Kings and cars

Kelly shook off her thoughts and finished packing. If the last one cracked, she would give an excuse and move out. She might cancel the contract or ask for an extension. It wasn't hard. It was simple.

She heard a knock and looked out the window. August.

"Coming!" She said.

"Hi,"

Kelly smiled, "I'm almost done. Do you want to come in?"

He looked around for a moment before smiling, "sure,"

"You can take a seat, I'll be right down," Kelly paused at the staircase, it was ride not to offer something to a guest, right?

"Would you like a brownie?" She asked. He wouldn't meet her gaze, he was hunched over on a wall, his hand holding for support.

"Are you alright?" She asked. That was weird.

"I'm fine," came his strained voice after a while. He turned back to face her and blinked his eyes repeatedly,

"Yes, I'm alright. I'd love a brownie," he smiled.

"Okay," she came with a tray full and a glass of water. "Let me know what you think, alright?"

"Absolutely," he replied, his eyes trained on them.

When she got down, her jaw dropped. He was still chewing when he looked up, he dapped the sides of his mouth before he drank the glass.

"Done?" He asked.

Kelly broke from her daze. The tray was over half empty. How could he eat that much and still look so elegant?!

They got to the car. Kelly put her things in when she realized she forgot something. The chain. She left it on the counter.

As she came back out, the sight of him waiting in the car pulled old memories.

***

"Mom, I don't wanna go!" Kelly said lethargically picking her backpack from the counter.

"It's a wonderful opportunity!" Her mother argued. The sun highlighted her white strands, she had them from an early age.

"Going to the park is a wonderful opportunity, mom. An endless mountain of cotton candy? That's a wonderful opportunity," she said.

"I don't want to spending two weeks with snotty faced, high-nosed rich teenagers"

"Who called them snotty-nosed teenagers?"

"Snotty faced, mom." She took a spoonful, "that's what the teachers called them,"

"Well, they're wrong. They're like you, teenagers and you're going to give them a chance, right?"

"Right,"

"Don't come back to this house without making friends!" Her mother yelled at the school's gate.

She snorted. Maybe it wouldn't be all bad, right?

Wrong! They were snotty nosed teenagers and she saw it in their stares.

Kelly sighed as she followed Mr. franklin. The man leading her to her tour guide. A Darwin Sharpo, according to her file.

Kelly looked at the large sign. "Boy's dormitory,"

The gates pulled open and a tall figure came out. Kelly froze; beautiful blonde hair, sea green eyes and a lean stature. She heard her pounding baby heart.

"Hey, Mr. Franklin," the boy called,

"Mr Cline?" The teacher said.

"Yeah, Darwin can't make it and I lost a bet with him, so," he ruffled his hair.

"Well," the teacher turned to her, "it seems you have better luck. August is our top student, you're in good hands,"

"Hi little girl," he turned to her and smiled politely,

"I'm not little,"

August glanced at Mr. Franklin and both flashed a smile.

"You're ten," he said, "I'm eighteen,"

"So?"

His jaw dropped and Mr, Franklin patted his shoulder, "good luck,"

"What competition did you ace?" He asked conversationally as they walked to a parking lot. She'd never seen so many cars, how many teachers did they have?

"Literacy. I wrote an essay," she said.

He smile grew, "on what?"

"The existence of medieval magic, it's effects on ancient and modern society, and the progressive decline in the 21st century."

"Woah, that easy huh?" He joked as he unlocked a black car.

Kelly snorted. She corrected her posture, "very," she replied animatedly.

"You have a car?" She asked.

He nodded and gestured her in.

"We need to drive to the middle school to start your tour. Visitors aren't allowed through the students gates" he said before starting the car.

"You all have cars?" The amount of cars here accounted for everyone in her town!

"Not necessarily," he said, backing out "but hyb- seniors have classes far from campus grounds."

"Who's that?" Kelly asked when they passed a towering statue.

A man sat on a throne, his chin on his fist. August leaned out

"That, would be King Lódebar," he said

"King Lodaber?"

"Ló-de-bar," he said,