Cinder can't help it.
She can't help noticing the boy after that one encounter.
It's not like she hadn't seen him around school before, but now it was as if he had a neon arrow above his head. A huge neon arrow that acts as a magnet for Cinder.
As much as she tries to avoid him, the universe goes against her and puts him in her line of vision anyway. Walking to lessons, she catches sight of him; when going to the library, she notices him hunched over a book; getting the bus home, she sees him walking.
Everywhere she goes, he turns up, one way or another.
And today was just another one of those days. Except, she does more than just see him, she actually crashes into him.
The two of them, quite literally, crash into one another.
They both have totally different reactions, Cinder cursing and rubbing her head, Kai apologising profusely and picking up both their books.
"Cinder?" Kai asks, smiling.
"Oh, stars, sorry, not again..." Cinder blurts, the most she's spoken to anyone in days.
"It's okay, we share the fault this time."
Cinder briefly wonders how it's possible for someone to be so nice.
"Right, well, thanks," she mumbles, taking her books back from him.
His eyes light up as he sees her technology designs. "Have you learned about robotics yet?"
Cinder smirks. "Of course, it's one of my favourites."
"Could you help me then?" he asks.
Cinder frowns. "Help you... with robotics?"
Kai shakes his head. "I did want to, but I wasn't able to take it."
Deciding to try and bypass the mournful look in his eyes, she asks, "What do you need my help for then?"
"I need you to help my robot."
"What?" Cinder asks, confused. "I thought you didn't take robotics?"
Kai shushes her, glancing around before smiling sheepishly. "I don't, but I do have a robot."
"How?" Cinder asks. "Half my class can barely get one to turn on, never mind fully function."
Kai gives her a strange sort of exasperatedly hopeful look and bites his lip. "Are you available after school?"
"Uh, sure, why?" Cinder asks, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice.
"Okay, could we meet at the oak tree?" Kai asks.
"Mhm."
"Ace! See you later!" Kai beams at her, his dimples immobilising her larynx as she manages to smile back.
She's aware of people staring at her with curiosity as Kai bounces away so she lets her messy locks fall over her eyes and sticks to the walls as she makes her way to Geography.
Winter giggles as she slides into her seat, nudging her. "What happened?"
"What does as oak tree look like?"
Winter frowns, "Tall, green, dense, usually shaped like broccoli?"
"That's what all the trees in school look like," Cinder huffs.
Winter raises an eyebrow, catching on quickly. "Who asked you to meet them near an oak tree?"
"Nobody."
"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 :)