Chapter 5: The Cemetery Assignment

A day of sunshine had finally arrived at Titan Academy, and to my fortune, that day landed on a Saturday, and I did not have any classes to attend where I would be trapped inside. I asked Rachel if she would accompany me in exploring the outdoors outside the school grounds since I had my weekend homework completed the night before.

"I'm allergic to sunlight," She responded, but I was doubtful that she was, "And I just picked up a new book from the bookstore in town that I want to start reading. But go ask Gar. I'm sure he would like to show you the hiking trails here. They are beautiful..." Rachel paused and turned her head away from me. She looked as if she was embarrassed to reveal something she was interested in outside of her books. "I mean, that's what I hear anyway."

I looked at her suspiciously. "Very well...but is there anything else you like to do on the weekends besides reading? I am curious about what humans our age do here during their free time."

Rachel shrugged and then considered my question, "I guess I like watching horror movies."

I was disappointed in her response. Another activity she enjoyed doing indoors. "That sounds...interesting! Would you like to show me one of your favorite horror movies later today when I get back?"

"Sure," Rachel said, "But I watch some pretty graphic stuff...are you sure your stomach can handle it?"

I let out a laugh. "I have nine stomachs, so if one of them cannot, the others will be able to."

Rachel looked a little disturbed by that piece of information on Tamaranean physiology. "Weird, but cool, I guess."

I wished her goodbye and to have a pleasant time reading before I left our room to find Gar. I did not know where he would be, but I assumed he might have been near the boy's dormitories, so I started to go in that direction. The moment the warm sunlight touched my face as I left the girl dormitories, I felt instantly energized. Feeling refreshed, as if I had just awoken from the most restful slumber.

I stretched my arms over my head and let out a blissful sigh. Nothing was going to ruin my day today. Not even the Elites if they tried. It was too beautiful of a day to let them.

Taking a longer route to the boys' dormitories, I enjoyed the different perspective of the school being lit up by the sun. The leaves turning red and orange colors appeared brighter and more vibrant than when I initially noticed them. The leaves falling from the trees seemed to have danced around me as a cool breeze whisked them away. Even the air itself felt energizing. I let my happy thoughts float around carelessly in my head as I wandered around the campus. That was until those thoughts quickly turned angry as I witnessed Joseph being pushed around in a circle of other students I was not familiar with. None of them appeared to be any of the Elites, but they still appeared to be a group of bullies.

"What's the deal, Wilson?" A bald-head boy, who looked more like a small child, had pulled Joseph down by the collar of his shirt so that his face was only a few inches away. "Why haven't you given us any information about those snotty rich kids yet? You know he will be around soon asking for any intel we have on them."

I froze. Were they talking about the Elites? I stayed back far enough where I could still hear them but turned my body slightly so it appeared I was not looking at them. I could still see what was happening in the corner of my eye. I was curious about what they could be talking about, but I was mainly worried that they would hurt Joseph.

"I...I told you," I could hear Joseph stuttering, "I don't know anything."

"I think he's lying," A girl with a bald head similar to the bullying boy but much taller had approached the two. "How does one have telepathic powers but not know what's happening? I think he's holding information from us."

"No! I'm not! I swear!" Joseph exclaimed, "And I told you...I think I lost my telepathic powers. I can't get into anyone's mind anymore!"

The short one growled in frustration, "What use are you then? You know what happens when he doesn't get the information he wants in the time he needs!"

"Trust me, I know!" Joseph cried, "But you can't all depend on me to get those answers. I'm doing the best I can! At least I'm asking for help from the new girl. I don't see you doing anything to get anything on them!"

The 'new girl' was clear to me who that was. Me. And 'them' I could only assume was the Elites. But who was this other person they were talking about? Whoever this 'he' was, they all seemed terrified by him. It could not have been Dick because he was an Elite himself. Or could it? All this talk without any specific names being mentioned was oddly irritating to me.

The third group member, a tall and skinny boy with a strange-looking hat on his head, finally spoke up. "I still think he's holding back from us." His voice had a different drawl to it than the other two. "I say we beat any information we can get out of him. I've heard more people are beginning to shift in town, and I'm not about to be one of them."

