Chpter 004

"Oh, Adam... You're so sweet." Lucy said as the infamous class clown of the seniors came over by his side. I quickly turned over to avoid gaping at the make-out scene.
The table next to theirs, the 2nd most famous couple came along, Rose & Danny sat by, talking calmly over something, I don't know.
Not like I was eavesdropping or anything.

"What are you staring at?" Grant asked as he plopped his tray across mine, blocking my view of the seniors.
"Them. The Miss-Match Twins. Two years ago, they must've been sitting here & being the new kids. Now look at them! They practically rule the school, or whatever." I said with a frustrated sigh.
"Don't mind her." Chaz said. "She's always obsessed over the Miss-Match Twins."
"Am not!"
"Yes, you are. You'd either gasp about Rose's sudden change of hairstyle - obviously done by Lucy - or shriek on how cool Lucy's latest outfit is."
"Stop it! You're making me sound like a cheerleader or something. I hate myself already." I said & hit him.

The thing is, I'm glad that Chaz doesn't mind Grant hanging around alot since I've to be his tour guide.

"So... What are you doing this noon?" Chaz asked slyly.
"Going at Hole-in-1. Remember? I signed up for the charity's golf event?" I said.
"Man... I hate golf! Well, too bad. I'm already busy anyway." he said with a smile.
"Mm..."








"Fore!" I yelled as I swung my golf club like a madwoman trying to swat a fly.
I opened my eye & fumed. The ball was still there!

Seriously. This'd drive you crazy too if you were one of the top spy in your agency - managing to kick villains' behinds & all - but cannot, it seems, to get a hole-in-one.

It seems that golfing is a sport where old folks get to laugh at us youths in our attempt to achieve this stupid sport.

"Hey... You want some help?" I heard a deep voice ask behind me.
I turned around with this big smile, so that he can give me pointers & hoping that he was a cute guy too.
My smile vanished.
'Oh. Just Grant.' I thought.

"Yea, that'd be nice." I said. "Hey, how many part-time jobs do you have?"
He gave me this mysterious smile & said, "Just a few."

Hah.

He took the golf club away from my grip - ignoring my protests - & said, "You have to swing it like this. See?"
I didn't see any difference. I did that too.

I snatched my golf club from his grip & swung just like I did the first time, & still the darn golf ball sat there!

"No... You didn't listen to me the first time."
He inched closer to me & enveloped his arms around mine.
"Like this..." he said in my ear softly.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" I said, louder than his tone.
I mean, would you like it if some guy just practically hugged you when you're already taken??

"You asked for my help, didn't you?" he said calmly, still not moving a muscle from his position.
"Yea, but not like this!" I couldn't help but to think that his arms were nice & warm.
"Only because you weren't listening. The more you protest, the more I'd have to stay like this."

That I heard. I quickly shut up & listened to him.

He guided my arms & gently swung it back & fro, back & fro.
'You know... This isn't so bad.' I thought to myself.
Back & fro... Back & fro...
Until I heard a crack!

He actually helped me into hitting the ball!
I looked at where the golf ball went. It went right into the hole!

"Thanks." I smiled to him.
"No prob." he said & smiled back. "... Would you like me to let go of you anytime soon now?"
I gaped at him - I didn't know whether to feel mad or embarassed.
So I picked both.

I stepped on his foot - he let go of me & started hopping on one foot while repeatedly saying, "Ow! Ow!"
I left off huffily.

Once a pompous ass, always a pompous ass.






"Hey, Chaz!" I said as I saw the noticeable scruffy, red hair amidst the crowd.
Usually he'd turn around & give me this warm smile, which would just make my heart flip.
But at that time, he just looked at me - like really look at me. For the first time - & turned around, heading into the school.

What was up with him? was all I could think of.





"Chaz! Chaz, Earth to Chaz?" I said when he came out of the Bio lab.
"What?" he said, a little too gruff.
"Geez... What's wrong?"
"Oh, you mean, asides the fact that you & some guy did PDA? Nothing." he said & walked past me.
He left me standing there in the hallway.




