CHAPTER XI

Near the outskirts of the Animal District, a small house made of bark and stone sat peacefully in the wee hours of the morning.

That is, until the peace was broken by a loud digital alarm clock unleashing its wake-up call.

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

Addison Chokshi, adopted son of Z.P.A. art teacher Latika Chokshi, let out a moan that was muffled by his sheets and turned over, staring at his alarm clock through half-open eyes. The numbers "5:00" flashed at him repeatedly, bidding him to rise from his slumber.

Two whole minutes passed before Addison eventually willed himself out of bed, remaining draped in his blanket as he deactivated the alarm. Good morning, Safe Haven, he thought groggily.

-

After getting dressed and brushing his hair (and his large, fluffy white fennec fox tail), Addison peeked into the kitchen and called, "Good morning, Mother!"

Latika (a massive naga with long black hair) glanced at Addison, grinding spices in a pot as he told her, "I think I'm going to head to school early with Damian and Sahara!"

"Alright, Addison." Latika put down her pot and turned around, cupping her son's face in her hands. "I will see you in class, then. Have a safe walk to the academy, my gem!"

"I will, Mother!" Addison promised.

Outside the house, Addison was instantly met by his two closest friends in the world: Damian and Sahara. "Eyy, Addi!" Damian greeted him.

"Hey, Addi!" Sahara echoed.

"Morning, Dame! Hey, Sarah Sahara!" Addison fell in step with them and asked Damian,

"Doin' great!" Damian replied enthusiastically. "My parents are finally on board with me comin' up here! So now I'm free as a bird!"

"You did kinda freak us out, Dame," Sahara told him, giving him a sidelong glance.

"Yeah!" Addison agreed. "What was that the other day?"

"No clue! Guess I just got pushed over the edge," Damian answered with a dismissive, shrug. "You guys know how hard it is to get me mad!"

Sahara scoffed. "Yeah. You can't take anything seriously!"

"You're just jellin' 'cuz you aren't this laid-back," Damian teased her. "So jelly, girrrrl—YOW!"

Damian was suddenly jerked backward by the tail in midflight by a small golden-furred paw. At the same time, a cruel voice barked, "Hey, losers!"

Addison and Sahara whirled around (as did Damian—but it wasn't like he had a choice). Oh, great, Addison thought, his face falling.

"What's the hurry to class?" Ruben sneered, flanked by two Aquian shark-shifters named Max and Max. "You nerds excited to learn stuff?" He thumped a fist into his open paw. "Bunch a' teacher's pets, huh?"

"Oh my gosh, Rusty," Addison said, rolling his eyes. "Is that really the genius line you're going with?"

Rusty's face twisted into a scowl. "Whatchya tryna say, ya lil' queer?!" he snapped, stepping toward Addison menacingly.

"Wow. Well, that 'insult' was even better," Addison replied sarcastically, undaunted.

"HEY!"

Rusty jumped, startled.

Standing behind Addison were two other students: a Cervidian (deer-shifter) named Autumn and a Serpian named Daphne.

"What's going on over here?" Autumn asked, glaring at Rusty. "Are you causing trouble again, Ruben?"

"None a' yer business, doe-boy!" Rusty retorted, grabbing Autumn by the throat and pulling his face down to his level. "And don't you DARE call me that, nerd!"

"Call you what? Your real name?" Autumn shot back mockingly. "You don't need to be ashamed of yourself, Rub—"

"DON'T finish that!" Ruben—er, Rusty barked.

Autumn sighed and turned away snootily, crossing his arms. "Fine. Just stop harassing others. At this age you should be more mature than that."

Rusty snorted. "'At this age'? 'Mature'? Says the stag who barely has his antlers yet."

Autumn jolted as if shocked, his face turning red.

"Oh, snap!" Damian cried, putting his hands on his face. He leaned toward Addison and whispered excitedly, "Here it comes...!"

Autumn spun around and, as predicted, lit into Rusty in an indignant tirade while Rusty clapped back with a healthy helping of insults.

"Well. That was a fun way to start the day," Sahara commented as she, Addison, and Damian walked away from the war of words.

"Those two have at it too often to be normal," Addison commented. Then, as they entered Z.P.A., he told Sahara and Damian, "Well, I'll see you guys after classes!"

"Sure thing, Addi!" Sahara said, waving.

"See ya, bro!" Damian put in with a salute.

