The heart of Cleopatra

My words not hers

Chapter thirty five

Cleo zipped her skirt up, ignoring the regulated length and sighed, this uniform was only as good as she could make it. Kai laid soundly on the sofa as she past him to go to her kitchen. She looked in her fridge with a disgusted frown, she hadn't been shopping in a good while. Normal things have taken a step back from the new everyday routine. She shrugged her shoulders and took an energy drink, cracking the cold caffine can open Kai's head popped up.

"Energy drink already?" He asked rubbing his eyes. Cleo nodded while taking another sip. Kai open his hand signalling her to throw one over, but Cleo shook her head.

"Red bull at 7am for you? No way. Besides, I only have one left."

"Perfect." He said walking towards Cleo with a dozy smirk, Cleo pushed him back making him stumble.

"I need it to get me through the day. Asterin Academy is no joke."

Kai chuckled. "That's why you have the whole private girl look again. I was starting to miss it."

Cleo rolled her eyes at his player behaviour. "You should go to school too." She lectured. Her phone alarm went off, it was the latest she could leave in order to still make it. "You need to go food shopping today!" Cleo quickly shouted as she stole the last can and slammed the front door shut.

Kai stood speechless as he watched Cleo speed out the drive way without any specific instruction. He would have to rely on common sense, not that she wouldn't pick his shopping apart. Dreading his one chore he looked to the big clock with a groan. "Why is she up so early?" he complained diving back onto the sofa.

As Kai slowly returned to his slumber his phone vibrated raising his frustration. He opened his eyes and caught the mobile that wasn't far from falling onto the floor.

Lola: The base is open.

He sighed at the text but soon jumped to his feet ready to start the day. Kai didn't have the privilege to get into the base by himself, so he needed someone to let him in. While Cleo was busy she couldn't train him so Kai took it upon himself to workout alone. Without her knowing. The last thing he wanted was to be the defenceless one, he'll leave that to Charlie.

***

"Wow, a red bull already?" Charlie chuckled watching Cleo take pleasure in every sip. She nodded with a grin.

"It's been a long couple days." She said leaning on her locker. Charlie hummed in agreeance as he unlocked his.

"I was going to call you but I thought you might need some space." He said. Ordinarily he would be right, but last night she needed someone. And for some reason it turned out to be who she least expected. Cleo couldn't get her head around that Kai knew what she needed better than her.

"I went home and slept it off." She lied, hiding a small smile at the countless hours Kai and her spent making fun off the racers throughout the years.

"Okay." Charlie said hesitantly while closing his locker. Cleo flashed him a grin sensing his suspicion.

The loud bell rang making the halls shake as usual. Charlie held his hand out while Cleo threw her head back groaning. He tilted his head at her telling her to get a grip, she pouted but slapped her palm onto his as he began to drag them to class.

"At least it's English." Cleo said remembering it's her favourite class. Their teacher met them with a tired but cheery smile. Throughout her stay Cleo's English teacher has been the best by a long shot.

"Cleo." Her teacher said stopping her at the entrance. Cleo froze in place knowing what it was about, her drink of choice. "How's the assignment going?" She asked.

Cleo's blank face lit up. "It's going." She said. Cleo hadn't been in the right frame of mind to write an assignment on her favourite place in the world seeing as it's a war zone right now. "I'll have it done." She finished.

Her teacher shook her head. "It's your first big assignment, don't worry about a deadline." Shock hit Cleo, even in Arcane there were deadlines. Cleo nodded and turned away. "Oh Cleo." Her teacher said prompting her to look back. "Maybe put the red bull under your desk, avoid the head teacher busting both of us." She told Cleo making her laugh. Cleo thanked her and took her seat next to Charlie.

Meanwhile in Arcane.

"Morning Lola." Kai said with a coffee in his hand. Lola took the cup with a tiny smile. The deal was very clear, Lola let's Kai in, he brings coffee. She ultimately won considering she always worked in the morning, sometimes she didn't even make it home, it's the reason she had a sofa in the lair. She took a long slurp of the warm liquid and sighed in bliss. "You're so easily pleased." Kai laughed as they walked down the hall.

"I'm honestly surprised you're still doing this." Lola admitted opening the main room.

Kai looked back at her with narrowed eyes. "Thanks for the faith in me."

"Hey, we weren't friends so I didn't have faith. But you're on the road of proving me wrong West." Lola said as she set up her laptop. Kai noticed her use of past tense, his slow progress felt like the hard time had been worth it. "So how bad was Cleo when you got back?" Lola asked only having received a text for her best friend saying she was okay.

Kai took a deep breath and took his jacket off. "It was intense. A fight between Cleo and Zeus isn't something I've witnessed before. But she calmed down."

"Calmed down? HOW?" Lola shouted almost choking on her coffee.

Kai looked back with a smirk. "We raced. It's the one thing in the world that takes her mind off of everything."

Lola looked at him in amazement. She's know her forever and yet Kai seemed to have handled a nuclear Cleo better than she ever could. "You know it's starting to get hard hating you."

Kai chuckled. "I'm far from anyone's favourite."

"I don't know, Cleo seems to have softened for you." Lola said before thinking.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kai questioned. Lola closed her eyes soon realising she over stepped, Kai would use any information to hold over Cleo's head. She turned around sheepishly.

"Nothing particular. I just mean she doesn't exactly hate you. And in a weird way I think you're good for her." She noticed Kai's face having a flash of excitement. "My words not hers." She said straight away.

Kai's lips curled to a smirk. "Whatever you say Blondie. I'll be training." He laughed as Lola launched her empty coffee cup at his back.