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  “Don't get all offended,” he said. “I'm just giving you a hard time.”

  “I know.”

  “So why are you on edge?”

  She played with her hair as she tried to think of how to word what she wanted to say to him. “Had an awkward conversation with my mother. Awkward and bad.”

  JD grew so quiet on the other end of the phone that she couldn't even hear him breathing. “So she knows?”

  “Of course she knows.”

  “And she's mad?”

  “No,” Cadence said. It wasn't a complete lie. “Everything is fine.”

  He exhaled deeply. “I wish break didn't have to end.”

  “I know, but nothing is going to change once school starts up again. It'll be just like it's always been,” she said.

  “Duh!”

  She relaxed in her bed, tempted to press him for a stronger definition of what their relationship was, exactly. But is there a need for that? I'm being paranoid. Besides, definitions are so old school anyway. That's what she told herself to feel better, but it didn't necessarily help.

  Chapter Four

  Orlando walked out of class ready to tackle the three he had remaining for the day. The first week back at school after Christmas was already almost over. It had been smooth sailing for the most part, and at first he was excited about getting back into his desk to learn. By the time Wednesday hit, he was already tired of classes. One more day, and then the weekend would be there. Not that school was trying or difficult for him. If anything, he didn't find himself being challenged enough. The hardest class he was taking was advanced biology, but once he'd taken the time to learn all of the terminology, it got significantly easier.

  What he needed the break from, was girls. As soon as word got out of his break-up with Tait, the female population of Lunar Falls High School didn't want to leave him in peace. Orlando would like to attribute it to his natural good looks. He'd always been told blue eyes were swoon worthy. Or maybe it could be blamed on his dark, mysterious, bad boy persona. Girls had a thing for sarcasm, and his dark hair along with his all black wardrobe added to the image.

  However, he knew it was probably only for one reason. Tait was popular as well as the head cheerleader of the squad. There had to be something special about him to make her want him so much. She still pined for him rather openly, making it no secret she thought of him as hers. In a lot of ways, he didn't know what was worse. Dealing with the awkward tension of spending time with her, or dealing with the girls he barely knew. The other girls, he decided. Tait gave him attention he wanted.

  Nia waited at his locker, and she was another girl he didn't mind being around, mostly because he didn't feel as if she wanted to date him. At first he had wondered if that was the case. He couldn't read the girl all too well, but she came on strong, always wanting to hang out, talk to him, and follow him around like a lost puppy. As more time passed, it became clear she was just desperate for a friend who had something in common with her. Orlando wasn't so sure he fit the bill, but she made for good Tait repellent. As much as he didn't want to, he did need to spend some more time away until he could figure out what was going on in his heart.

  “Hey Stalker,” he teased Nia as he opened his locker to grab the books he'd need for his next class. Orlando made sure to smile when he said it so she would know he was joking. Sometimes she got a little defensive over stupid things.

  Nia pulled down the hood from her black sweatshirt and fluffed up her short, black hair, styled in a pixie cut. “So this weekend, we're still on right?”

  He gave her a sideward glance. “I wasn't aware we had plans.”

  “We do now, so we're still on?”

  “How nice of you to check with me first.”

  “Well, you don't have a girlfriend, so I don't know what else you'd be doing in your free time.”

  Orlando rolled his eyes. “I have other friends I could hang out with, and you don't know my relationship status. The only thing anyone knows is I'm not with Tait anymore, and even that isn't certain because we did have a hot date over the break.”

  “Oh, you got a new honey?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  “I don't, but I'm saying I could. Apparently I have a female fan club now, and not just from our school.” He shrugged innocently. “What can I say? I'm a stud.”

  “I think you're full of yourself, but for some reason I like you anyway. Tell your fan club you've got plans with its president Saturday night. You know you wanna play Vampire Hunters with me. You can't say no to my face!” She pushed out her lower lip at him. “Please?”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and groaned as loud as possible. “You're such a whiner.” She's worse than JD. They'd be a match made in Heaven.