There was that word again. The man in the coffee shop had used the same word when he tried to warn everybody. What could that mean? I pushed that thought aside as I readied myself to step in if they decided they would attack Joseph.

"I agree with you for once, Billy," The girl bully said. I watched purple lightning-like streaks spark from her hand as she brought it up to Joseph. "I don't want to be one of them either. The whole zombie thing kind of cramps my style."

That was enough for me to take action. With fists clenched, I approached the group, but the group seemed to have multiplied before my eyes. The boy with the hat had duplicated himself around Joseph, and one of his copies had pushed Joseph over, only to be caught and pushed again by another copy. The duplicated boy... boys laughed in unison as he repeated the move over and over. The others had laughed with him.

I started to run at them. I was unsure which copy was the original, but I targeted the first one closest to me. From behind, I grabbed one of the copied boys by the shoulders and threw him away from the circle. The rest of the copies stopped to look at me with bewildered stares. But that pause was enough for me to stand in between Joseph and the others.

"Leave him alone!" I cried. I stood protectively in front of Joseph but still in a stance that would allow me to fight back if needed.

"Well, lookie here!" What must have been the original copy said as the other copies had morphed back into him. "You must be the new girl! You're a lot more purdier than I imagined. I thought you were supposed to look like a bug or something. Oh well! I wouldn't waste your breath trying to help him. He's a lost cause. That's why his father disowned him. Isn't that right, Lil Joey?"

I did not want to believe it, but I had found another group of people who might have been crueler than the Elites. "You have no right to say that!" I could feel my nails digging into my palm with how tightly clenched they were. "I do not believe anyone is a lost cause. Every life has worth and a purpose! And you saying otherwise is so cruel!"

"Yeah, and what will you do about it, new girl?" The short one said, strolling up to me. The boy's head barely reached my waist as he had to crane his head back to look at me. "You think you can take us all on? We outnumber you even without Billy's copies! "

I narrowed my eyes as I stared down at him. I could easily kick him halfway across the school campus if I wanted to, but I would have to take out Billy first before he multiplied again. Then silence the small one. Then, take out the girl. It had to be in that order. "It will barely be a challenge for me."

"What's going on here?" Miss Petrov's voice reverberated across the courtyard. She wore her usual red school principal outfit, even on a Saturday. "You're not starting fights, are you, Mr. O'Jeneous?"

"No," The short one spat. "We were just welcoming the new girl to our happy little school!" It was obvious he was not being sincere, nor do I think he was trying to hide it. He looked disappointed that Miss Petrov caught us.

Miss Petrov looked at the short one for a moment and then sighed. "It's a beautiful day out, and you all want to spend it fighting one another. Why don't you save that for your combat training and go to the town or park to enjoy this weather we are having? It won't be long until the days are short, and it's winter!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." The short boy waved her off. "Let's go to the park and frolic around like little ponies!" As he said this, he skipped around in a dramatic fashion as Billy and the girl followed him.

When they left, Miss Petrov turned to me and said disapprovingly, "It has not even been a week, and you're already getting in fights outside of your combat classes."

What combat classes? Did she not know Dick made sure I was taken out of those? "I am sorry, Miss Petrov, but they were saying awful things to Joseph! I could not just let them continue to be mean to him!"

Miss Petrov raised her hand to silence me. "I know you are very honorable, Miss Anders, but sometimes it's best to stay out of these sorts of things. Students here cannot get stronger if they cannot stand up to themselves."

I was speechless after she told me this. That statement did not seem right. I understand that it is important to learn how to stand up for oneself, but I found it difficult to justify watching someone get hurt by others and do nothing about it. I did not want Joseph to feel alone and helpless. If anything, having someone on his side should have strengthened him.

I glanced at Joseph, who gave me a small smile when our eyes met. I could still see the anguish and hurt in his eyes from what they said to him. This was not right, and I knew that, but I could not formulate any words as a defense. All I could say was, "I understand."

Miss Petrov smiled again. The same smile she gave when she first met me at the train station. "Good! Now, run along and enjoy the rest of your weekend. Oh, and Mr. Wilson, will you come with me momentarily? Mr. Mallah has an errand for you to do for some extra credit."

"Oh, right. Of course," Joseph said a little hesitantly, "See you around, Kory."

