Sigma/Star

Chapter 76: Cataclysm Theory

"I don't know how you put up with him though Nami," Gretta stated, speaking what was on everyone's mind.

"He's a softy on the inside, very loyal." Porter shocked everyone by answering first, leaving Nami with her mouth open as she was cut off. He wiped the potato off his head, looking back at everyone's surprise. "What?"

"What happened to you two?" Ardwen balked. "You disappear for a bit and now you come back as best of friends?" There was a pause around the table as the group stare continued. "Were you two locked in a closet together or something?"

"What? No! No, we were both just busy doing something, that's all. It was a punishment more than it was loving time spent together, trust me. Besides, we're all a team right? We work together, we fight together, we win and lose and die together...maybe not all at the same time though. I mean in the future. In general. Whatever. Teamwork, all that."

"Speaking of teamwork," Nami said, slyly shifting her eyes between Porter and Riya. "I hear that you two got all smoochy smoochy on the night of the dance."

"Nami!" Raul barked, trying to reprimand the loli.

"What? It's an innocent statement and we haven't gotten together to talk in so long!"

Riya's face shot red with embarrassment and she buried her head in Rick's arms, who materialized beside her as he turned off his cloaking. "How dare you upset lady Riya with your besmirching of her fair name! Come young lady, I shall take you from these hounds!" Rick scooped Riya up and rushed her out of the room as her soft voice could be heard telling him that none of it was necessary.

"Hmm, I was wondering why there was that empty seat pulled out there," Ardwen said blankly, poking at his food a little as if nothing had happened. "So anyways Porter, don't feel embarrassed about it. It's a totally natural process to like a girl." The rest of the group snickered, regardless of all of them acquiring their own relationships around the dance. Porter stood up hastily, knocking his chair down behind him, his cheeks' flushed. He rushed out of the cafeteria, chasing after Rick and Riya's path and leaving the rest of the group at the table.

"So he was definitely in a closet with Chase," Gretta finally said, breaking the silence, and they all burst out laughing.

Porter stormed through the halls, thoroughly embarrassed by the talk but also possessed by a strange happiness. At the start of this year, he would have thought he would have been dismissed from the academy by now, left alone down on Earth after failing the examinations. Not only was he still here but he was part of a group. He had friends. There were people here who cared about him and supported him, even if sometimes they could be insensitive to each other or get into trouble. He had kissed Riya at the dance. He had found his missing brother on Earth. He had saved Eisley and rescued Ochenkov. He had done so much when not too long ago he had thought of himself as so little. And yet, he still couldn't stay awake in class.

The teen sighed as he walked the hallways, releasing a mixed bag of emotions into the air as he hunted down his lost love. His first guess was her room, but he found no answer there as he knocked on the door and called out her name. He had no second option in his mind and was left simply wandering around, poking his head in everywhere in a desperate search.

Finally, he stumbled upon Riya in the auditorium, a holographic display of the academy floating around Earth lighting up the centre of the room. Rick sat next to her, pouring the girl a cup of tea from a pot he had brought along. "Riya!" Porter exclaimed in relief as he finally found her. The words bounced around the empty room, travelling through each of them (and Rick). "Riya I'm so sorry that happened." Porter drew near to Riya, ignoring the dark stares from Rick and the sword he wielded.