Free Chasing the Stars by Malorie Blackman Page A

For some reason Nathan was contemplating Mike, his emerald-green eyes stone cold, but the moment he realized I was watching him, his expression cleared and he began to chew the food in his mouth.
    Surprised, I regarded him.
    Why was he glaring at Mike? What was that about?



14
    Damn it! Vee had caught me glaring at Mike and Mike was smirking at me because he knew precisely why. I looked away from both of them and took another mouthful of Vee’s chilli.
    ‘Hey, this is good stuff!’
    And I wasn’t just saying that. It actually was really good. I don’t know why I was surprised but after experiencing the so-called food on the mining colony, the dried-out pack rations on the transport ship and the limited home-grown vegetables back on Barros 5, I suppose I’d been expecting more of the bland same.
    ‘Like I said, it’s my own recipe,’ Vee said, watching me avidly for some reason. ‘It doesn’t really make its presence felt until after the second or third mouthful.’ Huh? Hang on.
    What the . . .?
    My smile slowly faded. Ow! My eyes began to mist up. My entire mouth was suddenly on fire. I chewed quickly and swallowed what was left with a gulp. Mistake. If I hadn’t been trying to make a good impression, I would’ve spat it straight out. Vee’s chilli had crept up on me and was now kicking my butt.
    Son-of-a—
    Panting like an overheated dog, I let my tongue hang out of my mouth, desperately trying to cool it.
    ‘Ow! Dafuq?’ I gasped.
    ‘I did warn you that it was spicy.’ Vee stood up and headed for the utility dispenser. She ordered a glass of ice-cold cow’s milk and brought it back to me, by which time my eyes were no longer merely misted over, but tearing up.
    ‘Vee did say it wasn’t for beginners,’ Mike helpfully reminded me whilst I waited in agony for my tongue to spontaneously combust.
    Erica and Anjuli just rocked with laughter as tears streamed down my face.
    ‘Drink.’ Vee handed me the milk.
    I downed it so fast I don’t think the liquid made contact with any part of my mouth, just the back of my throat.
    ‘I’ll get you another,’ said Vee, ‘but this time, let it flow over your tongue where it’ll do some good.’
    I couldn’t speak. All I could do was nod vigorously, my tongue still hanging out of my mouth. Vee brought me another glass of milk which I glugged down in one gulp as well but this time I let it stream over my poor tongue as she had suggested. Instant relief. Thank God!
    ‘Better?’ Vee asked.
    I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. At least the tears had stopped streaming now. So much for making a good impression. Nothing excites a girl more than watching a guy make a damned fool of himself! If I could’ve found a way to slink out of the hydroponics bay never to return, I would’ve taken it.
    ‘That wasn’t chilli, that was lava,’ I coughed, handing the bowl back to Vee as she sat down. ‘You seriously eat that stuff?’
    Without saying a word, Vee put a full spoonful in her mouth and began to calmly chew like a boss. And I didn’t miss the gleam of satisfaction in her eyes. My wide-eyed disbelief morphed into grudging respect.
    With a grin, Vee took another mouthful, before licking the back of the spoon.
    ‘How are you doing that?’ I asked with genuine amazement.
    ‘A soupçon of charm, a modicum of wit and more than a splash of badassery. Superior skills!’ Vee told me. ‘Want some more?’
    ‘God, no! I mean, no thanks. It was . . . nice though.’
    Oh God!
    Vee raised an eyebrow. ‘Great acting skills there. Worthy of Robert De Niro, that was.’
    ‘Robert who?’ asked Erica.
    ‘Robert De Niro. He was a twentieth- and twenty-first century actor. He was in
The Godfather Part II
and
Taxi Driver
and
Meet the Parents
amongst others and won all kinds of acting awards,’ Vee replied.
    ‘How d’you know so much about him?’ said Erica.
    Vee smiled. ‘Films of the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries are my predilection. We have a huge