by Kara L. M.
I located my cutest black pajama shorts and I slid on my middle school t-shirt. I put on a bit of eye makeup but not enough for my mom to notice if she caught me. My stomach twirled as I waited for it to be 11:40. I was excited and nervous. What could he possibly tell me that would explain his non-human waterfall expedition or how he could clean my cuts like a surgeon or how he was impeccably good at making my entire body ignite.
It was time; I grabbed my phone and slid the back door open quietly. I tiptoed down the deck into the backyard and I walked into the darkness. Once I reached the side of my house I looked towards the road and I saw him against his car. It wasn’t fair that someone could be that genetically blessed. I was suddenly a bit embarrassed by my pajamas but not enough to turn back.
“Hey.” I smiled as I walked up. “I know I shouldn't say this but you really have the sexiest legs.” He purred. My heart beat fast. Even when we weren’t together he could find a way to make my heart race. “Thanks.” I smiled. “Get in, were going to my house to talk.” The short ride over Austin made casual conversation about me sneaking out. He asked if I did it often which I replied that I had a few times to run around the neighborhood with friends. He also gauged my feelings about tonight’s incident. He didn’t seem surprised to see that I was dealing with the trauma well. Suddenly it was time for me to ask the questions.
“Why did you get with that girl?” I asked hurt. “I came to see you after your fall, I had flowers. I knew you needed space but I couldn’t deal with the thought that I almost lost you and freaked you completely out in the process. I was ready to pour my heart out and tell you everything.” My stomach twirled at the thought of him driving up to my house. “But then I saw you with Zeke.” He spit his name like a bad word. “You were crying and hugging. The timing didn’t feel right. Were you crying out of fear or almost losing your life? All I knew is you looked happy and normal with Zeke, as you should be.” He said with pain in his voice. “I couldn’t bear seeing you in class so I ditched and went camping alone. I told myself that energy or no energy I couldn’t force you to be with me.”
I was in shock but that didn’t answer my question. “So this girl?” I said with too much jealousy in my voce. “Oh Lonnie, she was a temporary lapse of judgment. I needed to move on quick and trust me it didn't work. You crashed our date.” He laughed. I felt relieved to know he wasn’t into her; he was trying to forget me. But I couldn't help but wonder what he meant by lapse in judgment. “Well to answer your unspoken question, I was crying because Zeke had said we could be friends and I needed a bit of normal in my life.”
We pulled up to his house and he led me to the basement. I stared at the couch remembering our first make out session that was out of this world incredible. I shivered from the thought of us sharing our electricity back and forth. I hope he is going to explain the phenomenon tonight.
We went into his bedroom and I scanned the room hoping to find the answers I was seeking in plain sight. Maybe some super hero costume or hammer of Thor. But his room was quite normal that is until I noticed the pictures of famous places all over the world. There were photos of the Eiffel tower, Wall of China and Leaning Tower of Pisa lining his walls. In the corner was a super impressive computer station. He had four screens and keyboards on different levels. I also noticed a large bookshelf with loads of books, none of which I recognized. He led me to his bed and my heart skipped a beat.
“So this is it, I am going to reveal bits of me and we’ll see how you deal with it ok?” He asked with concern in his eyes. I nodded. “I am hyper intelligent, I soak up knowledge all around me and I can do it very quickly.” He responded. I wasn’t surprised his math test skills were phenomenal. “I can speak over ten languages, I love math and that has made me excellent with predicting the market, I code for fun and have made several websites that I run anonymously and this is probably boring you.” He smiled. “Wow that is really impressive for a sixteen year old, but how can you know so much this young?” I asked. “It’s not just that I can learn quickly but I have a capacity to analyze a situation or a person and know what's coming next.” Now I was confused. “Remember how I avoided falling down the waterfall?” I cringed at the memory. “It is easy for me to analyze how quickly my body was falling and how much time I had to grab each rock before my fingers or feet slipped. Once I knew how much time I had I knew how quickly to reach for the next ledge so I didn’t fall. I was never in any danger”. That made sense sort of. He filled out the rest of my math test as he spoke, and correcting earlier answers that I must have messed up.
