20 Closer

The day was over and Luna had to go home as Lulu, but it was pelting with rain.

She activated her technobrella but it's battery was dead.

Ugh.

A technobrella was a small, cylindrical device which had one button. When pushed, the device stretched to about two feet in length and poles come out of the shaft then a clear or coloured material appeared between the poles making a waterproof shield. It took five seconds to assemble.

She was walking through the rain and saw a taxi stand across the street.

A taxi stand is a small shed with a person in it. One tells the person their destination and the person enters it into the computer. The computer calculates all the possible routes to the venue within a fraction of a second and picks the best four. The most scenic route, the fastest route, the route with the least traffic or the route passing by a specific place or places each with different prices. After one is selected a coloured material appears around the passenger with a seat and sends the person to their destination.

A car splashed through a huge puddle and Luna braced for impact but no liquid touched her. She opened one eye and saw an black open technobrella. She looked left and saw...the guard.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes… how did you find me?"

"I saw you leave without a technobrella so followed you to give you mine then this happened."

"Thanks."

"Do you need a ride?"

She looked at the taxi stand then back at him and nodded.

In his car she realized he could drive. Most people couldn't drive since most cars were self driving.

"You can drive?"

"Yes, I was taught by my parents and prefer to drive myself."

She nodded.

"Ugh forgot."

"What?"

"I need to take my niece from school."

"Don't worry I don't mind."

"Thank you."

He took a detour and went to a 3rd class school.

Schools have been graded into classes determined by their syllabus, fees, structure and extracurricular activities. The highest being 1st class and the lowest being 5th class which are free since the government pays the fees for the parents.

He went in and in a few seconds, brought out an adorable girl with dirty blond hair and brown eyes. She seemed thirteen and expectant, like she wanted to ask him something.

He drove her home but no one was around.

She immediately ran up the gliding stairs when she got in.

Gliding stairs were a cheap type of staircase where tiles on the floor float up to your feet to give you support. They could also be set to slide mode where they slant to reduce friction.

"She's in a hurry.", The guard said.

"She wants to do her homework so you'll say yes to something."

"How do you know?"

"I can read people."

"...and I can't cook."

"What?"

"I have no idea how to use a knife."

"But you're an expert in the sword."

"Swords and knives are totally different things."

"Then I'll cook."

"Really?"

"Yes, no biggie."

"Thanks."

"... anytime."

The guard was shocked when she picked up the graphene knife. The speed at which she chopped the herbs and how she cracked the eggs and everything.

He widened his eyes. Now it was her turn to laugh.

She began teaching him how to use the knife, how to hold it, where to chop with and more.

When she left him to do it on his own he cut himself.

"Oh no.", He said.

"Don't worry, it happens. It's not a big deal."

"It actually is, let me get a bandage."

"No, I know a better way."

She grabbed some herbs and spices and mashed them with honey then applied them to the wound.

"Apply this twice a day everyday till it heals."

He nodded.

She switched on the stove then he yelled and hid behind the door.

"What are you doing?", Luna asked.

"I have pyrophobia."

"Fear of fire, why? You're a Royal angel, they fight fires all the time."

"Not me, I'm just guarding the prince."

She chuckled and continued.

The food was very aromatic and the girl couldn't stop taking whiffs.

At the dinner table…

"Is she your girlfriend?"

The two of them laughed.

"No.", The guard said.

" What's your name?"

"I'm Lun...lu, Luisa Luther, but my friends call me Lulu."

"Well I'm Ladonna and this is my uncle Alister."

"Nice to meet you Ladonna."

"So, how did you two lovebirds meet?", Ladonna said.

In the shadows there was a frown on a person's face.

"We aren't lovebirds…", Alister said while drinking some soup.

"It doesn't matter.", Luna said.

"Yes, what matters is what you wanted to tell me,'' he said.

"How did you.. wait nevermind. I've done my homework, my chores and eaten my food and it's delicious, but a classmate is throwing a party and I was wondering if I could go."

"Absolutely…", Alister began.

"...yes.", Luna ended.

"What?!", Both Alister and Ladonna said.

"Yes, you may go."

"Thank you Lulu! I like you already.", She said while leaving the room.

"What?!", Alister said.

"Don't worry she'll be fine. Besides, how would you feel if your parents didn't allow you to go somewhere you wanted to go to?"

He slapped his forehead then said," Fine."

He took a coat and took Lulu to a house.

"Thanks for the ride."

"Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off at your own house?"

"Yes, I can walk from here."

He drove off.

About a kilometer away a tire burst and his car skidded off the wet road. He safety rolled out and it crashed into a tree.

He walked closer and saw a dagger with an unknown inscription on it.

Sabotage…

He saw some peering eyes from the shadows, then they disappeared.