“Hey, this is Nikki. :) Wan up before the movie?”

  Kalei stared in shock at the text. She could barely prehend it, much less the fact that she also somehow responded and now in a few minutes would be meeting up with Nikki, the person Kalei was starting to realize she had a crush on thanks to Zeta.

  Just as she sat on a stoaining wall oh on the grounds she was on, she realized if Nikki was out practig music like usual, she could be there immily. Like, within the minute immily. Suddenly, someone cupped their hands over Kalei’s eyes.

  “Guess who?”

  The jolt was eased by hearing that it was one of the Matora sisters. She uncapped her hands and stood in front of Kalei expetly, gesturing to the bandage on her cheek.

  “Hi, Kai,” Kalei said.

  “Ha, got you! This is Kai!” Kai said. “Wait...you got it?”

  Kai peeled the bandage off her face. “I even grabbed one from Ko’s stash and everything.”

  “Ko doesn’t have that freckle over your left eyebrow,” Kalei said. “I’m kinda busy right now, what’s up?”

  “You headed to the movie too?” Kai said as she started to stretch.

  “Yeah,” Kalei said. “I’m just waiting for…someone.”

  “Who?” Kai said. “Not Kht? She said she’d go with me.”

  “No, not her,” Kalei said, fidgeting in her spot.

  “Good, because we only bought oicket and we’re gonna try and sneak in together.” Kai said. “That’s why I’m practig with this bahing. Now I’m ed about the freckle, but I maybe cover it up. Plus, you know me better than some ticket seller geek.”

  “I’m holy surprised you guys don’t try that more,” Kalei said. “You could save a lot of money if you pulled it off.”

  “Exactly!” Kai said. “You get me.”

  Kai started doing somersaults in the grass. Normally, this was her way of inviting Kalei to challenge her to a race or to wrestle her right there or something like that. But her nervous energy was on a very different wavelength than Kai's normal physical energy.

  “I’m thinking we might try it at a chasers game ,” Kai said.

  “Yeah, good pn…” Kalei said. Her eyes widened as she saw Nikki walking toward her,

  “Oh, yoing with spaced-out Nikki?” Kai asked. “Good thing it’s not brooding Nikki.”

  “Yeah, right…” Kalei trailed off.

  “Well, see ya!” Kai said. “Have fun at the movie!"

  “You too…Kai,” Kalei said. “H-hi, Nikki…”

  “Sorry that took a bit lohan I said,” Nikki said, brushing her long hair with her hands. “I had to put my guitar away. I fot it would be super annoying t with.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Kalei asked. “That’s cool.”

  “Right so you ready?” Nikki asked.

  Kalei felt stiff and wired up all the way to her seat on the bus. It was bad enough getting a text from Nikki out of the blue (Zeta hadn’t warned her that she was giving Nikki Kalei’s number), but it was hittihat now she had to go on a bus ride with her, alone. All the way to the Dentist Haircut premiere. Which she would also be with her new crush at. The bus was retively empty too, which didn’t help.

  “I’ve been waiting for this one sihat first trailer,” Nikki said.

  “Haha, yeah,” Kalei said. Oh god, this is how you talk to her? ‘Haha, yeah?’ She’s gonna think you’re an idiot if you don’t add on to that. “M-me too.”

  They were at least not seated right by each other, taking a bench by the window seats. Kalei didn’t realize she’d have to panic about how close her arms would be to Nikki’s until the bus was rolling. Iheater, they’d be right o each other. She really hoped she wouldn’t have a meltdown.

  They passed by some armored trucks. Kalei was familiar with the sight, and if her stomach wasn’t already in a state of distress from this bus ride, it would have definitely dropped. A bunch of Order of Terina people tied up, with glowing green paint all around the se. Nikki perked up at the otion.

  “Oh, dude, that Exile guy was there!” Nikki said.

  The two watched as one of the Terina members was loaded into a truck. She had her head down, but from the brief passing gnce Kalei could see the Exile had put paint ooo, mainly on her face. “I ’t believe how many of those Terina freaks are around here…”

  Kalei stared at them. She silently hoped that the ohat got beat up by the Exile were the ohat had taken her when her fangs had e in. If it wasn’t them, she hoped the Exile had taken care of them already.

  “I was kidnapped by those guys,” Kalei blurted out. “Like…brain kidnapped. In the void.”

  Nikki turned back from the window.

  “You serious?” Nikki asked, her eyes widening.

  “Yeah, when my fangs in!” Kalei said. “It was…really scary, holy.”

  “I’d be really ed if you said anything else, dude.” Nikki said. “My dad’s a doctor, aold me the stuff those guys do and it's messed up.”

  “Yeah,” Kalei said. “They put me in a void room that was a like, recreation of a pany that makes fake sticks. And then they made a fake version of my friend, but she was all like, bloody and dying and stuff.”

  “Whoa,” Nikki said. “What did you do?”

  Kalei gulped. “They wanted me to like, give them my blood. And I said no. And they got all pissy with me and the me alone.”

  Nikki didn’t say anything, and Kalei worried she’d just ruihe versation. Did she wao say I kicked their asses like the Exile? Why didn’t I say that? That would have been so cool if I said that!

  “Sorry to be a downer,” Kalei said.

  “No, you’re fine dude,” Nikki said. “Let that crap out.”

  “Thanks…” Kalei said. They were quiet for a bit, causing more internal strife for Kalei.

  “Damn dude,” Nikki finally said, breaking the silence. “You’re even cooler than I thought you were.”

  “Wait, what?” Kalei said.

  “Yeah, turning those freaks down takes crazy guts,” Nikki said.

  “I guess so,” Kalei said. “I got to talk to this agent guy afterwards too. He’s pretty cool. He walks dogs. I just saw him retly, actually.”

  “You’re kidding,” Nikki said. “Like a for real iigating dude for this Terina stuff?”

  “Yeah!” Kalei said. “I dunno if I should say his name because like it being all secretive and junk.”

  “Poi ime you see him,” Nikki said.

  “Yeah I will,” Kalei said. “Especially if you have dogs to walk.”

  Nikki ughed at that. She just ughed! At a thing I said! A thing I said on purpose!

  “That is still so cool.” Nikki said. “And a perfect length story, we’re here. You ready for the biggest movie premiere of our lives?”

  “Hell yes!” Kalei said. The bus stopped at Sky Cy’s main street. Kalei felt rattled, but she was mostly just thrilled that Nikki thought she was cool.