Chapter 13
Lex woke up in the dark to find Ebony kneeling on his bed next to him. "Ebony?" he called. She responded by giving him a deep fiery kiss. She didn't need to persuade him as he pulled her on top of him.
Lex stretched his body across the sheets, and let out a contented groan. It was morning, and he was ready to start a new day. But all he wanted right now was a warm body to nuzzle, before he had to get up. He blindly felt around the bed. His eyes opened as he realized she was gone. Last night couldn't have been a dream.
Alana walked into the commons room to see it bustling with Mallrats eating their morning meal and getting ready for their day.
"Sammy go put your shoes on!" Shouted Salene. May walked into the room.
"Gel's still in the shower" May said grimacing. Salene rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Great and neither Ruby or Ram is up yet."
Jay walked into the room, smiled at Salene, and saluted her like a good soldier. He then saw Alana across the room.
"Alana you're here. I'll go get Amber." He said.
Ram shifted in his chair and tried to stretch his neck. He had fallen asleep in his chair in Ruby's room. He put a hand on his neck to try and rub away the pain.
Why the hell didn't I sleep in my bed last night?
He shuddered as he remembered why. He was headed back to his and Lex's room after raiding the kitchen for a midnight snack. When he opened the door he was greeted with the sight of Ebony and Lex naked and entangled in Lex's bed.
Gross. I can still hear their noises.
He could not sleep in there with that going on in the bed right next to him. Slade and Jack were still in the commons so he couldn't sleep in there. So he snuck into Ruby's room and curled up in his chair.
Jay walked into his and Amber's bedroom.
"Alana's here." He said to Amber. She was putting a Jacket on Baby Bray.
"Ok, we're ready." She said more to the baby than Jay. She hoisted the baby onto her hip walked out of the room with Jay. They walked into the common room where Alana was waiting to take them to see Lourdes.
Sammy came bursting into the commons room.
"Ian's here!" he shouted. The boy was practically jumping out of his skin with excitement.
"Sammy why don't you tell him we'll all be right down?" Smiled Trudy as she picked up Brady. Sammy ran out of the room again without a word. Ram came strolling into the kitchen area.
"Ram are you ready to go?" asked Trudy keenly.
"No, the indoors are perfectly fine for me." He said digging into some leftover breakfast. May and Salene had managed to usher almost everyone out before they remembered one last person.
"Where's Stan?" asked May.
Ram looked up from his meal.
"Who?" asked Ram.
"Stan the trader. The guy who rescued us?" said May a bit disgusted.
"Probably asleep" said Ram looking back down at his food.
"Let's go," said Salene. "We don't want to keep Ian waiting."
May and Salene went downstairs to join Gel, Jack, Ellie, Slade, Ebony, Darryl, Lex, Trudy, Brady, and Lottie.
They all managed to fit comfortably into Ian's wagon. Trudy, Brady, and May sat up front with Ian, while the others rode in the back. Lex being the last straggler jumped into the wagon and sat next to Ebony.
"Where'd you go babes?" asked Lex beaming. But didn't get a response as he was interrupted by Ian.
"Everyone settled?" Ian asked. There were murmurs confirming that they were.
"Where going to stop off at the Cafeteria first and pick up lunch. Then we'll go around campus and then stop at the river for a picnic." Ian said, craning his neck backwards to face the Mallrats. With that done, Ian jerked the reins and took them out of the courtyard, and into a new part of the Campus that they had never seen before. Lex tried to question Ebony again but got caught up with his companions with meaningless banter about what they hoped was for lunch, and how big the campus really was.
Ram headed back to his room hoping to catch up on his sleep. He walked by Ruby's open door to see her sitting in 'his' chair.
"Hey, I thought you went with others." She said smiling at him.
"No. Didn't feel like it."
"Yeah me neither. I didn't feel like being jostled today." She said indicating her injured side. When she said that, Ram came into the room.
"Are you in pain?" he asked.
"No, just sore." She said. Silence washed over the room, and Ram shifted his feet. "Ram sit down." Ordered Ruby good-naturedly. Ram sat on the corner of the bed. "Thanks for looking after me".
"No problem" he mumbled. He did it because he was made to. Ruby's face became serious and she stood up.
"But how are you doing?"
"Huh?" Ram asked. She seemed to be asking him about more than just what his mood for the day was.
"I just meant, you know, with everything that's happened," she said, as she sat next to him on the bed.
The wagon traveled along the well-kept dirt road, with grass and trees growing on either side. The campus seemed to have been dropped into the middle of a large plot of undeveloped land. The buildings and roads quietly and subtly mixed in with natural surroundings. There were birds, small animals and tall trees everywhere. They passed a few people walking along the road. Some even stopped to wave hello. It was a short distance from the dorms to the Cafeteria and they had seen the building from far away. Soon they heard noise and music.
"What's going on?" Asked Ellie.
"It's the Market. Practically the whole campus is there today." Said Ian.
The wagon came around a bend in the rode fully exposing the Market.
"See that building on the left there is the Cafeteria. That's where communal meals are served and where food is stored. On the other side is the Da Vinci building. That's where there are classes for little ones and that kind of stuff." Ian informed them.
And in the middle of the two buildings was obviously the market. There were more than twice as many people than the number who had attended the market in the city. It was jammed packed with people selling, buying, eating and entertaining.
"You all can have a look around if you like while I go get our food. I could us a hand or two though" Said Ian as he brought the wagon to a stop in front of the Cafeteria.
"That'd be great!" Trudy said, as she and Gel both jumped up eagerly. They couldn't wait to go shopping.
"I'll give you a hand," said Jack to Ian.
"Me too" said Eliie standing up.
"Well then lets meet up back here when clock bells go off." Ian said.
I don't know how it happened but it did. She spoke to me in that soft gentle voice that she rarely uses. Said she knew it must be hard, with me losing Java and my home so suddenly, and at the same time. I couldn't look her in the eye. I don't talk about feelings. I just don't. But she had struck a cord. My feelings were given away, as I noticeably flinched. My body shuddered as my heart for one instant let me feel. Emotion. Pain. She cupped my face in her hands and just looked into my eyes. Like she was trying to tell me something. Telling me what I needed to know to make myself right again. Make me human again. I kissed her soft lips. I just wanted to feel love and warmth. Wanted to be wrapped up in it. Wrapped up in her. I wanted her to smother everything I had been. Everything I had done. I was soft and delicate with her. I was afraid she might break. I was afraid I might break. I was afraid I might break this perfect moment where I felt something besides hate, anger and regret. I trailed kisses down her soft neck. It wasn't about lust and we could take as long as we needed. We held each other in a tight embrace as we made love. I think she needed to hold on to the feeling as much as I did.
The cafeteria was bustling with people as well. Ian, Ellie and Jack struggled to keep together because Ellie was lost in a daze trying to take all the sights in. Something red in the corner of Ellie's eye caught her attention. She turned to see a figure dressed in a dark crimson red robe with golden yellow detailing walking up a staircase. She gasped as she saw his face. Jack and Ian were ahead of her now and she ran to catch up with them.
"Jack!" She yelled.
"What is it Ellie?" He asked concerned.
"I just saw Luke."