"Is it weird to you both as much as it is to me to see them act this friendly, when the last time we saw them together they were going for each other's throat, literally?" I ask as Roger, Kara and, I look over Dalton interacting with Levi.
Levi decided to give Dalton a surprise visit at our school during lunch. Briefly, Levi looks at us. The smile in his face doesn't vanish, but the smile in his eyes does. I look at Roger and say, "You know who Levi hates more than Dalton now?"
"Me," Roger says.
"Why would he hate you?" Kara asks.
"Cuz he thinks Roger is the reason Dalton challenged him. Which is true," I inform her
"It was still Dalton's decision," Kara says.
"Dalton wouldn't even have thought of fighting Levi if Roger didn't ask him to," I say.
"Whose side you're on?" she asks.
"I'm just saying things as they are. Levi knows Roger made Dalton fight him. I wouldn't be surprised that if Levi decides to challenge someone this time it would be Roger."
Kara laughs. "He couldn't even beat Dalton. He doesn't stand a chance against Roger."
Isn't she so confident in her boyfriend? I say, "Who knows what lethal skills Levi had acquired in the two years he'd gone?"
"Shh, they are coming," Kara says.
Dalton and Levi walk to us. "I see the gang is still intact," Levi says.
"Good to see you, Levi," Kara says, giving him a hug.
"Welcome back," Roger says.
"Thanks," Levi says. Then he turns to me. "You're not going to welcome me?"
"Why did you come back?" I ask.
He laughs. "Always the one to cut to the chase," he says. "I just missed home."
"After two years?"
"It took some time to come to terms with the fact that my kid brother won against me in a challenge and will be our next Beta instead of me."
I see Dalton lower his head slightly at that.
Levi continues, "But that's in the past. Now I'm just proud of him."
We've a combined English period so Roger and I are in the same class. He comes and sits next to me. "You didn't buy that did you?" he asks me.
"Proud of him? Please."
"Me, too."
"I don't know what his plans for Dalton are, but he'll definitely come for you. I'm telling you. And you don't plan to share our doubts about his brother to Dalton, do you?" Roger shakes his head. "He seems happy Levi is back. I know it wasn't easy for him to go against Levi in the first place. I'm grateful he did. I don't want to add to his worries now." I nod. That's understandable. "Watch your back, though," I tell him.
"Is that worry I hear in your voice?" Roger says, trying to tease me.
"Of course, I'm worried. If you die I'll have to go through the trouble of looking for a new kissing partner."
"Can't let that happen now can I? I'll just have to make sure I don't die," he says.
As soon as he says that, we both stop smiling and look at the front of the class getting flustered.
