while it was a four door, it was not a very big car. I was glad our luggage would be delivered, because there was hardly going to be room in the trunk for three suitcases.

The smile I'd had on my face fell away but I picked it up again after Kyra gave me a pained look.  With a wave of my hand I silently gestured that I didn't mind.  I definetly felt smaller than the man who so easily moved through the crowd, but I followed after him with the others readily enough.

The car was it's own ordeal and I stared at it when we walked up.  "Deus é lindo."  I said softly as I gazed at the beautiful car before us.  I didn't even think at first about fitting my bulk inside it.  Instead I looked to Mr. O'Shay and asked, "How fast does she go sir?"  Still that awe touched my voice and no matter if he answered me or not I looked to Kyra with a grin.

I caught the tail end of her uncomfortable look and my brows furrowed in confusion as I looked at it again.  I put two and two together however and gave her a softer smile.  "Hey don't worry about it.  Zero has been making me do all that flexibility porcaria.  I'll make it work!"

(( 1. God it's beautiful. 2. Crap. ))

Kyra:

I hoped that my dad would lighten up once he started talking cars with Paublo, but he barely mumbled an answer to his question. I gave him an apologetic smile when I slid into the front seat. Dad would have been even more upset if I sat in back, he was old fashioned that way. I scooted my seat as far forward as I could manage for the boy to sit in back.

Paublo:

Climbing into the back was difficult, even with the added space Kyra had tried to give me. The training I'd done over the past few days had amounted to absolutely no help in getting comfortable in that car. My knees were still pressed into the back of Kyra's seat though I tried to pull them back as much as I could. But my head also touched the ceiling and I had to hunch slightly. But I buckled up and settled in for the ride gazing about like a kid in a candy store.

Andrew:

I usually didn't feel much towards people other than my family, but I did feel bad for Paublo.  I knew the trip was going to be like this.  Kyra saw our dad as a saint, but I knew how he acted, and I could have guessed he wouldn't be favorable to Paublo.  Once settled into the seat I pulled my phone out and continued to text Zero.

“Dad isn't being too nice to our companion.  Was it wrong not to warn him before hand?”

Zero:

"Might be the over protective father in him. Even I can tell how he feels about your sister and I only get to view him through a screen. How does he seem to be handling it? Also! Welcome to California! \o/ " I hummed a few notes, then settled on humming my way through a beach boys song. Setting my phone on my bed I returned to slowly rummaging through my floor, pulling out clothes like I'd been ordered too. Mostly however I played with the things I found.

Andrew:

“He's ignoring him, and Paublo is trying to play it off cool. I sort of feel bad for him.” I was staring at my phone and not paying too much attention to anyone else. My dad and sister were talking in the front, and Paublo was beside me not doing anything. If I were more like Kyra I would have tried to make him feel more comfortable, but I wasn't.

I didn't pay attention to the conversation until I heard my sister say, “and he's had his face stuck in his phone all the time. Almost like a normal teenage boy.” I looked up to see Kyra peaking back at me with a sneaky smile and my dad's eyes on me in the rear view mirror.

“I like to do puzzles.” I made the lame excuse with an uninterested shrug. It was close to true, Zero was like a puzzle.

“Kyra is trying to guess what I'm doing on my phone. She can get nosy.” I sent the text and looked out the window.

"Poor Paublo. Still, this is his first time leaving anywhere on break since he first was brought to the school. He might not wish for it to end." I sent back with a faint smile on my lips. I set the phone down for a second and dug out a wadded up piece of clothing from underneath a Mister Moo, a giant stuffed cow. My head bobbed to one side then the other as I slowly untangled it from itself to reveal a pair of sweats. With a toss it joined a growing pile at the door while my fingers once more sought out my phone.

"You haven't told her?"

Andrew:

“I thought it would complicate things,” I watched out the window as I thought how to add to my answer. “Besides, we don't tell each other everything, despite what others might think. Like, at the school, I'm pretty sure she was having an affair with a teacher.” I sent the text and chewed on the inside of my cheek as I waited for her response.

"Complicate? I don't understand. I am also surprised she didn't tell you that. I could tell you her secrets if you'd like?" I gazed at my phone after sending along the message. After a moments thought I got up and went to my desk. Winding my arms around the stuffed animal taking up the chair I tapped at the keys on the keyboard that sat in the animals lap. Soon enough on the screen Andrew's face appeared. "You shouldn't chew on the inside of your cheek you know. Bad habit."

Andrew:

“It's not fair to spy on me when I haven't even seen your whole face.” I sent the text but didn't bother covering the camera. “Her secrets are hers to keep. I'll deal with it if/when she decides to tell me.”

"Oh.....well does this make it better?" I typed out the message and sent it. It was followed soon by a picture. It was dark in my room and the flash made my eyes go wide as it blinded me. The whole thing was a bit unsteady but the picture showed me part of my nose up as it peeked around the stuffed tiger that occupied my chair. Grey eyes were wide from the flash and it did nothing for my pale, pale skin. My hair black in the picture I had sent him last time was now an aqua blue and in a mess that threatened to get in my eyes. No other part of me was visible except for a thin arm holding the phone and the other arm hugging the stuffed tiger. "That was bright..."

Andrew:

A snort nearly escaped me upon seeing the picture. “You are not very photogenic, I see.” I sent back, but kept looking at the picture of her. I had wondered about her hair before, if she died it, now I was sure she had then too.

I looked up when the car came to a stop. We had reached our destination.

Kyra:

I stepped out of the car and stretched, breathing in the icy fresh air. It was beautiful out here, everything was draped with a blanket of gleaming white.