"See you." I waved and watched Joseph walk away with Miss Petrov. I wished he did not have to leave so quickly because I wanted to ask more about who his bullies were talking about and if they were talking about the Elites as well. The next time I see him, I will ask him about that. But the day would be over soon if I did not find Gar in time to ask if he wanted to join me on my adventure outside.

I resumed my journey to the boys' dormitories, hoping to find Gar, but for some reason, X'hal was not on my side because I had no luck finding him. Instead, I ran into the last person I wanted to see that day.

Dick appeared from one of the corridors, and I casually turned on my heels to walk away from him. He might not have seen me or been too busy to speak if I had been lucky. Or maybe he was looking to ruin someone else's day. Either one of those possibilities would be fine by me.

"Kory."

Nope. X'hal did not favor me today. I stopped and rolled my eyes like Rachel had done so many times. I plastered the fakest smile I could on my face when I turned back around to face him. "Yes, Dick? I was really hoping to enjoy the day, so can we keep this conversation as short as possible? Or have none at all?"

It was strange not seeing him in the school uniform. Without the school blazer masking his form, I could make out the toned, lean muscle that was covered by the well-fitted sweater he wore. He looked less authoritarian-like and could have been almost approachable if his face showed any sign of emotion. I blinked and forced my eyes to look at his face. I was unsure why I felt compelled to notice what he was wearing.

"Are you done with all of your assignments for this weekend?"

"Yeeap!" I told him in an enthusiastic tone that I had never used before. "I completed them all last night, so..." I started to turn away from him to leave the conversation immediately. I felt something strange stirring inside me. I believe it had something to do with being in Dick's presence, and I wanted that feeling gone as soon as possible. "I am going to..."

"Good," He said, "Then you have time to complete an assignment I need you to do this weekend."

I raised my eyebrows in response to the audacity he had. "I do not need to do anything. I have completed the work assigned by the teachers who are giving me the grades I need to pass my classes, not you."

"Fair," He returned, and I thought that was my cue to be dismissed, so I started to turn away until he said, "But you also have your volunteer hours to consider. And since you've started the term late, you're behind."

"What?" I ask incredulously. Was this another stupid rule the Elites made up? "I was not made aware of this."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm letting you know now," Dick said with a small smug smile as if he got a thrill from torturing the Non-Elites. "Your community service weighs heavily on your status here, and if you fall behind on that, you may lose your chances of attending the combat classes again."

I let out an impatient sigh. Having no choice but to indulge him. "And how far behind am I?"

"Not too far," He replied, "If you complete this task by the end of the weekend, you should be caught up with everyone else."

"And what would I have to do?"

"I need you to go to the town's cemetery and collect all the names and the dates you see on every gravestone. You can return that list to me on Monday morning." Dick said as if the task held some importance and urgency. It sounded more like busy work to keep me occupied for the day.

"Why?" I asked. Letting my thoughts on the assignment show clearly. "And how exactly is that community service?"

He shrugged, "I'm only trying to help you out. The specifics don't really matter. Just remember you have to be back on campus by 8 p.m. So, I would plan your time accordingly if I were you. "

I doubted he was actually trying to help me. This came from the one who went out of his way to rearrange my entire class schedule to stop me from challenging him again. I did not believe he was truly trying to help me. There was an ulterior motive to all of this.

"Fine," I said indignantly. Even though I wanted nothing more than to refuse his request, I knew I had to continue playing his game until the time was right. "I will complete your silly little assignment. As long as it gets me away from you for the rest of the day."

I pivoted and stomped away from Dick. I was well aware he was still watching me. I could sense it. Probably making sure that I was going in the right direction for his assignment. And I was sure he was quite satisfied with himself, thinking that he had some sort of control over me, but I would not let him have that satisfaction for long.

I found the signup list for the town shuttle and scribbled my name for the next one leaving for the town. I wanted this task to be over as soon as possible. Therefore, I did not want to waste any more time. I waited outside for the shuttle to arrive, trying to soak in as much sunlight as possible. I would need all the energy I could absorb to complete this task as quickly as possible. I read that cemeteries on Earth were blocked-out plots of land where humans bury their dead. It was a strange tradition, and certainly not at all how Tamaraneans celebrated their deceased. But I imagined the cemeteries had to be outdoors, so at least I was not trapped inside and could still try to enjoy the rest of the day.