-

P.O.V. – Gustav

"*SIGH* I miss coming to classes here."

Gustav gritted his teeth as Nathan—his fellow drama teacher (and a constant pain in his tail)—continued to jabber in his "ear" (being a Serpian, he didn't really have any). Please shut up, he begged mentally.

"Do you miss it, Gustav?" Nathan asked, practically bouncing alongside the taller Serpian.

"Well, it's only been a year," Gustav replied, irritated. "Nothing to miss yet. We still come by here enough."

"Well... yeah," Nathan agreed. Then, changing the subject, he asked, "So who are you helping out today? You being a model for the art class again?"

Gustav gave Nathan a sharp look. "Why are you asking?"

"Oh! I mean, uh, I was just curious!" Nathan replied defensively. "I'm sorry if that was intrusive..."

"It was a bit," Gustav told him curtly as they reached his destination. He took hold of the doorknob and sighed, adding, "But it's fine. No, I am not modeling today. She simply needed an assistant for the day. Now, if you'll excuse me, Nathan..."

"Oh! Well... have a nice day, Gustav!" Nathan said cheerfully as his coworker slipped into the art room. "I'll see you—"

Gustav slammed the door behind him, cutting off Nathan's farewell. At last, he thought with a mental sigh, turning to face the interior of the room. Only two students were inside: a young-looking boy with white hair and—Oh, du machst wohl witze, Gustav thought in exasperation—MacKenzie Payoray.

Well... I've endured Nathan's foolishness thus far, he grumbled. I should be able to handle hers as well.

...I hope.

Looking around, Gustav called, "Ms. Chokshi?", hoping the art teacher could handle MacKenzie while he attended to other duties.

"She isn't here yet," the boy responded without turning from his art, crushing Gustav's hopes. "She usually comes in a bit late on Mondays—along with most of the class."

"Oh. Alright, then..." Gustav glanced over at MacKenzie, who hadn't reacted to his entrance, and quickly focused his attention on the boy. "So, what is your name?"

"Addison," the boy answered, adding a swirl of color to his painting. "Yours?"

"Gustav."

"Fancy."

Gustav scrutinized the boy for a moment before arching an eyebrow when he spotted his tail. Ah. He must be a Shifter.

Looking back up, Gustav observed the painting. It appeared to depict three yellow-and-red flowers growing on a vibrant patch of grass, all surrounded by swirls of blue, purple, and red—and three faded golden eyes.

"Hmm. Wow," Gustav remarked, leaning over Addison's shoulder. "This is actually a very unique and expressive piece, Addison."

"Huh?" Addison blushed as Gustav's hair brushed against his own.

"Really! You seem very talented," Gustav complimented him. "Are you just a first-year student?"

"Uhhhh..." Addison blinked rapidly before quickly regaining his composure. "I mean—uh—no! No," he answered awkwardly. "I'm actually in my third year. I look pretty small... young... umm... yeah..." He trailed off, momentarily lost for words. Then he blurted, "So! You, uh... you graduated, right?"

"Ja! Last year," Gustav confirmed proudly. "I am just assisting now."

"Right! I remember seeing you around the school," Addison recalled, relaxing a bit.

"Really? Odd. I don't recall seeing much of you," Gustav said with a smirk.

"Yeah... well... I'm not super social," Addison admitted. "I'm usually just in here or film club."

-

P.O.V. – MacKenzie

MacKenzie tried to concentrate on her work while eavesdropping on Gustav and Addison's conversation. That's so unfair! she griped. How come when I turn into a bumbling idiot around him, he writes me off as a creep, but when Addison does the same thing, he starts hitting on him?!

"...would have been nice to meet someone as talented as you..."

Talented? I'M talented! MacKenzie raged internally, adding a vicious stroke to her painting. I'm SUPER talented!

"Are you blushing?"

"N-No!"

MacKenzie fumed silently as Gustav began to laugh, sticking out her tongue and quietly mimicking him.

"Aw, now I really wish I'd met you sooner! You are so cute!"

"Oh, gosh! Don't say that, please!"

Yeah, please, MacKenzie sneered mentally. Why don't you just marry him now? Jerk...

"Seriously, don't laugh! I'm not blushing!"

MacKenzie rolled her eyes at the wall behind her painting as both Gustav and Addison started laughing. Kill me, she thought ruefully.

"You know, truthfully, I always did want to talk to you..."

