CH 9: Interesting or Cute?

                                    

                                          
            
                          
PHANA'S POV

                          
Beam, Kit and I are having dinner with some of our Medical Faculty friends from last year. We've gathered together to talk about our upcoming classes for this semester and the professors who'll teach them. Having an idea of what you'll face when you walk into the classrooms on that first day, is a big help. 
                          
After about two hours our other friends left, but we three lingered at the table discussing what we'd learned. Once we'd gone over everything a couple times and finally felt prepared, I speak up, "I think we're as ready as we can be for now. We got a lot of useful information tonight."
                          
Kit and Beam exchange a strange look then Beam asks cryptically, "Speaking of useful information, Ai'Pha, what's the going rate for highly desired pieces of intel?" Beam's smirk tells me he's been waiting for an opening all night to share something he knows. 
                          
His asking about a price is not good news for me, so I play it off. "Highly desired, huh? How highly? You don't have the best reputation for gathering good info Ai'Beam." I mock him with a smile.
                          
"Oh, I think you might want to know this, Ai'Pha." Kit chimes in, helping Beam out. "You've been talking about wanting intelligence on this person quite diligently for a few days now and today your friend over there was blessed to literally stumble across him. You know, if you'd gone shopping with us you might have gotten lucky instead."
                          
Ignoring Kit's jab, I focus on the rest of his words and realize they can only mean one thing. Jerking my eyes back to Beam's amused face and leaning my arms across the table, I ask, "You saw Yo today?" I'm trying to maintain my cool, so my friends don't tease me, but I know my excitement is leaking through.
                          
"Maybe..." Beam says to torment me. "Like I said it, depends on what you're willing to pay."
                          
Sighing in defeat and relaxing back into my chair, I respond, "Tell me what you want?" Whatever it is, I'm sure my allowance can cover it.
                          
He knows he has me as his eyes spark in calculation. "Oh, it's easy, don't stress so much. I'll trade you the info I found out for one favor to be called in at a future date with no right of refusal."
                          
Damn, that was specific. He really thought about this. Is his info worth it? Honestly does it really matter? He's one of my best friends, so I'd probably do whatever favor he's going to ask of me in the future anyway without this promise. It's not like I'm losing anything by agreeing.
                          
"Alright, I agree. What did you find out?"    
                          
"It's just a couple things, but they could be important to you. I saw him at the bookstore earlier and I was able to speak with him for a few minutes alone before his friends came and took him away." He pauses for a few seconds to think, "He likes manga and pink milk. He was shopping for One Piece issues when I found him, and his friends had that drink ready for him when he left the bookstore." He stops again. 
                          
"That better not be all, Asshole." I threaten.
                          
"No, that's not all." He says scornfully, "But this piece is just a guess." He pauses as he weighs his words, "I think he might be someone important."
                          
"Why?" Thinking back, he didn't seem to give off an 'I'm important' vibe. He was apologetic and sincere when he bumped into me, so why would Beam assume that?
                          
"Not because of anything he did. It's because of his friends. He was with five," he holds his hand up and wiggles his finger for effect, "of the guys from the dining hall video and they seemed pretty protective of him. One of them was saying something about how they were going to get in trouble if it was found out they left him alone to look around the bookstore. Soooo...."