(A/N): Hello me again. here's the new chapter. I'm sorry if there's any errors. I'm trying to keep the chapters decently long, however if you guys think they're too long, I'll shorten them. without more... oh also... if there's anything that sounds a little off... lets just remember it's a fic... and I appreciate you guys for understanding. thank you again and here it is.
Amaya sat in the office, her arms were crossed as she waited for the nurse. She saw busy staff members walking about and laughing as if everything was as peachy as it should be. Her glasses slipped down and she quickly made to fix them. Maybe she should just call her parents and have them take her home. Tuesdays were long days anyways.
The school nurse arrived soon to tend to her and before Amaya knew it she had a thermometer stuck under her arm. She was slightly warm and the nurse told her to lay back for a few minutes. She stared at the ceiling laying back in the bed, maybe she really was sick. She wondered to herself if emotions could cause some sort of bug. She mentally noted to herself to look into that later.
The nurse came back in and checked her temperature again. She was fine now, or so it seemed, and soon the bell rang signaling 3rd period was over. She sighed mentally and decided that she didn't want to see Greg, or Conner... she needed to find new friends.
Walking out through the office doors she shook her head, she could never make any female friends no matter how hard she tried. It was just... she was always different. Even though she dressed according to fashion... she had once been friends with Luna, but that ended badly, maybe she just wasn't meant to have female friends. It could be that or the fact that she always had both Conner and Greg. She walked along the hall her head clouded in thoughts and once again she bumped head first into a someone.
"That's the second time today, Amaya." Romeo held at his chest and rubbed at the hurt area. She hadn't fallen back it was as if she only bounced off of him.
"I'm so sorry, Romeo I-I mean, Mr. Mecano!"
She got funny looks from the coming teachers but as soon as they looked they went back into their little world of lessons. Or whatever teachers thought of.
"It's fine..." it really wasn't. He had dropped both his lunch and phone on the ground due to her impact.
"Now I'm going to have to go buy something for myself." He scratched the back of his head as he saw her blushing.
"I really am sorry... I just... I'm-"
"Madly in love with kitty litter boy and he doesn't respond to your feelings?"
Her eyes went wide fast, and a bigger blush took her cheeks. "What? No! I mean, of course not!" That only confirmed his suspicions.
There was a moment of silence and she narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't call him that!"
There was a chuckle in his throat and he shook his head. "Remember 6th period, ok?" He bent do we n and picked up his phone and the mess and quickly she went on to help him. They both reached for his phone and his hand landed on hers. He quickly pulled away and Amaya pulled her too, she stayed crouched and quickly played with her hair. It had been a little awkward.
Romeo cleared his throat and made to stand up but the girl quickly reached for his hand. His dark brow rose and he looked to her funny, Amaya made no motion to let him go, she only pulled on his hand tighter. "What is it?" Romeo felt uneasy and looked around, he thanked the lord no one was there.
"Can we just... can you sign me out?"
He helped her stand and gently pulled himself away from her hand. "Are you crazy, Amaya!" He was serious.
"You're gonna do it anyways for sixth period, please?" She looked to him with sad eyes and Romeo sighed. "Amaya-"
She quickly held his hand again, "I'll buy you lunch!"
Romeo frowned he knew that she was having problems, I mean that was quite obvious. She was ignoring her friends because she had feelings for one of them, and he assumed that they didn't return those feelings, or maybe someone else was involved? Whatever the reason, he couldn't let her get too attached to him. After all he was a professional man, her mentor, old nemesis yes, but nothing more... he couldn't become attached to her either... he didn't want to break another person's heart.
He sighed because she was holding onto him like a leech pleading to sign her out, and sadly he knew that she was not going to take no for an answer. Without a word he began walking towards the school office where he would obviously sign her out. If she was smart enough to follow him without him instructing that is, if she didn't follow then he would not take her with him.
Amaya giggled, she felt like she had him wrapped around her finger, he was supposed to be the authority but he was such a pushover. Without a word she followed behind Romeo with a big grin. Then a warm feeling rested in the pit of her stomach, a feeling that she knew far too well.
