Chapter 9
NINE
Two Years Later
Nate let out a quiet snore that disturbed a couple of surrounding students who shot him a dirty look.
Renn bumped his shoulder. “Dude, seriously,” he whispered.
“Sorry, but I am beyond bored. How am I going to get through a whole semester of this?” Nate complained, resting his head on his hand.
While it was true that he could have probably taught the class, that still wouldn’t help him pass if his participation grade was zero. Computational Astrophysics was not for mere mortals. Nate was the intellect who could repeat and explain an entire algorithm or concept in minutes, though.
“Is it boredom, or is it the fact that you’ve been staying up way too late with Kylie?
” Renn teased. That got Nate’s attention quickly, as he hoped it would.
Kylie and Nate had been boyfriend and girlfriend for about a year, and to say Nate was head over heels was an understatement.
She was a linguist specialist and studied languages outside of Earth.
“Jealous?” Nate straightened, leaning back in his chair.
Maybe Renn was a little, but he wasn’t going to give Nate the satisfaction of being right about his love life. They may have only been eighteen, but they were expected to act older from day one at The Academy, so in many ways, other than academics, they did.
“When would I have time for a girlfriend?”
Renn’s course load and training was at an all-time high. He would have to graduate with a certain accreditation and scores just to be qualified to take Captain Credential Courses.
“Okay, maybe you’re right,” Nate admitted. He had seen firsthand how grueling and demanding the work was on his best friend.
“But I’m not the only one who needs to take grades seriously,” Renn pressed.
These last two years at The Academy were meant to be a test of will and perseverance, and if they endured to the end, they would be inducted into SEA as officers, and that was just the start of an entirely new journey.
Renn wasn’t worried that it wasn’t obtainable.
He knew they could do it—would do it, but it didn’t make it easier.
The hours were long and the days short. Time was moving forward whether they wanted it to or not.
Someday he may have a slower life, though it was hard to imagine, but these next few years would be gas pedal to the floor, non-stop.
Over the last two years, their close friends had ultimately chosen different paths. Milo and Blair had diverted to more Earth-based studies—they ran into them from time to time—the others had dropped out altogether.
After class, they strolled through campus, the curious glances and gawking eyes following them the whole way.
There was a certain level of awareness and testing of their egos more than ever these days because Renn and Nate were not only top students, but as Renn had heard it from another student once, they were also “very nice to look at.” He knew he was, but being cocky about it didn’t suit him or Nate.
Between the two of them calling the other out when necessary, they didn’t let it go to their head too much, and if Renn was being completely honest with himself, he much preferred attention for his looks than the stares of pity he would get from students and professors alike.
It took about a year for the hushed conversations to die down surrounding his father’s death and through the gossip, there were kind sentiments.
I can’t imagine how he must feel—both parents gone.
As well as the more insensitive type.
Can he live up to his father’s legacy?
The comments and hushed conversations still popped up from time to time, but Renn was determined to make a name for himself without any sympathy or bias.
After a few minutes’ walk, they arrived at their dorm.
This one was much more spacious and newer, but Renn missed Armstrong Hall.
He wasn’t at all complaining about the extra space, but the coziness and warmth was absent here, and he didn’t know he’d miss it as much as he did until they had moved in.
In complete Nate fashion, he flung his bag on the couch before plopping onto it.
“So, are you going to Camille and Charlie’s for spring break?”
Renn had been dreading this question since he heard the news from his grandparents a few days ago. “Actually . . . I’m staying here.”
“What? Why?” He shot up, confusion spreading on his face.
“They are going on a vacation,” Renn said plainly.
Nate stared at him for a moment, then burst into a fit of laughter.
“If that isn’t a clear message that you need to have some fun, then I don’t know what is.”
Renn rolled his eyes. That was exactly why he had been avoiding telling him.
“Dude, you have to come to Kauai!” Nate and a large group of other academy students had been planning the ten-day trip to Kauai for months.
