An Angel's Thesis Original

SS) Hips Don’t Lie

Aiden walks onto a clearing in the woods, but doesn’t see any of his classmates. Thinking he might be early, he heads for the creek where he finds Kalani and Liam listening to music. Neither of them are dressed for training. Kalani is even wearing a skirt. He says, “What gives? Didn’t you call us all here for extra training?”

Liam sighs and shakes his head. “Kalani calling for extra practice is code for, ‘let’s hang out.’”

Aiden’s face twists with annoyance. He then turns around while saying, “I have work to do.”

Kalani dashes past him to cut him off. “Wait, wait, wait, don’t be like that.” She gives him a brilliant smile as she says, “You’re already here, so let’s have some fun.”

Aiden grits his teeth as she readjust the bird of paradise in her silky brown hair. “I’m busy.”

“You’re always busy. Come on, make some time for your friends.”

Aiden’s taken aback. When he first came to Pounamu, he was excited and happy to be coming with a friend. Now that friend barely even notices him anymore. Mirth cracks his voice as he points at himself while saying, “We’re… friends?”

Kalani tilts her head while saying, “Well, yeah? I mean, you haven’t missed a single day of training since dad let you join us. Haven’t we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well since then?”

Aiden frowns as he thinks over Kalani’s words. “Yeah… I guess… that’s true.”

Kalani flashes him a grin and says, “So come on, let’s hang out for a bit.”

Aiden’s reluctance breaks with a sigh, “Fine…” A smile soon gives way as he adds, “What are you planning?”

Liam slaps Aiden’s back. “Remember how you mentioned that you can speak Spanish a few days back?” He laughs and adds, “Start regretting that.”

Kalani drags them both back to the creek before anything more is said. She hops down onto the bank and crouches before a smartphone that is connected to a speaker. After sliding though the songs, she gets up, rounds her arms above her head, and sways her hips while singing, “I never really knew that she could dance like this; She makes a man want to speak Spanish.”

Liam says, “Kalani loves singing and dancing on her free time.” He then pushes Aiden forward while adding, “Have fun.”

Aiden looks back and forth between the two and says, “I don’t know the first thing about any of this!” He then looks to Liam, “Maybe you should keep doing the dancing!”

Liam kicks back on the grass and says, “Dude, you’re just a bit taller than her while I’m a head taller. It’ll flow much smoother with you.”

“You’re just looking for someone to trade out with…”

Kalani stops dancing and says, “It’s fine, it’s fine. We’ll start with the song. You use your Latin voice to do the man’s part, and I’ll do Shakira’s.” She presses rewind on her smartphone and beams at Aiden. Her joy soon melts into disappointment.

Aiden looks away. His supposed part started, but he remained silent. As he starts to talk, his face turns redder with each word. “Sorry, I… don’t know the lyrics.”

Kalani’s jaw drops. “Seriously? Just what do you do on your free time?”

“I read…” Aiden stops himself from adding, “research, and develop spells.” That he’s an actual academy student is a secret from the class. While he could tell them, he’s afraid that if they find out, they won’t want him around anymore. “I read a lot of books.”

“What kind?”

“Things like astrophysics, chemistry, calculus, and quantum mechanics.”

Both Kalani and Liam look at him and say, “You’re weird.”