They came to a stop at the entrance of the office and he opened the door for her, she walked in and smiled and he rolled his eyes as he walked inside too. The very first thing that greeted his senses was the strong smell of coffee. Amaya stepped to the side and let him talk to Fabie, he made sure to give her a decent enough reason to check out his protege. The receptionist nodded and gave him a sign out form, one special for him to fill out, and she was now under his wing.
Quietly Amaya walked out of the office in front of Romeo and he simply shook his head. His phone vibrated in his pocket and when he saw who it came from he quickly made to answer. Amaya stretched her ears to try and listen but he was being quite reserved.
"You know my answer." Was the only words she could hear then a loud muffled voice was heard over his phone he wasn't going to take it, because before she knew it he hanged up without regret.
Her brows were high as he put his phone in his pocket and in turn searched for his car keys. He pulled them out and the two headed to the parking lot.
"Girl troubles?"
Romeo looked left then right then left again before he crossed the road towards his car. "You wouldn't understand..."
Amaya rolled her eyes as she walked besides him through the street. "Ugh, I think I would, girl here remember?"
Romeo pulled his lips in a tight line wondering how on earth, was this girl so academically successful and nosey at the same time. "So what if you're a girl?"
They reached his car in silence and she couldn't help but giggle at his irritated face. "Fine I'll be quiet..." she opened the car door as soon as it was unlocked and sat in the copilot seat with her seatbelt across her chest. Romeo too got in and buckled up. He placed both his hands on the steering wheel and stared into the windshield.
What in the hell was he going to do with her until 3? It was barely noon, he looked at his wristwatch and shook his head it was 12:09. He grunted and placed his head on the steering wheel. He was giving his 'protege' too much power over him.
"What did she say so you would be this upset, Romeo?" Amaya hadn't realized that he had started his car and began off, hell she hadn't even asked where they were going.
He turned on his blinker and looked left then right before he entered the intersection. "She... it's Anna... ok, Amaya. I was sorta seeing her, but now she wants me to propose." He turned quickly to her then back to the road.
She made a face and fiddled her index fingers together. She really didn't know what to think.
"I'm actually not formally dating her." He made another turn and kept driving.
"Why wouldn't you want to formally make her your girlfriend?" Amaya's heart stung and she looked to her shoes. "
He shook his head, why was he explaining this to her again? "To begin with, she's a full-blown biologist. Remember I want to marry a stay-at-home woman. So she could watch my kids."
He spotted a chilies and turned to the girl. "Chili's?"
Amaya looked up and shook her head with a yuck face.
"Ok, anyways... second: she is 10 years older than me." He spotted a burger joint, "McDonald's?"
Amaya looked out the window and quickly spotted the restaurant ahead, "yeah that sounds good."
He went about and drove towards the place, his blinker going crazy as he waited for his turn at the stoplight. "And last, she doesn't want kids... she went so far as to tying her tubes."
Amaya took in a breath, "you know there's nothing wrong for a woman to decide for herself..." Romeo shook his head, "it's not that."
"Yes it is, Romeo. You're trying to go macho on your relationship with her. Don't you think that trying to restrict her from making decisions even with her body is a bad thing to do?"
Romeo smiled to the side and looked to her as he pulled up to the restaurant, coming to a stop and switching off his car. He turned to look to her, "and you tell me, Amaya... tell me why do I have to accept her concept? She strictly knew that I wanted to have children. You know what she did after I told her that I wanted kids after marriage? She went on and tied her tubes." He was slightly irritated and she could see it in his eyes; his reasons for not wanting a relationship with this girl was not those he had said a little while ago.
He roughly grabbed at his car keys and shook his head. "You know, not everything made in a lab is as satisfying as nature." When he said that, Amaya rose a brow. When he stayed quiet she knew what he was referring to. In vitro fertilization.
She blushed uncontrollably at the thought of 'nature satisfying him'.
When he saw her blush, his eyes went wide and he blushed too. They stayed in awkward silence for a few minutes until he spoke again. "I've never experienced it... it's just I've read things if that makes things better." He blushed even more and decided that it was better to get off his car instead of just babbling out more stupid comments, or even worse, his personal life to her.
He waited outside his car for her to get down, unlike the night before, and she got off. The two walked into the restaurant silently and awkwardly. They came to the ordering window and quickly ordered their fast food. He grabbed a sandwich, and fries, with an order of nuggets, and a coke soda. Amaya on the other hand ordered some nuggets and a milkshake.
