by Kim Cormack
Still breathless, she gasped, “You asshole.”
He slid his hand out from under her shirt and quietly replied,” Pull yourself together, we have company.”
She was still in a euphoric tingly blur as she heard Lexy’s voice say, “I thought that was you guys.”
Corrections and Answers
Kayn managed to compose herself as Frost kissed her cheek and stepped away.
Lexy grinned but didn’t say a word about where they’d been or what everyone knew they’d been doing. She announced, “Well now that you’ve said your goodbyes. It’s time to go. Kayn, make sure you’ve grabbed your bag out of the truck. I don’t want to accidentally drive away with it. It’s happened to me before.”
She opened the driver’s side door and leaned across the seat, because her bag was on the floor on the passenger side. She felt him staring at her behind. Kayn glanced back and teased, “Were you just looking at my butt?”
He grinned and sparred, “Guilty as charged.”
Kayn yanked her bag off the floor and got out of the truck. She closed the door and said, “I guess it’s time to say goodbye.”
“For a week,” he added, completing her sentence. He leaned in, gave her a quick peck on the lips and asked, “Can I carry your bag to the RV?”
He was trying to be sweet. She gave it to him and replied, “Why not?” Anything for a few more minutes. They began their adorable little stroll to the next campsite with the sun’s rays streaming through the branches on regular intervals. The group that was taking off was ready to go. They were already standing there, holding their bags. She was grateful he was walking beside her as they met the crowd of enquiring eyes. Frost passed Kayn her backpack, kissed her sweetly on the lips and as they embraced, he whispered in her ear, “I’ll see you in a week. Be good.”
She started to giggle as she quietly replied, “You should see everyone’s faces.”
Frost whispered, “They’re just jealous.” He squeezed her so tight her feet lifted off the ground. As he put her down, he added, “You should erase those pictures.”
What pictures? He winked at her as he turned around and walked towards a seriously confused looking Grey. He appeared to be in shock. He’d probably never seen him do the whole public displays of affection thing. She honestly hadn’t expected him to do it either.
Lexy sighed as she wandered away and teased, “Frost’s in love. Heaven help us all.”
They’d both been avoiding that word. Kayn waited until she heard the scratching sound of the tires driving away in the gravel before she went inside. She strolled to her bunk and flopped down on it, beaming. Her cheeks were going to be sore if she kept smiling like this. Hedonistic flashes of the night they’d shared flickered through her mind.
Melody joined her on the bunk and whispered, “Tell me everything! Where did he take you? Was it romantic?”
Kayn couldn’t give any details, mainly because most of the night was a kinky hedonistic blur. She could tell her friend a few things, “We went to this incredible hotel and we stayed in the honeymoon suite. It was perfect. He’s incredible. We like each other a lot.” He has some crazy abilities and he’s probably destroyed me for all other men.
“So, is it love?” Mel asked while listening intently.
Yes…Kayn filtered her response, “It’s a bit early for that word.”
Mel smiled at her and said, “Sometimes you just know it, even before you’re ready to say it aloud.”
She had a point there. Kayn took Mel’s hand and pleaded, “Can we please not make this a big deal.” The front door creaked a complaint as it opened. The remaining Ankh wandered over and sat on the bunk across from her. Oh, wonderful.
“Was it awesome? Your skin is glowing,” Haley preened.
Astrid seemed concerned as she started in with the questions, “Are you guys together? Are you totally over that Kevin guy? I’m happy for you guys. Don’t get me wrong. I just don’t want him to be hurt. I heard him ask you to be good. What was that all about?”
She was seriously contemplating the merits of smothering herself with her own pillow so she could end this conversation. Really? Twenty-four hours ago, she was a virgin. Kayn looked at Zach and said, “Do you have anything to say? You might as well get it out now while everyone else is.”
Zach grinned at her as he chuckled, “Was it worth it?”
That just totally lightened the mood. Kayn addressed everyone as she exclaimed, “I’m going to answer these questions and then we are never going to speak of this again. Are you all with me?”
