Once An Alien

by Robin Martin

  I nearly laughed out loud at that. She was one to talk. An alien telling me I wasn’t normal. Go figure. And anyway, what did she care if I was there or not? Maybe she thought Rion wouldn’t come if I didn’t, especially after what happened last time. I got my books, then closed my locker. ‘I’ll see you round.’ I left her still leaning against the locker and looking puzzled.

  At lunch time I found that Pandora had asked just about everyone in our year level. I wondered how that little house she was living in would hold so many people.

  ‘Are you going?’ Lou asked as we left English class together and threaded our way through the crowded corridor.

  I shook my head. ‘Babysitting. You?’

  ‘Maybe. If Mike goes.’ Her cheeks turned pink.

  ‘So, like, you’re going together?’

  ‘Maybe.’ Lou gave a small smile.

  ‘You like him.’ It wasn’t a question. ‘You still haven’t told me about your date to the games arcade last week. How did you persuade your mum to let you go?’

  We exited the humanities block and were heading towards the spot where our group usually had lunch. Lou pulled me around the corner of the building where we couldn’t be seen by the others. ‘It was awesome,’ she said. ‘He’s so nice, and we had such a lot of fun. He taught me to play a few games as well. You know, I can understand why people are into gaming now. And he’s really smart, like a computer whizz.’

  I smiled and said, ‘Like the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs?’

  She laughed and said, ‘Yeah.’

  ‘But your mum? Does she like him?’

  ‘Well, that’s the weird thing. I thought I was going to have all sorts of trouble with her, and she did ask a lot of questions about him, but it turns out his Aunt Kwong is in Mum’s bridge club, so she was totally cool with me going out with Mike.’

  ‘Did she know you were going to a gaming arcade?’

  Lou gave me a look. ‘I’m not totally stupid, Zoe. I didn’t actually lie, but I left a few details out. I said we were going for a meal, and we did have a hamburger while we were out. Anyway, I’m hoping we can go to this party together. I’ll say we’re going out with friends, and that’s not a lie either.’ She said the last sentence defiantly, as if she expected me to argue with her or something. But I remembered I hadn’t been 100 percent honest about some parties I went to last year, so I was in no position to judge.

  I thought I might put in a word of caution. Lou was a total innocent about some things, and I really had no idea what Mike was like. ‘It’s a ‘party’, Lou. There will certainly be alcohol and other stuff too most likely, especially since Pandora’s throwing it. You might not like it.’

  ‘I’ve never been to a party, a real one I mean, and I want to see what it’s like. You don’t understand. It’s like I’ve been in this bubble of protection for years, and I’m ready to break out. I’m nearly seventeen years old, Zoe, and I haven’t done anything a ten-year-old hasn’t. I’m sick of it. I want to experience being a teenager before it’s too late. After all, we’re only sixteen once.’ Lou’s cheeks went pink, and her tone was determined. Weirdly, I’d heard a similar line just a short time ago from Pandora. Yet, she was as different as possible from Lou.

  ‘Have fun, then.’

  Lou smiled and gave me a hug. ‘You and Rion should come too. Let Mrs Stewart get someone else to babysit the boy genius.’

  Again, the same advice Pandora gave. What was wrong with me? Was I becoming a recluse or something that I’d rather babysit Emerson than go to a party?

  ‘Emerson’s cool, and Mrs Stewart pays well,’ was all I said. I hadn’t told Lou about Mum. I wanted to wait until we knew for sure.

  ‘Okay. Come on, let’s join the others,’ Lou said. ‘Wonder if Kerri will go?’

  I looked at her. ‘Are you serious?’

  Lou looked thoughtful and said, ‘Well, she has been more sociable lately, especially since she got that C minus in English.’

  ‘Maybe getting that C did her a favour and gave her more perspective on things,’ I said as we strolled over to the grassy spot where our friends were sitting. ‘But go to a party? No way? Earth’d have to stop in its orbit around the sun or something.’ Lou nodded in agreement.

  Rion looked up as we approached and gave me a wide smile. I never got tired of seeing that look in his eyes, which was just for me. For a second, or maybe two, it seemed like we were the only people in the universe. I sat down beside him, and he reached over to kiss my cheek. ‘Hey, how are you?’

