A Month Of Kaider

Two: Dialects Are Strange

"Come on, tell me!"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because the girls have a different default oak tree to the boys," Winter tells her.

"What? Why?"

"For someone who barely ever talks, you sure don't listen, do you?"

Cinder folds her arms and slumps in her seat, staring at the posters on the opposite wall.

"I'm guessing it was that prefect, right?"

Cinder shakes her head but Winter grins in satisfaction. "I knew it!"

All through the lesson, Winter whispers to her, the two of them debating which tree it could be. They settle on the one at the side of school, near the media room.

Cinder's next lessons pass in a blur and she tumbles out of the classroom, hurrying to the oak tree. Something in her calls this a stupid idea but she can't just throw Kai's warm, coppery eyes out of her mind, can she?

Kai's waiting for her when she gets there, looking as if he's fused to the tree. He looks up and smiles at her, "I thought you wouldn't come."

"Oh, why's that?"

"You seem impulsive," Kai replies. "But in the best way possible."

Cinder laughs. "Thanks."

"So, I presume that you'd like to know what I'm asking you."

"Do you always talk like that?" She asks without thinking.

Kai blinks, shrugging. "Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't see the problem."

Cinder shakes her head. "So, your robot?"

"She's not here with me, I just thought I'd explain the situation beforehand."

"Have you tried whacking her?" Cinder asks. "You'd be surprised at how often that works."

Kai's mouth quirks upwards but he nods. "I don't believe-"

"We're not talking about religion, stop with the believing."

She might seem bored or disinterested but, internally, Cinder's freaking out. Where on earth is this weird sarcasm coming from and why is it only there when she's with Kai?

Kai smiles bashfully. "My apologies. I mean, sorry."

"It's okay, you can talk however you want," Cinder smiles apologetically.

"Thank you."

"So, what's the problem with your robot?"

"Her storage files are inaccessible."

"Storage files? Who built your robot?"

"She was originally designed by one of my father's associates but, with the help of research, I've added and taken certain components away since then."

Cinder nods. "Well, can you bring her to me?"

"Where would that be?"

Cinder thinks for a minute. "Can you bring her into school? That's probably convenient, right?"

"It would be preferable to drop her at your house but if school suits you-"

"At mine would be good," Cinder interrupts. "It'd be a lot easier actually."

Kai looks relieved, handing her a small slip of paper. "That's my phone number."

Cinder frowns.

"I thought you might need it, to send me your address?"

"Oh, yeah, of course."

Kai smiles at her, "Thanks, Cinder!"

"No problem."

"Do you need a lift home?" Kai asks.

"Don't you walk?" she asks, then blushes as he gives her a bemused look.

"How do you know that I walk?"

Cinder shrugs, panicking. "I've seen you."

Kai looks a little concerned but smiles anyway. "A lift is always an option."

"If you're worried about people seeing you, then don't worry. You're not even recognisable! It's just that, um..." Cinder trails off, cursing and wishing for that sarcasm back.

Kai chuckles sweetly. "That's a relief. Did you want a lift then?"

"No, it's okay," Cinder mumbles, wanting the ground to crack and swallow her up.

"Alright then, have a good- uh, catch you later?" he amends, running a hand through his hair.

Cinder smiles. "Yeah, see you."

She certainly hopes she will.

They're kind of ooc and the chapter name is a tad random but hey, at least it was published on the right day :)