You did NOT! MacKenzie shot a glare at Addison over her shoulder. I wanted to talk to him! YOU didn't even know who he was!

"Well, maybe we can talk more..."

"Really?"

MacKenzie gritted her teeth.

"Ja! I'd like to get more acquainted."

"'Get more'? Haha... well... I—yeah. I mean..."

Make it stop! MacKenzie pleaded, lifting her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation.

"Good morning, class!"

Oh, thank god. MacKenzie quickly shifted into a studious demeanor as Ms. Chokshi slithered into the classroom. Something to distract me from those two... She picked up her half-full bucket of red paint, preparing to ask Ms. Chokshi for a refill.

However, she got distracted yet again, her face turning red as she passed by Addison and Gustav.

Then the inevitable happened.

MacKenzie's foot caught on her floor-length red hair, causing a curse to slip out of her mouth as she tripped. She cursed again as the paint went flying, splashing all over the unsuspecting Addison.

Gustav gasped. "Oh, my!" he cried while Addison sat frozen and covered in red paint. He whirled around, his furious gaze resting on MacKenzie. "You again?!" he exclaimed. "Are you always this destructive and clumsy?!"

"I'm sorry!" MacKenzie's face burned as she lay on the floor, staring up at her crush. She quickly scrambled to her feet, avoiding Gustav's piercing gaze and turning an apologetic one of her own on Addison. "Oh, gosh... I didn't mean... oh, gosh!" She took his arm and told him, "I'm so sorry!"

Suddenly, Addison jerked, as if he'd been shocked by her touch. His eyes grew almost impossibly wide, and the small dot-shaped birthmark on his forehead seemed to pulsate.

MacKenzie frowned and raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay...?" she began to ask.

Then Addison snapped.

MacKenzie's head whipped sideways as Addison threw both fists into the side of it, screaming, "DON'T TOUCH ME!!!"

MacKenzie cried out as Addison grabbed her hair in his fist and pulled it downward, casting a horrible glare down at her. "NOBODY! DON'T! EVER!" he shrieked, ignoring MacKenzie's futile attempts to break free from his iron grip.

"Addison?!" Ms. Chokshi exclaimed, horrified. "Addison! MacKenzie! Stop this instant!" She quickly wrapped the end of her tail around Addison and her arms around MacKenzie, pulling them apart and ordering, "Calm yourselves."

"She grabbed me!" Addison screeched.

"What?!" MacKenzie yelled, incensed.

"She... grabbed me," Addison repeated, turning around and wiping his arm as his rage suddenly died away.

"I did not!" MacKenzie snapped angrily. "I was just trying to comfort you!"

"Enough!" Ms. Chokshi gave both students a disapproving look—though the look she gave Addison was more concerned that upset. "Gustav, please take these two to the principal's office," she said, turning to the teacher's assistant. "Addison, you are excused to get clean."

-

MacKenzie scowled at the ground as Gustav escorted her and Addison to the principal's office. Then, in a perceived effort to further sour her mood, Addison sighed and said to Gustav, "I'm sorry you witnessed that."

Okay, that's it. I'm done with this prissy jerk. MacKenzie increased her pace and broke away from Gustav and Addison, slipping into the principal's office. I'd rather spend all day in here than with you two...

-

P.O.V. – Addison

"Well, you reacted better than I would have," Gustav said in response to Addison's apology. He winked and added, "I'll see you when you get out."

Addison smiled at Gustav's retreating form and went into the principal's office, his face red from both paint and a hidden blush.

-

P.O.V. – Rusty/Autumn

Rusty raised an eyebrow as he watched Gustav walk away, then turned to Autumn, who stood on the opposite side of the staircase to the academy's second level. "Aw, man! Didjya see that?" he crowed. "Addi got sent to the office! That's hilarious!"

"Not really," Autumn replied, rolling his eyes as Rusty guffawed.

Noticing that Autumn hadn't reacted, Rusty's laughter gave way to a scowl. "Jeez. Lighten up already," he muttered. "I already have detention; don't need to act all high n' mighty."

"I just don't find the troubles of others amusing, Ruben," Autumn replied. He straightened up and added, "In any case, I think I'm done babysitting you for the time being. I'll see you later, Ruben."

"Don't call me that!" Rusty snapped as Autumn walked away.

"Mhm." The Cervidian raised the two-finger "peace" sign in farewell without looking back.

