Beyond the Empyreal Stars

o6.

o6.

Odette tried to make herself blend in with the other humans, but there was no use.  Walking down the hallway of the school with Nova and Bas flanking her like usual didn't help much either.  The humans simply looked up, saw them coming, and moved out of the way, watching as they passed with wide eyes before whispering to each other. 

There was only one who had passed them as they started for the stairs leading up to the third floor.  The tall, dark-haired boy gave Odette an uneasy feeling and she fought the urge to give him an icy look. 

Apparently, she was not the only one who didn't like him.  When she glanced back before they reached the stairs, Duke's expression was one of pure hatred.  Strange she already knew some of his many expressions. 

So strange, too, she wanted to know every other one, too. 

"You are preoccupied with something, Odette," Nova noticed once they reached the third floor.

"Yes, I am," she nodded.  "But it has something to do with the assignment."

"Do not think us daft," Bas said, rolling his eyes.  It was the one human response he liked to use most in the time they had been on Earth.  "You are intrigued by Duke Mitchell just as much as he is with you.  I believe you have found yourself an admirer."

"But is that not part of it also?  Get close?"

Nova answered, dropping her voice as they stopped in the hallway where there weren't many humans.  "Get close to the president, yes.  His son, though..."

"That is my way in.  I need to get him close.  I spend some time with him and..."

"Have you not seen the way Padric has been acting here on this planet?" Nova asked then, cutting her off.  "He has created far too strong of a relationship with Clark Mitchell.  They are close friends, but what would their friendship come to when the world finds out exactly why we are here?  Or when they find out what we are?"

"But friendship is a critical part of the Alliance.  If we..."

"What Nova is trying to say," Bas cut in, "is you should not get too close to Duke Mitchell.  Close enough to get close to the president, but nothing more.  You do not want to be like Padric.  In his time here, he has become even more human-like, even though he barely contained emotional control before leaving Terra.  We are Terrians, Odette, not humans, so do not begin to act like them."

***

For not living on Earth, Odette knew far more about its history and diplomacy of its countries than most humans.  Maybe it was the learner pods or the intergalactic diplomacy sessions with the Primes that made everything in her last two classes easy for her to understand.  She, of course, was not the only one.  Nova and Bas were flying through the material...and so was Duke. 

Though she hadn't said much to him other than a few words since their meal break, she caught herself glancing up to meet his gaze in the classroom.  He smiled every time she caught him staring at her, looking a little flustered, but she did not smile back.  She did not trust herself enough to show even the slightest hint of emotion yet.  So she settled for a nod each time their gazes connected...which happened every few minutes during both classes. 

She had to admit that she was staring, too.  She caught herself slowly dragging her eyes away from the instructors and toward him.  Something about the human boy intrigued her.  He was obviously very smart and had an interest in Earth's history and diplomacy.  He had answered any questions thrown out to the class with precision and knowledge in every one of the subjects discussed.  Even Nova and Bas had caught her eye a few times, their impressed gazes meeting hers.