Romeo refused to accept her to pay for her meal and soon they were both dispatched and ready to go eat wherever they pleased.
Amaya held onto both her bag of food and his too. While Romeo held onto his drink and her milkshake. Placing the drinks on the hood of his car he pulled out the keys and unlocked it. Soon they were buckled up and ready to go, he guessed to the library... they'd have to eat their meal in his car though.
He pulled up to the library and set his car in park before turning the switch to turn off his car, but not fully so the a/c was still running.
Amaya stared at him as he pulled out his bag of food and quickly began munching. He looked real hungry.
"Won't your car battery die out, like real fast?"
Romeo rose his dark brow and stared at her incredulously. "Genius, remember?"
Amaya rolled her eyes and couldn't help but laugh at his comment, she smacked his arm and really blushed. He was absolutely right. He really was a genius. When he was a kid he would fix his own lab... heck he had built that lab... he was a mechanic and inventor and he was good at what he did.
He chuckled at her reaction and placed his hand on her shoulder, "listen you're as promising as me, maybe even more than me. But my interest and field doesn't have to be yours too. Maybe I excell in tech, and weapons, and cars. But you can excell in something I can't even do if someone explained to me with peaches and pears."
She looked to him and his hand was warm against her skin. She knew that he was only saying that so his comment wouldn't sting, and it was working.
"I'm your sponsor and mentor, Amaya. I want you to become the best scientist you can be. Then after that you can see where your knowledge leads you."
He smiled and she could feel his warm comment flowing to her tummy. She was touched by his words.
He pulled his hand away and she just looked to him. She had to admit that he was actually eye candy. His eyes were a light shade of blue, his skin was fair and looked devilishly soft. His hair was black with a rare white streak on it, he dressed with brand polo shirts and she assumed his white pants would be branded too. He wore biker boots under his pants and an expensive looking wristwatch. The only thing that wasn't too, too, expensive was his car. So, in turn he had everything a woman could ask for. He was intelligent, he had a decent paying job, he wanted kids made natrually. I mean... Amaya blushed again. His only flaw was that he was slightly sexist, and full of himself. She giggled for thinking that and Romeo smiled.
"So for the next 2 hours," he exaggerated on the word hours, "would you like to discuss your future Ms. Devearux?"
"Before we get to that..."
Romeo stopped chewing on the bite he had just taken and stared attentively at his protege. Why was she hindering this talk that he needed to have with her? "Is something wrong, Amaya?"
She eyed him through her glasses. There wasn't anything wrong it was just that she was too comfortable in his presence so much in fact that she didn't want to talk about school. She guessed she saw him as a friend.
"No there's nothing wrong." She smiled and with her hands made into a peace sign she began digging through her food. She would just take things as they came even if she would be heartbroken at the end.
"So... are you interested in becoming a meteorologist?" Romeo wiped away at his lips with a napkin. It really amazed her how he was perfectly impeccable, from head to toe.
"I am actually, that's one of the careers I previously considered..."
She stopped munching on her food and sighed. Her eyes on her shoes again.
Romeo rose his brows slightly as his eyes questioned her. When she stayed quiet he licked his lips. "But..."
"I don't know... I guess I wanted to become a pilot... just so I could remember how it felt to soar through the skies... just as I once flew through them when I was a kid."
Romeo nodded and chuckled. "Yeah I understand. That feeling that you get... I get it sometimes too."
Now it was her who rose her brow, "you still want to take over the world?"
Romeo couldn't help but laugh this time. "Of course not, Amaya. It's just that sometimes I feel that my childhood was nothing but a dream. You understand me?" He was quiet for a moment then went on. "Of course you understand me, or you would want to soar through the skies if you didn't."
He closed his bag of food and reached to the bottom of his seat, he pulled out a bottle of hand sanitizer and with a couple of drops wiped at his hands. "I think we should head into the library, don't you?"
Amaya did as he did, put her food away and sanitized her hands. He turned off his car and unbuckled himself. Getting off he waited for her to do the same to lock the doors.
They began towards the entrance of the library, his boots clicking against the concrete as they walked up the stairs to go through the library doors. He smirked as he noticed she was peaceful.
