Why is she sliding closer? He flinched when her hand touched him, He hadn't flinched when Josh threw the Shot Put into his face. But she did it.

"I guess... I guess I am just a little jealous." Alex flung the crust of the piece he just had eaten into the woods before looking at her closely. "Look Lina. You were nice to me this past week and I guess I just got a little to carried away with what nice means. I know you are with Ravenshire." Bastard. "I just have a bit of a crush on you...."

God that sounded pathetic. Oooh you were nice to me so I love you.. I know you have a boyfriend. Ugh how could he spew that verbal tripe. That wasn't the way she should know! She was leaning close absorbing his words he saw them registering in her face and seized that moment to act.

A hero would jump in front of a bus to push a kid out of the way. A super hero would pick up the bus to save the kid. Alex's first act of heroism (for himself anyway) was to lean forward and plant his lips firmly against the pretty pale girl's lips. In the silence of the embrace birds sang and wind rustled the blooms of the spring forest.

The kiss lasted for several seconds. Lina didn't pull away, but brought her hand to Alexanders head, and ran it along the side of his neck, stroking his cheek with her thumb. She ended the kiss like that, slowly pulling away while keeping him at bay with her hand. "Alex.. " She said softly, looking confused and sad. "You are so beautiful as a person, body and soul." Lina continued. She seemed to need to choke this last part out. "And.. I really want to be friends with you.. but I have a boyfriend right now."

Lina withdrew here hand as he was absorbing the words.

Her lips were so soft, her touch felt so nice. It would be so easy to get lost in that moment but she didn't let it. When she first started speaking he wasn't there he could have been in space again for all intent and purpose but her last words brought him crashing back to earth faster than any meteor could ever fall.

"And.. I really want to be friends with you.. but I have a boyfriend right now."

Reality snapped into a harsh focus with him and he recovered as best as he could for his first real rejection. "Yeah." He nodded regaining his composure as best he could. "You are right. I apologize for doing that. I know you have a boyfriend."

Locking himself in his basement sure felt like a good idea again. But at least he didn't have a cloud of doubt hanging over him about her. He tried and he lost it really was that simple.

"Hey just consider it a birthday kiss." He joked trying to break his own nervous tension. "It's better than putting you over my knee and giving you some birthday spanks!"

Lina laughs. "Now thats the way to treat a woman!" Her laugh was fake and forced, but she performed it well enough. She was an actress. She thought hard for a minute. I got an idea! She opened her bag, and pulled out a large black polaroid camera. She moved in next to Alex, and put her head on his shoulder while extending the other arm. "Cheese!" She smiled wide, and the flash went off. Lina put it on the ground to let it develop, but decided another one was in order. She used one hand to hold him as she did before, and gave him a long kiss. The kiss lasted upwards to ten seconds, than a flash of light went off. She pulled back, and avoided eye contact while smiling. "This first picture is for you to show your family. This second one is so that now you can tell all your friends!" She giggled, and inspected the photos as they developed on the blanket.

Alex looked dubious as he took the second picture waiting for it to develop. He needlessly waved the picture back and forth as he waited for the image to appear.

He didn't entirely understand what she was implying so his eyebrow arched. "Well I am sure one of my friends would have wanted more than that but he will just have to deal with it." Alex looked at the picture as it appeared Lina kissing him, he kissing her and looking way to happy about it. It looked right to him despite what she might have thought so with a sigh he put the two pictures on cardboard lid.

"I'm glad that didn't ruin our friendship." He brushed his lips with his finger. "But it is something I had wanted to do since the mall. It was worth the cost of the blackeye your boyfriend might give me." He grinned some before picking up another slice.

Lina chuckled. "Oh, he's not the violent type. He knows that I.. " She paused for a minute, looking at him. "Lets not talk about him, kay?" She took another piece of pizza and stretched out on her side. She laid her camera on the ground before taking the pizza. "Lets talk about you? What do you like to do for fun?"

Alex watched her carefully trying to figure out just what was going on. This territory he was lost in and what was worse was he knew he was. Worse still he was going out with a girl in a few hours that was the harsh day to Lina's peaceful night. If he couldn't handle dealing with this how in the hell would he deal with that?

"Well... I used to run track but that is gone now. I still go bowling and I've been practicing baseball at batting cages for the game." He began to ramble with a nervous squeak in his voice. "Video games, which you might remember from last week. I guess." He drew a knee up and rested the back of his hand holding the pizza slice. "I guess I have new things I like to do now since I popped. I like to float above the earth in orbit. Yeah I know that probably sounds boring right." He shrugs. "I've not figured all my new hobbies I should be doing now."