They nodded. She smiled at Haley and replied, “It was amazing.” She gave Astrid a detailed response, “I think we are. I’m not sure you’re ever one hundred percent over anyone. I seem to have permanent use of my twin’s ability, which is like his but I think that was a joke. Is there anything else, before we close the topic of the loss of my virginity forever?” Everyone’s curiosity had been shut down by her witty responses. She could now change the subject, “So, who can tell me more about this job?”
Astrid had been actively trying not to smile by pressing her lips together. She managed to get her serious expression back as she replied, “You and Zach will be going back to high school tomorrow. Your information will be waiting for you in the office. You’ll be using your regular first names to avoid complications. The back story is… your parents met on the internet and they just got married. It’s the whole blended family thing. You’ll be watching this girl and getting to know her daily schedule. You need to make your faces a familiar sight, yet avoid an actual conversation. If you do this right she won’t think twice about going with us after her Correction. If she doesn’t survive, we just leave and meet up with the rest of the clan.” She stood up and added, “We have a couple of rentals to drive around while we’re here. You two will have one to go to and from school.”
Zach shrugged and responded, “That sounds easy enough.”
Haley gave him a playful smack and sighed, “Don’t ever say that. It’s like asking for something messed-up to happen.”
They were starting school tomorrow. It was time to hurry up and wait. This meant board games and movies. They all got up and silently separated into either the back room or the kitchen area. Kayn stood up and followed Zach into the back, knowing she didn’t have the brain power for board games right now. She could watch a movie though. Kayn heard her cell phone buzz and went back to her bunk to dig it out of her back pack. It was a message from Frost reminding her to be careful where she left her phone. She still didn’t recall taking pictures. Kayn pressed the photo gallery icon and started to laugh. She thought it was going to be X-rated but instead it was a just bunch of goofy G-rated selfies of them making funny faces in bed together. They were naked in most of the selfies, but it didn’t show anything. She texted Frost back, “These are cute.”
“Keep looking,” he replied.
She flipped the touch screen a few more times. Wow. Her eyes widened and she quickly erased the evidence of their drunken debauchery.
Zach impatiently hollered from the TV room, “Are you coming?”
It was a little bit chilly. Kayn grabbed one of her hoodies, put it on and slipped her cell into her pocket. She peeked into the kitchen area, the others were in the middle of an intense looking game of cards. After that wild night with Frost she just wanted to be still and bask in the afterglow. Kayn wandered into the back room, ready to begin the Dragon and Handler movie marathon. Tomorrow she’d get to pretend she was normal. While waiting for someone to be murdered without warning them. If they survived, she would get to plot their kidnapping. She stepped over the pillows and blankets on the floor.
Zach patted the pillow next to him. He grinned like an adolescent brother as he baited, “So…What are you in the mood for?”
Kayn scowled at him and rolled her eyes. She grabbed one of the large overstuffed pillows from the floor and smoked him point blank in the face. It was on! They began pummeling each other with the pillows. Ev
entually she got the upper hand and knocked him over.
He was curled up into the fetal position laughing and repeatedly saying, “I’ll stop! I’ll stop!” When their sibling style wrestling match drew the others away from their boring game of cards and into the back room. Of course, they joined in instead of breaking it up. After a good half hour long pillow fight, they were all sprawled out on the floor hysterically laughing. After they regained their faculties, the tension from earlier that day had been dealt with. All five of them cuddled up under the blankets and watched a horror movie marathon. They ate random snacks for dinner, because nobody felt like being responsible enough to make a proper meal and eventually they fell asleep right where they were on the floor.
Kayn heard an old song playing before she opened her eyes. It was, ‘Push it.’ She smiled assuming it was Astrid’s phone. The girls had been listening to music from the twenty years they’d missed out on while being trapped in the Testing. She groggily opened her eyes and noticed that a few of them were missing. She grabbed the phone and looked at the time. It was seven o’clock in the morning. Shit. She had to go to school. Kayn grinned when she realized it was Zach’s cell phone. Hilarious. He was still sound asleep. She poked him a few times and harassed, “Rise and shine. Salt n Pepa fan. We have to get ready for school.”
