by Sherry Soule
My eyes close and my face tips toward the sky. I’m wearing a shirt over a plaid mini-skirt and a ton of SPF. My pale skin is so not ready for the Reticuli binary suns.
I squint at Viola’s fair skin. “My dad said to keep sunblock handy because it wouldn’t take long for the Reticulan rays to melt your human skin right off the bone.”
“Gross!” Viola laughs, but slathers on another layer of sunscreen.
The rest of my family is inside the house unpacking while Viola and I laze outside. Our stomachs are full from the seafood dinner of broiled Cyclofish my dad cooked and we each have a frosty glass of taurian blue luminade to sip.
Viola adjusts the brim of her wide hat, covering her face from the suns. “He really likes you,” Viola says.
“Well, we’ve been going out for months. I’ve grown on him like a fungus.”
“Not Mr. Perfect, I meant Saxton Ridge.”
“What? That douche?”
“The same douche who saved your life and helped rescue your parents,” Viola says. “Must be nice having two guys in love with you.”
I roll my eyes. “Puh-lease. Two boys do not like me. I only have one guy liking me, and the other one is more like a frenemy.”
“Whatever.” Viola raises one red fingernail to point at the house. “You’re dad’s place is amazeballs.”
“Who knew he had this cool hideaway?” I say, taking a sip of my cold drink.
“I have no plans to return to Earth anytime soon.” Viola flicks a speck of white lint off her black sundress. “I may stay here forever and form my own underground Gothic culture.”
“What about graduation? College?”
“They must have something similar on Reticuli.” She tilts her face toward the blue sky with puffy white clouds. “I wonder if high school diplomas and college educations matter on this planet.”
“I’m sure they do since the Zetas are highly intelligent. When I get back, I’m going to have to deal with narrowing down which colleges I want to accept.”
It should’ve been on my mind all semester, if I hadn’t been so distracted by the blackmailer, my psycho stalker, the mutants hunting me, and my breakup with Hayden. Maybe I can get a good college admissions essay out of the whole nasty experience.
I flip onto my side. “I’ve got a secret.”
Viola tips back her head and sighs. “I have one to tell you, too. Go first.”
“Hayden asked me to marry him.”
“What?” Viola straightens and her hat goes askew. “When? What did you say? Do your parents know?”
“Yeah, they weren’t thrilled about it, and I didn’t give him an answer,” I say. “Your turn.”
She wiggles her eyebrows. “Zach and I have, um, decided to be exclusive.”
I snort. “So he’s your boyfriend.”
“Yup,” Viola says, “and we’re crazy in love.”
“He’s capable of the emotion?” Taking another sip of my luminade drink, with a tangy, sugary-sweet flavor. “Sorry. I’m being way harsh and unsupportive. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
She readjusts her hat and reclines on the chair with her ankles crossed. “Zach is sweet when he wants to be.”
I put my sweating glass on the glass table between us. “I’m sure there’s a side to Zach I don’t get to see. Now that I think about it, he has been nicer to me lately.”
“Sooo, you and Hayden mostly talk when you’re together? No crazy monkey love?”
“That would be a no,” I say with a laugh. “We did come close once. Until his mother walked in on us.”
“That sucks.” She giggles. “Talk about sensitive guy alert! No touchy-feely nakedness of any kind?”
“Nope. Only hot making out.”
“C’mon, we’re besties. You’re supposed to share the smut with me!”
“Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t want to have sex just to do it like I did once with that transfer student. I want my next time to be special, and while our doomed relationship is still on rocky ground, sex will only complicate things.”
“Ah, star-crossed lovers. Like almost every vampire love story.” Viola sighs. “Zach would look really good in a blood-red cape. You know how Dracula always brings out my inner-romantic.”
“TMI! I really don’t want to hear about your weird sexual fantasies.”
Laughing, Viola flips onto her side, propping herself up on one elbow. “Can you imagine if Zach’s parents found out about me? At least you’re not fully human.”
