Chapter 4: Kisses

Ezra broke the kiss with a sigh, licking his bottom lip like he could still taste her lip gloss.

He turned to the passing student, a tall girl with chrome braids, striding away with her nose darted upwards like she’d just sniffed a urinal.

"Love you too," Ezra sarcastically called out to her, deadpan.

Sage smirked, looking unbothered. "Ignore her. She’s probably still bitter that her last male caught the Fade and started chewing on the couch."

Ezra felt a chill down his spine at the mention of the fade. That condition that only infected the men in this world was scary to him, and it was more so when someone mentioned it.

Sage leaned in, voice lowering as her fingers trailed along his jaw. "Can we get back to what we were doing?" They kissed again.

When they finally pulled apart, she gave him a smirk. "You’re getting good, but you should use more tongue, rookie."

"Noted, Teach," Ezra grinned, his eyes dancing as Sage’s lips brushed his cheek, her lavender-ozone scent sparking a tingle.

"You’ll learn, lover," she teased, stealing another kiss, her lips lingering just long enough to make his pulse skip. She pulled back, hair spilling from her messy bun.

"Anyway, what took you?" she asked, "Class ended half an hour ago."

Ezra scratched his neck, a smirk hiding the truth, he’d been caught up in the classroom, flipping through that forbidden codex about guys being able to use magic, now in Tiffany hands. No way he’d spill that to Sage.

Girlfriend or not, he had to be careful who he trusted.

"Just studying, babe. Tests are coming up, and I’ve gotta play the good student."

Sage’s laugh was sharp as her eyes that saw through his lying eyes.

"Studying? You? That’s the worst cover since my intern blamed a lab explosion on ’ghosts."

She stepped closer, her slacks hugging her hips, her finger tracing his jacket’s collar. "Real talk? I bet Tiffany kept you late. She’s so into you, you know."

"Tiffany?" Ezra played dumb. His mind flashing to Professor Tiffany’s interaction with him earlier. And Sage was right, she was indeed into him.

Nothing strange with women in this world. It was either they were into him, or they hated him.

"Mhm," Sage purred, her touch lingering on his chest, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. "And I’m cool if you want to do her."

Ezra blinked. She really wouldn’t mind? His eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Really?"

Sage laughed, "Don’t worry, I’ll still love you dearly."

Ezra blinked. She said the word so casually. "That’s the second time you’ve said that this month. Are you trying to trick me into saying it back?"

"Obviously," she said, looping her arm through his. "I’m a certified manipulator. It comes with the job."

"Yeah, well, I’m just a glorified high schooler," he muttered as they started walking. "Remind me again why you’re into someone who still has homework?"

"Because I finished mine years ago," she said with a smirk. "And because I know you’re smarter than half the women in my lab pretending they’re geniuses because they got implants and inheritance."

Ezra glanced at her. "That sounds almost like a compliment."

"Oh, don’t get used to it. You’re still a hormonal little gremlin with main character syndrome."

"Guilty as charged," he said. "Also, you kissed me in public. On academy property. That’s gotta be some kind of felony."

"Relax. You’re legally an adult. Besides, everyone knows I’m the hot cougar dating the rebellious prodigy."

"Four years older isn’t cougar," he groaned.

"Totally is," she winked.

Ezra groaned. "Goddess Marea help me."

They passed another wall poster, this one featuring a chiseled male model warning students to avoid ’emotional outbursts.’ Sage laughed and muttered, "That’s gotta be you in five years."

"I hope not. That guy has a bad hairline."

Sage laughed, "Exactly."

They left the academy together. Minutes later, the city buzzed around them.

Ezra was settled into Sage’s float-cab, a sleek personal vehicle that hovered silently above the asphalt, its mag-lev coils glowing a soft blue. He usually loved these rides, the wind whipping through his hair, the world reduced to a blur outside the tinted windows.

"Hey, love, your tutor wants you to come over today," Sage said, glancing at her wrist pad.

Ezra sighed, running a hand through his dark hair.

He was a little annoyed that his guardian Ysmeine was making him take private lessons, all because he failed at some subject he didn’t even like?

Well maybe it wasn’t just one subject but a few? Still, the point was it didn’t matter.

"Tell Ryan, I won’t make it today." His tutor was a male, rare enough and actually pretty chill. They got along well. It was just... he wasn’t in the mood today.

Sage pinned Ezra with a sharp stare, her violet eyes glinting with disapproval. "You tanked most of your subjects, Zaeryn. You need this tutoring."

"What’s the point?" Ezra shot back, slumping in the float-cab’s seat, the city’s neon blur streaking past the tinted window. "It’s not like I’ll score a job. This whole system is a scam."

Sage’s lips curved into a sly smile, her platinum hair spilling from its messy bun. "Not a scam. We ran your aptitude scan, remember? You’re not like the other male’s Zaeryn You’re an outlier. That means doors open."

Ezra raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Outlier? So I get a gold star for being slightly less of a screw-up than the average guy?"

She leaned closer, nudging his knee with hers, her cropped silver lab coat brushing his thigh. "No, genius. Your neural response curve’s off the charts for a male. You outscored half my interns in high-pressure problem-solving. And they don’t sob during feedback."

"Low bar," Ezra muttered, scratching his neck, his eyes flicking to the glowing mag-lev coils beneath the cab.

"Maybe," Sage said, her voice dropping to that husky, teasing tone she wielded like a weapon. "But the system flagged you. Someone upstairs might notice.

Stop slacking, and you could land an internship. Maybe even work clearance."

Ezra stared out the window. Work clearance? That did nothing for him. Honestly it only discouraged him. He didn’t want to work, why would he want to work, and be stressed when he could just live his life peacefully?

"Yeah, or maybe—"

"Don’t," Sage cut in, her tone sharp but her lips twitching with amusement. She knew him well, and he was about to say something weird.

"Point is, you’re an anomaly, babe. Too smart for a male, and smarter than half the board-certified therapists in my lab, and they’ve got implants and inheritance."

"So I’m a genius?" He joked, earning an eye roll from Sage.

"Smart, not a genius. Don’t get cocky."

Right away, Sage nudged the float-cab to the curb, but then a blinding beam of light slammed into their side.

A black Vanguard Enforcement cruiser, all sharp angles and intimidating glow-panels, floated smoothly alongside them, its engine thrumming with steady electric buzz.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" A woman’s voice, smooth as polished obsidian, cut through the quiet.

Two officers hovered beside the cruiser, their navy dark blue uniforms molded to their bodies like a second skin, accentuating every curve with deliberate precision.

The one speaking was Officer Veyra, with ample curves and a knowing smirk playing on her full lips, her eyes sharp and assessing, raking over Ezra.

Her voluptuous figure strained against her uniform, the fabric clinging to her hips and chest in a way that screamed deliberate provocation.

Her partner, younger, with a cascade of dark curls tumbling over her shoulders, exuded a quieter allure. Her uniform hugged her lithe frame, hinting at subtle curves.

Sage’s hands rested nonchalantly on the float-cab’s controls. "Officers, is there a problem?"

Officer Veyra’s smile widened. "Actually, yes. There has been some weird activity at central high academy, And guess what?"

She tapped her wristpad, eyes locking with Ezra’s.

"All of it points to you, pretty boy."

Ezra blinked.

"Mind stepping out of the vehicle?"