Part 5 (1/2)

”We are,” Venus said, pus.h.i.+ng down the urge to ask if Cheverly would be turning the clothes into coachmen.

”Sweet! So, you three know each other?” Cheverly asked, flicking the scanner in her hand from Zaren to Venus to Vinny and back to Zaren.

”I-I-” Venus began, but stopped. She'd let Zaren handle it. ”Zaren?”

Venus watched Cheverly fidget. First tucking her empty hand into a tight, front pocket and then pus.h.i.+ng some loose hair behind an ear. Finally she must've realized she still had lots of clothes to ring up. Picking up a pink s.h.i.+rt, she scanned, folded, and placed it in a pile.

Vinny put a lopsided smirk on his face and said, ”Zaren and I go way back.” He pounded Zaren on the shoulder. ”How ya been, buddy?”

Zaren smiled. ”Vinny, huh? Interesting choice.”

”I like it. Dervinias sounds so . . . foreign,” Cheverly said as she continued swiping tags.

Venus couldn't help but wonder under what circ.u.mstances Zaren and Dervinias would've met. He didn't act like the sort of person Zaren would be friends with. Anything was possible though. She realized she didn't know all that much about Zaren outside of his constantly shadowing her every move as her guardian.

”If you say . . .” Zaren's jaw suddenly clenched. But he quickly relaxed it and grasped Vinny's inner arm with his right hand. Vinny did the same to Zaren-the Formytian handshake. ”I wasn't sure if you'd received my, ah, communication or not.”

Dervinias said, ”Your communication came over loud and clear.”

The exchange between the two kelarians had Venus intrigued. She'd seen Zaren with his fellow Formytians before. With Dervinias, he acted different, less a.s.sured. And Dervinias-he was an enigma.

Dervinias turned to face Venus, and for some reason, she stood taller. She had nothing to prove, but her upbringing demanded that she be a princess at all times.

”h.e.l.lo, Venus.” His eyes raked her over, starting with her boots, going up her thighs, past her waist and b.r.e.a.s.t.s and finally stopping on her face. ”Your eyes. Such an amazing shade of blue. I don't recall ever seeing such a color.”

Cheverly chimed in. ”I was going to comment about them earlier, but figured they were contacts.”

”They are . . . contacts,” Venus said to Dervinias first. Then found Cheverly's eyes and nodded. ”Do you like them?”

”Oh yeah, they're awesome,” she agreed.

It took a mountain of time to ring up all their clothes. Venus used the opportunity to check out the store, with its obscene amounts of clothes hanging on the walls and on racks everywhere. The clothing store wasn't nearly exciting enough to distract her from the strange Dervinias.

Every few seconds her gaze found the two kels. They seemed deep in conversation. Maybe they did know each other. Maybe he was a Formytian, like Zaren. If so, who was he protecting? He didn't look the type or act it either. Still, she had a plethora of questions for him.

Like: What was he doing on Earth? Was he an Explorer? A Discoverer? A Metals Detector? If he were on Earth, there had to be a reason.

It also intrigued her that he knew the girl, Cheverly. And that he went to a human high school. What could he gain from doing that? What were the benefits?

All questions she'd be sure to ask him when an obvious human-Cheverly-wasn't around.

As if Dervinias had read her mind, he turned and winked.

Humph! She looked away and sighed, moving closer to the counter. A small flame flickered inside a gla.s.s container. The jar held a thick, red substance, except at the top, it appeared liquid. A fruity smell found its way up her nose, and she realized it came from whatever the flame burned. Pretty, but potent. A combination of rosithia flowers and oraney, with a hint- ”It's a blend of apples, cinnamon and vanilla,” Cheverly said.

Venus c.o.c.ked her head, curious, not quite certain she understood. The fire had a scent?

Cheverly added, ”That's the smell of the wax-the red stuff burning. Haven't you ever seen a scented candle before?” She pointed the wand toward the gla.s.s jar.

”Ohhhhh, sure. Of course I have.” Venus nodded, irritated, and trying to cover for the fact that, no, she hadn't ever seen a scented candle before. She'd taken years and years of Earth Studies. It'd been one cla.s.s her parents insisted she continuously study. But her professors hadn't ever mentioned this candle contraption. Clearing her throat, she continued, ”It smells good.” As if to prove it, her stomach rumbled.

Cheverly giggled. ”You should try a red velvet cupcake from next door. They're divine.”

”Thanks, I might.” She looked at Zaren, hoping to catch his eye, but he and Dervinias were still in a heated conversation.

”Zaren?”

He turned and opened his mouth, but Dervinias interrupted. ”You and Zaren are going to stay with me. I insist.”

Zaren closed his mouth, his lips tightening into a thin line. But he nodded.

”Great.” Venus turned back toward the pile of clothes.

”Ah, Vinny, you're so sweet.” Cheverly finished ringing up their clothes and started bagging them. When she was done, Zaren handed her a plastic card to pay for everything. Afterward, he handed a few bags to Dervinias. Venus took a couple and Zaren carried the rest. ”All right, I believe we have everything. Thank you, Cheverly. We appreciate your help.”

”Oh, sure,” she said waving a hand, her cheeks coloring. She seemed smitten with the Formytian. ”Maybe I'll see you around.”

”Maybe.”

”Thank you,” Venus added as she walked toward the entrance.

”Oh, no problem.” She waved and giggled.

”Later Chev, baby!” Vinny added as he opened the door.

”Laters.”

Venus followed Zaren and Dervinias out of the store.

11. Blister In The Sun.

Michael groaned. It was the bottom of the fourth quarter and, once again, he was on his back, under a pile of sweating guys. No, he wasn't having a good time. He was p.i.s.sed off-in a great way. In a way that pumped him up, and made him push harder-allowed him to think. Put life into perspective. His mind easily focused during a game. When the opposing team breathed down his neck right before he threw the football. It was a battle. And he intended to win.

On the field, it didn't matter that his girlfriend had screwed around with another guy. Or that his mother wouldn't be winning any *Mom of the Year' awards.

Out here, amongst the sweat and the turf, what mattered was that his teammates were playing like c.r.a.p. They needed to suck it up and win this effing game. His freaking life depended on it. Podunk Cheyenne, Wyoming was sucking the life out of him. He needed out. There were a couple of scouts in the bleachers tonight. Impressing them meant a full-ride scholars.h.i.+p. He wanted to go anywhere that wasn't here.

With only twenty seconds left on the clock, the South High Bisons were down six points. Come h.e.l.l or high water, they were gonna score. The barrage of red and black from the opposing team quickly untangled themselves and moved off him.

A guy from the opposing team stuck out a hand. ”Have fun under there, Hawke?”

”You're such a comedian.” Michael ignored the jerk's hand and stood. Then, with his hands he made a T and called time out.

After talking to Coach Gann, he brought the guys into the huddle.