of all the stars

c30

The faint sound of Andi humming along to Jaymes Young was what Ki found Monday morning as she walked down the stairs.

He was standing in the kitchen with gray flannel pants and an oversized black sweater as he stirred a tea bag around in his favorite orange mug.

"Hey Andi." Ki broke his bliss as she walked into the kitchen.

"Hey kid." He looked up, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"Typically yes, but my class got moved to a later slot so they could renovate the building, so now... not exactly." He shrugged his shoulders.

"When did this happen?" Ki pushed his shoulder as she walked past him.

"Friday. Figured I'd just tell you once you got back."

"Well I'm back."

"I can see that." Andi tried to take the first sip of his tea.

He visibly burnt himself as he pulled back the mug in surprise, glaring at it as he set it down on the counter.

"So how was the trip?" He gathered himself back together.

"Uh..." Ki wondered how much Shori had told him.

Had he told Andi anything at all?

She just settled on the generic answer.

"Fine."

"Just fine?" He tilted his head over as he looked at her.

"Um... yeah it was cool." She looked down into her empty hands.

"Did something... happen?"

"Uh... you know what I've gotta get to school... to catch up with all my teachers and stuff... I'll tell you later." Ki awkwardly shifted away from the counter.

"Hmm... okay well have a good day at school. Tell Acacia I said hi." Andi pulled the mug back up to his face, mumbling his words a little.

"Will do." She shot him a peace sign as she walked back across the kitchen.

She didn't even get the protein bar she went in for.

Too late to turn back now.

No breakfast it is.

————————

"Sooooo... how was the trip?" Acacia leaned over on Ki as they were stretching their legs in the gym.

"If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that today..." Ki mumbled pulling her heel up towards her back.

"Psh right?" Lyra smiled doing the same.

Ki smiled and looked down at the ground, staring at the uneven floor planks. Acacia wobbled a little on her leg beside Ki and struggled to keep her balance.

"Whatever." She grumbled, bring her leg back down to stabilize herself. "I hate you both."

Lyra stuck her tongue out at Acacia and switched to stretch her other leg.

"Were there any hot DC boys?" Acacia smirked.

Ki's head bolted up, her gaze settling on Lyra's blushing red face. Lyra glanced at her, as if searching her face for the right answers, but almost as if she didn't find what she was looking for, she turned back towards Acacia.

"Nah..." She sighed. "They're all 'eh' like the ones here."

"Well that's shit." Acacia blew up a piece of hair that fell down on to her eyelid.