“What about your ability to act as a doctor. as you fixed my ankle and cleaned my cuts, did you study that too?” He sat down and put his feet up on the desk. “Actually no, I am not interested in the medical field because it’s too easy, I can see an injury and see exactly how to fix it. No need to study the pathetic practices you guys use to slowly heal.” He sounded cocky. “You guys?” He realized he had let that slip. His smile faded and he looked at me seriously. “I am not sure you really want to know the rest. I have never told anyone the rest and honestly it may be best if you don’t know.” My body shivered. His coldness was a bit frightening and final. “Your intelligence is unbelievable, not human but I need to know. Why is there such a strong feeling of power between us? The very reason I can’t stop thinking about you or wanting to feel you.” I reached out and held his hands to show him I wasn’t afraid. The power radiated between our hands. He inhaled at the touch and I could see he was giving in.
“My mother wasn’t just a drug addict; she struggled from a real loss of energy.” He insinuated at our hand hold. “She was not human. She was from another planet and she volunteered to come to earth with 10,000 others like her when she was pregnant with me.” My mouth dropped as I heard another planet. “Aliens are real?” I said in disbelief. “Exactly, they came here to see if there were any resources worth saving, but after 96 years it was evident that man had ruined too much. When the ship returned many of the transplants didn’t want to return home. They had gotten used to the Earth and some even fell in love with humans. Since many of them ended up spreading out there energy grew smaller each day. They found ways to combat the craving by drinking. It helped for many years but others felt the loss of energy quicker and fell into alcoholism and died from accidents. Or others end up turning to harder drugs to numb the pain. In the end my Mom had done everything and lived longer than many of her friends she kept in touch with. She found a way to use her love for me and my Dad to keep her from indulging too much in drugs. Eventually she gave into painkillers and after several years of use one day it was too much and she overdosed.”
I tried to process the information that was hitting me so quickly. I realized I should be freaked out but I wasn’t. Instead my first reaction was to hug him. My arms reached around him and we both soaked up the sparks. “I had no idea.” I whispered. “I never expected you to, but as you can see, being alien gives me the same cravings.” “So why can I feel the power, did your Dad feel the power too with your Mom?” “No, in fact no humans feel the power which is why you're so special.” He grinned at me. I liked hearing I was special but I also realized there had to be a reason. “When we touch I am charged, all cravings are gone, and all I crave, think about and dream about is you.” He whispered in my ear. I shivered. “I feel the same way.” I said back softly. I started thinking that maybe this was the time to run out the room and inform the government that area 51 is really here and not in Nevada but staring into those perfect blue eyes I knew his heart was good and that I shouldn’t be afraid. The fact that this connection made him crave me was almost too much to handle but I wanted to know more.
“Our kind is meant to find one and only one soul mate. They connect through electric bond and they can feel each other’s feelings on a deeper level. It helps them stay alive for hundreds of years as well as acts as a defense mechanism.” My jaw dropped again. “You can live for hundreds of years?” I shook my head disbelieving. “Do
es that mean you will live for that long or only half as long without your soul mate?” I asked in shock. He laughed at my question. “Well you forgot, my Mother came to Earth pregnant with me 96 years ago. So I would say living a long time is part of my genetic makeup.”
“What the heck? That doesn’t make sense? Are you eternally 16 or something?” I asked disbelieving. “Let’s just say that by my calculations aliens’ age about 6 times slower than humans. Obviously that would cause issues with the school systems so my Mom waited until I was 15 to finish home schooling and let me attend school in 8th grade. My body is naturally strong and seems to regenerate itself quickly after injuries so I believe that sustains my youth. But without an energy source my life will end one way or another from my energy withdrawal or inevitable overdose. I started going crazy last year and treated my withdrawals with girls and smoking. I am not proud of failing math from missing so much class and I am not proud of my history with girls but its part of my struggle to fit in Earth with my emptiness.”
