Lana smirked when she heard the words and noticed the change in energy. She leaned in and whispered in his ear, "that was kind of sexy, Not-Vorden." She leaned back again wincing.
He looked in her eyes, "why are you in pain? You know how to fix it. Why are you suffering?"
"I already treated myself. I could treat myself again but I left my pot of dirt in my room."
Peter heard this and immediately offered his earth ability. "Will this help?"
She looked taken aback, "actually, yeah! I had never thought of that before. Can you put the dirt in a bowl?"
Peter did and brought her the bowl of dirt. She took it and grew herself a plant and treated herself once again. The relief was quite visible then she addressed "Vorden". "It's not that I'm asking you to take action. I know you have our own problems." She sighed, withered her plant and handed the bowl back with a smile of thanks to Peter. Then she took a deep breath. "There is a guy here, a fellow first-year. … He's from the same orphanage and he's not a good person. He managed to get himself a level-7 teleport ability. Tonight was the second time he attacked me. The first was not as bad. Tonight…" She took another deep breath, "My brother and our friends and I were walking in the park. He grabbed me, teleported away with me and beat me. I couldn't do anything. I managed to get my vine around his throat and he teleported away. I need to know how to fight him. And while you made such a generous offer, it's not like I can carry you around in my pocket in case he attacks again."
While she was talking, she felt the energy shift as Vorden took control back. "How about we go for a walk in the park tomorrow, just you and I?"
She bit her lip a little but decided it would be best to agree. This would keep those she cared about safe and with the two of them, they had better chances. "Sounds okay. How long do you want to stay out for? Aren't you helping Peter? That's what it looked like when I came in. He seemed to expect you to go back to his area."
"I'll be okay for a while. I don't need a babysitter," Peter smiled.
Lana looked shocked, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to sound that way!"
Peter smiled, "I understand. I'm not used to people talking to me either."
Looking at Vorden, "I spend an hour with my roommate after dinner each night to practice the things she learned in Beast weapons Class but I'm available after that."
"Come up when you're done and we'll head out."
She nodded and left, returning to her room and her studies.
The next day, classes went as normal. She attended the first half of Agricultural Class with the second half spent in her tree. She got the academics but the practicals were usually excessively easy for her. She valued the knowledge she gained but spending time learning on her own was more valuable in the long run. At the very least, she could include this new information in a book if she were to choose to teach her ability to others. Right now, that was a big IF. If she didn't understand it; if she couldn't control it; how could she teach another to do so?
She decided today to begin learning how to conduct research so she could get to work on fixing her energy bars. Leo had said 3 months so she had that much time to make a good product.
She then cooked dinner and prepared a sandwich for Logan. Her friends showed up just as it was getting done. After, the boys went to the VR center as normal and the girls practiced the kicks taught in class. They then walked back to the dorms together with Lana walking up to the second floor.
She knocked at 2215 again. When Vorden answered, "Hey I wanted to give you like a 3-minute warning or so? I need to run this sandwich upstairs really quick and wanted to give you a minute to get ready if you needed it."
"I'm ready now," Vorden smiled. "Are you giving away my sandwiches?"
Lana laughed, "actually, I'm giving you his sandwiches."
He closed the door behind himself as they headed down the hall, inviting himself to accompany her upstairs. "He's in my class but he's a bit different. I plan to do some experiments in the near future and he has agreed to help me. Me giving him sandwiches is my way of saying thanks for his help."
"So he's not your boyfriend?"
She laughed really hard, the sound echoing in the stairwell as they approached the third floor. She had to stop walking because she was laughing so hard. "He's from a top-tier family! Who would ever want to date me, much less from such a prominent family!" She was having trouble breathing she was laughing so hard so the words came out haltingly.
Vorden had a frown on his face and his eye started twitching. She finally got herself under control, "come on. Let's get this done."
When they got to his room, Lana asked Vorden to wait in the hall. She let herself in and placed the sandwich on the table. She noticed he was busy at work and silently let herself out.
Vorden had an indistinguishable look on his face when she returned. "You are not dating him yet you let yourself into his room?"
She shrugged, "it's just one of his skills. He wanted me to be able to drop it off without disturbing his work. Now let's go before us talking disturbs him. He's busy."
"So you are saying we are on our third week of class and someone just gave you access to his room for the purpose of dropping of sandwiches? I'm supposed to believe that?"
She started chuckling. The sound once again reverberating in the stairwell. "I was rather shocked as well, by his actions. We had been here a week and he had only been given his second sandwich at the time." She chuckled again. "I guess he likes my sandwiches." She grinned up at Vorden. He was nearly a foot taller than her but the size difference didn't intimidate her. She felt comforted by his presence.
As they were talking a text message came in"
Why were you rattling when you dropped my sandwich off?
She replied really quick:
I hastily repacked my cooking equipment for when I cook outside.
Logan's response,
Bring me your equipment when you bring the next sandwich.
She sent him a thumbs-up emoji.
"You know, if you want some home cooking, I cook every day for my friends and I. You can join us if you'd like. I always cook extra. Late-night study sessions can make us hungry so I cover those bases."
"Is that why you always have food in your room?" Vorden asked.
She nodded.
"Can I ask? Why do you do that? Why not eat the food in the canteen?" Vorden was quite curious about this girl.
She shrugged, "after being denied food for so long, I learned how to cook when I was 8. Cooking has since become an expression of taking care of those I care about. Making sure their needs are met. I know it is something so many others take for granted. Like… warmth. I bought three new blankets last week. I needed more salt so I went on the market in the library and I saw one over in the recommended section. Next thing I knew, I bought 2 more. And a few pillows." She smiled. "I just realized I never asked Dobin if he wanted any. I should do that."
By now, they were in the park and following the path in the same direction she headed the day before.
"Can't he buy them for himself if he wanted them?"
She chuckled, "technically no. When we got here, to keep his credits from being stolen, he set it up to automatically transfer all his credits to me each night. If someone stops him to demand credits, even if they beat him up, they can't rob him. They have tried a few times but now they no longer bother, knowing he has none to give. Alto is in the same position. I hold both of their credits."
"So you are taking care of them but you have no one to take care of you?"
She scoffed, "What does that even look like. I'm sure Dobin would love to and he is getting stronger with his ability but we have spent our whole lives with me taking care of him. Other than him, no one cares."
"Why do you keep saying that?"
"Saying what?"
"That no one cares, that you are not lovable?" They were nearing the area where the attack began the day before.
"Because it's true?"
"It's true? Or you were lied to all your life and you believe those lies?"
She stayed silent, thinking. "This is where it happened."
They paused and stayed in the area for a few minutes.
Suddenly a scream pierced the stillness just as full darkness fell.