Belle is someone special.

Pure charisma to say the least. So cheerful and full of energy that her inebriating happiness is contagious. That way, against all odds, working by her side turns out to be fun. We forget we are doing hard work and start playing with the mops, laughing and chasing each other.

In minutes we finish one entire section of the east deck.

I should feel exhausted but her joy is taking over me. Wondering what is her secret, because I am feeling light and relaxed instead.

I also wonder what she sees in me, in the antisocial troublemaker. As I already said, it is impossible to not like Belle.

"I can't believe I am actually enjoying detention. I wish I knew your secret Bel. Thanks to you I am already free from the rest of the day."

"Don't be silly, Lau dear, you were the one laughing all the time. Who was the one that proposed a race and encouraged me when I got stuck?"

Does she never get tired of smiling?

To be honest, I didn't see things that way. I remember racing her to see who would finish four squared tiles first, but that was all. Maybe, Belle is right. And I pay too much attention to everything and everyone around me, to see myself with a clear perspective.

"Come on, let's get our stuff in the lockers, we deserve a treat in the Galaxian, before going home. This time I 'll pay.", I propose.

"Yay! I want a double comet!" she replies in excitement. Her smile so wide and natural while clapping her hands like a child eager to open birthday's gifts.

"Do you think Allan will be there?" she looks thoughtful when she speaks the name of the captain of the Gravitybol team.

That one is always trying to get a chance to take her on a date.

The most famous of our classmates said to be able to melt the heart of any girl with a deep look of his hypnotic blue eyes. Yet, Belle doesn't want anything romantic with him, or any of the boys, that I know about. She says that she is very young and a romantic relation would spoil her chances to pass her EVO 3rd exams.

That doesn't make any sense for me.

Belle doesn't need to keep hours in front of a screen to do well in any test that they can imagine to apply. And yet, she avoids most of our social meetings because of her studies.

Damn It, she is only seventeen, like me, and she is already an EVO 4th.

"Did you decide to give a chance for him?"

"You know what I think about relations. My mind is set: it is too early. I have a lot of things to do first."

"Hey, I am not saying you have to marry him. You must enjoy other aspects of life. Study other subjects, like male anatomy, for example."

"Your, Naughty Lau!", she pokes me with the handle of her ionic mop. Her cheeks tinted with red." That was uncalled!"

"I am just saying that you won't be a teenager forever. Why not enjoy without any commitment."

She smirks.

"As if your social life was a lot different than mine, for sure. Why don't you go after him, instead of trying to force me in a date?"

The gossip says that he is: "a gorgeous exemplar of the male species, tall, blonde, well built and with the deepest blue eyes that I have ever seen.". But like everything else I don't see things the same superficial way. Sure he is beautiful, also a person you can rely on. Faithful to his friends, bold enough to dare to be overprotective.

But, that is it.

Beauty alone or together with kindness doesn't light that inner flame that keeps me going.

I want peril, adventure, forbidden stuff.

"He is not my type. I like to be able to connect with someone. To do crazy stuff together.

"Yeah, like using your mag cables to climb the adm tower during classes..."

"Ouch, ok we are even after that one. But I had to see if I could get to the flagpole in less than 4 minutes."

"During class? You scared the hell out of the EVO Zero kids!"

"I felt the urge to do something right away or I would go crazy. And in my defense, I didn't realize the zeroes were in the courtyard during their break."

"Yeah, you are crazy Lau. But I can't deny that you are a very good friend."

A friend, that is not exactly how I feel about Belle or about anyone. It is true that we share a great part of our time together, enjoy each other company and share some kind of bond. However, I am not sure if friendship is that. On the other hand, if I would call anyone a friend, Belle would be on top of that list.

Of course, I never told her about how confusing my sentiments can be, I would never hurt her feelings on purpose. That way, I let her call me a friend because it pleases her, and I smile back to her, every time when she does that.

The Galaxian is full of Evos this late afternoon. Most of the transparent plexiglass tables taken. Heiky, Allan, and Sue are in the back of Galaxian, occupying our usual table. We use to sit under a shining representation of the Ursa Minor, made of neon lamps. It seems almost everyone from our group had the same refreshing idea this time.