My heart broke at the sound of him laying out his doom on the table. He confessed his darkest secrets and his finality with how his life will end. “Austin, that won't be you. I won't let it.” I placed my hands on his face with pleading eyes and he pushed his forehead to mine. “I believe you're right, if I am with you it would be impossible for that to happen.” He brushed his lips across mine and I felt the shock. I couldn't take it anymore. I cared about him and now more than ever now that I knew his secret. He wasn’t human and that was complicated but we were meant to be together. I could save him. I would save him. I tugged his head to mine and we kissed. He laid me down on his bed and our lips battled back and forth with more power than ever before. My entire body felt on fire and I was ALIVE.
His warm hand touching my stomach under my shirt woke me up from the fog. I knew I had to stop kissing him or this would end up in a physical way that I couldn’t take back. I pulled away and sat on the bed. “Austin, you have no idea how good it feels to kiss you and be touched by you, but I still remain Liv, the girl who wants to wait. I hope you understand.” He smiled that devilish grin. “Well once you say you will be mine forever we won’t have to worry about that.” My heart jumped out of my chest at the word forever. But I knew he was right. Our connection is something that couldn’t be found from any other person on Earth. No one could make either of us feel the way we felt together. “I’m 15 so that may be a while.” I winked. “Now those intelligent powers you have tell me more as you drive me home!”
In the car he mentioned how he felt my fear and sadness the day I almost fell off the cliff. He said his own fears of losing me were magnified by my fears. He knew I was in danger before I fell because he felt it. That is why he was so close to save me. He told me that is how it worked when you electrically connected with someone. He felt that same power of fear earlier that night which is why he headed to the snow shack as fast as he could.
“Like I said, defense mechanism, it’s meant to protect you and keep you safe so I am connected to your feelings. So now you know why it was hard for me to see you after you met with Zeke.” “What do you mean? You feel more than just fear?” I asked. “Yes, I could feel your mixed feelings over Zeke and I didn’t know what to do. I stayed away the rest of the week so I wouldn’t flip out on him.” His eyes went cold. “The night at the movies, I felt your fear and found you walking from the movie. I wanted to console you but of course you would be mad at me for hiding out. But you have no idea how it destroyed me to feel your passion for Zeke in your kiss.” My eyes got wide and my face blushed from embarrassment. “How did you know?” I said weakly. “I told you, your feelings are mine at least for a time after we touch. The longer we were apart without touching the less I can sense you.”
That felt like an intrusion of privacy but I couldn’t help but love the idea that he must know how deeply I felt for him. “That is why I showed up to school the next day, I wasn't going to let goober boy steal you from me. I would find a way to win you back.” He reached for my hand and I rubbed my fingers over his palm. “There was never a competition.” I said. “I will never be human Liv, as long as you understand that I can’t be that or the good boy you may crave.” I shook my head. “I crave you, as long as you can be strong and good from now on that is all I ask.” I said fervently. He smiled. “I will try my best.” We reached my house and we kissed again. He walked me through the dark to the back door. “I want you to know my heart is yours, you will always own me even if you decide to leave me.” I started to interrupt “I won't leave.” But he stopped me with his fingers to my lips. “You don’t know what you're saying. You're a young girl and you may change your mind.” “You’re young too!” “Ah but mentally I’m a 100 years old.” He chuckled in the dark. “I love you Austin, all of you, forever.” I breathed into his face. One more passionate kiss and I unwillingly pulled myself out of the fog to enter my house.
Tomorrow I had to break the news to Zeke. Uh, I should have left him alone he is going to think I am bipolar. I hope I can keep him as a friend. He has been far too nice and understanding. The next day I let Austin know that I wouldn’t need a ride. I wasn’t sure if he was planning on it but I knew I needed some time to ease my Mom back into the idea of him being around. I also needed to fix things with Zeke.
