District - 17: Reunification

Red Matter

THERE WAS A GENTLE BREEZE AND HE COULD SMELL the river. The morning sun in the east flashed once in their eyes, and then they were through it. The Tower was directly ahead casting its tall shadow over the two.

Ryder held onto her hand until they glided through the sliding doors of the Campus Tower.

"OK. Enough," Najrina said.

"Sorry. You know how I feel. How you make me feel."

She giggled. "OK. I know."

"You ready for today?" he asked.

Najrina yawned. "Not really, but when am I ever?"

He kissed her cheek. "Adorable."

"OK. Ryder, you really need to stop."

"I know," he said with a painful sigh. "I will."

They ascended the lift to the fortieth floor. They entered Matchmaker Malik Noorani's office. A young, brown man with thick curly hair greeted them with delight.

"And the last two finally arrive!" he cheered.

"Greetings and salutations, Mr. Noorani," Ryder said with a jesterly tone.

"Good morning," Najrina said.

"Good morning to you as well," Malik said. He was the second youngest faculty member next to Nadine Lancecross, but held his job title with succinct efficiency and professionalism unlike any of his age. There was a reason why McCall gifted him his own department.

Alessia, Johnnie and Jaketta were seated in large bean bag cushions. They would be snacking on sandwich rolls and salted chocolate drops and washing it all down with tall cylinders of water, but Malik knew Blacktop protocol. He would prefer to cater to the registrants of the Tower as if they were his own kin but knew to stay on the ball.

"Gardenroe has the best plantains," Johnnie said.

"I still say it's Ellingbridge." Malik countered.

"Fuck you, no way," she said, cackling.

He smiled. "I'm right and you know I'm right."

"Rockmere has good fruit too, you know?" Alessia added.

"Good morning, Ryder," Jaketta said.

He swallowed hard. "Morning, Jake."

"Goodmorning Jake," Najrina added.

She nodded at Najrina and stared at Ryder.

"Let's have a good, productive day, OK?" Malik said. "Sweat it out, it's supposed to be a nice one."

Johnnie scoffed. "No it isn't."

He shrugged. "What can I say?" He yawned and stretched. "Coach Tennyson will be meeting you there, by the way. Evaluation and assessment. You know how it is."

Alessia nodded; Johnnie rolled her eyes; Ryder and Jaketta made unsteady eye contact with Najrina forcing herself to be invisible.

Director Dang and Instructor Nazam emerged from the lift. Her locks were in a tight ponytail. Raven black hair and tan sun-kissed skin. She winked and smiled.

"Ready?" she asked them.

They each answered together.

"Ready!"

They departed the Matchmaker's office and emerged onto the adjoining loading dock meant for deliveries and other such courier services. There sat a jetchopper, waiting and ready. Dark in color with its pilot wrapping up her routine systems check.