Planet: Eteran

First Insurgency War

AVA

I've never met someone able to grin more than me and get excited over even the small things people look over. Ava sat underneath the protective awning with Yvonne and Kylie while they planned the upcoming events, and her gaze caught Meryn, who shuffled along the path to his favourite place for lunch. Alone. She slid her shoes against the foundation while some of her classmates held their own conversations in quiet splendor. Rayan was nowhere to be found, while James was one of the first to leave when the lunch bell rang.

Maybe Rayan's with James? Those two hit it off during the first few weeks.

"Is Camp Shennen going to be open by the big Fourth Quad outing?" Lorie, another one of the student coordinators asked. "It's going to be one of our last ones when it comes to school." Her friend tapped her pen against her datapad. "This is our tradition, I'd hate to have it cancelled without us having any other plans." She pursed her lips as she hung over the datapad.

"I'm keeping an ear out," Kylie said. "First is the scary halls."

"Ah, spooking freshies every Quad brings a tear to my eye." Yvonne wiped her finger across her eyelashes. "I remember my first time in the absolutely terrifying halls of our school. I walk in everyday and I still get scared."

Ava checked over her datapad of supplies. "We've gotten permission to use the school warehouse to set everything up. We still need some refreshments and a lounge for those who want to relax." Her own pen tucked in her fingers, she sighed. "We're also going to need to create the atmosphere in the warehouse."

"We could always ask the arts class for help, I don't want to make you do all that work by yourself," Kylie pointed out.

The art's class... Ava's gaze drifted over the paths as she spotted Jon's team wander past, with James hovering far in the back. Hm... Rayan's not with him. "I'll work on it," she said and escaped from her seat, scooping her bag over her shoulder. "I'll talk to you all later. Send me a message if you need anything!" Out of the range of the conversation, she slid into James' path, who came to a stop.

"Hey, Ava," James said with a smile. "What's... up?" His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Where's Rayan?"

"Why are you asking me? Aren't you the one who knows everything?" James teased.

"Very funny, James."

James tucked his hands in his pockets and nodded behind him. "He went to go talk to Meryn." He faced her with a knowing frown. "You've noticed it too, right? Meryn's not been himself since the quad started. I started to wonder if it's because Kylie asked him if he'd like to join the last quad camp-out... or Yvonne strong armed him into helping with the spooky halls, but I don't know."

"I did notice." Ava hesitated when Rayan came from the direction of Meryn's lunch spot. "Ray, what did Meryn say?"

Rayan eyed James, who nodded. "Well, we talked for a bit," he answered. "I asked him how he was, what he was doing. What plans he had for the day and if he wanted to talk after school." He frowned with a touch of shame. "He got... a little defensive to say the least. Barked at me for insinuating that he couldn't handle his workload." He threw his hands in the air. "I didn't even mention his workload." He flicked his gaze between the two of them. "Did I do something wrong? Is this unusual for him? I can go after him and apologise—"

"You're doing it again, Rayan," James said and folded his arms.

"Oh." Rayan tucked into his shoulders. "Sorry."

James sighed. "If he wants space, I say we give it to him. We'll talk to him soon enough, and to answer your question, no, this is unusual for him. If you're that worried though, I can go talk to him now instead of coming over to your house. Or I can just invite him with me, if you wouldn't mind."

"I wouldn't, the house is big enough for our entire class."

Ava smiled at the two. "Well, isn't this a first?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" James said testily.

"Nothing at all. I'm just glad you two are getting along."

"You always make me sound like I'm incapable of getting along with people."

"Well," Rayan interrupted. "Either way, I'm going to head straight home after school if either of you want to come over."

"I'd love to, Rayan, but I need to focus on my schoolwork. I'm not going to get out of this town sitting on my coattails — as my dad says." Her laugh came out weaker than she meant it to, but Rayan brought no attention to it.

Rayan nodded. "I understand, then I'll see you two in class." He gave a small wave of farewell without a hint of frustration in his expression as he walked past them.

Her heart quivered as James gave her a disgruntled side-eye. I rarely do anything for myself these days. Dad's not going to be mad or disappointed in me for that. I really need to figure out this whole refreshment situation for the haunted warehouse — and if Rayan likes art, I'm sure he has supplies I can borrow. Her thoughts scattered as she tried to justify one measly action to herself. Yeah...

"Rayan!" James called, and jolted her out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" He stopped.

"Weren't you having trouble with the recent assignment from homeroom?" he questioned. "I mean, personally I was drawing blanks."

"I... was, mostly because the curriculum and subjects are so different from Odaport's system," Rayan said. "I thought you wanted to work on that after school."

"Why didn't either of you tell me sooner?" Ava exclaimed.

"What did I just do?" James joked with a wry grin.

If it's about James' education especially, Dad wouldn't mind. Perfect. "I'll come over tonight with James! I do have to do last minute planning for the student coordinators for the camp-out and our stardays!"

"Your stardays?" Rayan mused. "Those are soon?"

James' wry grin flattened into an annoyed scowl, but Ava ignored him. "Yes, but Meryn's birthday is in Deccan. I have something big planned for him, and the first part will happen at the camp out." She pointed at Rayan. "Don't tell anyone, but Aelius is coming to Eastpoint for the Festival of Stars. I'm hoping some quality time with his big brother will cheer him up."

