Rachel

We left the mall pretty soon after that conversation. Time was running short for Tobias and Ax, and I had to get home to watch my sisters while my mom met with a client. Marco and I grabbed the bus to the suburbs and walked a few blocks together.

"So, nice to see you're not perfect at everything Xena," he chided me. I was still annoyed he'd invited himself to my competition, but I wasn't about to show it.

"I'm glad you could see me over the heads of all those grown-ups in front of you," I retorted, "I thought you'd have to sit on Ax's shoulders." Marco snorted a laugh in response.

"This shameless flirting has to stop, Rachel. What would Tobias say?" Marco sighed melodramatically and draped his arm around my shoulder.

"Please. As if," I growled, shoving off his pass. This was typical Marco-banter, but it was getting on my nerves.

"Seriously Xena, we need to be super careful tomorrow. If something goes down on our field trip, how long do you think it'll take the Yeerks to figure out their 'Andalite Bandits' are kids from our school?"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know," I mumbled, "no psycho elephants or grizzlies. I heard Jake at the meeting yesterday same as you." He hadn't said anything about psycho eagles or Hork-Bajir or polar bears, or any of my secondary battle morphs, but I got what he was saying. I stopped at the street corner where our paths separated and shifted my gym bag to my other shoulder. "It'll be fine Marco, I promise. It'll probably be more about baby-sitting Ax than causing trouble." Unless we get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…I added silently.

"Yeah, I should worry more about my civics paper. One more D and I won't have to worry about the Yeerks half as much as the Wrath of Dad," he cracked.

"See you tomorrow at school, bright and early," I called as I turned down my street.

"6am wake-up, 5 hour cross-country flight sharing the exit-row with an alien in disguise, and then a week surrounded by evil aliens and politicians, AND a 10-page paper at the end of it! What could possibly go wrong?" I heard him gripe as he walked away.

Nobody complains like Marco.

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I started a pot of mac 'n' cheese for Jordan and Sara and flopped onto the couch after my mother hustled out the door in a blur of lipstick and legal briefs. My sisters were parked in front of the TV, oblivious to the world around them. No one asked me about the meet, for which I was grateful. After about ten minutes of cartoons—all my attention span could take—I went up to my room to finish packing. I'm not some big nerd or anything, but I was excited for this field trip. I like school, and I usually get good grades.

I opened the window with no screen wide in case Tobias dropped by. Sure enough, as I was debating whether to take four of my new tank tops or only three, a familiar raptor alighted on the window sill.

(Hey. You busy?)

"Nah, c'mon in. Mom's not here and Jordan and Sara will be hypnotized until the Spongebob marathon ends. You can demorph if you want," I added slightly suggestively. For once he didn't remind me his human self was just a morph.

(Sure. Ready for tomorrow?) he asked as he shed feathers and became his human self.

"Oh yeah. Honestly, I don't know what Jake and Marco are worried about. You need a haircut," I added, looking at the messy hair falling in front of his eyes, "and NOT one from Ax this time."

"What? I thought it looked fine."

"It looked like you stuck your head under a lawn mower."

"It's hard to keep up appearances when you're only human for a few hours a week."

"Well, you know how to fix that," I responded.

"Yeah, and you know why I won't." He shoved me playfully onto the bed. I grabbed his hands and pulled him down next to me. I reached over and pushed his unruly, dirty-blonde hair out of his eyes. He took my cheeks in his hands and pulled me even closer. I closed my eyes and leaned in and—

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Smoke detector!

"Rachel! The macaroni's on fire!" shrieked a high-pitched voice from downstairs. Great. Thanks so much Sara.

"I better go," I sighed and started to get up. He stood up too and kissed me sweetly before backing away toward the open window. I smiled as I ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Was I ready for this week? A week away from home with Tobias?

Oh yes.