I woke up early so I could write a letter to Zeke since I knew I would cry if I spoke to him in person. It isn’t fun being overly sensitive; even a lame commercial gets to me. I held my pen and put it to the paper.
“Dear Zeke, You have been so good to me. Thank you for being a great guy and even better friend. Austin and I have been in a weird spot since the accident and last night we figured it out. I wanted you to be the first to know that he and I are dating because I respect you so much. I hope you can understand that you didn’t do anything wrong. I am just weird and Austin is well weird too and I need to see where this goes. I hope we can stay friends. If you ever need someone to talk to please let me know. Love, Liv.”
I asked my Mom to drop me by Zeke’s house so I could slide the letter under his windshield. “A love letter?” She asked delighted. “Not exactly” I said. “Mom I need to talk to you about Austin.” She pursed her lips. “What about him?” “Well he and I are going to hang out again and I don’t want it to alarm you.” “I thought you were dating Zeke? He is such a nice guy and what could Austin possibly offer?” She asked annoyed. “Austin is much deeper than Zeke and he has been through a lot. He lost his Mom last year which is why his grades fell, he is actually brilliant and although he isn’t a goody good he is respectful.” I said. “Well just remember to be who you are Liv, no dangerous situations or late nights, understand?” “Yes Mom, thanks”. I hopped out of the car and straightened out my yellow skirt. It took some time walking up the portable steps in my pink heels but I felt the need to get “ready” this morning .Today I had a boyfriend. The look in his eyes when I walked through the classroom made it worth it.
Chapter 10: Birthday Surprise
Austin stood up and gave me a big hug. My battery inside soaked up the energy and I smiled from ear to ear. “You look gorgeous, that yellow skirt and pink heels.” “Wow” he mouthed as class started. He looked amazing too in his black button up and white shorts. I hated that we couldn’t cuddle during class. I just wanted his strong arms wrapped around me as much as possible. “Wow your back Austin and obviously you re-kindled.” Jake laughed at us. I couldn’t stop smiling.
During class Austin poked me with his pen. “I work tonight but we could work on homework at my house this afternoon?” He whispered. His dazzling blue eyes stared into mine. “Let me text my Mom.” I smiled.
The rest of class I spent imagining Austin being raised over the last 96 years. I needed to remember to ask him about what he had been doing for that long? So many details of his strange life had my thoughts in a whirlwind and yet whenever I would steal a glance at him my heart assured me that he was good.
Once class ended I received the Ok fr
om Mom to head with Austin. We held hands to his jeep where he opened my door. Before I climbed in he held my face in his big hands and kissed me. My heart almost exploded out of my chest. I was never going to get used to us kissing. Each time was this crazy lightning bolt to my heart. Once we finished our homework we cuddled on his bed and I stared at the pictures of the world posted everywhere.
“Why do you have so many pictures, they look like you took them.” But I shook my head knowing that didn’t make sense with how many there were.
“I did.” He smiled.
“What? You have been all over the world?” I was shocked.
“Well I have been around for many years.” He laughed.
“Of course, that reminds me what else have you been doing for all this time?”
“Well I have been to every country in the world more than once, charted the stars and planets and kissed a lot of hot babes.” He teased.
“Austin!” I yelled pushing him away from me.
“I am teasing; I didn’t even consider kissing girls until last year I swear. Besides all the kisses could never compare to the way you make me feel. One look and my heart stops, one touch and I am yours forever.”
He turned towards me and gave me a soft kiss. Butterflies filled my stomach. Thinking of being with Austin was easy and felt natural. We were meant to be together. I unwillingly let him get up and get ready for work.
“It’s too bad you couldn’t sneak away to Paris with me for your birthday.” He smiled.
“You have no idea how badly I want to go.” I beamed back.
“What should we do for your birthday? I was being serious.” He asked.