Human Hacking Code

*Chapter six*

I had to hand it to Casey, she was wonderful in combat training.

I moved towards her with my fists brought up to cover my face. She ran at me, did a side flip with a roundhouse and hit me square in the stomach. I hit the mat with my back. I lay there for a few seconds, my stomach threatening to cough up my recent snack. Casey crouched down next to me with a grin plastered on her face.

" If you want to protect your beautiful face and keep your food down you might want to learn some good moves fast." she laughed. I rolled my eyes with a groan. I was angered by her ability to kick my butt with so much grace.

" When will this training e-"

I was interrupted by a ringing and a purple flashing light. " Dinner time." Casey extended her hand out to me and I hesitantly took it. She pulled me to my feet with her grin growing into a smile. We walked side by side to the consumption area. Casey led the way for she had been here a bit longer. Casey and I joined the line of Nova trainees to receive our food.

After obtaining a white and chrome box of food, we took a seat at one of the many tables in the room. There wasn't much of a conversation between me and my roommate. She seemed to really enjoy her chicken and fried potatoes. Some boys walked over and sandwiched us. Casey elbowed two of them away from her. I stood from my seat with a frown.

" You two are probably the hottest girls here...." I gave to boy who said that a good kick. Casey leaned her back against the boy to her left who had brown curly hair and kicked the one to her right with a shaved head with both her feet. The one to her left wrapped his arms around her waist and hooked his hands together across her knees. Casey used her free hands to smash the boy's jaw in with her knuckles. He fell crumpled to the ground with a thud. Another boy who had been sitting on my right jumped up and grasped my neck with his chubby hands. He began to put pressure on my windpipe,making it to where I could not breathe. I threw my leg backwards with all my might and the boy let go of my neck and fell to his knees while holding his crotch.

I stormed out of the room without a single bit of my food touched to avoid the gaping mouths and the staring eyes. I came to a run until I came to my room. It opened when I pressed my thumb to the screen on the side of the door.  I flung myself onto my bed and hid under the covers.

I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

................

A horribly annoying knock of my door brought me from my sleep. I threw the covers back and approached the door. I pressed the door and a holographic image of Kayla waiting by the door appeared. I let her in.

" I heard what happened...." she sat with me on my bed.

" Who didn't?" my cheeks began to heat up. 

" I'm surprised they let people treat each like that." she scratched her pink head. Some parents can comply with their child and take them to a lab to change any genes to change their appearance. Kayla asked for pink hair. I never really bothered my parents about it even though I longed to have short purple hair.

The door opened and Casey walked in, her boots making a quiet thud against the floor. She sat next to me and wrapped her arms around me, resting her head on my shoulder.   " I will make sure no one will ever look at you lustfully or even hurt you in any way. They will pay." She whispered to me. I looked over at Kayla. She smiled and nodded. " Me too sucker." she playfully bumped my shoulder with her fist.

Loud banging came from outside. Kayla jumped up and checked the holographic projector. The four boys from earlier stood outside with hateful scowls or menacing smiles.  " We'll be out here all night if you need some-cof-company...." The boy who had called us hot gave a wink to add to his smile. His red hair fell over his face and ended at his eyebrows. He had a small mole on his chin, one tooth that was was crooked compared to all the straight ones, and a white scar on his bottom lip that stretched larger when he smiled.

Kayla pressed the door and the holographic image disappeared. " Mind if I stay for tonight?" she asked, her messy braid falling onto her left shoulder as she turned to us. Casey released me with a nod.  " You can take my bed if you want...I can sleep on the floor..." Casey said as she took some clothes from her closet, setting them down on my bed. 

" No Casey, You can share my bed. It isn't fair you should be sleeping on the floor." I folded my arms. 

" I toss and turn." she warned me.  " I think I can handle it."

" Alright, whatever you say." she flung her hands up before taking her sleep clothes into the bathroom with her.

" I should have worn something other than spandex...." Kayla sighed. I smiled, we both knew that we were the same size and that she had actually borrowed some clothes from me before when the city took forever to replace everything they lost to a fire.

I went into my closet to pick out something comfortable for her to wear. I picked a pair of blue trousers out for myself, a pair of black trousers for her, and a purple shirt for both of us. I emerged from the closet and handed Kayla the clothes. She stood, took the clothes, and brought me into a suffocating embrace. Her faded fuchsia  hair pressed against my face. I gave a almost silent cough as the fume of rose hit my nostrils.

" Who wants to go next?" Casey tapped Kayla's shoulder.  "Marley." Kayla pushed away from the embrace. I rolled my eyes as I stepped towards the bathroom. I couldn't get the beautiful fragrance of rose out of my head. I made sure the door closed. It hissed shut and I changed from my combat clothes to my sleeping clothes. They hung more loose on my body than my other clothes I had worn today.

I joined Casey and Kayla who were giggling and talking. Kayla bounded over to take her place in the bathroom. Casey watched her as she went with a sad grin.

" You always wanted purple hair right?" Casey fiddled with my white locks. I nodded.  " I've always wanted my hair to be shorter, at least by a little." I replied with a shrug.

" They let you have tattoos here, and they can change your hair into anything you would like.... But this fits your face to well. I've only sen hair like this once, and that was you. Keep it." Wait, how did she know all  this?

"Kayla told me about it, she said you shouldn't change or destroy it's beauty. And I agree" I shook my head.

" I never liked my hair. I was teased for it...They would call me horrible names...." I waved away the memories. Casey gripped my forearms and pulled me close to her. " Yu are a true beauty and you need to see that."

Yells and pounding came from the other side of the door. Casey scowled and stomped over to it. 

" Come on out cowards!" They yelled. Casey grumbled something under her breath just as Kayla came from the bathroom. I watched her crawl under the covers of Casey's bed. Casey gave a shake of her head and climbed into my bed. I was the one who turned off the lights. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching the silhouette of Casey as she began to breathe more evenly from her sleep. 

I took up the space next to her, bringing the covers up to my shoulder. I began to doze off when Casey began to turn in her sleep. She flopped over onto me, waking me fully. I shoved her off of me.

" Roselynn,sister...what?" she mumbled before throwing an arm over me and pulling me close to her.

" Casey, it's me Marley..."

" I swear it isn't my fault, they took me," quiet sobs shook her body.

I had no idea Casey had a sister. Her sobs ceased and I felt a wet spot on my upper back from her tears. The warmth of Casey being beside me made my eyes droop and sleep to finally settle in.

.............................