For the whole of that day, I didn't get to see either Chaz or Grant.
Some nerve that Grant had, though.
My boyfriend's mad at me only because he didn't know who hugged me - & that anonymous person was absent during that day.

But it was okay. Not having boys around gives you alot to think about, really.

That day, I realised that I should've been mad at Chaz.
I mean, he never asked me to be his girlfriend, come to think of it. He just admitted that he liked me & we started hanging around.
That's it.

So, technically... I wasn't taken? He had no right to be mad?
God, boys are so hard sometimes.




It had been 4 days since the Chief had contacted me. That was officially a new record!
Usually he'd be bugging me when I'm watching the latest Charmed episode or during swimming practise.
Now it seems that he'd finally left me alone.
That's good. All the men in my life (haha) has taken a break from it.
My life, I mean.

Who cares if they were, anyway? I mean, hello? I have a life of my own too!
They can't expect me to just hang around, right?
I have got to start hanging out with girls, instead of the opposite sex.

Chpter 003

You must be thinking that being a teen spy is cool & all.
Well, sure. I mean, I love the gadgets - e.g. the awesome iron-melting zit zapper, the exploding chewing gum.
& there's the part where I had to go through this combat training course, where you get to do flying kicks & learn how to punch people in the guts... Without breaking a nail.

Or you're wondering how I got this oppurtunity.
I was just trying to sign up for this Kim Possible be-a-spy contest two years ago. They asked me for the general information &... a not-so-general survey which asked questions like, "What was your grade average?" or "Have you ever been severely assaulted?"
& boom! The next day itself, they sent me a "CONGRADULATIONS!" letter of acceptance, & stating the time for training.

I was only 12, ok? How was I supposed to know that I had joined up into an organization for the world & be a super spy?

Anyway, as I climbed up the wall of the triplet towers of Malaxia to retrieve the bomb which one of my many villains had planted, I felt something vibrating in the pocket of my indigo leather suit.
I took out my phone & saw the Caller ID which read, "Chaz".

Carefully, I stayed in a comfortable & stable position - well, as comfortable & stable as you can be when you're hanging 60 feet up in the air, clinging onto a building - & answered the call.

"Yea, hello?"
"Hey, Kat! Just checking up on you. Where did you disappear to?"
"Oh, um. Well. Kinda long story. Sorry, I gotta go." I quickly hung up the phone & continued my climbing to the top of the tower.

I felt guilty hanging up on Chaz so quickly. It seems that I kept doing that to him.
I was just inches away from the bomb, which was ticking so loudly that I could still hear it, even if my ears were filled from the roaring of the wind.

Seriously. Climbing up on the 3rd tallest building in the world to retrieve a ticking bomb, which belonged to a mad scientist who's only achievement is to conquer the world is no easy thing to do.

I heard a mad cackling - the trademark laughter of Dr Crook.
"Give it up, girlie."
Huh. It seems that Leia isn't the only one with lame insults. "You're no match for Dr Cro- OW!"

I had no time to listen to the stupid villain-gloat thing. I was late for Biology!

I took the bomb & reset the time, swiftly missing Dr Crook's attempt to sucker-punch me, which wasn't quite fair since he was up there in a blimp while I was clinging onto a building.
"So you wanna play unfair, doc? Bring it on!" I said, tightening the leather gloves around my fists.

Putting the bomb in my bulletproof bagpack, I did a somersault & safely landed inside his blimp.
His bushy, wild white hair was moving around his head like a halo of an angel - though that phrase is not exactly suitable for a villain like him.
I managed to punch him in the gut & he went down.

Going 1, 2, 3...

The plane suddenly went flying to the right a little too much for my comfort. It swooped down & I realised that Dr Crook had disactivated the auto-pilot on his vehicle.

I ran to the control room & grabbed the steering wheel & brought the plane to a stable & steady pace.
"Phew. Too close." I said & wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.