  “So then say yes, and I'll stop. Easy solution.”

  “I don't like vampires.”

  “Oh, are you one of those werewolf people?” She snorted.

  He scoffed. “Hardly. Nor am I interested in zombies or any other great mythological creature. Epic fantasy can be okay sometimes, but after a while the same old story gets told. You'll have to find someone else to play your dorky table-top role playing game with.”

  “So what are you into?” she asked, pressing herself closer to him. Her chest was up against his, and while she was petite in size, he still felt more of her body than he cared to.

  Nia had a tendency to invade his personal bubble often. Not something he enjoyed because it gave him all kinds of mixed signals. She said she had no interest in him romantically, but her body language sometimes suggested otherwise. Either she was an extremely touchy, feely person, or she was lying to him because she knew the last thing he wanted to do right now was date. He and Tait had only been apart for a few weeks. Almost as long as they dated actually, but the relationship had been much more emotionally intense than he'd anticipated. Falling in love with a girl who was your enemy would mess anyone up.

  Taking a casual step away from her, Orlando put his text books into his backpack. “Science fiction, espionage, that kind of thing.”

  “Like alien spies or biological warfare or something?”

  Orlando had to stop himself from wincing at the suggestion, and squash down the paranoia rising inside of him. It's not like there was any way for her to know about the alien invasion in their town, or that the enemy base was somewhere near their high school. He couldn't help but have a sudden fascination with outer space or genetic experimentation. Orlando wanted to understand what was happening around him.

  Still, it made him nervous because Nia might also be involved. Anyone could have been tapped by the bad guys. Ever since the war from Altura had come to Earth, Orlando had become even more skeptical than usual. It was hard to know who he could trust because he didn't know who the enemy was. For the most part, they were good at concealing their identities. He'd only stumbled upon Tait as one of them by random chance.

  Nia on the other hand was on his list of individuals to investigate as potential villains. She had been at the party where the enemy, otherwise known as the blue tribe, had been experimenting on teenagers – sometimes against their will. If Nia had been experimented on too, then Orlando needed to know so he could get her help. Unless she already has it with the blue tribe of course.

  That's the kind of strategy some of the Alturan aliens, mainly the blue tribe, used. They didn't care who got hurt in the process. The humans of Earth were nothing more than lab rats to them, despite the similarities in genetics or that humans are a sentient species. Maybe that's what makes us so perfect. We're like the Alturans, but not from their planet, so that makes us easily expendable and at the same time so useful. They can see what would happen to their people without any of them getting hurt. But is Nia working for the blue tribe? That I'm not so sure of. She seems too calm to be on her own, if she's gotten powers, but I also don't think she's bad. Then again, I didn't think Tait had been either, and she's already killed how many teenagers? His stomach churned at the thought.r />
  He did his best to be as nonchalant as possible. “Sure? Science fiction and espionage are pretty broad genres.”

  “Good point. Just what I think of I guess. Science fiction reminds me of space ships and all that. Anyway, there is a dorky role-playing game I think you'll like if that's what you're interested in. Try it one time. You might like it more than you think, and it'll give you a chance to be creative and social.”

  “I'm not creative, and I loathe being social.” He shook his head and started to walk to his class. Thankfully it wasn't far from his locker because he'd burned a lot of hall time talking with her.

  “You're just full of a lot of stupid excuses,” she said and put a hand on her hip. “You're coming over Saturday, and that's all there is to it. I'm tired of you avoiding me. You keep saying you will, and then back out. There's no way I'm letting you get away with it anymore.”

  “Fine, I'll come over to your house, and we can hang out. Happy?”

  “Yes, very.” She nudged him hard with an elbow and then walked away. “Nothing short of death is going to make me forget either, Mister.”

  Orlando let out a sigh and walked into his chemistry class just as the bell rang. “Whatever,” he mumbled and went to go find his seat toward the back, making sure to do his best to avoid looking at Tait. It'd be a lot easier to do if she wasn't so beautiful. He swallowed and averted his eyes away from her and the cute boot-cut jeans that accented her hips. As usual, her blue t-shirt was short enough to show off her tight abdomen, but not so much that it would be considered scandalous.

