Someday (A 3Below Fanfic)

IX

A Few Days Later
Arcadia Oaks High, Earth

Elara's POV

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Steve bounds over to Aja, Tarron and I, offering Aja a gift.

"Thank you!" She accepts his present; a teddy bear wearing a blue shirt with Steve's face printed on the front of it.

"I used one of my most charming smiles, just for you," he grins to demonstrate. "Read it!" He signals to the card taped to the bear.

I notice Tarron's face flush an angry red as he watches Aja read the card. We both look over her shoulder to see what's written in it:

HaPy Valantimes Day, Aja! Wil you go to dinier with me tonite? I bett yOull luk hutt;)

"Hapy Valentimes day? Hutt? What form of gibberish is this?!" Tarron moans.

"He means "Happy Valentine's Day and hot." He really needs to correct his grammar," I translate for him.

"OH no! You're not going," he declares to his sister.

"Ignore him, Steve." Aja turns back to him again. "What was it you were gonna tell me?"

"I want to take you out for dinner, just the two of us. What do you say?"

"That sounds lively!" She sing-songs. "You're the best boyfriend in the universe!" She hugs him tightly and kisses his cheek.

I see Tarron retch from the corner of my eyes. (And who can blame him? Watching them's just plain gross.)

"I know right? C'mon, let's go get those limited edition Valentine's Day smoothies." He strides away with Aja's arm around his.

"Just the thought of him with her makes me want to gauge my eyes out!" Tarron groans.

"It sounds like you really hate Palchuk," I state.

"It's not just that," he goes on. "I want Aja to have the best in life, but Steve's not right for her. I mean, imagine he comes back with us to Akiridion-5. The planet will be utter disaster with him as king!"

"So what you're trying to say is—"

"I want her to stop seeing him!" He blabs, before gasping. "I cannot believe I just said that."

"Well you do mean it, though. So do you wanna get back at him?" I suggest.

His head snaps up at me as soon as I say that. "Oh do I!"

"I know exactly what to do," I smile wickedly.

@@@

Krel's POV

"To recognise bias in text we have to ..." Ms. Janeth chatters on passionately in English class as the sounds of Steve's snoring echoes through the air.

I glance at El and give her the signal. She nods and throws a miniature earpiece into the air before it lands on Steve's face, actuating itself. Then it automatically slides across him until it rests on his earlobe and latches there.

"... Alright class, it's lunchtime! Remember to read page 73-82 in your textbooks for homework tonight," Ms. Janeth ends the class as the humans all file out one by one. I join El at her locker.

"What if someone notices it?" I question. "Then we'll be stomped."

"And that's why the earpiece's diminutive. As long as he thinks it's his mind talking to him, we'll be ok." Her UV cortex chip constructs itself into a holographic dashboard the size of an iPad. Sound waves and vibrations appear from every frequency it detects.