  ‘What, since period 1?’ I said.

  He laughed and said, ‘Yeah.’

  Before I had a chance to answer, a voice cut through my thoughts.

  ‘Mind if I join you guys?’ I looked up and there was Mike standing next to Lou, who was looking all pink and pleased and just slightly embarrassed.

  ‘Sure, no worries, mate.’ Harry was the first to speak. He moved over to give Mike some room. Mike sat down, Lou on one side and Harry on the other.

  ‘We’re in physics class together, aren’t we?’ Rion said.

  Mike nodded, adding, ‘And IT.’

  ‘That’s right. You did that presentation last week on computer graphics. It was pretty cool.’ For the next few minutes, they were chatting like they’d known each other forever. It seemed like we might have another nerd in the group, so no worries about him fitting in. He and Lou didn’t talk much, but I knew it was a big step for him to come over and join us. There was only one reason for that—Lou.

  I looked over at Harry to see how he was taking it. I could never work out if he liked Lou as a friend or if there could be something more. I knew, of course, that he had a bit of a crush on Pandora, as did every other male in our school, it seemed. But I didn’t think anything serious was going to happen there, and I thought Harry knew it too. His face was a polite mask at the moment, not revealing anything at all. But that was Harry. Even if he felt things deeply, he didn’t say much. I knew that better than anyone.

  ‘So, who’s going to Pandora’s party?’ Lou asked brightly.

  ‘I might drop in for an hour or two,’ Harry said, way too casually. ‘And what about you, Lou?’

  She hesitated, and then Mike said, ‘Lou and I might go too, mightn’t we?’ He looked over at Lou who nodded shyly.

  I saw a look of disappointment in Harry’s hazel eyes that said more than words. So, maybe he did have feelings for Lou after all.

  ‘I’m not going. I’m babysitting,’ I said.

  Rion shook his head. ‘Me either. Not without you,’ he said, looking at me, and this time, I knew he meant it.

  ‘I’ve never been to a party before,’ Kerri said. ‘It might be interesting to observe the social interactions there. It might even help with my next English Lit assignment.’

  Every single person in our group looked at her in surprise. Even though Lou had mentioned the possibility, I never really believed it would happen. Maybe the earth had stopped in its orbit around the sun after all. Kerri Kennedy was going to a party, and I was going to babysit. Just one year ago, I would have said that was in the realm of impossible. Though, as I looked over at Rion, an alien over 4000 years old, and now my boyfriend, I realised stranger things had happened in the last twelve months.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Maybe you should go to Pandora’s party after all,’ I said as Rion and I walked home from school later that day.

  ‘What?’ He stopped midstep, turning to look at me. ‘That’s what caused the problem between us last time. And I don’t want to go without you. Besides, I don’t like those sorts of parties, and I don’t think you do either, at least not anymore.’

  He was right about that, though it had been at one of those parties that Rion had materialised into the most beautiful teenage boy I’d ever seen, and that was the beginning of everything that had happened between us.

  ‘It wasn’t because you went to a party without me, Rion. It was because you went without telling me. You lied to me. That’s w
hat hurt. You should have trusted me more. I would have said go.’

  Rion hung his head, his dark fringe hanging over his eyes. ‘I know, and I’ve regretted it ever since.’

  ‘It’s over and done with, but the reason you went is still there, isn’t it? Pandora. She’s wild and unpredictable. I don’t think she has any idea of the trouble she can get herself into. And I’m pretty sure she’s using some of her weird alien powers to get her own way. There’s no way Ms Butterfield would let her have a party unless Pandora mind controlled her or something. And that’s not right.’

  ‘You’re right. It’s only a matter of time before she does something disastrous. She has no idea about consequences, especially of her own actions.’

  ‘Isn’t there any way you could contact your own people to let them know what’s happening?’

  He stared up at the white clouds that dotted the blue sky. ‘I’ve tried, but when I made the choice to become human, my supervisor told me all contact with them would be severed. It was one of the conditions made. So, they can’t hear me, and I can’t hear them.’