  She laughed, hard, and as she did so, her golden blonde hair bounced around her face. It was chin-length instead of the long and luscious waves of hair he used to run his fingers through. A new development, since it had been longer yesterday. Tait caught him staring and smiled at him, giving him a small wave. She finished talking with her friend, and came over to his desk.

  Great. “Hmm?” he asked. Even if he didn't want to acknowledge her, he knew it would have been wrong not to. His heart still beat wildly when he was near her. It was like she was a drug and he needed his fix. Crack kills, this might too.

  “I donated my hair last night. You like it?” she asked him, running a few of her fingers through her bob cut.

  “It's short.”

  “So is that a yes?”

  He shrugged. “Why does it matter if I like it or not?”

  Tait shrugged as well and rubbed her arms. “Your opinion is still important to me even if we're just friends. I know you'll be honest.”

  Orlando let out a deep, slow breath and studied the new look she was trying. It suited her, made her look more mature, more powerful. She looked more like a woman and less like a teenage girl, and he hated himself for wanting her more for it.

  “I approve,” he said, trying to brush his attraction for her aside.

  Tait's lips twitched upward. “Good.” She stood in front of him and fidgeted with her hands for a moment, before grabbing his left wrist with her right hand. He barely felt her skin touch his. She clearly wasn't sure how he would react to it. When he didn't pull away from her, the grip she had on him tightened, and with her other hand she plucked up the bracelet he was wearing.

  He hadn't wanted to wear the “cuffs of love” bracelet she had given him, but how could he not? She'd spent a good deal of money on it, and the sentiment behind the gift was important to him as well. The real present was a promise of loyalty and permanence – of no more pushing him aside. He needed those things, and having a solid reminder helped with that. Orlando wanted to believe her when she said she meant it. Nothing in his life lasted forever.

  She held the cord in her fingers, and twisted it slowly. “I'm glad you like it.”

  “It's a good look on you, but I'm pretty sure you'd look good no matter what you did.” He tried to dodge her comment and risked a glance into her eyes, and immediately regretted it. Her soft blue eyes were captivating.

  “I meant the bracelet.”

  “It's more than−” But he never got to finish his thought because their Chemistry teacher got up in front of the class to start her lecture. While Mrs. Henley wasn't the most entertaining to listen to, he was happy for the interruption and the chance to get his thoughts organized. It was a mistake to wear the bracelet. I should have left it at home. Why do I still have to be in love with her? Why did I have to fall for her in the first place? This would be so much easier if she wasn't so perfect for me. Even if Tait was a blonde cheerleader, and Orlando was the black-haired Goth kid, they did make a perfect match.

  Would she make up for abandoning him when he'd needed her? Her frequent decision to blow him off at the end of last semester still left a sour taste in his mouth. If he was being honest with himself, he would say that was the real reason for the break-up more so than her involvement in the alien war. Which was almost hilarious considering all of the horrible things she'd done, but he had a hard time believing she was evil.

  Orlando doodled in his notebook. Wonder what big mission Alan is going to have us go on next. I kind of want something to do that isn't homework. Plus, if we can put the other tribes in their place, then this whole thing will be over, and then maybe things will go back to normal. He still wanted to know what was in it for Tait. Why would she side with a group of people who were experimenting on her peers? Some of them were being killed. Orlando had seen her mistreat and even help with the “mercy” killings of some of the teenagers who had disappeared. Her alter ego known as Sprout, was certainly dangerous, exotic, and sexy as well as cold. Sprout didn't care about anything except for herself and her work. Tait on the other hand was generous and kind. Which one was the real girl? Or were they both an extension of her real self?

  I don't change personalities when I get into my alter ego. Not sure why she needs to. The only things I do are put on a mask and change my clothes. Whether he was Orlando or the Llama Kid, he never lost himself. Llama Kid. Can't believe JD branded me with such a stupid nickname. That's what I get for letting him be in charge of the group.

