I swipe it away and lean back, rubbing my temples.
The console chirps.
Incoming call: KELSEY (EARTH-CITY, SECTOR 1)
“Why now,” I groan, then tap accept.
Kelsey’s face appears, grainy but grinning. “Well, look at you. All decked out and deadly.”
“I’m not in the mood,” I mutter.
“Perfect. You’re funnier when you’re cranky.” She props her chin on one hand. “So? Tell me about him.”
“Who?”
“The reason you’re all wrinkled around the edges.”
“I amnotwrinkled.”
“Emotionally wrinkled. Spotted him yet? Tall? Trouble? Makes you want to throw a datapad?”
I try to keep my voice even. “There’s a Vakutan in the cohort. Kaz.”
Kelsey lets out a low whistle. “Oooh, a lizard boy.”
“Don’t call them that.”
“Fine, fine. Vakutan. Still hot?”
“...He has a file full of disciplinary flags.”
“So hot.”
I glare. She grins wider.
“Nova,” she says, voice dipping into something annoyingly close to sincerity, “you’ve got a look.”
“What look.”
“The ‘I could break him into pieces, but I’d feel bad about it after’ look.”
I reach for the disconnect, but she lifts a finger.
“Hey. I’m just saying—don’t let him take up free rent in your head unless he’s paying for it. With, like, housework or amazing sex.”
“I’m going now.”
“Love you too.”
I slam the comm shut.
Outside, the night hushes the world into stillness. I strip down to my undershirt and lean against the bulkhead, letting the chill of the wall bleed into my skin. My heart’s still pacing like it forgot to power down.
I don’t know what Kaz wants, but I know his type always wants something.
The difference is, I’ve been here before. I’ve fallen for easy grins that led to hard lessons. Not again.
Tomorrow, I start breaking them down in the sim pods. No posturing. No swagger. Just the sky and what they can make of it.
