Meanwhile…
"So, what happened to you?" André asked. He glanced at Gina's face.
Gina wrote down some notes. "Your mom kicked the shit out of me."
André made a noise. "Sounds like her. You okay?"
Gina glanced up. "You're not going to ask which one?"
André shrugged. "I mean, I can see both of them doing that? Soooo…"
"Ass," Gina said. She grabbed one of his pillows and chucked it at him.
"But you're okay?" He asked, his voice edging with concern. "Would you like an ice pack?"
"Yeah, I'm good. I'm grounded from going to the past, though. Kinda sucks."
"Dude, there's plenty to do, here," André said.
Gina held up her history book. "I know. Hence the reason we're hanging out."
They continued to read.
"Hey," André said. "Sorry about Gilen." He looked to her. "Um, do you wanna talk about it? It's okay if you don't. I know he was important to you."
Gina glanced up from her book. "It's cool," she said in a voice that could have gone either way. "I mean, it's been a couple weeks, but it still sucks."
"Seriously," André said. "I know we didn't always get along, but he was cool."
"I wish you guys had," Gina said. "You two had a lot in common. Really doesn't matter now, I guess."
"Like what?"
Gina thought about it. "You're both kind, you both speak up when people are in trouble, you're both absolute dorks. There's some similarities."
André shrugged. "Yeah, well, we both liked you, so, you know. Kinda led to some friction. He was still cool, though. We would hang out when you were busy."
Gina glanced at him. "Still?"
André looked up. "Still what?"
"You still like me?"
André shrugged and focused on his book. "Well, yeah. Like, I'm not gonna let that get in the way of the fact that you're my best friend, but if we're being honest, yeah. You're cool, and you're, like, super smart. And you've got pretty eyes."
Gina thought on that. "Really?"
André nodded. "It's like the first thing I ever noticed about you. They're gorgeous." He glanced at Gina. "Why did you guys break up, exactly?"
"I was splitting too much of my time between being a hero, working a job, and school. I didn't have time to be a good girlfriend to him, so I ended it instead of forcing him to wait on me."
"Huh," André said.
"Yeah," Gina said. "I mean, like, if he had been a holder it might have been different? At least then we'd have been able to spend time together, he'd have been able to understand better when I didn't have time, you know. I guess it comes with the job. Still sucks."
André nodded. "I can see that. It does complicate things."
"It does."
"So, yeah." He got up. "I'll be right back. Want some more soda?"
Gina glanced at the empty six cans that Sabrina had brought them. "Yeah, sure."
Meanwhile…
"So," Chloé said as she checked her phone. "We have a reservation starting in 30 minutes at LaDonna's. You wanna catch a movie afterwards?"
Sabrina shrugged as she grabbed her coat. "I suppose. What's playing?"
"Uh, mom?"
Both women turned to see André standing there, looking slightly nervous.
"What's up, kiddo?" Chloé asked.
"…Could I borrow Pollen for a night patrol? Studying is great, but I think we kinda need to stretch our legs a little"
Both women paused and looked to each other. Sabrina, wide eyed, gestured towards Chloé's hair with her head.
Chloé sighed and slid the comb out of her hair. "You know the rules."
André nodded. "I won't be out late, and if anything comes up, I'll radio for help. I promise."
Sabrina smiled at him. "Are you meeting up with anyone else?
André scratched the back of his head. "Um, I figured I could just do a quick round with Gina, if that's cool?"
Pollen floated up in front of him and bowed. "My Prince," she said with a flourish.
"Hey Pollen," André said back.
Sabrina took Chloé's arm. "Sure! Do a round. Heck, do two? Just be careful, okay? And call if you need anything at all. Oh! Here's a 20 in case you guys want to stop for a taco."
André took the money. "Um, thanks? But we just had pizza."
"Then get an ice cream," Sabrina suggested. "Just be safe!"
André smiled and nodded. "We will. Thanks! Love you both!"
Sabrina watched him head back to his room. She turned to see Chloé staring at her.
"What?" Sabrina said.
"…Seriously?" Chloé asked.
"Oh, hush up and take me to dinner," Sabrina said as they walked out the door.
Back in André's room, Gina was finishing up a chapter review when André came back in with two sodas.
"So," he said as he tossed her one. He held up the bee comb as Pollen floated beside him. "Wanna go out tonight?"
Gina stared. "Excuse me?"
"On patrol? Do you wanna head out?" André asked. "I mean, the more I thought about it, mom was kinda right. It's, like, Friday night. I can do some cramming with Grandma on Sunday. You could come over and join me? Maybe it would be better if we had some fun tonight instead? You know, decompress a bit?"