Lina smiled at him while listening. It was nice to hear about him for a while. "My brother loves video games, I just never got into them. I am great at gymnastics myself, swimming and skating too. I've never been to space, though. What's it like? Is it cold?" She bit the pizza, wondering what time it was. If she pulled out her cell phone, it might look like she was in a rush to leave.

"Cold? Yeah I guess."

Alex shrugged. "I never really give it much thought though. I can feel it is cold it just isn't really that bad. It can be warm though to when the sun hits you."

"I didn't know you liked gymnastics. Did your eruption enhance that?" He said munching on the pizza. "Hey when did you erupt anyway? It couldn't have been that long ago." Alex was suddenly very curious having never really asked another Nova how they erupted face to face. The moment he asked he regretted it though knowing full well she might ask him about his eruption.

"I don't really know. I haven't done gymnastics in years." She thought about doing some right there. She also used to be a incredibly graceful dancer with ballet, but that was years ago. "I erupted a few months back, what about you?" She asked.

And there she did it. Bounced the ball right back at him. "Uhm two weeks ago tomorrow." He said with a blush. Alex brushed his hair out of his face as his mind raced to change the subject. "Maybe you should try again soon and see if it made it different for you."

Gesturing Alex followed up quickly. "I know you aren't a big fan of your powers but they don't eclipse who you are just add to what you are. I know I didn't just try to make out with you because you can light up." He grinned mischeviously with a twinkle in his eye.

Lina smiled at him, and after a moment stood up. She lifted her back leg behind her, and stretcher her arms over her head. As she arched her back, her hand and foot slowly came together. Lina made a moan like she hadn't stretched those muscles in years. She bumps her body forward, and she is standing on her toes. She spins slowly, showing that she is in a near perfect circle, and that her skirt was slowly falling up her leg. "This is.. definitely further than I could stretch before.. Mmm.. "

Well it worked he thought as he watched Lina spin. Not to mention he was getting a show for the suggestion which while his cheecks reddened only slightly he didn't turn away from.

"See. You can stretch further than you could before.." He declared happily before mumbling "And I can break things better than I could before."

Despite the embarassing shoot down Alex managed to recover well enough it wasn't the end of the world was it? Really what did he expect her to dump her blond knight for him? It was so laughable he chuckled to himself as his friend stretched herself out.

"Hey maybe it's something worth developing further." He suggested as watched her pivot just a bit further as he tried his best not to look up her skirt but failing like any teenage male should.

Lina nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you for getting to try this again." She dropped her leg. And held her arms straight up in the air. After a moment, she leaned backwards slowly, and her fingertips touched the ground, while her toes were supporting her from the other end. She rolled onto her palms, kicking her legs up into the air with inhumanly grace. She quickly continued the move, otherwise her skirt would fall. "Ta da!" She exclaimed, excited.

"We should go to the batting cages. You could teach me a thing or two!"

Alex clapped for the performance. "Hey you are welcome. It's good to rediscover something you enjoy. Plus you looked good doing it!" He settled back down and took a drink of soda.

"I am uh sort of not allowed at the cages. Banned for a month. I guess I could find another to go to though right?" He opened the box containing her cake. "Besides you haven't eaten any of your cake yet. We should have a slice before it melts right?" He grinned and held out a plastic spoon for dark haired cutie.

Lina smiled at him. It was nice to be around someone her age that didn't worship the ground she walked on. She stretched her back for a few seconds, took the offered spoon, than sat down next to him. She had her legs out in front him her, and her back was straight.

"I've been craving ice cream for so long, you have no idea." She said, peaking into the bag where the desert lay. "I would have acted the moon and lit up the entire night sky for this."

For some reason when she said that Alex imagined Lina's butt glowing as she mooned someone and it was so amusing he laughed out loud but did not share it. He knew how she got the last time he had mentioned her lighting up.

"Well dig in!" He chuckled offering up the ice cream. He finished the can of coke crushing it in one hand then wadding it up like someone would tissue paper. He took his other hand and began rolling the aluminum in his hand then dropped the small metal sphere he had made from the can onto the blanket. "What's your favorite kind of ice cream anyway?"

"My favorite ice cream? Caramel Sutra, go figure." Lina smiled. "Did I tell you that I kissed Caramel Bath once? It was just last week, too. I think I am supposed to get a hold of her after I move or something." She started digging into the cake itself with the spoon, and the second bite she fed him. "Whats your favorite?"

