Alpha One - Chris Burton [52]
This was dangerous territory. Any more confrontations with the Partacians could bring into jeopardy his position as CIC. There is no disputing the pressure of high office, thought Koenig, then he smiled and told himself that he was CIC and he intended to stay CIC.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Carla’s Long Night
“Oh great, the climate control’s packed up again.” Steve grimaced. “Another hot night then.”
Carla invited him over for a meal and a quiet chat.
“Not for you tonight, Steve. You’ve got a Geometric appraisal on Tuesday and you need to be studying for it.”
“Why did you invite me round then?”
“Because we need to chat about you, graduation, and us.”
“That one again.”
“Yes, you have to improve your grades, and quick. If you fail this appraisal, you’ll be in trouble. All you are concerned with is the bloody Top Gun tournament.”
“It wasn’t ‘bloody’ when you were still in it. The Top Gun is important to me but so is graduation. I have been working on my Geos with Jake.”
“Jake says you failed to turn up last week at all.”
“Last week was the Top Gun so I took myself off it. I am back on. My appraisal will be fine. So, can we get back to us getting hot and sweaty tonight? With your CC on the blink, do you want to come to mine?”
“No. I said I wanted to talk about us as well tonight. Let’s eat first, and then we can talk.”
“For God’s sake Carla. We are supposed to be an item, but suddenly no sex? Are you getting it somewhere else?”
“What? How dare you! I wanted to suggest it might be best that we cool off for a while, given our studying and other commitments. I think you can leave.”
Carla felt angry. Steve was abrupt at the best of times, but his comment was uncalled for and typical of the arrogant pig she felt he became.
“Carla…we have been through this already. We need each other and we don’t need to cool off. Okay, perhaps the comment about you sleeping around was a bit unfair. Seriously, don’t you like sex?”
“Not with you.” Carla was exasperated.
Steve pulled back and then jumped straight in with both feet.
“I suggest you leave Steve. I am not in the mood for this conversation right now. Call me in a couple of weeks, but don’t bother calling unless it’s the old Steve who calls.”
He knew he was beaten. He stood up, sighed and headed towards the door. The door opened and he turned around “Shit, Carla. Can’t we just talk about this tomorrow? I don’t need this right now.”
“Go.” Carla was too cross to talk.
Steve, admitting defeat, left the apartment.
Carla sat for a long time pondering the argument. She tried to rationalize what went wrong with their relationship and kept coming back to the same thing. It wasn’t Steve. It was Jake. Enough is enough, she said to her herself. Tomorrow is another day. Steve and I are on a break, but Jake is with Maria. Let’s get down to studying.
Two hours later and after the fifth unanswered comm link from Steve, Carla finally gave up and settled for the inevitable. She opened a comm link and waited.
Jake answered, bleary eyed. “Hiya. How did your evening with Steve go?”
“Don’t ask. We are on a two week break.”
“Aghh. That’s really going to fuck him up, Carla.”
“It’s for his own good, and mine too. Where’s Maria?”
“She didn’t come over. She wanted to study.”
“So what have you been doing?”
“Just chilling.”
“Cool,” said Carla. “Do you want to come over?”
“It’s a bit late. Can we meet for breakfast in the morning?”
“Okay. Say seven a.m. at Arthur’s?”
Jake agreed and closed the comm link. Carla was disappointed. She had wanted to get her feelings about Jake out into the open; she would have to wait until tomorrow.
Carla slept badly, waking several times during the night. She had a lot on her mind, not just Jake and Steve but also her sister. She hadn’t any contact with her since they met in London. What Joely told her that evening still sent a chill through her body every time she thought of it; so much so that she buried the subject deep in her sub- conscious.