When the shuttle arrived, I told the man, who was the same man that drove Miss Petrov and me from the train station to the school, that I needed to be dropped off at the town's cemetery. He gave me an odd look but then nodded and grunted as a response. I was not yet convinced this man could speak.

I had hoped the cemetery was small, then perhaps I would have been done in only a couple of hours, and then maybe I might have some time to go for a twilight walk around the school. However, several gravestones were lined up in neat rows over the field for a small town with what seemed like few inhabitants. I guessed that there had to be at least a hundred of them. I groaned to myself when I saw them all. At least the cemetery was close enough to the town that if I needed a break, I could have walked over to the coffee shop, and then maybe Xavier would have been there to make one of those delicious lattes again.

With my notebook and pen in hand, I treaded up toward the top of the hill where the line of the cemetery seemed to have ended. I planned to start from one end of the hill and then work my way down to the bottom, where the entrance gate was. Some of the graves were easy to make out the names and dates, but most were so old and weathered that the letters and numbers were barely legible. Those took me a little longer to figure out, and I had to guess the names and dates.

I had worked on collecting names and dates for an hour, judging by the position of the sun in the sky. When I stood up to see my progress, I realized I was only a quarter of the way through the cemetery. I groaned in frustration again and purposely collapsed on the ground, so I was lying in the grass to watch the few patchy white clouds that slowly passed me. I found that more amusing than the pointless task at hand.

"Why am I even doing this?" I muttered to myself as I continued to watch the sky. I let my eyelids drop for a moment to listen to the rustle of the leaves that were still clinging to their tree branches as the breeze glided through them. It was so quiet. It was vastly different than being in the bigger cities where there were constant car noises, people talking and bustling around, and an occasional car horn being heard. But here, there seemed to be only sounds of nature.

However, the quietness seemed too unnatural. Though I was close to the town, I did not hear one car drive past the cemetery or even other cars in the distance. If I had not seen the citizens of this town already, I could have believed that it might have been abandoned. That was until I heard a friendly voice wake me from my brief meditation.

"Well, this is certainly a strange place to take a nap." It was Xavier. He was leaning over one of the gravestones as he watched me stand up from my resting place.

"I was not napping," I said while brushing off the leaves from the leggings and oversized sweater my sister had bought for me for casual wear. "I was only resting and enjoying the lovely weather today."

Xavier chuckled, "You know...I was kind of disappointed that you didn't text me after I gave you my phone number the other night. I'm assuming you saw it on your cup?"

"That's what that was?" I said, recollecting the handwritten line of numbers on the cup. "I asked Rachel about that, and she told me that it was nothing."

Xavier rolled his eyes playfully. "Classic Rachel wanting to take the fun out of everything...So I'm assuming you don't have a cell phone then? Do you come from a village where technology is banned or something?"

Did Xavier honestly not know who I was? I suppose I should have figured that out when he asked for my name at the coffee shop, but I was ready to assume everyone knew I was an alien. But maybe the news travels between the town and the school differently. "By cell phone, you mean those little mobile devices people our age love to stare into for hours? No, I do not own one. I feel like they are a major distraction."

I was sure that response sounded strange to him and possibly gave away the fact that I was not from this planet, but he seemed unphased by it. "Ok...but then how will I be able to talk to you?" He asked.

"I am talking to you now," I pointed out, "And I can talk to you whenever I go to the coffee shop."

He crossed his arms across his chest to study me. His face expressed that he was not satisfied enough with that. Finally, he said, "I'll let that slide for now. But only if you come to visit me at the coffee shop for a weekly cup of coffee or latte. No charge. Your presence is the fee." He winked as he said the last part.

Was he trying to be charming, but in a human way? Strange. I was not royalty on this planet, so he had no reason to win my favor. In this scenario, we were just two normal teenagers. At least, that was what I hoped, he thought, unless this was just how Xavier spoke to everyone. "Ok, will you make me another one of those pumpkin-spiced lattes again?"

"Whatever you like," He smiled. A smile that never seemed to fade from him. "What are you doing in the old cemetery anyway?"