He swatted her away and mumbled, “No school.”
She smelled coffee. Somebody had their back this morning. Kayn stretched as she looked around the tousled up back room. She grabbed her things and quickly used the bathroom. She put on jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie. Opting to put her wild mane of hair into a ponytail because she felt comfortable that way. She applied a touch of makeup and smiled at her reflection. On the surface, she appeared to be the same fresh faced innocent girl that she’d always been. This was now her disguise. That girl was gone. The scent of something wondrous accosted her nostrils as she opened the bathroom door. Kayn wandered out into the kitchen and smiled at Astrid. She was cooking bacon on the little stove. Kayn grinned and sang, “Thanks mom.”
Astrid scooped a couple of eggs along with some bacon onto a plate and replied, “It’s just some much needed brain food for my sweet angelic teenage daughter on her first day at her new high school.”
Kayn took the plate from her and continued the game as she dramatically sighed, “Zach won’t get out of bed.”
Astrid grabbed a glass out of the small cupboard and pleasantly said, “Let me show you how this mommy deals with unruly children.” She filled it with water, pranced down the hall and a second later Zach was cursing up a storm. She reappeared and sang, “Your brother is up.”
Kayn snickered as she ate her bacon. She looked up and sighed, “You would have been the best mother ever.” The winced at what she’d spoken aloud. She hadn’t known Astrid long enough to be able to predetermine her areas of sensitivity.
Astrid smiled at her, appearing to be unfazed by her comment. She placed a cup of coffee on the table in front of her and passed her some utensils.
A dressed-up Zach strolled into the kitchen and retaliated with one word, “Funny.” Their makeshift mother figure handed her partner in crime a plate with bacon and eggs on it. He winked at her and said, “Forgiven.” He sat beside Kayn and tried to steal her coffee.
She jokingly stabbed his hand with her fork and threatened, “Next time. I draw blood.”
He pretended to whine, “Mom! Kayn stabbed me with a fork.”
Astrid plunked a coffee down in front of him. Ignoring his complaint, she curtly began her little speech, “Your backpacks for school are in the closet. You both have lunch money in the front zipper compartment. Zach, I got a text from Jenna saying our Kayn might have some repercussions to deal with from her recent extracurricular activities. You’re supposed to keep a close eye on her because you might have to deal with it.”
What was that supposed to mean? Kayn took a drink of her coffee and exclaimed, “You know, I’m sitting right here.” Deal with it? She stood up and marched into the back to get the backpacks. One of them was stuck in the closet. She yanked on it a few times growing angrier every second. It wouldn’t budge an inch. The part of her brain that did the problem solving was not cooperating this morning. She wanted to take the frigging door right off. Kayn tore the door off the hinges with her bare hands just as Melody came out of the bathroom. Her friend had a concerned expression on her face. Yes, it was possible she was going to be rather easily amped up for a little while. She was standing there casually holding the closet door she’d ripped off in her hands. Kayn tried to explain her predicament, “I couldn’t get the backpacks out of the closet.” She felt a little bit embarrassed so she propped the door up against the wall. Her friend crouched down and easily removed the bags from the closet and passed each one up to her. She said, “Thanks Mel,” as she meekly walked back to the kitchen where she admitted, “Yes, it’s possible, I may be a wee bit easy to anger.”
Zach took his bag as he smiled and replied, “But knowing is half the battle.”
She did not have the patience for fortune cookie day.
He placed his arm around her, gave her a brotherly squeeze and chimed in, “You just need to think of your cup as half full.”
Of some kind of alcohol. Kayn smiled at her own thoughts as she stepped out into the invigorating chill of the morning air. Her senses were greeted by the familiar scent of the trees and she instantly felt a little bit lighter on the inside. Her footsteps crackled on the ground. It was quite icy. It was going to snow. She glanced at her running shoes, knowing if it snowed, her feet would be soaking wet and freezing all day.