“It might not matter if I’m a shalinaya.” I close my eyes and breathe in the spicy Reticulan air. A girl could get used to this extraterrestrial paradise.
Flashes of indigo light flare around us, causing Viola and I to turn in our seats. The Lancaster brothers have teleported into the backyard.
“Hi,” Zach says with a wave.
“May we join you?” Hayden asks in a deep tone.
My toes curl at the sound of his voice. “Sure,” I say. “Have a seat.”
The guys pull over more lounge chairs, and Hayden settles into a seat next to mine. My breath catches at the sight of his utter perfection in a V-neck shirt and low-slung jeans. A-Mazing.
Viola finishes her luminade and places the glass on the ground. “Zach, did you miss me already?”
“You know it, babe.” He leans over to kiss her cheek.
“Sloane, you getting settled into your new home?” Hayden sits forward, leaning his thick forearms on his knees.
“Yup, and it feels like a dream,” I say. “I can’t believe I’m really here with you.”
Hayden places a hand on my knee. “Me either.”
“Do your parents know why I’m here?” Viola asks Zach.
“They just think you’re a guest of Sloane’s family,” Zach replies, relaxing with his legs hanging over either side of his chair.
“Do you plan on telling them about us on this vacay?” Viola asks.
Viola questioning Zach reminds me that things are still unsettled between Hayden and me, and his folks. Plus, Neela is here, with her crabby mother and Egghead brother.
Zach shrugs. “Eventually, but why ruin our time here with a fight?”
“Where’s Delta?” I ask to change the subject.
“She’s at home with my parents,” Hayden replies. “They’re spending some quality time together.”
Jonah walks out to the patio and sits across the pool from us. “Mom and Dad went out for the evening.”
“Where’d they go?” I ask.
Jonah frowns. “Something about meeting old friends of Dad’s and they’d be home late.” My brother pulls out a tattered copy of Death by Black Hole from his pocket to read, curling the front cover around the paperback.
“Hey, I have a wacky idea,” Viola says.
I groan. “Somehow those are never comforting words coming from you.”
“Let’s have a get-together while your parents are gone,” Viola says. “We can hang with the local teens.”
“You mean invite other Zetas?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Zach says. “I know some who’re always down to party.” He whips out a strange metal device resembling a cell phone and pushes buttons on the tiny keyboard.
“It’ll be fun. And I need a drink,” Hayden says, rising. “Sloane, do you want anything?”
“Um, yeah.” I follow him inside the house.
The high-ceiling living room of my dad’s Reticuli home is decorated in an eclectic style, mixing ultra-modern furniture with a Grecian flair. Long couches, pillows, and ottomans dot the space, arranged on a gleaming stone floor. Huge palm fronds are displayed in urns, and the overhead lights are already dimmed to an acceptable party level.
“Tour?” he asks.
I walk through the room. “Here’s the living room and over there is the kitchen slash dining area.”
“It has a great layout.”
I pause at an open door and gesture inside at the desk and bookshelves. “This is the office slash library.�
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“Nice and cozy.” Hayden points at the four doors down a hallway off the living room. “What’re those?”
“Oh, the bedrooms.”
“Ah. To sleep.” k'12
“Mmm, yes, that’s where the sleeping happens.”
“Large room?”
“Decent size. Not as cool as my attic bedroom.”
“Got windows?” he asks.
“Only two and face the beach, which is nice.”
“Your own bathroom?”
“Yup, with indoor plumbing and everything.”
“Bunkbeds?”
“Nope. A mattress that sits on the floor Japanese style and is surprisingly comfortable.”
“King size…?”
“More fit for a queen.”
He wiggles his eyebrows. “So do you want to…”
“Get a drink?” I walk through the house. “Yeah, I’m thirsty.”
“Just what I was gonna suggest.”
“Sure you were.” I laugh. “C’mon, the kitchen’s this way.”