I looked around at my surroundings, hoping to find a good enough explanation for why I was there. I could not find any. "To be completely honest with you...I do not know."

Xavier smirked, "Let me guess...Dick Grayson having you do busy work?"

I stared at him wide-eyed, "How did you know?"

He laughed. "I hear he sends students out into the town to do meaningless tasks as punishments or so that they stay out of his way so he doesn't have to deal with them. He calls it 'community service'. I call it bullshit. It's a small dick move, in my opinion. And yes, pun intended."

Again, I had no idea what he meant by that, but I felt like I would have to get used to being confused whenever I talked to Xavier. That is until I understand the human language better. "Yes, well, he has assigned me to write down all the names and dates from each of these gravestones."

"Why?" Xavier asked in the same way I had asked Dick.

I raised my shoulders and arms in a dramatic shrug, "I do not know! That was the same thing I asked him! It certainly is a strange request for community service."

"Hmm," Xavier brought his hand to his chin in thought, "I might have an idea to help you complete this assignment faster. Is Dick checking for accuracy? That would be weird if he does."

I shrugged. "I do not think he would take the time to check as I am not significant enough for him to make sure I did the assignment correctly. As long as I have a list for him by Monday."

"If he's only looking for a list of names and the birth and death dates for each person, there are some old death certificates on display in the town museum. It's strange that the town has them, but some history buffs or people who like to study lineage are into that sort of thing. You can take a look at those and add them to the list you already have. It will save you time from having to go to each grave and try to make out what these illegible graves are showing."

"Do you think he would be able to tell the difference?" I asked him.

"I don't think so," Xavier said, "I think he is more focused on riding out his power trip and maintaining control over the school than to care enough to notice."

I straightened up a bit in hopefulness. "Very well. Where is this museum located?"

"I can show you if you would like." Xavier offered. "It might be closed now, but I have a key to get in. I sometimes volunteer there when I'm not studying or working at the coffee shop."

"Ok!" I said, "I would much rather have all the information I need in one spot than have to go stone to stone and guess what I am writing down."

"Great!" He said brightly, "Follow me then! It's not too far of a walk from here."

As we left the cemetery and started to walk towards the town, I asked him, "Are you a student as well? I have not seen you around Titan Academy. But you mention that you study...something."

"I am," Xavier replied, "But not at Titan Academy, thank God. No, I go to school online. I tried the whole physical school thing, but it's not my thing. I attend a more specialized school for my career goals. And it works better with my schedule."

"Oh," I said, acting as if I knew what he was talking about. I could have asked what he meant by an 'online school,' but I knew that would create suspicion in him. "But you seem to know a lot about what is happening at my school."

He shrugged, "You hear many things when working at the only coffee shop in town. Many of the students at your school come by often, and they are not very quiet when they complain about how the Elites run the school. I can't help but eavesdrop. It's amusing to me. I heard a story about how you nearly took down Dick's girlfriend. I would have paid to see that."

"Are you talking about the fight I had with Babs?" I asked, clarifying who 'Dick's girlfriend' was.

"Yeah, I think that's her name anyway," said Xavier, "She sometimes comes into the coffee shop, but I usually write bitch on her cup instead of Babs."

"Ah," I said, feeling myself blush. "You heard that I lost then."

"Nah, I'm sure she cheated." He reassured me, "From what I heard, the Elites all like to play dirty and do whatever they have to do to get the upper hand on everyone. But I heard you were giving her a run for her money until she pulled a cheap shot. She probably didn't want to lose in front of her boyfriend."

Boyfriend. Girlfriend. I have heard those titles mentioned by other students as some elusive thing. On Tamaran, those titles did not exist. I could only assume it was some relationship status on a more intimate level, but I did not want to investigate it further. I had no interest in furthering any relationship other than a 'friend' status on this planet, for I hoped that the war on Tamaran would soon be over and I could return home.

"So Babs is Dick's girlfriend?" I asked, keeping our conversation casual without giving away the details that I had no idea what that meant.

"That's the rumor anyway," said Xavier, "But I would believe it. When I happen to see Dick in town, she is always close to his side. And they did come together from Gotham. Also, knowing famous Dick Grayson's playboy reputation, I can only assume that he's sleeping with her."