"I'd like to ask, little bird. Where's your baby?" His eyes twinkled in amusement as he hoped to see a worried expression on her face. She stopped in her tracks with big eyes and she blinked, how could she have forgotten about the baby!? His grin grew, he loved to see her worked up.
She cursed to herself and grabbed at her face, "oh my gosh it's going to die! I've only had her for one day, and already did I forget her!" She looked to Romeo desperately and he rose his brow. "I can't help you, birdy."
"Yes you can, please?"
"How?" He shook his head, "I refuse to tweak it."
"No, of course not! That would be cheating!" She bit her lip, "can you drive me home so I could pick it up?"
Romeo shook his head, "are you crazy, Amaya, what would your parents think?"
She stood in front of him, and a few of the people that walked through the library doors simply stared. "Romeo, if that baby dies... how could I have forgotten the baby! I'm such a horrible mother-"
Suddenly there was an angry looking man right besides the two, they could tell he was a homeless man, because of all his things on his bike and a few bags on his shoulders. "Man, go pick up the baby instead of just standing here like the baby's life isn't on the line!" He picked up his bike and stomped it on the ground,"go man, pick up the damn baby!" Romeo and Amaya stayed in silence and the homeless man walked off with an angry expression on his face. They could hear in the distance how he kept on telling them off. "Damn people. Poor little soul, should call the police on them fellas."
Amaya looked to Romeo in disbelief and bit her lip. "I'm so sorry..." Romeo sighed and pulled on his keys. She was avoiding the talk about her future. And that wasn't good. If he did not know what she wanted to be, he could not help her. He could not fill out the documents regarding his progress and send them out to the university where she'd attend. "Fine," it was as if she didn't want a career. "I'll take you to your house, I will leave you there after though. I have some things to take care of later in the afternoon."
Amaya nodded and they both went back on their way to the library parking lot. He quickly unlocked his car and the two were buckled up and ready to cruise. He didn't know why this girl convinced him so easily or even why he followed along with her little games. He bit his lip and looked to the streets. He didn't need the GPS anymore, he had memorized the way to her home, the streets and all. It really wasn't too far from there.
He drove in silence. Making turns and stops, they quickly arrived to her house and he pulled into her driveway. She sat there for a few minutes heck that robo-baby was probably dead now anyways. "Would you like to come inside? We can talk about my career if you'd like before you leave." She fiddled with her fingers and then looked up hopefully.
"Wouldn't your parents get mad at you because of my presence?" He asked with honest curiosity. When she shook her head he unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Fine," he wondered why it was that she was craving human interaction, he knew for a fact, well at least when they were children, that she was a very confident girl. Unless something happened that changed that. He would find out he decided.
Amaya unfastened herself too, and quickly got off the car, the very first thing she would do was go check on the baby. Even before welcoming Romeo into her house. She got off and walked along the pavement that lead to her front door. She pulled out a pair of keys from her pocket and unlocked the door to quickly open it and invite him in.
"I'll be back, please take a seat!" Without waiting a response she closed the front door locked it and ran upstairs. She knew that her parents weren't home. They both worked until 6. So she didn't need to worry that they'd see Romeo just yet, her dad would occasionally go to pick up some food but he'd be on his way pretty quick.
Romeo could hear as the girl rushed upstairs and obviously into her room. He was simply standing there in the middle of her home, admiring the decor. It was obvious that her parents weren't home, or someone would've already questioned his presence. Walking around the livingroom he smiled as child pictures of Amaya caught his eyes.
She hadn't changed too much, though there was some very obvious differences. She was a thin girl still, but her body had matured, she had youthful breasts, and her hips were wide. Her brown hair was still long. He decided to stop thinking about her appearance and went on to find another photo. One with the three friends, squishing one another like a sandwich.
"I really miss those days, you know?" Amaya had quietly walked down the stairs. The robo-baby had been hungry and she fed and changed it's diaper. It had been wrapped up in a blanket and she was holding on to it as if it were a real baby.
He decided that being a mother suited her.
His eyes twinkled with something warm and Amaya couldn't help but blush. They looked at each other for a few minutes and Romeo smiled kindly. "You look good with a baby..."