All I can think about is crawling into the cushy bed in my room and passing out. Unfortunately, I don’t want to be the party-pooper. Viola has to play host to the first no-adults-allowed get-together. I’m not in the mood to meet a bunch of Zeta teens or throw a bash without consulting my parents, but who am I to ruin everyone’s good time because I’m burned out?
“Tonight will be fun.”
I sigh. “Guess we’re having an alien-get-to-know-you party.”
FIFTEEN
Tanisha appears in a blast of sapphire light, and squeals her hellos as she joins the others in the center of the house. No need for doorbells in Zeta world.
“Hey guys!” Tanisha waves. “I helped spread the word.”
“How many people did you invite?” I ask.
“Oh, about twenty or so,” Tanisha replies.
Someone knocks on the door. She opens it and several teens enter the house, a mixture of Meleah and Zetas. More teleport into the room, obviously they’ve been here before. Viola and I greet our guests, and I try not to worry about this turning into one of those movie ragers that destroys the entire house.
When Delta arrives, with eyes as black as a starless night, she gives me a stiff hug. “Thank you for invite.”
“Glad you could make it,” I say. “Your brothers are here somewhere.”
Delta tugs at the white collar of her blue dress. Her dark green hair is braided in pigtails like a child star from a 1950’s horror flick. Delta takes a seat in a corner, tucking her dress neatly beneath her.
While the Zeta teenagers look comparable in appearance, each with grayish skin and oval eyes, they’re also dressed in similar-looking garments. The male Zetas have no hair and wear jumpsuits, and the females each have short dark hairstyles and wear makeshift dresses. The kids comingle and no one notices or minds their obvious differences. No issues of race on this planet.
Hayden wanders over to me. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thanks.” I’ve changed into a black skater dress sporting a cute, white Peter Pan collar, with leggings to show off my love of stripy tights, and my blue Mondo Creepers. I look cute and stylish, ready to take on the world. Or at least meet the teen aliens on Reticuli. “What this party needs is some music.”
“Leave it to me.”
Hayden goes to a bulky device I thought was a TV and switches it on. Strange electronic beats flow from the speakers, and the heavy bass throbs throughout the room, the synth sounding like a chainsaw. Several kids bob their heads to the pulsating rhythm.
While Hayden chats with his fellow Meleah buddies, he glances in my direction every so often with a chin nod and a smile. Since he’s busy, I spend the first hour dancing with Viola, and Tanisha soon joins us, in the center of the room. We let loose, having fun. Pretending all my problems outside this house don’t exist. After two more songs, I need a break. Tanisha dances with a Zeta boy, and Viola goes to hang out with Zach.
Knowing Viola’s not going to let me disappear without an argument, I wait until she locks lips with Zach in a dark corner of the living room. Then I slink along the wall and out the patio doors, racing down the stone steps to the beach.
Since I’m starting to crash from the high of the day’s excitement—the natural beauty of Reticuli and the intergalactic space travel—I come down hard as if someone has emptied a vat of concrete over my head and let it harden. As exhaustion sets in because my body is used to Earth time, so do the negative thoughts. Although I’ve escaped Sector Thirteen, and I don’t have to worry about stinky alien residue anymore—now that I can teleport—and mutants aren’t hunting me, I have a whole new set of problems on this planet.
My biggest issues are if I’ll accept Hayden’s proposal and how to get his family to accept me. It simply isn’t fair. Hayden’s snobby parents don’t even know me, yet they’ve already passed judgment on our relationship. I deserve happiness with the boy I love, which means I have to discover a way to get on them on my good side—mainly his mother.
As these worries crowd my mind, I kick off my shoes, sinking my toes into the squashy sand. Taking a deep breath, I admire the immense, seemingly infinite ocean, the murmuring of the waves are like a gentle lullaby. The beauty of this paradise calms me, like a divine sign that everything’s going to be okay.
A blue and green spotted animal with a long tail—a cat?—struts across the sand.
“Party’s a bit insane, huh?”
I jump at the nearness of Hayden’s deep voice. “Insane?”