A sleek, silver jet passed by & I heard the Chief's voice.
He was using that megaphone. I swear, he loves it or something.

"Good work, Agent. We'll have him in the locker for now. Go to HQ immediately."
I nodded & saluted him before following him back to the office.




"WHAT?! No way. I work alone." I said - no, screamed at the Chief.
How can he just sit there, looking so calm & collected as I threw the book at him? How can he tell me that I've been assigned to a new partner in my future missions?

I mean, I've seen this in movies. Those who work alone works better than those who gets stuck with lazy partners who does nothing but loll around with a can of beer - root or hard - in their hand.

"You have no choice in this matter. I know that you take pride in your works & your loyalty towards our organization is astounding. But we have noticed that the quality of your leadership is increasing by percentage. You are now officially one of our top agents in this place! So what better way than to have a better team? I assure you, your partner's a very nice lad. Why, he's ev-"
"I don't care!" I shrieked. "I started alone. Let me continue working alone."

"Why, look at the time. You're late for your Biology class. Carry on." he said & with that dismissal, I fumed my way to the girls' bathroom of Orlando High.









"What's with the long face?" Chaz asked me as he walked beside me.
"Nothing. It's just... A long day." I sighed.
"Don't worry. They say that there's always a reward for putting up for the world's longest day." he winked.
I laughed & playfully pushed him.

"Hey, I just want to make a quick stop at Moonbucks. You can go back, if you want." I said to Chaz.
Then, it was Chaz's turn to have the long face.
"But it isn't safe for a girl like you to just wan-"
"God, Chaz. You're my boyfriend. Not my father." I said & gave him a peck on the cheek again.

He smiled & said, "Okay. Just... Promise me you'd be safe."
"Yes, sir. Sir, yes sir!"


I pushed open the door of MoonBucks. It was just a few blocks away from my house.
The tingle of the bell. It was so soothing. I love MoonBucks.
& I know I already have a boyfriend, but there are way too many cute guys wandering here.

I mean, look at the guy behind the cashier! So hot...
There aren't many brunette guys in this neighbourhood. Seeing one is so rare, it'd just give me this tingle.
Look at the guy! Broad shoulders, tall, water-blue eyes...

Hey, waitasec. Why did he look so familiar?

I shruggged it off & went to the counter.
"Hey, can I have a Mocha Latte Expresso? With Whipped cream? Thanks." I said.
"No problem." He looked up & gave a glance at me.

Ohmygod, it's Grant!
What's he doing in Coffee Heaven? Pompous asses aren't allowed in soothing cafes. This is practically a sanctuary from obnoxious people.

The bad mood was getting to me. My smile vanished & I walked to a table for two, which was next to the window.
I took out my MacBook & started doing my research on cells for Biology.

"One expresso grande, ready." a deep voice said & I saw Grant with my Mocha Latte in his hand.
"Thank you." I said in a not-so-grateful way & snatched my Mocha Latte.
I don't want the dude to pass on his germs to mine.

Okay, that was a flashback from the 4th grade, when I was paranoid of cooties.

"No need to be so grabby. Why don't you let me make you another Latte? On the house? Or on me, anyway." Grant said with a wink as he swung the chair from the other table to my table.
Is he trying to flirt with me or something? Can't he see I'm with Chaz?
I rolled my eyes at the lame pick-up line he had just used.
"Do you use that line on all the girls you see?"
"Well, only to the special ones."
"Right. Because of my having to tip you a buck?"
"Maybe." he smiled & went off.







The jerk never came back with my latte. Not like I was waiting.
For more than 20 minutes.
I had already took off after that. The dude had bad vibes.

I slept in early so I came early to school. It was only 15 minutes past 8, so I decided to go to the library & study for a while.
Being a true geek that I am, I decided to go to a quiet corner so that I won't be disturbed by the noisy jocks or the like.
I could really use the study anyway. I mean, I've been skipping classes for missions too lo-




"Kath, wake up." I heard a deep voice & felt someone shaking my arm.
"Huh? What? Oh G-" I realised I fell asleep in the library! Talk about embarrassing.