"Aelius... that's Meryn's brother?" Rayan mused. "All I've heard about him is that he's super busy interning with the Sanctum Research Branch at the nearby hospital. Wouldn't he be super busy?"

Ava laughed. "It was Aelius' idea."

Rayan smiled. "That sounds like a lot of work."

"It is a lot of work," James muttered. "Too much work for one person. Ava, not to be a nag—"

"You should change your middle name to 'The Nag' instead of Darius at this rate, but go on," Ava said. "What is it, James?"

James folded his arms. "Well, someone's got to. Since Dad isn't around, I have to keep an eye on both my sisters, thanks." He turned to Rayan, as if begging for support, but Rayan's gaze drifted to the left. "Anyway, you can ask me if you need help, Ava. It won't kill you. I know I'm not part of the student coordinators—"

"We invited you earlier and you declined—"

"Jon would kill me if I left the Starcross team. I already tried," James said. "Just because I have other commitments doesn't mean I can't help you. You are going to overwork yourself. For example — are you the one leading the haunted halls?"

"Yes."

"And you're expected to deliver all the refreshments and supplies."

"Not all of them," Ava argued.

"Most of them," James bit.

"Well... it may surprise you, but that's the other reason I want to go to Rayan's tonight," she said and smiled at Rayan, who stared at them both. "It's just a minor thing I need to talk to you about, and you're free to say no, but I could use your help specifically."

Rayan jolted. "My help? How?"

"We'll have to talk about it—" Ava stopped while the bells tolled within the school. "After class. We have our martial training in the gym. Let's go before we're late."

Ava rushed around the main building to reach the school fitness centers, but stuttered to a stop at the sight of Jon's team hovering around Meryn's small shape, while Coach Jora shooed them away. Ava ran up to them, with James on her heels. "What happened?"

Jon moved for her. "Oh, well..." He eyed Meryn, who held his shoulder without looking at her. "Meryn came early to the gym while I was doing some Starcross catches. He wanted a bit of a warm-up before martial training—but I guess I jabbed him a bit too hard on the shoulder, and—"

"I slipped and fell on the way here, Jon," Meryn bleated and let go of his shoulder as Rayan came from behind. "That's all!" He allowed Coach Jora to investigate the large bruise spreading over his shoulder. "I'm fine."

"Matthey, this is not recent," Coach Jora pointed out. "Why didn't you show your mother this?"

"I'm fine, Coach Jora. It doesn't even hurt that bad. Watch." Meryn waved his arm out, but he cringed from the slight motion of his swinging arm as he tugged it back against his side and rested his hand on it. "Okay, it hurts a little, but I'm a klutz. Everyone knows that." Ava frowned when wetness filled the greys. "A big one. I wouldn't know my rights from my lefts if I wasn't careful, you know?" He laughed, but it came out cracked and broken. "I'd probably run face first into a wall if I wasn't looking where I was going."

Jon reached forward. "Coach, I'll take him to the Medis station."

"I said I'm fine, Jon, this isn't your fault. You hit like wet paper sometimes," Meryn snapped. "I just took a tumble." He drew away from their classmates. "I can walk myself to the Medis station."

"I'd say I take offense to that, but I guess at that rate at least it wasn't James doing the swiping," Jon mumbled with a suspicious tip of his head as he studied Meryn.

"Thanks," James mumbled.

"You know I love you, James, but you don't know your own strength," Jon teased, but never took his gaze off Meryn, who took his chance to slink back.

Coach Jora frowned. "Meryn, I still believe—"

"I'm going to tell my mom after school," Meryn insisted. "I promise, all I did was trip and fell the wrong way." He shrugged his shoulders, but winced as tears bit at the greys. "I'm fine." Ava shuffled out of the way as he fled from the class.

Jon's characteristic smile disappeared into one of thought as he leaned closer to James. "Jamesy," he whispered while Coach Jora ushered the class into the gym. "Did that look like a trip and fall bruise to you?"

Beside her, Rayan never took his gaze off where Meryn had escaped with tears in his eyes.

James shook his head. "How hard did you hit him?"

"I didn't think it was that hard..."

Ava twisted to Rayan while Jon entered the gym, but James hung back with her and Rayan.

She asked, "Rayan? What's the matter?"

"Are you going to come over tonight?" he questioned in return. "Both of you?"

"I said I'd help you with the work," Ava affirmed, then eyed James.

He folded his arms. "I'm expecting my camera to come in today, so... yes, I'm coming to upload my pictures back onto it."

Ava frowned at his statement. "Your camera? What happened to it?"

"It's... a long and very embarrassing story that I'm sure James would love to rib me for later," Rayan answered for James, who sneered in apparent confirmation. "But, I think I might know what's wrong with Meryn, but I don't want to share my assumption here. I don't want to start a rumour mill, that's not going to help him — and with everyone knowing everybody, maybe I'm just not fully in the loop yet," he admitted, but from the steel in the golden browns, Rayan believed his undescribed assumption with all his heart.