iMprint

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It had been only a few days since the ordeal with Andy and Rebecca.
Andy ensures that nothing is happening between the two, but Becca can tell me otherwise.

Her eyes were daggers when Andy and I hanged out, her attitude toward me was snippy and rude. It was most likely because I was spending time with Andy, which seems bizarre since we are a couple and we haven't been separated in a long time... until now.

Last night, I couldn't sleep. The pure flashing image of Simone smirking at me, laughing so malevolently to me, made me sick to my stomach.

I didn't care too much about my appearance, as I wore a more comfortable outfit than usual.
Walking on the grab some breakfast, a voice calls me.

I look over to see Andy, sitting right beside Becca.
I had to cover my suspensions with the girl and suck up how so should've acted.

The only reason why I am doing this is because Andy hasn't made a friend in a long time, I didn't want to ruin his chances of being a platonic friend because of my jealousy.

"Look we got you pancakes," He chirps, "Hey wait, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just couldn't get any sleep last night."

"Oh, we didn't get any either. Andy and I stood up playing video games to beat the mega-boss battle," charms Becca, in a way of bragging.

Looking down at my pancakes, I saw the designs of whip cream and fruit that were nice to look at.

"Yeah, I made that for you. I kinda assumed that you were tired today so I did it for you," Andy explains, pointing out the eyes and smile and other features.

All I could do is smile and eat, as the two talked on and on.

It was weird to see how different Andy can be around other people.
With me, he's quiet and calm. Once and a while he'll throw a good adventure out of boredom, but we would just enjoy the comfort of each other, without wanting to say a word. When it comes to Rebecca, he's a whole other ball game. They talk and chatter, seem to be on a sugar high every time I see them and have the time of their life.

It was most likely because they have a lot in common. Rebecca loves video games as much as Andy, she likes horror movies and the newer movies coming out.

It was just uncomfortable to see them together, but I didn't want Andy to have a ruined friendship because I was the reason.

As the three of us were all eating, one of the triplets come up to us.
"You three are being called for training today, including Lorna and Jack."

"I'll grab Lorna," Andy said.

As the telepath walks away, Rebecca smiles, "What do you think the training is this time? A drug cartel? A chase?"

"It's a SWAT team, most likely," I conclude.

"And want makes you say that?" My boyfriend perked his brow.

"Jack is training with us. Jack always trains with us when it's a SWAT team."

"Why is that, anyway?"
"Because he can get through the armor and patting with the lighting."

"Well, I think this is gonna be good," The brunette girl smirks, "It does show we can do."

She then left us to go to the training room. I couldn't help but feel the last sentence be a sort of threat toward me.

"Becca is great, isn't she?" Andy compliments but stops when seeing my neutral face. "What's wrong, don't you like her?"

"Trust me, Andy. You're acting the wrong girl that question."

I stood up from my chair and followed suit to go into the training room, leaving Andy to himself.

❅   ❅   ❅

The five of us walked into the training room, after our individual training.

"Hologram simulation active," announces the robotic voice.

The hologram of a SWAT team came behind us, but Andy pushed them to the ground with ease.

"Open fire!" speaks the holograms.

Gunshots were fired toward us, from our front. Lorna was quickly to stand in the way of us and catch the metal bullets in mid-air, dropping them to the ground.

"Get 'em."

The same group was charging toward us, but Rebecca lifted her hands and her pixelated abilities covered the group. Their bodies were contorted in different ways, she then used her abilities to have the holograms be lifted into the air and dropped.

With glee in her smile, she high-fived Andy on a job well done, and with the corner of her eye, looked to me with a wicked grin, of a somehow victory win for herself.

Jack noticed her look at well, having his eyes lay on mine to see my reaction. I had to shake it off since a SWAT team came from our sides, which I had to deal with.

My hands were ice misted and created multiple sharp icicles in which I shot every single hologram all at once with a flick of my wrist.

I didn't want to give her a cocky side to me, a catty side that would make our situation worse; it would just add fuel to a fire.