  Secretly he didn't mind. He'd gripe and complain about it a lot, but Orlando was glad to have the majority of the responsibilities fall on someone else's shoulders. Being an obedient lackey was easier. Besides, he was already donating his house as a headquarters for the whole operation. He had to let the others contribute as well.

  Two months had already passed since Alan first fell from the sky and crashed into Orlando's life – literally. In doing so, JD and Cadence, two teenagers from his old school that he otherwise wouldn't have spoken to, were also forced onto him. They had been at the mall when Alan, their fearless alien leader, had arrived.

  Crazy. It felt a lot longer than only a couple of months. Orlando was having a hard time imagining his new friends not being in his life. They had all gone to the same school, but ran with different crowds. Again, nothing he'd admit to. If they knew how much he actually cared about them, it might spoil his image as being the tough guy. I'm just a sap.

  He pushed his feelings aside and took a moment to listen to the lecture. Something about protons and neutrons. He already knew about those. In fact, the class was below Orlando's level of intelligence, so he went back to zoning out. But he couldn't think about his friends again or he might bring down his whole mood. He needed distraction, and that came in the form of Alan popping into the room by the door. It was one of the alien's many abilities. Orlando couldn't keep track of how many powers Alan had. Another gift he had, which was what prevented everyone else in the room from freaking out, was the ability to make himself invisible to those not chosen by his tribe.

  The real question, was why did Alan think in the middle of Orlando's class would be a good time for him to show up? They'd talked about that before. Orlando had made it clear it wasn't okay for Alan to show up in the middle of classrooms and public areas. While the guy was invisible, his body was still physical and interacted with the world around him. Students didn't need to walk into hidden walls.

&
nbsp; For an alien, Alan looked awfully human. All of the Alturans did. It sometimes made it difficult for Orlando to remember they were from different planets, but Alan's quirky behaviors always proved as a great reminder.

  Alan stood in front of the class. He was wearing more clothes than usual, though he started to pull on the buttons of his shirt, ready to strip it off on the spot. Orlando briefly made eye contact with him and shook his head, advising against it. No one could see Alan except him, but Orlando still didn't want to have the young man's washboard abdomen in front of his face. Usually the guy had on a vest and pants, enough to be covered, and let Alan be comfortable as well. Why is he dressed almost normal?

  “Can we speak a moment? Is there a way for you to leave?” Alan asked. Orlando gave a slight nod, letting the guy know he'd been heard. The nice thing about his Chemistry class was he could leave in the middle of the lecture to use the hall pass when needed. This was a convenient time to use the bathroom if there ever was one.

  Standing quietly, Orlando grabbed the wooden block that served as the pass, and stepped out of the room. He held the door long enough for Alan to follow him out, and they walked through the hallway silently. Orlando didn't dare talk until he knew they were safe from unwanted ears. No one could hear Alan, but they could Orlando. A reputation of being a bad boy he could handle, crazy, not so much. Being an outcast at yet another school did not appeal to him. Then he'd be picked on and shoved around again. At least if he was a recluse, he'd be alone on his own terms and maintain his sense of mystery.

  The two turned a corner and went down the stairs. Orlando led him to the bathrooms near the auditorium. They were usually locked, but that was a minor problem that would be easy to correct. With a flick of his fingers, Orlando had the door to the men's room unlocked by way of his psychic abilities. Alan wasn't the only one with powers. Then again, Orlando wouldn't be able to use his telekinesis without Alan's help.

  The alien had released whatever block was preventing Orlando's powers from flourishing. A problem all of the humans on Earth had, apparently, and one of the reasons the Alturans were trying to use them in the war. There was a ready supply of super human soldiers ripe for the picking. The potential for chaos and manipulation scared Orlando. And that was one of his strongest motivations for helping Alan. His tribe seemed the most interested in not making the Alturan influence on Earth known.