  I realised yet again what a sacrifice Rion had made in his decision to become human, a decision made so he could be with me. I took his hand and gave it a squeeze. ‘I’m sorry, Rion.’

  He bent down and kissed me, his warm lips just resting on mine for a moment. ‘It’s okay. It was worth it. Come on. Let’s walk again.’

  As we headed home, I knew I had to bring it up again. ‘I still think you should go to Pandora’s party. What if she lets everyone know she is an alien, or worse still, that you were too?’

  ‘It’s something I worry about all the time.’

  ‘Then you should go. You can keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn’t cause any trouble. I don’t mind, really.’

  He looked at me, his face anxious. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yeah. Besides, you can fill me in on all the gossip afterwards—Lou and Mike, and Kerri. Who would have ever thought Kerri would go to a party like that?’

  ‘You know, there’s more to her than just an ultra-smart girl who studies all the time. But I think she’s just finding that out.’

  ‘That’s perceptive of you. Last year you didn’t always get normal stuff, especially when it came to people.’

  He gave his crooked smile. ‘I’m a fast learner, and I’ve had a good teacher.’

  I gave a small self-satisfied grin. ‘True that.’

  I rang the doorbell of the up-market townhouse in the ultra-trendy neighbourhood that Mrs Stewart and her son, Emerson, lived in. I heard what sounded like the scampering of paws down the hall inside, but I discounted it right away. Mrs Stewart would never let Emerson have a pet budgie, much less a dog. Pets were unhygienic and made too much mess she’d said.

  I was wrong. The door opened, and a brown and black bundle of fur threw itself at me. I dropped the bag I’d brought containing my school stuff and a couple of snacks for Emerson and me—Mrs Stewart didn’t believe in snacks either, but I’d learnt long ago to ignore that one.

  ‘Tiberius, get down.’ Her voice was a couple of octaves above normal, but the dog took no notice of her.

  ‘Hey, boy,’ I said, crouching down to give him a pat as he jumped and wiggled with joy, his tongue trying to reach my face and his tail wagging.

  ‘Come in, come in,’ said a harassed Mrs Stewart, brushing a strand of hair back from her face and closing the door behind us as Tiberius—who gives a dog a name like that?—followed me into the hall.

  A small, blond boy, the image of his mother, ran down the stairs towards us, his eyes bright and a smile on his face like a crescent moon. For once he looked like the six-year-old he actually was instead of a polite, intelligent robot.

  ‘Do you like my new dog? Isn’t he great!’

  ‘Emerson, don’t race down the stairs like that. You might trip and hurt yourself,’ his mother scolded.

  The dog left my side and skid across the polished floor to meet his small owner. Emerson bent down, and the dog put his paws on his shoulders, licking the little boy’s face.

  ‘No, no, no.’ Mrs Stewart rushed over to the pull the dog away. ‘Naughty dog. Don’t let him lick you. Have you any idea how many germs are on a canine’s tongue? I’m putting him in the garage for now.’

  She dragged the dog over to the doorway at the foot of the steps, which led into the garage. Opening the door, she pushed him inside and shut the door, leaning against it and looking as exhausted as if she’d just run a marathon. Her hair was unusually ruffled, and there was dog hair on her black dress. I had never, ever seen her look like this before. I really had to stop myself from laughing.

  ‘Oh, Mum, can’t he just stay inside for a little while so I can introduce him to Zoe?’

  Her lips thinned. ‘No, he’s staying there until your father comes to pick him up tomorrow. Why he let you have a dog in the first place, I’ll never understand. Now go upstairs and wash your face and hands thoroughly with the disinfectant handwash in the second bathroom. And perhaps you’d better change your shorts while you’re upstairs. You have dog hair all over them.’

  Emerson gave a heavy sigh and went back upstairs.

  ‘Come through, Zoe,’ Mrs Stewart said as she led the way down the hall into the immaculately tidy, but boring family room that adjoined the stainless-steel kitchen, which looked like a proper meal had never been made in it.

  ‘So, Emerson has a dog, cool,’ I said, more than a little curious as to how this had come about.