Gina glanced at her notes. "I mean, there is only so much studying a person can doooowwwwait a minute." She looked at the comb in his hand. She looked back at him and adjusted her glasses. "Did you just take your mom's miraculous so you could ask me out?"
André shrugged. "On a patrol. Yeah."
"Don't you have work?"
"I mean, I can sleepwalk through a shift if I have to," André said. "So, up for a run? Maybe a taco?"
"Like, a date?" Gina asked. One of her eyebrows went up past the rim of her glasses.
André shrugged. "If you wanna call it that. Like, are you up for it?"
"Dude," Gina said as she closed her book. "I told you, I don't have time for a relationship."
"I heard you. And not to split hairs, but you said you didn't have time for a relationship," André pointed out. "But you're not going back to the past right now, and what if I could patrol with you?"
Gina rubbed her face. "But, ugh. We… I mean, we've had this talk."
"You mean when you were dating Gilen?"
"Yes," Gina said, slightly exasperated. "This is, I dunno if I'm ready? And, I don't wanna lead you on. I mean, you're, like, my best friend."
"And you're mine," he said. "And I dig hanging out with you. And I like beating up bad guys with you, so, bonus."
"We also beat up bad guys with Tulip and Richter," Gina pointed out.
"That's a group thing. I wanna hang with my friend."
"Look, I, um, I don't wanna end up hurting you," Gina said.
André thought about it. "I don't see how that can happen if we're just on patrol. Like, unless you try to kick my ass again. Then, yeah. You'd end up hurting me."
"You know what I mean!" Gina said.
André stepped back and assumed his most intimidating hero pose. Well, as intimidating as a 17-year-old can look when flexing in his bedroom. "Pollen, buzz on."
Gina watched him transform into a version of his mother's suit, but with black armored shoulder pads.
"So, um, I'll be out on the patio. If you wanna go for a run?" He pointed to the door. "Or, like, you just wanna hang here I get it. But, um, yeah. My brain is cashed out on studying, and seriously, Grandma will totally go over this with us. Heck, you can even bring pastries. It'll butter her up."
Gina thought on this. "That's, dammit. That's a really good argument."
"So, yeah." André shuffled his feet. "If you'd like to, um, I'll be out there."
"I'm not going on a date, André," Gina said.
"I know," André said. "I'm just going on patrol." He walked out the door.
"IT'S NOT A DATE!" Gina yelled after him.
"I KNOW!" André yelled back.
André had been standing on the patio for a good five minutes before he registered that Gina could very well had said screw this and gone home. He nearly jumped when the glass door slid open and she stepped out, already transformed.
"Hey," he said.
Gina stood about a meter away and stared at him.
"You still go by Yellowjacket?"
André nodded.
"Cool," Gina said. "Code names are important."
"Well, yeah," André said. He shot her an 'are you serious' look. "They're the coolest part about being a hero. Everyone knows that."
"Really. The name is the most important thing. Not the powers?"
André shrugged. "Those are a close second. The name is actually the most important part. It sets your whole tone."
"Dork," she said. "So."
"So," he said back.
Gina blushed and put her hands in her jacket. "For the record, the eyes thing was good. Also, the transforming thing in front of me? That was cool. Nice touch."
"I don't know what you mean," André said.
"Liar," Gina said. "You're telling me you weren't trying to hit on me?"
"Hey, you said it, not me." André said, his hands up. "This isn't a date. We're just going on patrol."
"Which would be less awkward if you hadn't tried hitting on me!"
"Which I didn't, as this is not a date." André said, smiling. He took out his top and started twirling it.
"Would you stop that?" Gina yelled.
"Stop what?" André asked.
"Arguing if this is a date!" Gina snapped.
"I'm not," André said with a wink.
"So, you're saying this is? Because it's not!"
André nodded. "I know!" He took off for the ledge.
"Agree with me!" Gina yelled.
André hipped up onto the railing and threw his line before he turned, winked, and saluted as he let himself fall backwards and swing away.
"Okay!" André called out as he disappeared.
Gina turned and bolted for the railing. She dove off after him, her staff already out.
"Agree better!" She yelled as she fell.
Needless to say, neither André nor Gina got to bed by eight.
Notes:
And this section is done. Woo! Special thanks to Kasienda for her feedback on this section. She helped me make this less, well, bad. I am thankful.
So, a secret. I wrote a ton of this well in advance, but the next section was only finished last night, and I'm only now working on the final section. Next up, we get some Sabine as, well, I promised.
COMING UP!
Sabine is many things, but is one of them... A HERO?
Nathalie needs friends!
An identity is outed!
A secret is revealed!
And SO! MUCH! TALKING!
Be here for the start of it all, tomorrow! Same Bug Time...
GINA: It's NOT Bug Time!
ANDRE: I know!
...Same Bug Channel!