Astrid hollered after them, “Break a leg.”
With hilarious timing Zach slipped on the icy ground. She grabbed his arm before he went down. Kayn smiled and teased, “That was fortune cookie karma my friend.”
He grinned as they carefully walked to the rental car. Zach pressed the key pad. They both got in. He turned on the heater and began warming up the interior. Kayn was about to pass him the scraper when she changed her mind. Delicate snowflakes were already spiralling down from the heavens. She knew it. She got back out of the car, tapped on the window and bargained, “I’ll do it this morning, if you do it after school.” There wasn’t much to do as the heater had already done a great job of melting the thin layer of ice on the windows.
Zach got out of the car and said, “I’ll be right back. They’ll have to get this motorhome out of here and park it somewhere in town before there’s too much snow on the ground.”
Kayn slid into the passenger seat. He was right. This campground would be absolute hell to get out of when it was covered in snow. She loved this province. It was warm outside yesterday. She hadn’t even thought of putting on a winter jacket. You never knew what you needed to wear from day to day. Welcome to British Columbia. Zach reappeared with boots and a winter jacket on. Her winter gear was in his arms.
He passed it to her as he got into the driver’s seat, fastened his seatbelt and announced, “We’ll text them after school and find out where they ended up.” He plugged in his cell phone to play some tunes.
There goes my trail run. Kayn zipped up her boots and stared out the window, watching the snowflakes as they fluttered from above.
Zach maneuvered the slick gravel road out of the campground like an old pro. He pulled out onto the highway and teased, “Maybe, we’ll all get to stay at that fancy hotel you and Frost just stayed in?”
She ignored his attempt to provoke her. There was absolutely no point in giving him a reaction. They passed a sign directing them to the high school and turned down a side road. After a few minutes of travelling, they pulled in to the high school’s completely empty parking lot. They must be super early. This was a first. She’d never been early for anything. They were going back to high school. Kayn grimaced and glanced at Zach. High school had barely been tolerable the first time around. Images of Kevin began to flash through her mind. She blinked them away. He’s gone. They both were.
&n
bsp; Sensing something was amiss, Zach nudged her and asked, “Are you alright?”
“It’s nothing,” Kayn answered as she opened the door without missing a beat and got out.
He grabbed his bag out of the back and announced, “I guess we’ll have to go to the office and get our schedules before we do anything else.”
Her Handler appeared to be stoked about this new experience. She might as well try to get with the program. “That’s how I understood it,” Kayn responded as she stood there in the winter wonderland. The entire landscape was already covered in white powder. Only a week ago, she’d been trudging through the desert barefoot and so thirsty she’d been hallucinating. As the flakes landed on her face, she stuck out her tongue, allowing them to land on it. What a strange and sometimes wondrous life she was leading. Frost entered her mind and she smiled. He was something to look forward to.
Zach chuckled, “Earth to Kayn. We should get inside before we’re both soaking wet.”
They jogged through the flurry of white spiralling snowflakes towards the front doors. Zach yanked it open and allowed her to dive inside first. She laughed, “Thank you kind sir.” They shook the snow off, by stamping their feet on the large black mat at the front door. The office was conveniently right there. After pretending to be siblings to get their class schedules, they strolled through the school to get the lay of the land. They took a seat on a bench and compared their schedules. They were grateful to be in all the same classes. The Aries Group was good. Students began to flood the halls and the slightest touch of color hovered around each person. She’d ceased to notice it, unless she was looking for it. Kayn scanned the herd of teens for a hint of yellow and there was nothing. The bell rang and the two Ankh made their way to their first class. The seats were full except for two at the back and the teacher pointed to the empty seats without doing a big announcement or anything. Kayn was personally relieved. She took her binder out and the teacher turned off the lights before she could get a good look at the auras of the students in the room. She heard Zach say something to her using only his mind, “Is she in here?”