"Good morning to you too, Sleeping Beauty." he smirked.
Ugh! That smirk. Being awoken from a guy with this smirk on his face isn't the most pleasant thing on Earth, in my opinion.
"Look, what are you doing here so early? I get it, you're a new kid but really. You're gonna be tagged a geek li-"
"Like you?"
My face turned red with embarrassment. Does this guy really have to do this now, so early in the morn?
"Yes, like me." I said huffily.
"To answer your first question. You forgot to take your latte. Just thought you might need it now." he said with a wink & left.

I stared blankly at the space he was sitting just half a minute ago & in his place was a cup of steaming, hot Mocha.
I reached out for the piping hot cup & smiled at the art. It read "Sorry" just like in Catwoman.

Damn him.

Chpter 002

At the time, I never had conversations with the opposite sex - except for Chaz, of course.
When I was in grade 2, my crush came over & asked if I wanted to borrow his crayons. I nodded & tried not to show my anxiety when I was just talking to him. One minute he was clean, the next he was just spewed on by me.

So I kinda avoided from having small talk with the male species.

But after that Maths class, I had no choice but to do exactly what I regretted doing - talking to Grant.
"So... You like it here?" I said, trying to sound casual, even though I was freaking out on having to show him where the guys' toilet is or the Bio & Physics lab.
That & because he was trailing behind me, his bag slung casually over his broad shoulders.

Ohmygod. I cannot believe I just thought of that.
"Brad shoulders". Ew. I'm with Chaz.
Chaz, the sweetest, cutest guy ever.
What would I want with a smirking, pompous ass like Grant?

"Hellooo? Earth to Kathleen?" I nearly jumped an inch from hearing that deep voice of his so close in my ear.
"Kat. Kath. Anything but Kathleen." I said as I tried to regain my calm composure.

Obviously, he noticed. He was smirking 50% more than usual (& neccessary).

"I said, your school ain't half as bad. There's actually a computer lab around here."
"Stop being so smug. Your school - wherever it is - cannot beat this school. Yes, we have a computer lab. & 2 libraries. & toilets, if you must know."
He gave me a grin & said, "Hmm... You've got humour. I like that."

I don't know why but I felt a tingle go up my spine when he said that last sentence.

What's wrong with me?! I've already got Chaz.
I've barely known him for half the day & already I'm thinking how good he looks in that green shirt.
Damn him.

"Where we going anyway?" Grant said, ignoring the fact that he stepped on my heel - for real.
"We have Physics Ed now. So, that's heading to the field. Oh, no wait. Guys have basketball. Girls have softball. You can head to the locker now. Buh-bye."
I gave him this so-called happy wave to him - like a mother dropping off her kid on his first day to school.
But he just stood there with that smirk on his face.

Really. I think his face is half-frozen to that expression or something.

"What are you looking so smug about?"
"I'm the new kid. I don't know a thing about Physics Ed. So, I guess I have to watch my tour-guide on how she does her stuff."

My jaw dropped - really. Like in those Donald Duck cartoons.
He wants to watch me play softball??
I can pitch as much as Chaz is going to wear a tutu!

Aw, what did I care? He's just a bloated-head guy.
I closed my mouth & opened it again to say something. But I couldn't because at that exact moment, a consistent sound of beeps were heard.

Everyone in the corridor took out their mobile - including me. I took out my pager & saw a message in caps:

"AGENT Z27. RETURN TO HQ IMMEDIATELY."

I rolled my eyes & gave another phony smile - like they do in those Colgate ads - to Grant.
"Well, I sorta gotta go. Why don't you, ah, watch Chaz with P Ed?"

Chaz looked at my direction & smiled. His smile vanished when he saw Grant standing next to me - a little too close for comfort, I just realised. But I didn't have time to panic on the whole distance between him & me right now.
I had better things to worry about.

"Grant, Chaz. Chaz, Grant." I introduced the two of them & they nod in acknowledgement.
Chaz threw me a mixture of confused & disturbed look. I shruggged & coughed, "Newbie".