Seeing the holograms crowd around us, Jack held his fist with lighting, and stuck down, zapping every hologram to the ground.

We then hear the sound of clapping behind us, which was Reeva and Esme.
I was shocked to see our boss, as I haven't seen her in a long time, including everyone else.

"Brava," She congratulated.

"Still needs work."
"I can do better. I was slow with those guys at the end there."
The two teens pointed out, while I rolled my eyes.

"No, you were awesome," Andy comments, earning a smile to the girl, and scoff from my brother.

"Look who breezed in," greets the green-haired woman.

"Is there something wrong, Lorna?" Reeva questioned.

"You tell me. We're training for some mystery job by placing SWAT team Whac-A-Mole with a bunch of holograms?"

Jack tried to reason, "Lorna——"

"No need to be upset. These are just worse-case scenarios," explains our boss.

"Last time we went out on the field, we nearly got ambushed by the Mutant Underground, and now we're, what, prepared to take for from all sides? What the hell kind of mission is this?"

"An important one," Phoebe adds.

"Well, here's something that's important to me — my baby, who I've barely seen in two days because of all of this training, who may notice if Mommy comes home riddled with bullets. I need to know the actual plan."

"You'll know when you need to know. Trust me," Reeva answers.

"We're all on the same side here, Lorna," Esme tries to talk.

"Are we?" coax Lorna, "I'll make this real simple for you. Either tell me what this little operation is or I'm out."

❅   ❅   ❅

Walking out of the training room, Jack held a mean stare toward Andy and Rebecca, which in a way didn't bother me at all.

When Jack came into the picture, he never liked Andy, not a single bit. Andy never did anything, that I assumed could've been just brotherly protection.
But coming to think of it, Jack really just didn't like the boy. Yes, he tolerated him, but he never would give Andy the chance of getting to know one another.

"Your little boyfriend in there is getting buddy with that chick," pressed Jack, while walking with me.

I didn't want to deal with this, as much as I should've. All I ever feel like doing is just napping in my room, from this bland morning.

"I know, Jack. Trust me, I know."

"When why aren't you doing anything about it?"

"That's none of your concern. That's between Andy and me, not you."

"Lux, you're not stupid! We've all seen the change in him when he hangs out with Rebecca. Something has to be going on them."

"Will you stop?" I scold, "This isn't your relationship and this isn't your problem! I know he's different - I'm his girlfriend - but I have nothing on him or Rebecca, they are only friends."

"... What if I find something for you?" He asked me.

I was questionable at first.
Jack can easily take this out of proportion, that's who he is, but he is good at getting answers, one way or another.

Would it be wrong for me to do this?
Did I really not trust Andy enough to have my brother snoop on something?

"Fine."

It didn't feel right to have Jack do this, but I knew that there wasn't much to find. Besides, I shouldn't have anything to worry about.
I know Rebecca is trying her best to disclose me, but Andy is Andy, he's a loyal person.

After Jack left, all I wanted to do was sleep, but due to my sweat, I took a cold shower before anything else.

Every time I close my eyes and the water hits my face, it's just the image of Simone. The wrath of fire climbing behind him, like he was returning to the real world.

It frightened me.

As soon as I could feel the water turn warm, out of instinct, frost engulfs the entire shower, in a matter of seconds.

I didn't care to deal with the frost, since I was so freaked out of just the smallest touch of hot water.

Wrapping myself in a towel, I was shaken to my core. I didn't know what power Simone had over me. I don't even know how he could even cause this.

What it the sleepless nights? The bad nightmares?

"Lux!"

Andy then came into the bathroom, which he quickly realized I was only in a towel.
With redness on his cheeks, he turned away from me, as I chuckle lightly.

"This must be important for you, if you're willing to just come in, unannounced," I joke.

"I-I was... um—Sorry," He apologizes, stuttering like crazy.

"What do you need?"