"Kissed Caramel?" Alex looked a little disbelieving. "I didn't know you liked girls." He knew somewhere not to far away Matt was probably screaming 'Giggity Giggity!' and not even knowing why. Well Lina did mention wanting to be an actress and he knew Caramel was recruiting for porn still she might get in trouble for that career move at her age.

"Uhm. Vanilla I guess." Way to be boring Lex. No wonder she wouldn't dump that older jerk for you. At least he is interesting, he probably likes Cherry Garcia or something exotic which impresses her.

"What are you contacting her for later? She trying to get you a porn job?" He said it even though he knew he shouldn't have. He looked at her like he had just shot her his eyes wide with a certain brand of terror that only appears on a guys face when he knows he just upset a woman.

"It was only for like a second, though. Than she taught me a few other things." Lina smiled upon the memory. "Vanilla is my second favorite, and is an essentual for Caramel Sutra!" Lina ate some more of her ice cream cake, while thinking when Alex asked the question.

She almost choked. "Me? In porn!?" She bursts out laughing, and continued for a few minutes. "Nothing against Kara, but thats not really my scene. I'm a one guy kind of girl. I hear she's been asking you, what'd'ya think?"

Alex rolled his eyes. "How about I get past first base with anyone before I decide it as a career choice okay?" He took another spoonful of offered cake and leaned back using his hands behind him to support him. "And yeah I realize you are a one guy kinda girl." Just the wrong guy.

"So what do you know about Summer? For being so stuck up she seemed pretty eager to go out with me. What's up with that?"

Lina looked at Alex for a moment, sensing a bit of frustration. She turned her body and laid backwards, resting her head on one of his legs. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Honestly, I know nothing of Solstice. I think I heard that Troy Campbell was trying to go out with her, though he is dating Catalyst. And Cat wants Liberteen. But I am not sure about Summer. A member of T2M, so you've got a lot to live up to." She stuck out her tongue at him, than turned her head to figure out where the ice cream was in comparison to her. She obtained a spoonful, and began the processes of trying to eat it while laying.

"T2M. How awesome would it be to work for them?" Alex got a far away dreamy look in his eyes. "A real Hero! I can't believe I am a Nova Lina. It's like everything you ever wanted dropped into your lap without any warning. Though I am not sure if Summer was something I wished for!" But you might have been.

"Oh that reminds me." He paused pulling out his Opod and touched the screen to life. "It is gonna take me about an hour to get to NYC. I googled it last night." He added to explain how he knew.

"If you don't want to take the bus I can give you a lift. But uhm." He glanced at the clothing Lina wore. "You might get a little cold."

Lina smiles at him. "That would be great! I was thinking about asking you anyway." Lina looked up at the sky, it was still colorful. "And don't worry about me. I'm wearing Euphiber. Cold doesn't bother me." After a second, Lina yelled and grabbed her head. "Ow! Fuck! Ice cream headache!"

"Wow real Eufiber? No way my mom will drop the change for that!" Alex couldn't help but touch the material of Lina's skirt. "Doesn't really feel different. I don't know what I expected though."

"Oh." He paused, "I have to go home and get ready though. I am sure she would laugh me away if I came to take her out in a T-shirt and jeans." The bright idea struck Alex. "Hey maybe you can tell me what you think looks good on me. Help me pick what to wear!" Alex recoiled in his mind. Did he just ask a girl he just tried making out with to pick his clothing out for him? Suddenly she was mommy laying clothes out for him?! Idiot!

"Uh you don't have to though it won't take me to long."

Lina thinks about it for a minute. "Sure, I've got some style to spare." She smiled at him, than sat up quickly. "Wait, you live with your mom, right? Do I get to meet your mom?" Lina was smiling from the teasing.

With most of the afternoon spent Lina found herself wisked away by the young man to a home tucked into the applachian foothills. In a wealthy suburb of Pittburgh. The home was large and well furnished but felt empty. Obviously built for a large family only Alex and his mother lived there.

For some reason when Alex showed his guest his bedroom it wasn't a suprise in the least. T2M posters, video game posters and the all to familiar crest of superman on the wall above his desk. The bed unmade and clothing laying here and there. Alex blushed tossing the clothes in a hamper. "Let me grab a quick shower. I will be right back."

The shower hissed to life as Alex stepped beneath it letting the hot water pour down over his body. "There is a bathroom down the hallway if you want to grab a shower yourself Lina!" Yelled as the multiple nozzles all came to life around him. "Help yourself to anything. I will be right out!"