The girl smiled back and felt her stomach rumble with warmth. "It was just hungry and had a very dirty diaper."
Romeo couldn't help but nod, "I'm sure it did. It had been a while." He placed his hands behind his back and walked around. He assumed the family didn't spend too much time together, if the two small couches were an indicator. One loveseat was impeccably decorated, and a lazy boy at a slight angle, it was less organized, Romeo guessed that that's where her father would spend his time.
"You wanna go upstairs to my room?" She offered with a smile then walked over to the kitchen and pulled out some snacks from the cabinets.
"Why don't we just talk here?" He offered and she rose a brow. Maybe Romeo wasn't aware, but she always had her friends, Conner and Greg over in her room.
"No way. This is where my parents hang out..." she giggled and pulled on his arm dragging him across her living room and up the stairs. "My dad usually comes on his break then goes back to work after half an hour. I don't want him to see you."
Romeo looked at her funny and stopped walking, was this how she was with her friends? He wasn't her friend he was her mentor. He had to remind her of their places. He had not just popped up to be her plaything. "Won't he just see my car in the driveway?"
She looked back at him with a small grin, totally ignoring logic and went on talking. "I can't wait to show you all my rewards and papers I've written on wheater and... hey, why aren't you coming?"
Romeo felt ridiculous. Why couldn't he see her as a friend? He felt guilty, yes, the two could be friends there was absolutely nothing wrong with that. After all she needed to trust him if he was to fully guide her through his experience, right? Except... she was young and bubbly... and fun... he didn't want to wrap up his life involving her. He continued walking as she spoke about school and all her achievements, her straight A's since ever. How she loved to fly and that maybe she would consider Hurricane Hunting as a meteorologist, just so she could keep people safe and updated on vicious storms. That maybe she could still be a hero after being an adult.
They came to a stop in her bedroom door, and she eagerly grinned. "I can't wait for you to come in and see everything!"
She slowly opend the door as if to build tension. She walked in and spinned in her room, "welcome to my room!" She giggled and blushed while playing with her hair. "I thought you would be excited, Romeo to see your old inventions." His eyes scanned the room, and it was true some were there. She had the 'go slow ray', 'the small sizer', and a few others. Definitely not the snifflewhiff. He couldn't believe it she had them as if they were trophies in a display case on her walls.
"What do you think?" She admired the look on his face and sat down on her bed to lay down the robo-baby.
"I'm... speechless." He was looking at his inventions, he knew that they were indeed victory trophies but it was his inventions. He turned to face her and he felt the urge to hug her.
"You see," she stood up and walked up to him with, "when we 'retired' from our heroic ways. We decided to keep our favorite weapons... from our favorite villains." She blushed and turned to the side. "Conner took Night Ninjas sticky splats, and Greg is Luna girl crazy to this day." She began giggling and suddenly she was quiet. Maybe she was being selfish with her friends.
Suddenly her phone vibrated in her pocket and she assumed it was from one of her two boys, she was right. It was Greg. 'Amaya where are you!? We're looking for you all over campus we can't seem to find you!'
The girl sighed and looked to Romeo then to her phone again. She felt even worse now. She was using her mentor as a distraction all because she didn't want to face Conner and admit to him how she felt.
'It's ok, Greg... I'm fine. I felt a little sick... so I'm home now.' She typed away and sent the message, and almost instantly there was a reply.
'You went home!? Who picked you up? Aren't your parents at work?'
Amaya looked up to Romeo who had sat in her bed with his arms crossed and his eyes on his gadgets. 'A friend brought me home... don't worry I'll see you guys tomorrow!'
She finished typing and sent the message. She walked over and sat on her bed next to Romeo. "Ok, now we can talk about my decision."
Romeo nodded holding his arms over his chest. "Do you think your parents will be alright with this... you moving so far away from home?"
"I mean, they have to understand. I'll be 18 soon anyways..."
There was a knock on her door and Romeo stiffened, he had expected that someone was going to catch them in her room. He looked to her as she casually walked to the door without any worry. Was she really going to expose him? What would her father say? He decided it would be less awkward if he was standing. Then again they weren't doing anything bad, but he was in her room, in her house all by themselves. Did she usually bring boys home, and that's why she was so calm about it? Why was he asking so many unspoken questions? He regained himself and placed his hands behind his back as soon as she opened the door.