“A bunch of alien teens getting their drink on,” he explains. “Maybe weird is a better word.”
“I guess.” I turn to the ocean.
Hayden moves next to me. “Did I interrupt?”
“No. Why do you ask?”
“You looked deep in thought.” He gazes into my eyes and moves closer. “You look gorgeous with the moonlight in your violet hair.”
Blushing, I draw a circle in the sand with my toe. “The real beauty is this amazing place.”
“You’re handling space travel and a visit to a new planet extremely well for someone who’s never left the state of California.”
“It’s kinda exciting to explore new worlds. I just wish it was a locale where I didn’t need so much sunscreen.”
Hayden crosses his arms over his chest. “I consider it my duty to make sure you forget all your troubles and have fun while you’re here.”
“Oh? How, exactly, do you intend to do that?” I ask.
“Like this.”
In one swift motion, Hayden manages to sweep my legs out from under me and sets my butt onto the sand. He sits next to me and our legs touch.
He laces his fingers behind his head and gazes at the starry sky. “All right, now lean back and look up.”
I lie next to him, cuddling into his side with my head resting on his chest. He curls one strong arm around me, and a warm rush rolls through me. With so many twinkling stars there’s more light than darkness on Reticuli at night.
“Wow,” I say in awe. “It’s wicked cool.”
We snuggle in silence, and a sense of calm overcomes my body. I let the feeling wash over me and sink into my frazzled nerves. Staring at the remarkable Reticulan sky, I wish I could have a slice of normal in my life. The sounds of the party above us—the conversation, the laughter, the music—diminishes into the background like a distant buzz. Being in Hayden’s arms feels like I’m high on some romantic crack, and I’m desperately craving another fix.
I straighten, brushing sand off my arms. “Do you think after everything we’ve been through we’ll still get a happy ending?”
Hayden leans upright, but he doesn’t answer right away as if not trusting himself to speak for several moments. “Honestly? I do, Sloane,” he says at last. “Especially after all the craziness we’ve endured. I love you more each day because of your strength, humor, and bravery.”
“Hayden…I’ve been thinking about your proposal, and su
re, I want to get married someday, but not if it’s going to put a wedge between you and your family.” I kiss his cheek before continuing. “I’m not sure I could live with that, and I’m worried that eventually you’d end up hating me because you chose me over them.”
Twisting toward me, Hayden grips my upper-arms. “That would never happen. I promised we’d figure this out and we will.”
My sigh merges with his, and a rush of warmth floods my heart. “I just don’t think your parents will ever accept me.”
“Stop it!” He gives me a quick shake. “Things will work out.”
“You don’t know that for sure! Sometimes it feels like the entire universe is against us…and my parents’ think we’re too young to get married.”
“What we have is the real-deal, and I’m not ready to give up on that yet.” Hayden stares at the ocean. “If we didn’t get married, who would you wind up with?”
“Willy Wonka—duh. Dude’s got the lowdown on all the best goodies.”
He shakes his head. “You do love your sweets.”
We listen to the crashing surf and the balmy breeze rustling through the trees.
“Um, Hayden, have you spoken to Neela yet?”
“No, but I will. And once the engagement has been officially canceled, we can move forward with our plans.”
“You should talk to her soon. It’s the right thing to do,” I say. “It’s better than having her hear it from someone else.”
If only things were simpler. It sucks that someone is always getting hurt because of my relationship with Hayden. Mainly me.
SIXTEEN
When Hayden and I reenter my Reticuli home by the sea, almost everyone at the impromptu alien party is hooking up. Zach puts the moves on Viola, who’s sitting on his lap. Even the Zeta teens grind together to the music or hide in dark corners kissing.
“Where’s Neela Voorhees? Is she coming tonight?” I sit next to Viola and Zach on the sofa.
“Neela likes to make an entrance.” Tanisha stands on the other side of the couch, holding a glass with amber liquid. “I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” She goes into the kitchen and pours herself another glass.
“Are they drinking alcohol?” I ask.