"Oh, that would make sense," I said. In that context, knowing what it meant to sleep with someone concludes that boyfriend and girlfriend meant something more intimate. I was starting to feel...awkward? I was not sure why the thought of Dick and Babs sleeping together made me cringe. I wanted to change the subject, but I failed, for the only thing I could think of after that was, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Why do you ask?" Xavier gave me a funny look and cocked one eyebrow.

"Just making conversation," I said awkwardly. Yes, that was definitely the word I was feeling at the moment.

Xavier chuckled. "No, sadly, I don't. I haven't had time to date anyone between my studies, work schedule, and community service. But just out of curiosity... do you have a boyfriend?"

I internally gagged. "No, I am..." I paused because I did not want to say the real reason why I could not be in one of those types of relationships. Instead, I said, "Far too busy with my studies."

I felt like Xavier was waiting for more explanation, but that was all I could say about that. I attempted to change the subject again. "What kind of community service do you do?"

"Oh, a little bit of everything," He said, "I often volunteer when the food pantry needs help, mow some people's lawns, and with this time of year, I like to rake leaves for some of the elderly folks...and then showing cute girls like yourself around the town."

"So this is community service to you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "I am sorry if I am taking up your time if you rather be doing something else today."

"You kidding?" Xavier laughed, "This is my favorite form of community service! My only plan for this weekend was hoping that you would text me to see if we could hang out." He then turned so that he blocked my path. Forcing me to stop in front of him. He was grinning from ear to ear. "I guess it kind of worked out in my favor, huh?"

"I guess?" My reply had turned into a question. I had no idea why Xavier wanted to spend time with me so badly. Maybe he did not have a lot of friends in town and was looking to make new ones. It was hard to believe that he did not have many friends. He was quite charming and good-looking enough to be 'popular,' especially among other females on this planet. Perhaps his busy schedule was keeping him from that?

Still grinning, he said, "We're here, by the way."

I looked past his shoulder to see a large building with the front of it being guarded by stoned pillars. The building must have been built around the same time as the school since the architecture was similar to the buildings at Titan Academy. Above the pillars were words carved into the building that read 'Public Library.'

"This is the library." I told Xavier, "I thought we were going to the museum."

"That's what's cool about this library," Xavier turned and waved his arm as if he were presenting the building to me. "The town's museum is located upstairs. This building is the oldest building in Cold Springs, so naturally, it makes sense to turn it into a museum of the town's history as well."

"That is kind of cool," I said. Parroting Xavier's words.

"Shall we go inside?" asked Xavier.

I nodded and then allowed him to lead the way. As we made our way up the large stoned staircase and reached the library entrance, Xavier held the wooden door for me. "After you, milady," He said chivalry.

I said nothing as I walked inside to admire the brilliant high ceilings made of marble above me. From the outside, the building did not look that big, but after walking in, the building seemed to have endlessly expanded in every direction, with either neat lines of bookcases covered with books on various subjects or fascinating architecture. Titan Academy had a library I had visited often to read up more on Earth culture, but it was nowhere near as grandeur as this one.

"Good afternoon, Xavier," An elderly woman behind a massive mahogany desk greeted us kindly as we walked in. "We will be closing shortly, so you'll need to make your book selections quickly."

"I completely understand, Winifred," said Xavier politely, "I was actually wondering if I could show this lovely young lady the museum upstairs. She's a new student at Titan Academy, and I wanted to show her a little more of the town's history."

Winifred peered over in my direction and then adjusted her glasses to get a better look at me. Then, after a moment, her eyes widened. "Oh! Of course! That should be no problem at all! I hope you enjoy our little museum, Miss."

"Thank you," I replied politely, "I am sure I will."

Xavier continued to walk toward the back of the library, and I gave Winifred a small smile as I walked past her. She smiled back but said nothing. Her eyes followed me as I followed Xavier. This might have been a friendly gesture to most, but I could not help but feel slightly unsettled by it. This woman did not know who I was but seemingly did at the same time. I know that does not make sense, but I was unsure how else to explain the look she gave me.