Finally, he understood & said, "C'mon dude. We're late. See you, Kat."
I opened the door to the girls' bathroom until Chaz called out my name again.

"Kat! Kat! Wait!"
"Yea?" I smiled.
"Well... Um..." His face turned pink & said, "Well... I hope you like it."
He plucked the rose he gave me before & pinned it to my blouse.
"Thanks, Chaz." I smiled & gave him a kiss on his cheek.

His face turned even redder & waved me a goodbye before I went to the girls' room.

I took out my pager & paged "A Z27 reporting for duty".

After checking whether the coast was clear, I opened a hidden switch from one of the peach-coloured tiles & pushed the red button.
A cleverly hidden door slid open from one of the walls. I walked in & there was Chief, sitting at his desk, as always.

I casually walked in & sat down on the leather couch facing across the Chief's desk & said, "What's up, doc?"
"It seems that there's trouble arising in Malaxia. Dr Crook had planted another bomb in the triplet towers. A jet is awaiting for you as usual."

I sighed & said, "Doesn't that lunatic ever give up?"


... Welcome to my life.

Chpter 001

"Ow!"

I opened the paperball - the one which was flung dileberately at my head - & rolled my eyes at the rather pathetic insult scribbled on it (I really thought they could've done better than Did u use ur conditioner this mornin' or grabbed ur mom's laundry soap by accident?).

As soon as Mr Greg, our Geography teacher, faced the blackboard to write more notes, I turned around & gave a mock act of being punctured in the heart to Leia & her clones.
Hard to believe that two months ago, Leia was my best friend ever since grade one.
L&C (Leia & Clones) gave smirks of satisfaction with their vain attempt to destroy my self-ego or whatever it is they're trying to do.

"Excuse me, Miss Hally, but I do believe that the blackboard is the other way around." a voice said behind me.
I slowly turned around & felt my face turning red with dying embarrassment - the suicidal kind.

"Now, it seems that you have disobeyed a rule. What should you do?" Mr Greg said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Hanging my head, I stood up at the same pace as I did just now & had suddenly developed an interest in my nails - not very clean nails either, like L&C's.
I have this habit of biting them.
My nails, I mean.

The minute my punisher turned his back to me, I glared at Leia & her drones.
I honestly don't know how I could resist that huge urge of going over there & giving each one of them a big, fat punch.





"Woah. They did that?" Chaz said.
If you're wondering who's Chaz, he's my boyfriend - well, not officially but he is. He's also the reason why my ex-best friend hates my guts.
"Yes, they did. I had to stand there for 2 hours while Mr G was going on & on about how to read a compass." I said as I took out my anger by slamming my locker door - with unneccessary force.
"Well, at least you didn't have to go sing the National Anthem outside or something." Chaz said & gave a small smile.

He loves to tease me about singing. Chaz thinks I "sing like an angel".
Hah. Tell that to my chorus teacher who forgot my name.

"Don't worry. The next time they attack, I'll defend."
This time I gave him a big smile & gave a squeeze at his arm.

A (too) familiar voice snorted behind us & said, "Oh God. Is that what you two do? How gross. Ew. Like, get a room or something."
You must be wondering why Leia's so bitter at Chaz & I.
Remember when I said that Leia used to be my best friend two months ago?
Yeah, we stopped continuing that relationship after her crush - yup, Chaz - admitted that he secretly liked me.

I know you're thinking "so if the dude likes you, why's the girl mad at YOU instead of him?".
Unfortunately, I can't answer that because I'm not too sure myself.
But it could be most likely along the lines of "How could she do this to me?" when she saw me getting a little too friendly - her words - with Chaz.

Whatever.
Chaz isn't that bad too. He's totally nice & sweet & easy on the eyes too. He's no Quasimodo.
I mean, was Quasimodo tall & buff (buff from playing basketball with those people in the wheelchairs) & have auburn hair & green eyes with this totally cute smile?
No. No, he does not.