"Well, I know you and I haven't been on a date, in a while, and I know you've always wanted to go outside. So... you wanna, like, get out, for a little while?"

"Andy Strucker, asking me out on a date? What have you done with my boyfriend?"

"I'm serious!" He finally turns to me. "We should. We both deserve it, you deserve it."

I walked closer to him, only causing him to blush more and more with each step I take; I found it adorable.

"You're so cute when you get flustered," I compliment, cupping the side of his face and petting the side of his hair, "I'll be ready around 8."

I was bold enough to pull him on for a kiss, which he immediately reacted to, by putting his hand behind my head.

I've certainly missed this connection between us. I missed his lips on me, his hands turn delicate when he touches my skin.
He seemed so innocent, so pure.
It was good to know that we both were learning how to do things in a relationship together, how to be dependent on them, how to let them in, and understand you.

I don't think I can ever see someone else to be with if it wasn't Andy.

❅   ❅   ❅

I looked at myself in the body mirror. I stared admirably at a dark navy dress I had on.
I do admit, I haven't been on a date with Andy, in a long time.

Since we've always hanged out, there was no need for dates, in our opinion. Now that we're with more training and Rebecca, this was well deserved.

When I heard a knock at my door, I opened it to see Andy in a more formal appearance.
Given, it was a nice black shirt and jeans, with a matching leather jacket, but knowing Andy, this was the best he ever did; I didn't mind at all.
What sparked my interest was the basket he had in his hand.

As he looked at me, he seems to be speechless, words couldn't form what he could compliment.

I smile, "Thanks for your kind, kind words."

I laced my hand to him and led us to the elevators.
After processing, Andy went back to the real world and pushed the elevator door for us.

"Andy!"

I held back my eye-roll as she walked toward him, only to stop herself when seeing us.

"Are you guys going out? Wait, can I come?"

"Rebecca, Andy and I are going on a date," I say, in an obvious manner.

"Oh, right," She grounded her teeth, "But Andy, you said we were gonna finish playing our game."

"We'll play later," He simply says, as the elevator doors open for us.

The two of us walked in, I could feel the pure annoyance Rebecca had, especially toward me.
That made me happy, which I couldn't know if it was a good or bad thing.

It turned out that Andy was walking us to a parking lot.
When we reached the top, I could see the pretty lights of the city and appreciated the dark sunset that was transitioning towards the night of time.

"Now, I am no way a romantic person, but from all the movies I rewatched. I have been taking a few notes." He pulled out a speaker from the basket. "For example..."

He then pushes play on his song, to play a song.
It was nice as the singer's voices filled the air, creating their soft lyrics as a blanket over the two of us.

Andy bowed and presented his hand. "Can I have this dance, Ms. Lux Strucker?"

I felt like my voice had evaporated in a matter of seconds. Having to hear him call me by his last names.

"Of course, Mr. Andy Stucker," I smile, taking his hand.

This felt so right.
Me and Andy, on a parking lot rooftop, listening to music and dancing, like this would be the last time.

As we both look at each other, swaying to the music, I thought back to when Andy called me but his last name: Lux Strucker.

Lux Strucker. Lux Strucker.
Lux Strucker.

We haven't talked about marriage, we haven't talked about a future — our future.

I don't know if Andy wanted kids or if he didn't, I don't know if marriage was on the table.

"Hey, Andy," I speak, "What's gonna happen to us?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, us, the future. I just... I liked how you called me Lux Strucker."

His eyes gleamed with nostalgia and love. "Well, if I'm honest... I have thought about this before. I-I do love you and every time I think of a future... I just see you."

I don't even let him finish to say anything else, I gently drag my hand to his chin, only holding him by my fingertips, and as I pulled him toward me... a hard booming sensation came beside us.

The force of the wind almost knocked us to the floor.
A blinding light illuminated us, we both turned our heads as this force come through.

As the light dulled down, I quickly turned my head toward them, to have my eyes widen in hearing the thunder and lightning around us and in the air.

"What the hell Jack?!"

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