Rusty scowled, resting his face on a hand. Jerk, he thought, missing the irony entirely.

-

P.O.V. – MacKenzie

After a short scolding from Vice Principal Zechariah, MacKenzie stormed down the hallway with her books clutched to her chest as the bell rung, trying to ignore the whispers from the other students.

However, some weren't exactly whispering.

"Did you guys hear about how the fox-tailed freak Addison attacked that red-headed hermit loser MacKenzie?!" one girl practically screamed.

"OMG! NO!" another screamed back. "SPILL!!!"

Before the first girl could "spill", though, she noticed MacKenzie out of the corner of her eye and spun around. "Oh, my. Look who it is," she sneered, leaning toward MacKenzie. "We were just talking about you! So, Kenzie—how did it feel getting beat up by a flake like Addison?"

The other girls burst out laughing as MacKenzie kept marching, keeping her narrowed eyes on the ground. "Where're you going?!" the first girl taunted. "Gonna cry to your cat mom, human?"

Just ignore them, Kenzie, MacKenzie thought to herself as hot tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Just ignore them like you always do...

-

P.O.V. – Addison/Gustav/Tom

"So how much detention time did you get?"

"Just an afternoon, thankfully!"

Addison and Gustav walked down the halls side-by-side, offering greetings to Zill and Kayla as they brushed past.

"Well, I am glad you were able to clean up, ja?" Gustav remarked.

"Oh! Yeah..." Addison fluffed out his hair. "There was no way I was going to walk around like that all day. But I'm happy school is over, though!" He opened his locker and rummaged around, adding, "I still feel pretty sticky. Just felt sticky and gross all class, haha!"

-

A half-demon incubus named Tom stood under the aquarium ceiling, his eyes as dead and cold as those of the sharks swimming above him. He watched Addison and Gustav balefully, then began to approach at a slow, purposeful pace.

-

"It's going to be nice to go home and actually get to clean up properly," Addison went on, still searching for his hairbrush.

"I admire your optimism!" Gustav commended him.

"Optimism? Pft." Addison gave a dismissive scoff, flustered. "Oh. Yeah. That's—I'm not—yeah."

"Oh! I need to run back and check out as a TA for the day," Gustav remembered, checking his watch.

"Oh! Sure! I'll wait for you here," Addison offered.

Gustav nodded and walked off while Addison stuck his head into his locker, finally locating his hairbrush. He checked himself out in the mirror mounted on the locker's interior—

—then recoiled as someone leaned against his locker's door, slamming it shut.

"'Ello, Addi," Tom purred, leering down at the smaller boy. "Fancy seein' yew here."

Addison scowled. "At my locker? Yeah. 'Fancy'." He crossed his arms and turned his back on the incubus. "What do you want, Tom?"

"So yer talkin' to that purple poxy," Tom commented, ignoring Addison's question. "Whyzat, eh? You like 'im?"

"That is none of your business!" Addison snapped, glaring at Tom over his shoulder and attempting to walk away.

Tom dissolved into black smoke, flowed past Addison, and reappeared in front of him, blocking his path and laughing. "Where ya goin', luv? I'm talkin' t'yew," he sneered.

Addison balled up his hands into fists. "Tom. MOVE," he commanded.

Tom blinked, startled by Addison's assertiveness. Then he played it off, saying, "Tch. You can afford to be less of a prat, y'know."

"Ugh. Go away, Tom." Addison brushed past the half-demon, muttering, "Stalker."

At that, Tom let out a growl. "Oi!" he snarled, reaching out and grabbing Addison's tail. "I'm not finished talkin' to y—"

Addison's eyes widened, his forehead dot pulsated, and his heart rate spiked, just as it had earlier that day. He whirled around and planted a walloping slap on Tom's hand, knocking it away.

Tom held back a wince and smirked at the expression on Addison's face. Awright, he thought, NOW we're ge'in' somewhere—

"UNGH!"

Tom wheezed as someone grabbed his shoulders and slammed him up against the lockers, barking, "HANDS OFF!"

Tom looked up in surprise at Gustav, who was glaring down at him, his yellow eyes glowing. "He is clearly not interested!" the Serpian hissed. "So don't touch."

Tom met Gustav's gaze with narrowed eyes. "The h--- are you, mate?" he sneered. "Addi's bodyguard?"

Then Addison cleared his throat and stepped in between Gustav and Tom, having recovered from his momentary fury. "It's okay, Gus," he told the Serpian. "He's just—I mean... he's harmless. Trust me."