Renn was planning on going to his grandparents as he always did—he liked checking up on them and helping them around the house while he was there.
But when Camille told him, “We are taking a vacation—just your Pop and I,” what she really wanted to say was, “You’re young.
Please go, and have fun with your friends! ”
Then there were the questions about his dating life that she always grilled him on whenever they saw one another. “Why don’t you have a nice girlfriend like Nate?” she would ask, followed by, “With a face like that, it’s not fair to deprive the world.”
“Yeah, I don’t know,” Renn said as if he were bored, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Nate was standing on the couch now, hysterical. It took all his willpower not to laugh at his crazy, but caring, best friend.
“I could use some peace and quiet to study,” he said before chugging half the water.
Nate jumped off the couch, looking offended. “First of all, if you enjoyed peace and quiet, we wouldn’t be friends.”
Renn couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Second, and no offense, but you need a vacation,” Nate urged, giving him a knowing look.
He wasn’t wrong there. Renn shrugged, pretending like he hadn’t already made up his mind, but then he said, “Send me the flight and hotel information.”
Nate actually howled in excitement. “Yes! This is going to be epic!”
After securing his plane tickets and a room, a few days later, they were touching down in a tropical paradise.
Renn had never thought about traveling around Earth—his focus had always been away from the planet.
But when they pulled into the resort that would be their home for the next ten days, he regretted that he hadn’t done so sooner.
Someone at The Academy had a family friend who owned the property, securing a deal for their large group to come for a lower cost and have a little more “freedom,” as Nate put it.
But it was made clear that any alcohol consumption had to remain on the resort property.
While The Academy students had a reputation for being well-respected and educated, they were human—young humans.
A group of people ranging from ages to 18–21 would absolutely end up being trouble. How much trouble? Only time would tell.
They were exhausted after a long day of travel and everyone agreed to turn in early to officially start vacationing the next day, but Renn was restless.
He called his grandparents to check in, and when they assured him once again they were fine and that he need not worry but to enjoy himself. He still couldn't relax.
When he checked his phone for what felt like the hundredth time, it was only an hour or so before sunrise, and Renn soon found himself wandering down the beach.
Eventually, he settled on the cool sand, watching the very early rays start to turn the black into a glory of pink and purple that splashed over the ocean.
He was glad he hadn’t missed this moment.
He wasn’t sure if a night of no sleep would be considered relaxing in any way, but on that beach, his hands sinking into the soft sand, the ocean waves setting a soundtrack of calm, it was peaceful.
A few minutes later, a group of women further down the beach came into view, each with a surf board under her arm.
Their laughter floated over the waves as they began paddling out past the surf.
The backdrop of the rising sun was idyllic.
He hadn't been surfing in years. In fact, he hadn’t spent much time on a beach since he was a kid.
He’d have to change that while he was here.
Renn wasn’t sure if they had noticed him sitting there or not, but he felt intrusive watching them, so he stood, wiping the sand stuck to his hands onto his shorts and set to leave, but after a few steps, voices were shouting over the waves.
Two women teaming to help a third back to shore.
“Can you help us?” one of them shouted, the woman in the middle had bright blonde hair and was grimacing in pain. Renn immediately ran into the surf to meet them.
“We think it was a jellyfish,” yelled the woman who had called for help.
“I’m fine. It’s not a big deal . . .” the injured woman started, but words were lost when she looked up and saw Renn standing there.
All three women were quiet for several seconds, taking in the glorious man standing before them.
It didn’t go unnoticed that their eyes lingered on his toned arms on full display thanks to his tank top.
“I can carry you,” he offered.
“Oh, that’s okay we—” the blonde woman began to say.
“Yes! Please, carry her!” the other friend exclaimed. The blonde woman shot her a look that was a mix of nerves and embarrassment.
“May I?” Renn asked, making eye contact to reassure her she was safe with him.
“Okay. Sure.” She smiled, and her friends smiled wider in victory. Renn stepped forward, balancing himself as the waves crashed into him.