  Her face creased into a frown as she handed me the ‘schedule’ for Emerson’s evening. She had done this from the first disastrous time I’d looked after him, and I knew I was going to ignore it tonight like I always did. Anyone who knew Mrs Stewart would understand why. She was one of those alpha mums that thought every minute of every waking hour should be filled with ‘meaningful and educational’ activities. It was a wonder Emerson hadn’t had a nervous breakdown or something. And, while I didn’t usually ignore the parents whose kids I babysat, I figured I was saving Emerson’s sanity by throwing out the French grammar and bringing in the odd game of Snap or hide-and-seek. He loved it, and it was our secret, as were the snacks.

  ‘As I mentioned, the dog was purchased by Emerson’s father. Tiberius is only staying with us until Mr Stewart comes back from a business trip. Then it will go back to live with him.’ Her lips thinned in disapproval. Emerson’s parents had separated a few months ago, and I got the feeling that Mr Stewart was probably letting him do all the things his mum never let him do when he visited every second weekend.

  Mrs. Stewart smoothed her dress and picked off a brown hair, looking at it in disgust. She deposited it in the metal bin near the kitchen area, washed her hands, and then came back to me. ‘You won’t have to worry about Tiberius. I’ve fed him, and he has water.’

  ‘What if he needs to go out, you know, to do his business?’

  She wrinkled her nose in distaste. ‘Then I suppose you may take him to the back garden. There is a box of plastic bags in the laundry. But under no circumstances is Emerson to handle him any more tonight, especially when he has his pyjamas on. I’m going upstairs to freshen up. I’ll let you know when I’m leaving.’

  Ten minutes later, she said goodbye to us and left us with a whiff of expensive perfume and the sound of high heels clicking down the hallway. When we heard the front door close behind her, Emerson and I looked at each other and grinned like two kids who’d just been let out of school.

  ‘So, tell me about this new dog of yours,’ I said.

  ‘Isn’t he great! Dad bought him for me. He’s really smart and does nearly everything I tell him, or at least he will soon. He’s just a puppy.’

  ‘He’s cute,’ I said. ‘Does he stay here much?’

  ‘No, he’s only here because Dad had to go to Sydney on business. Mummy suggested the boarding kennel, but Dad told her that dogs can pick up diseases from other dogs in a kennel and bring them home. She didn’t want me exposed to germs, so
she said he could stay here.’

  I was beginning to have a new respect for how clever Emerson’s dad was, but I said nothing.

  ‘I only get to see him every second weekend when I go to Dad’s, but that’s okay. It’s better than not having a pet at all. And besides, Dad lets him sleep on my bed.’

  I wondered what Mrs S would say about that.

  ‘Let’s have a look at this schedule your mum left us,’ I said, waving the piece of paper in my hand. I had to at least pay lip service to it.

  ‘Aw, come on, Zoe, you know we don’t bother about that.’

  ‘We should probably look at it. You never know, there might be something fun on it.’

  He gave me a withering look that had all the scepticism of the forty-year-old that I sometimes suspected was inside him. Grabbing it, he gave it a glance.

  ‘Practise French conversation. Bonjour, au revoir, etc. Done. Do relaxing yoga poses. Here, hold this,’ he said, handing me back the sheet. He put his hands on the floor and stuck his small butt in the air. ‘Downward-facing dog,’ he said and then collapsed onto his knees, looking up at me with a slightly red face and a mischievous look in his blue eyes. ‘Done. There’s also stuff about reading an educational book. Dad gave me a book on dog care, so we can look at that. And then there’s listen to classical music, which I hate and gives me a headache, so we can skip that. Now, we can do the fun stuff.’

  ‘Such as?’ I tilted my head to one side, feeling that he had something in mind.

  ‘Play with Tiberius.’ He grinned at me.

  I shook my head. ‘Your mother gave me strict instructions that you weren’t to touch him. I can bend the rules a little, Emerson, but I can’t break them. That wouldn’t be right.’

  ‘Did you bring snacks, like you usually do?’

  ‘Yes, of course. Muesli bars and chips, but they are low fat.’

  ‘Well, that’s breaking the rules, ‘cause Mummy always says no snacks before bedtime.’

  ‘Yes, but that’s different.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘It’s different because…’