"But I—" Gustav began to say.

"Really!" Addison broke in reassuringly. "I can handle myself. It's okay! But... I really appreciate it," he added shyly.

Tom snorted at that, and then began to chuckle.

Addison scowled and spun around, sticking a finger in Tom's face. "YOU! Stay away from me, Thomas!" he ordered. "We broke up! We only dated a week! I don't get why you're so... possessive!"

"I mean... he is a half-demon," a bystander muttered from the midst of the crowd that had gathered.

"One week," Addison repeated. "It didn't work. It's done. I swear, if you touch me again, I'll—UGH!" He inhaled through his nose and exhaled slowly. "Just... get over it! And leave me alone!"

"Ooh, s**t!" another bystander crowed.

"D---!"

"Oho! HAHAHA!"

Tom shrank back against the locker as the crowd began jeering at him. D----t, he thought sulkily, turning and trudging away.

-

P.O.V. – MacKenzie/Tom

MacKenzie rounded the hallway corner, her eyes still on the ground. Wish this stupid place wasn't so big—

"OOF!"

She suddenly crashed into another student, her momentum almost carrying them both into the ground—but the student kept his balance, so they just ended up nose-to-nose.

"Er... 'ello," Tom said, blinking at her.

MacKenzie's face turned crimson as a chorus of "OOOOOHS" rose from the crowd. "UGH!" she shouted, shoving Tom away and glaring at the surrounding students. "You people are the WORST! None of you know ANYTHING! Why don't you mind your own f***ing business and just LEAVE ME ALONE!" She covered her face with her sweater, let out a catlike hiss, and sprinted away, forgetting all about the books she'd dropped.

"Oi! I'm not that bad!" Tom shouted after her, embarrassed and angry. He turned around—and raised an eyebrow, spotting MacKenzie's books on the floor. "Eh?" he muttered.

-

P.O.V. – Addison/Gustav

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that guy," Gustav told Addison as they continued to walk together.

Addison sighed. "It's fine. Really." He gave Gustav an apologetic look and said, "I'm sorry I'm being so hostile today..."

Gustav smiled. "Where I come from, passion and ferocity are valuable traits," he remarked. "It is bold and strong, ja?"

"Heh... really? You think s—"

Suddenly, a hand landed on Addison's shoulder, and for the third time that day, Addison spun around, the vein under his forehead dot bulging and his eyes wide with rage as he let out a menacing, animalistic growl.

However, his anger died away when he realized the person he was glaring down at was his best friend Damian.

"Damian!" Addison cried, horrified. "Oh, god—sorry! I'm sorry! A lot of people have been touching me today..." Well, that didn't sound weird at all, he thought, grimacing.

"No prob, Addi!" Damian declared while Sahara (who was on his right) stared at Addison in surprise. "I know it bo—can I touch now? ("Yes," Addison replied)—I know it bothers you." Damian hugged Addison's head and rubbed his hair. he crooned.

"What even happened?" Sahara inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Everyone is saying you flipped out!"

"MacKenzie," Addison replied, souring at the thought of the awkward, buck-toothed girl. "She spilled red paint on me."

"Well, dude, don't sweat it!" Damian consoled him. "I've had my share of freak-outs."

"Mhm." Sahara gave Damian a knowing look, and he let out a sheepish chuckle.

Gustav cleared his throat, a bit miffed at having been left out of the conversation.

"Oh, gosh, I forgot!" Addison exclaimed. He gestured to the Serpian and said, "Guys, this is Gustav! He was my mom's TA today. Gustav, these are my best friends, Damian and Sahara."

"You're hangin' with a TA?" Damian cried, dismayed. "He's like 30!"

"He doesn't look that old, Dame," Sahara said out of the corner of her mouth.

"He just graduated last year," Addison told Damian.

"I am 19," Gustav put in, giving Damian a disdainful look. "Furry animal demon."

Damian stared at him incredulously.

"Well. It was nice to meet both of you, ja!" Gustav said, dismissing Damian and Sahara before turning back to Addison. "So, Addison... are you hungry?" he asked. "I would be happy to take you somewhere after the day you had. We could talk...?"

"Wh—really?" Addison exclaimed, blushing. "Like... a date or something? A food date?"

"Ja! A date," Gustav confirmed.