Allan is the first to get up and offer Belle a seat by his side. She reluctantly accepts it but makes sure to keep some distance between the two of them. I imagine that she is saving me a place by her side.

I have to hold myself to not grin.

His excitement is evident. His pupils dilated what makes his blue eyes to be shaped like a ring. Reflecting the light of the fast food's decoration in that ring. His face gains a tint of red every time he looks at the object of his affection now sitting close to him.

Hei and everyone know about how he feels about our EVO genius.

Heiky is half Japanese. He has a big secret. Hei was born blind. They replaced his eyes a few months after birth. They are the most advanced ocular bionic prosthetic that money can buy. So perfect, that t is impossible to notice any difference between the bionic and the natural eyes. They give Hei, also, a lot of advantages that compensate for his birth loss. Compared to our regular vision, his bionics can enhance his vision. He can see things that we don't. His computerized eyes can increase focus to check small details. And can improve the depth of distance, allowing him to see further away. Not to mention that his lens has a modern quantum computer. One that would make the QCs in our smart lens obsolete if that model could be commercialized.

Because Hei's father is the owner of the most important robotic conglomerate of the caravels.

Besides being the son and heir of the richest of all vellers, Hei is a simple and gentle guy. One that hat loves to amuse everyone. He uses his black and neat cut hair short and tide. His wide-set, almost monolid, black eyes give him a deep and intellectual gaze, even when he is joking. Which he does a lot. He is always trying to make some smart remarks about any subject that his mind can think of.

Besides being the only one that loses to Belle in terms of evolution grades, he is better balanced about planning his future and living the now and then.

Sue was by his side. Leaning to get closer to her boyfriend. She and Hei are together since last year. She is a very beautiful girl, we have the same age, also she is an Evo 9th, like me. She is not the most intelligent girl in our group, but she is loyal and caring. Sue knows all about Hei. And we know they are not together because Hei is one of the oldest sons of the most important dealer in mechanics and robotics, on board the Immaculate.

That is, in fact, a burden for Sue.

She has to prove herself a worthy companion to their son all the times. Being put in a series of tests and more tests about who she is, her intents about their relation and her character. That becomes more difficult because Sue is a type of popular social butterfly. A well-sculpted platinum blonde, with slightly upturned nose, round honey colored eyes, and full inviting sexy lips. Another girl that, unlike me, fills her Evo suit in a way that changes the direction of all heads when she moves. With round upturned and firm bottom cheeks, curved waist, and her medium size, but perfectly shaped breasts. Molding her artificial suit so tight that the uniform seems like her second skin.

Sue seems to care a lot about Hei.

It is visible that she does not approve how his parents treat their beloved son and heir. That is why she is always taking him to every social event that she can. But that makes a lot of our classmates think that she is exposing her valued prey and her catch for everyone to see. And that saddens her.

If only they knew everything I know about her. How hard it is for her to maintain her facade of an always happy and cheerful girl in front of everyone.

Her platinum blonde hair was touching Hei's shoulder as she leaned towards him. Hei is one of the few persons in the ship that understands how Sue feels.

I sit by the other side of the round table, between Sue and Belle. Belle looks angry to me. As I suspected she expected me to sit between her and Allan.

I would never bother the two lovebirds in that way.

We order our ice creams. I look to everyone sat in the table. Smiling telling jokes like a normal bunch of friends.

Those are the special ones that I could call my friends If I knew what friendship means for real.

I feel glad to see them here with me.

I just hope Hei does not make another joke about my third detention this year.

Too late for that, but instead of Hei it is an unpleasant voice that makes a harsh compliment:

"If it is not the Evo's own spider woman! Did you make a nest in the flagpole spider freak?"

"Yes, I did Todd. Now you and your bitches can lay your eggs with all the comfort."

Todd and his followers decided to make a visit to us, it seems.

That is more than a nuisance...

They are a problematic gang with a big complex of inferiority. They complain in their own meaningful way about not being accepted to the EVO Institute. Also, they think they own that sector of the main dome where the Galaxian is. They loathe us and love to give Evos a hard time. 

But, they hate me more than any other Evo present in any of the tables here in the Galaxian today. 

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