Xavier and I walked past several rows of bookcases, and then he stopped at another large wooden door and fumbled in his pocket to pull out a set of keys. He found the one he needed, and within a few seconds, he opened the door in front of us. Again, Xavier waited for me to enter through the doorway first, and upon entering, I found a staircase leading up to another room. I could hear the wood underneath my feet creak as I started to climb up the stairs, and then there was more creaking when Xavier started following behind me.

When we reached the top of the staircase, I again found myself in another spectacular space. The room was large, with several paintings on the walls and various displays of other artifacts and artworks that reflect the town's history. Xavier flicked on a few more lights in the room, and I was grateful for that. The museum had limited windows, and with the sun beginning to set, it was quite dark in the room.

"I believe those death records are over here somewhere," said Xavier, moving to one of the tables toward the center of the room. He pulled open what looked like a large book that was lying on the table and started flipping through the pages. "I was correct! They are all right here! And it looks like there are plenty of names you can add to what you've got now."

"Perfect!" I said, rushing over to where Xavier stood. "I shall be done with this assignment more quickly now."

I took my notebook and pen back out from my backpack and started writing all the names and birth and death dates as fast as I could from the pages of this most resourceful book. Xavier remained quiet as I worked. Well, at least for most of the time. He silently strolled around different museum areas and studied the different artifacts in the room. At least, that was what I thought he was doing. I was so focused on filling the pages in my notebooks with my handwriting that I almost forgot that he was there.

A few times, he startled me when he felt the need to break the silence when he started asking me questions about how I was getting along with the other students and teachers at Titan Academy and what kind of subjects the teachers were teaching me. The questions were a bit odd and random, but I assumed he was only attempting to get to know me more. I suppose I could have asked him questions about himself, but I was more focused on getting this task done than anything else. I wanted to stop thinking about how stupid it all was and stop thinking about trying to appease Dick.

When I felt like there were enough names in my notebook, I clicked my pen close and happily said. "That should be enough to make Dick happy."

"Great!" said Xavier, "Now that you're done, and it is getting a little late, did you want to get a quick bite to eat with me?"

The word 'late' triggered a sudden realization in me. There was a curfew for the last shuttle back to the school; judging by the blackness from the windows, it was now nighttime! I must have talked to Xavier longer than I thought I did. Ignoring his question, I asked, "What time is it?"

Xavier pulled out a similar-looking device that I have seen Rachel use on several occasions to glance at it. This must have been his 'cell phone.' "It's 8:05 p.m." He said.

"Oh no!" I exclaimed, bringing my hands to my face, "I missed the last shuttle, and I am supposed to be back at school by 8!"

"No worries," Xavier said calmly, "I can always give you a ride back. My bike is parked in town, and I have an extra helmet you can borrow."

"Can you?" I asked desperately. I was not ready for another punishment from Dick if he were to find out I was still in the town past curfew. "I would be most grateful if you would do that for me."

"It won't be a problem at all!" He said, "And I always like having an excuse to show off my bike. Come with me."

And I delightfully did. The sooner I get to Titan Academy, the better. Hopefully, by the time I get there, none of the Elites would be out to see me getting back late. And if Rachel were to ask why I was getting back so late, I would tell her that I got caught up reading a book in the library. Technically, it was not a lie since I was in a library reading a book.

When we made it outside, the drastic change in temperature made me shiver slightly. My body had not yet adjusted to the cold. Xavier must have noticed, for he asked. "Are you cold? You can borrow my jacket if you would like."

"I am fine, thank you," I said, "The cold does not really bother me. I need a moment to acclimate to it."

For some reason, Xavier seemed disappointed I did not take his offer, but he shrugged nonetheless and said, "If you say so."

"I am grateful for you," I told him. I realized that I had not thanked him once since he started helping me with the assignment. "You have done a lot for me today, and you did not have to do that."

"It was my pleasure, cutie," He said, "If you would like to pay me back...you could let me take you out on a date sometime."

"A what?" I asked, confused, but before he could say another word, a bloodcurdling scream echoed throughout the entire town.

Ooooo, things are going to start picking up now! Now I can finally start writing my creepier stuff. Again, thank you so much for anyone getting this far in the story! I know there is a lot of Xavier and Kory at the moment, but stay tuned because there will be more Dick and Kory action in the next couple of chapters, but not in that way...yet.

Make sure to leave a review to let me know what you think! And give me a heart and follow if you like. :)