Revamped!

[Shoutout to a lovely person out there who wanted an update :)

There's no recap necessary here because the previous chapter has nothing to do with this one and honestly, I don't even remember what happened in the last chapter. (I'm writing this like two months later than I did the last one.)

(And, ironically, posting it another couple of months later).] [2020: I'm laughing at this AN because I removed all the recaps/stay tuned in the revamps and won't post them anymore because of my new updating schedule.]

Act of Kai-ndness: Part Two

Kai sits in his class with the pen in his hand flicking against his notebook. He watches attentively as the teacher explains the slideshow presentation. However, he only looks as if he's paying attention. Everything the teacher says goes right over his head. Instead of human anatomy, he hears the teacher talking about the upcoming municipal election.

Kai knows that this scenario is fake because it's all in his head, but the information is real.

Election day is closer than he thought. Kai tries not to pay attention to it because his dad is brought up in every news report and debate. This brings back memories of when his dad died. They always cause his emotions to spiral downward. He listens to what the opposition says and how Torin fights back. He's in Torin's house - his house - hearing him talk to his wife about needing to work late and harder, and how his daughters try to understand but can't. Every argument and every rebuttal plays like a broken record in his mind. The constantly changing poll numbers make him queasy because one minute, Torin's in the lead and the next, he's not.

A part of him doesn't understand why people can't stick with an opinion. But at the same time, he understands.

Sometimes, the press finds and hounds him with questions on his views and what he thinks should happen with Commonwealth. Kai would always murmur something vague that only bites him later when it gets interpreted wrong (or right because he isn't even sure what he meant most of the time. There are also moments where he forgot that encounter happened until someone texts it to him or Torin brings it up.) Then, he would run off and when he was alone, he would cry because that reality is now his life. He tries not to cry since Torin's daughters would sometimes walk in and end up telling their parents who end up talking to him.

He's only happy that the school upped its security to ward off the press of those political activists, and the same for his and Torin's gated neighbourhoods. Their neighbours are super kind enough to bear through this because they could never imagine what he's going through, especially at his age. And they know that if this was to happen to them and their kids, Kai's father would do the same thing and more for them. Then, there are Kai's friends and girlfriend who are everything to him now. Kai isn't sure if he would've made it out of this alive without them.

Kai's thoughts disappear for the moment and he's back in class. He sees that the teacher's finished and that he missed everything. Kai sighs and notices a notebook sliding onto his desk from the one next to him. He looks over and sees Cress smiling at him.

"I noticed you were in the stars so just take a picture if you want," Cress says.

"Thank you so much," Kai says as he pulls his phone out.

"Act of Kai-ndness," Cress mutters happily.

"No, Cress, seriously. Thank you."

Cress is a little surprised by his persistence on being thankful but she accepts it. "You're welcome."

-o-

Group Chat - Testosterone Zone
Members: Cadet Clay, Captain Thorne, Crewmate Kai, Crewmate Wolf

Cadet Clay: who the stars changed the group chat name this time?

Captain Thorne: I did.

Crewmate Kai: You're aware that girls have testosterone as well, right?

Captain Thorne: …

Crewmate Kai: That answers my question.

Crewmate Wolf: And you have a bit of estrogen in you.

Captain Thorne: *shocked face emoji* bUt I'm not a girl!

Crewmate Kai: *facepalm emoji*

Cadet Clay: The construct of gender is blurred so are we who we think we are or are we really what society labels us as?

Thorne looks up from his phone, suddenly confused about the biology of humans. He tries to think it over and try to make sense of it, but it hurts his brain. He thinks that he could search it up on the internet, but he knows better than to do that because it may not be trustworthy. Instead, since he's in class, he puts up his hand because his teacher should know the answer.

"Yes, Thorne?" The teacher calls.

"Do girls have testosterone?" Thorne asks.

The class snickers amongst themselves as the teacher looks confused. For a moment, the teacher thinks that Thorne is just being a class clown but when Thorne isn't laughing, he knows that he's serious.

"Thorne, we're in English class," he says.

"True…" Thorne responds, thinking that over with a few small nods. "So, do boys have estrogen?"

Thorne never gets his answer. The teacher just goes back to explaining the novel Thorne didn't read. Thorne shrugs and goes back to his phone.

[Cadet Clay changed the name of this chat to "Thorne's Bio Class"]

[Crewmate Wolf changed the name of this chat to "Thorne's Existential Crisis"]

[Crewmate Kai changed the name of this chat to "Thorne's Biological Crisis"]

[Cadet Clay changed the name of this chat to "Thorne's Biological Existential Crisis"]

Thorne hates them. If this was a real ship, he would kick them all off. But then, he would save them and let them back on because he wouldn't want to be alone.

-o-

After school, Kai makes his way to his car. He opens the passenger door and throws his bag in the seat. He closes the door and makes his way around to the driver's seat. He starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot. He's about to enter the main road and turns on his signal to turn, but has to stop urgently because he almost hit a reporter who showed up out of nowhere to interview him. That wouldn't have looked good. Then, a whole flock of them show up.

Kai groans as he sinks into his seat miserably. It's not like the school's security could chase them away because the sidewalk is public property and not the school's.

At least he has his car to block him from the questions. If he had no morals and nothing to lose, he would run them all over.

"This is all harassment!" Someone screams. "It's unprofessional and could get your journalist passes revoked because I'll be the one to report it!"

Slowly, they all break apart and disappear into the city. Kai exhales out of pure relief due to whoever that was. They knock on the passenger window and Kai rolls it down. He turns and sees Wolf leaning in.

"I owe you my life," Kai says as a thanks.

"You know, you could tell them all that yourself," Wolf suggests.

"My dad might be dead, but I still have an image to maintain which is more important now more than ever," Kai explains. "Gotta keep that campaign image looking good and sharp because it still makes my dad look good and sharp. I can't go off being like a violent teen who's still struck in a brooding angst by the sudden death of his father. I'm still at that last part but some branches of the media think that I've had enough time to grieve which is disrespectful and stupid to think. Anyways, it makes Torin look bad because he's technically my legal guardian and if he can't take care of me, then why should he also inherit my father's city?"

Wolf nods, seeing the points in his argument. "Well, that's why you have me because I can be violent for you. I have nothing to lose. You want me to drive home in case you run into others?"

"After the horror stories of what Cress described as your driving, I'm good." Kai smiles weakly. "Going to jail would make me look even worse."

"I'd say that day was an adventure-turned-romance, not horror."

"Well, I'm in a horror story now."

Wolf sighs. "You'll get to your happily ever after."

"Or just the ever after part."

"Yeah, well, you'll get somewhere."

[The chapters of this arc seem short so far but it's all building up to its main plot.] [2020: The last chapter was shorter. What am I complaining about?]