"Hello, Daddy!" She smiled softly at her father with the door wide open.
"I was simply wondering who's car it was that was parked in the driveway, but I can see it belongs to your friend here." The older man smiled and walked into his daughters room, Amaya giggled and crossed her arms amused.
"Dan Devearux, pleasure to meet you-" the man extended his arm to greet the young man. "Romeo Mecano, the pleasure is all mine sir." The genius stretched his own hand, and when Amaya's father gripped his, he tightened it almost painfully.
Romeo almost grunted in pain but suddenly the man let him go. There seemed to be threat in this man's eyes, and Romeo rose a brow, great he was thinking exactly what he didn't want him to think.
"So you're the boy who drove my little girl so late home the other day, huh?"
"I'm very sorry about that, Dan. I assure you it will not happen-"
Dan blinked and turned to Amaya who held her hand over her mouth, holding in a giggle. "Dad, Mr. Mecano is my mentor."
"Excuse me?" Dan shook his head.
"Yes dad, he's the person I told you about the other day!" She took in a deep breath. "Remember I told you that I'd be leaving to study in a university?" She opened her eyes, "Down in Knightsfairy?"
Romeo held onto his hand which was slightly pounding.
"He's a scientist, Dad."
"Oh," ther was suddenly a calm to his fierce eyes. "Good."
"What are you guys doing up here then?" He seemed cheerful all of a sudden. What in the world had just happened? Romeo knitted his eyebrows together.
"I was just showing him my work and grades, he's going to help me through my career, daddy."
Dan suddenly patted his little girl on the head and kissed her forehead, with a smile he excused himself claiming he didn't want to interrupt the session and was off. After a few seconds he rushed back in. "Oh Mr. Mecano, if there is anything you need, please feel at home." He looked at his wristwatch and looked up to him, "I'll tell my wife that we're having a guest, so she can make a special dinner. Don't you dare leave us hanging!" Before Romeo could understand what was happening the man sped off again and closed the door behind himself.
"Umm... I'm so sorry about that." Amaya walked over to her bed again and sat down next to the robo-baby and caressed it's fake hair.
"Would you mind explaining his sudden change of mood?" Romeo was still shaken, maybe the man was bipolar?
"When I told him you were a scientist..." Amaya clicked her tongue, "I don't know where he got that from, but I knew it would calm him down."
Romeo was curious, "got what from where? I really would like to know, so I can understand." He was being honest. He sat next to her and waited for her explanation.
"You see my dad and his friends... they're fully convinced that..." she blushed so hard and Romeo couldn't possibly get more confused. "In fact he's so sure... that... he swears his life on it..."
"Well...care to explain?"
Amaya played with her hair and hid under her glasses. She didn't know how to tell him the nonsense her father believed. It was even more embarrassing than Romeo could imagine.
"Does he believe all scientist are homosexual?" He tried to remember if any of his colleagues were romantically attracted to the same sex... but he couldn't think of one.
"No, you silly goose... oh my gosh..." she started giggling. "He believes that neither scientists or doctors can get..." she giggled again with raging red cheeks, "erections..."
Romeo had to stand up to this one. How in the world had this man come up with that theory?
"What?"
"Like I said, I don't know where he gets it from. I mean I guess that it's because scientists and doctors alike, are familiar with human anatomy?"
"That's the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard." Romeo couldn't believe what he was hearing, why would that have anything to do with incompetence? Maybe Gynecologist, and he was almost positive that many were married with a perfectly healthy intimate life.
"So you do, have-"
He was red in the face and about ready to leave, this conversation was very awkward, if not, uncomfortable. "I'll be going now." Romeo placed his hands behind his back and began taking a few steps towards the door. He looked back to the amused girl and she shook his head.
"I've decided I do want to be a meteorologist, Mr. Mecano." She licked her lips, "I'll talk it over with my parents today. I'm ready to go to, Knightsfairy University."
Romeo nodded and turned away from her, "I'll make sure to fill out your forms." He clicked his tongue and turned to face her, "do you have my phone number? Just in case you have any questions, or vise versa, to be asked?"
"No."
He would stay.