"Oh! Um... I... well... yeah—" Addison began to reply.

"HELLO."

Addison and Gustav turned to Damian, who was glaring at both of them. "You JUST MET!" Damian cried.

"What? People can't hit it off and want to get to know each other better?" Addison shot back indignantly.

"Wha—" Damian stopped, seeing the upset look on Addison's face. The half-demon scowled and seethed, "You better not."

"Watch me," Addison retorted.

Gustav glanced at Sahara, who held up her hands in a "not my problem" gesture.

Addison turned and grabbed Gustav's arm, pulling him away and saying, "Yes, Gustav. I would love to go on a date with you. Let's go!"

"Uh..." Gustav looked at Damian over his shoulder, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Obviously, my friend can't be happy for me, or supportive of my decisions," Addison snapped, not even giving Damian a second glance.

"Well... alright..."

Damian growled and simmered as Addison and Gustav left him and Sahara behind. Literal smoke wafted from his head, displaying his anger.

"Whoa! Dame, chill!" Sahara exclaimed, fanning her hands at Damian's smoking head. "Dude, you know how easy Addi crushes on Serpian guys! It's just a little afterschool food run date—"

"We gotta follow 'em," Damian hissed, a crazy grin appearing on his face.

"What?! Why?" Sahara cried.

"He doesn't know what he's doing!" Damian insisted. "He just throws himself out at guys all the time—fancy, snobby, foreign guys, apparently!"

"I think you are waaay overreacting, dude," Sahara said soothingly, following Damian as he headed off Z.P.A. grounds.

[*"ZooPhobia" transcription ends here*]

Damian paused—and then let out a long sigh. "Yeah, I guess," he admitted. "I just... worry about him, y'know?"

"So do I. But we can't control his life," Sahara pointed out. "He makes his own choices, right?"

Damian watched Addison and Gustav's figures grow smaller in the distance, and his shoulders slumped. "Yeah."

-

P.O.V. – MacKenzie/Tom

"Oi! Gingah!"

No, MacKenzie thought as she started speed-walking down the street. Just NO.

"Ey! I'm talkin' to yew, kitty!"

"Leave me alone, creep!" MacKenzie shouted, glaring at her pursuer over her shoulder.

Suddenly, a gust of wind and smoke blew past her, and Tom reformed in front of her. "Hold on now, luv," he growled. "That's no way t' talk t' someone who's just tryin' t' help ya out."

MacKenzie opened her mouth to rudely tell the Cockney incubus off, but was left with her mouth open when he held up her books. "You dropped these, yeah?" he asked.

"...Uh... yeah." MacKenzie blinked as Tom held out the books to her, and she took them cautiously. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Tom fell in step with MacKenzie as she continued on her way. "'eard ya 'ad a bituva tiff with Addi earlier."

"Who hasn't heard about it?" MacKenzie asked with a bitter laugh.

"What 'appened back there?"

"I spilled paint on him and tried to apologize," MacKenzie replied. "Then he went all crazy and started hitting me and grabbing me!"

Tom whistled. "Sounds bonkers."

"You don't know the half of it." MacKenzie gave Tom the side-eye. "What about you? I heard some people talking about what happened between you and Addison."

Tom scoffed. "Yeah. Had a lil' row with him an' 'is new darling," he replied.

"His new—you mean Gustav?" MacKenzie exclaimed, surprised.

"Izzat 'is name? Heh. Sounds like a pr--k."

"You guys... didn't get along, huh?" MacKenzie asked suspiciously.

"'e don't like me much, if that's whatchyer askin'," Tom confirmed, scuffing the ground with his shoe.

MacKenzie scrunched up her face in thought. Hm... I wonder if...

A sly smile came to her face. Yeah... that could work!

"So, Tom," she began, her voice lilting slightly, "I'm actually really grateful you picked up my books. I don't know what I would've done without my sketchpad."

Tom gave her a surprised look. "Wasn't nothin', luv," he told her, his eyes glinting.

"Maybe I could... pay you back?" MacKenzie offered, shuffling a little closer to him. "Lunch, maybe? It'd be my treat."

Tom hesitated—and then a slow, large smile crossed his face. "Swee'eart," he replied, "I'd love nothin' more."

-

P.O.V. – Cameron

Cameron yawned and fell into her bed, smacking her lips. I think I'm actually starting to love this place, she thought with a happy, sleepy smile. I'm not even that scared anymore...