“Hey, bestie. I see you got my note,” Moni says, and when I turn around she’s flashing through a series of pastel yellows, white, and green as she looks around at the group and the wavy-haired mystery man.Honestly, he’s not really a mystery, but we haven’t been introduced yet.“Everyone else has been introduced so far, so Rez, this is Chestnut—” she cuts off nervously.
“Hi, Chestnut,” I wave and smile.
“—My mate,” Moni says and immediately JP chokes.
When he starts to turn red, Knots jumps up and does the Heimlich maneuver until JP sends a piece of sausage flying across the room.Wow! Guess he’s not as good at taking dick as I thought.As JP wheezes and tries to catch his breath, I fight to plaster a this-is-normal type of smile on my face and congratulate the couple.
‘Did she say mate?’Knots asks before looking at JP with furrowed eyebrows.
“You okay, JP?” he asks before taking his seat again and begins eating. JP just nods as he struggles to contain himself.
“Congratulations, guys!” I squeal and pull Moni into a hug, making a point that this is exciting news no matter what anyone says. “You better give me the deets later. You’re lucky I’m not choking you right now,” I whisper in her ear. Looking over her shoulder, I smile at her man and give him a wave, “It’s nice to meet you, Chestnut.”
He pushes up his black frame glasses with his middle finger as he blushes, “Thanks, but just call me Chester.”
“That I can do, Chester,” I agree as I bite into an apple and grab a granola bar.
After JP cleans up his mess, I catch him eyeing Chester and Moni.‘By all things holy, please don’t JP.’He quirks his eyebrows in a calculated look and opens his mouth, but what comes out doesn’t come from him.
“So, how do you know you’re mates?” Knots asks, and my eyes bug out before I slowly turn my head to stare at him.
‘You did NOT just ask that!’
“Well, funny that you ask. Apparently, I have a mate mark on my back,” Moni announces joyfully, and spins around on the stool where she pulls her hair to the side to show us her back.
Sure enough, there at the base of her neck is a big dark brown shape that kinda looks like a sugar glider flying with a white circle in the middle.
“What’s that supposed to be?” JP asks curiously before taking a sip of some water.
“I’m a Lemur, and that’s what my coat looks like,” Chester answers and sweetly takes hold of Moni’s hand when she turns back around. They have stars in their eyes as they stare at each other, and I almost feel like I’m imposing.
Aww. They are really cute together.
Knots suddenly stands up and cocks his head for a moment before he nods like he’s responding to someone.Talk about creepy.I’ve never seen him do that before. “You guys might want to finish up and head to the Hub in Nova. There’s been a change of plans. An assembly’s been called. Don’t worry about the dishes, I’ll clean up.”
I feel a thousand times lighter hearing that I don’t have to go to Combat Class. I wasn’t looking forward to getting my ass kicked again. Now if I could have the upper hand, then I might have reacted differently, but as it is, I’m sporting a huge smile as I approach Knots. I give him a quick kiss before meeting up with everyone in the hallway and waiting for the elevator. “Is it normal for an assembly to be called?” Moni asks with a worried tone.
“Honestly? I have no clue. Never had one before,” JP answers and dread hits me hard. Something tells me that whatever is about to happen, it’s not right. That could be just dread left over from my dreamscape with Lynx and everything is just getting to me, but even that feels off.
I worry my bottom lip as another thought hits me. “Has there been any news about Zeke?”
“No, but they still have aerial patrols out looking for him.” JP's voice drops and I catch a hint of anger as he clenches his jaw. “They deemed it too dangerous for us to go, so we have to rely on them right now.”
Getting off the elevator, I notice the hallways are empty. “Are we the last to be notified?”
“I hope not,” JP says warily. Grabbing my hand, he takes the lead, and we’re off running through the buildings and out to the Administration building, only to find it locked.
“Are you fucking kidding me? How else are we supposed to get in there?” I wheeze out, throwing my hands in the air.Damn. I need to workout.
“The only other safe way is the main portal back in the glade,” Moni points out.
“Is there a potion that can shrink me down so I can ride on someone’s shoulder?” I ask and Moni just slaps me on the back before doing just that to Chester.
“You’re so funny, Rez.” She laughs before pulling on Chester’s hair. “Onward, good fellow!” she yells, pointing in the other direction.
“They are so cute together,” I say in awe and JP swats my ass. “Ahh!”
“Nope. Don’t you start. I can’t think of them in a relationship,” he says before jogging to catch up with them.