The afternoon wasn't a waste. Lina wasn't going to budge. Ravenshire had her hook line and sinker while he prepped for his date with destiny. Alex ducked his head beneath the main faucet letting the steaming water caress his skull.

Lina lay on his bed after removing her shoes. She took in the room, noticing what Alex smelt like in his natural habitat. It smells.. nice? Lina wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It was apparent that he didn't clean it too often, but didn't quite care. Lina stood up and paced for a moment. She walked out of his room and down the hallway, finding the kitchen. It was a nice and spacious kitchen, but had much excess space. Lina wasn't sure if she'd like something like this.

After a moment, Lina found a post-it note on the table. It read "Matt called. 2:49 PM". Lina figured that she would worry about it later, but than saw a caller ID. She pressed a few buttons and found a call from that day at 2:49, with the name ADAMS S. Lina quickly memorized the number and bolted for the room. She found the Opod on his bed and started playing with it. She found a missed call at 2:48PM by Matt. Bam!

Lina picked up the house phone, and listened. It wasn't preoccupied, so Lina dialed the number. It rang. Ring. Ring. Between Lina speaking is an inaudible murmer from the phone.
...
"Hello, Matt. This is Lina Doritha."
...
"Lina Doritha? You've never heard of me? Well, I am calling fro.. "
...
"Yes! That Lina!"
...
"Well. I saw that you called, and he was hanging out with me so I figured I'd call and tell you why."
...
"Sorry, actually I think we are on our way to New York in a few minutes."
...
"Are you sure he'd be okay with it?"
...
"Alright I guess. See you in a few!"

Lina hung up the phone smiling. She cracked the door to the shower where Alex was. She peeked in, but once she found that he had an actual curtain and not a plane of glass, Lina decided to just say "Hi! I Matt called, he says he's on his way over!" Lina waited for a response.

The fact that Lina was in the bathroom caused him to jump thump and bang around inside the shower. "What?!" He said disbelieving. "No no! Tell him no! We have to go soon right."

Alex shut the shower off still with a head full of suds and reaching for a towel just at the edge of the curtain. "You talked to him!?" Oh god no, it was almost biblical how bad a disaster this was about to be. "Lina could you bring me my phone please I need to call him back."

Lina giggled as she heard him banging around. She sounded urgent, and wasn't sure why. Lina liked meeting new people.

After the shower stopped and Alex made his demands, Lina responded. "Fine! Alright. I'll call him, you worry about getting dry." She closed the door and hit redial on his house phone. It rang, and rang, and rang. A voicemail clicked on, and after listening to the mildly crude message, Lina said "Sorry, Matt. I guess I messed up, but Alex said that we didn't have time. If you get this message, don't come!"

She opened the bathroom door once more, and this time Alex was out of the shower. He had just wrapped the towel around his waist, but it all still looked great to Lina. She felt a little warm, but tried to not blush. "No answer, so I left a message." She held out his phone.

DOOMED.

That was the only word left to describe the situation. He wouldn't not come over now if Alex threw a car at him. "Well guess you are going to be meeting my best friend Matt." Alex tried to make the situation sound better but he didn't know how it could be.

"Let me dry off real quick and we can start discussing preparations for Summer." With the towel still wrapped around him he noticed Lina staring at him he quirked an eyebrow at her. "What?"

Lina giggled and pulled her head out of the doorway. I sure do love me some boys she caught herself thinking. Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. I sure do love me some Daniel. Like! Like me some Daniel. She looked back to the door, and thought for a second. She walked into the bathroom. "I decided I want to take a shower. Out now" She said to him, smiling and eyeing his naked upper torso. "Out!" She yelled, giggling a little as she turned on the faucet. "Don't make me get undressed in front of you."

"Oh no please.. Don't." He mock begged as he made his way past the pale beauty. "Wouldn't want to see the Lina naked might go blind."
He snorted as he grabbed a new towel from the closet next to the door and tossed it at her face.

Alex turned to head for the door then looked back with a grin. "You sure you don't need me to scrub your back?"

"It's depressing to think that all you want to touch is my back." She said slowly, than giggled. "Out!" She yelled, and he made his retreat.

She got the feeling that Matt was going to be a handful to deal with. Why doesn't he want me meeting Matt? Is he fat and ugly? Does he not want me meeting his other life? Either way, when he finds out that I am in Alex's shower, it'll make for good conversation. Lina undressed as she thought, keeping an eye on the door. When she entered the shower, she realized something. I've never seen anything like this in my entire life. Lina stepped in, and the shower was spraying her from most directions. Oh.. I've got to make Daniel get one of these..