Out of This World

Krel

Krel had been finished for some time now, and leaned over to talk to Andy. He was tired of Eli's pestering. "Hey," he said in a quiet tone, as to not get in trouble for talking in class. "How are you?"

Her cheeks and ears were still that weird red, as if they had too much blood in them. Humans were so strange. "I'm doing alright," she said smoothly.

He gave her an honest half smile. "How is your math?"

She looked down at her paper. "Your guidance has proved quite useful," she said. "I honestly think I am beginning to get the hang of this!"

"Good, I am glad," he said. "I was wondering if you would need more help tonight?"

"Oh! Is... that a problem?" she asked, sounding nervous.

"Not at all," said Krel, smiling. "I was simply asking if you would need the help."

She nodded. "Yeah, probably."

"Same time?"

"Sounds good! Also, I can drive, I'll pick you up if you don't want to walk."

"Okay, that sounds fine," he affirmed, nodding.

"Okay," she said, smiling.

It was about eight o'clock when there was a knock at Mother's door. Andy was right on time. Krel got up from where he was lying on the couch... had he renewed his transduction?

"Mother, did I renew my transduction?" he asked.

"Yes, one hour ago," the AI program responded.

"Thank Seklos," he breathed. "Tell Aja and Vex I'll be back after ten, Mother."

"You got it, my royal."

He grabbed the three books from before, and ran out the front door. He attempted to wave to the girl behind the wheel, but almost dropped his stack of texts. He opened the passenger side door with one hand and practically fell into the seat. "Hello!" he said to Andy. He liked the color of her hair, it was a shade that wasn't quite brown but not quite blonde. It reminded him of that one really sticky sweet human food, honey? At least he thinks that's what it is called.

She smiled. "Hello!" she chirped in reply. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," he replied, and she pulled away from his house. The two of them drove down the street, Krel staying silent. Partly for a lack of an idea for what to say, but also because he did not want to break her focus on the road. She was an excellent driver.

When they got to a stop sign, he looked over at her and cleared his throat, which captured her attention. "I noticed that you are an excellent driver," he remarked.

"Thank you," she said, crossing the four-way stop when the coast was clear. "Do you have your license?"

"Not yet," he confessed, "though I am licensed to drive other sorts of vehicles."

"Like a motorcycle?"

"Um... sure." He wasn't exactly certain how to tell her he was licensed to drive a spaceship, seeing as humans didn't exactly have them for commercial use.

She laughed, but didn't say anything more on the matter. They pulled up in front of her house, and they walked up to her front door. "Just so you know," she said, walking a few steps ahead of him, "my parents came home yesterday. They do not know we are friends."

"Is that a problem?" Krel asked, cocking his head to the right. He readjusted the books in his arms, wishing he had four of them. Things would be so much easier to carry if he did.