We walked into the canteen quietly & coolly, like we usually do. It's sort of a routine.
He carries my books, WITH his bag & mine, while I reward him by clinging on to his arm.
Oh wait... That's not helping, is it? Well, I'm not that heavy.

Chaz automatically headed to the table at the right side of the canteen & left our stuff there.
When we got in line, I took my usual chicken rice meal while he took his heavy steak lunch.

Like I said... It's sort of a routine.

When we sat down, I took out my bottle of water - yes, I'm hygenic - & drank a big gulp out of it. I put down my bottle & found this pink rose in my face.
"Oh, Chaz! That's so swee- ah, ah, ATCHOO!"
I sneezed & took out a piece of tissue from my bag.
Great, that killed the romance there.

My unofficial boyfriend gave me a rose - the symbol of LOVE - & I sneezed.
Is Shakespeare going to love that or what?

"Oh crap. I forgot your allergies with roses. I'm so sorry, Kat. Let me get you more tissue, okay? Wait right here..." He said & took off for tissue as if he went off for a cure of poison or something equally important.

Well, that's sweet of my boyfriend.
He gave me a rose & went to get tissue for my allergies.
What more could a girl want?






"Okay, class. One announcement! Today, we have a new student. Come, introduce yourself. Don't worry. We don't bite." Mrs Low, my Maths teacher, said.
A guy stepped forward from the shadows - I mean, for real. As if he was Darth Vader or something.
He was okay-looking. Stats? Spiky brown hair, blue eyes. & there was something... Confident about him.
Was it the way he was standing? The way he was calmly standing by the teacher, infront of the class which he's going to be in for the rest of this year? What?
"I'm Grant Fend. Honoured to be here."

I coughed out loud. Nice. This kid's got humour.
Mrs. Low glared at me & said in a voice which could chill you, "Is there something amusing, Ms Hally?"
I sunk in my chair lowly beneath Mrs Low's uncomfortable stare & shook my head.

Another person coughed & it seemed that the new kid was laughing.
Nice. I'm having the newbie to laugh at me.
I was smiling & waiting for Mrs. Low's yell at the guy, about how this is the first time & how he's off the hook for now.

But she left me disappointed. Instead of the awaited scream, Mrs Low said, "Oh dear. It seems that you have a cough. Well, you better take some medicine, now we don't want our new student to get a cold on their first day, now do we?"
He shook his head & took his seat behind me with a grin, which made me hold this urge to slap the smirk off of his face.




After class, someone cleared their throat behind me.
I turned around & saw Mrs Low sitting behind her desk, Mr Smirking Grant standing next to her.
At that moment, I had sense something called "trouble", him just smirking gives me the creeps.

"It seems, Ms Hally, that you had made your new classmate feel very uncomfortable. Didn't she, Mr Grant?" Mrs Low asked to him, sounding like she was asking a kindargartener whether he stole the other kid's peanut butter jelly sandwich instead of questioning a (guilty) 16 year-old whether I may have "hurt his feelings".

Right.

But he seemed like a mature dude. He'd never do something so childish like-

"Yes. Yes, she did, Mrs Low. I felt so embarassed at that awkward moment." he said & put his hand over his heart like I'd did to L&C.

Okay, scratch that mature comment. It seems that he too has not grown up.

The first thing that came in my head was, Why is it that that teacher can never sense sarcasm in the new kids? Why?

"You see, Ms Hally. Obviously you have hurt the poor boy. Now apologize to him."

Ugh. I forced a smile to Grant & said stiffly, "I'm. Sorry. Grant."

I turned around & headed to the door but Mrs Low wasn't satisfied enough.
"You' are not let off easily, Ms Hally. I am now going to make you the official, what was the term again? Tour guide of our school for Mr Grant here. Do make him comfortable. Carry on." she said & gave me a smile.

As soon as Grant & I left the room, he coughed & tried to hide a smile.
"It seems that you're stuck with me, kid."

& that was how Grant Fender entered my life.