I didn't see the connection between my writing and going to her house immediately, but I didn't argue. I was pretty much willing to be alone with her anyway.
We got into her car and drove off. Along the way, we chatted about nonsense things. I felt more open and less embarrassed about my dorkiness with her. During one of the conversations, it had transpired that Allecra didn't understand why I was obsessed with typewriters.
"A computer would be a lot easier and faster and less noisy," Allecra said. "If you misspell a word on a typewriter, there goes the entire page."
"You don't understand! The keyboards make a mousy tappy tap tappy tap sound... like knitting needles creating a pair of socks," I tried to explain her. "Everything you type on a typewriter sounds grand - the words forming in mini-explosions. It's just fascinating to me. Besides, you have to think about what you're going to write and you have to hit the keys with real purpose. The sound is soothing, like the lullaby of a subway train with beautiful black racing stripes down the sides. I just think I like the solid achievement of tapping words and witness their births on paper. It's like seeing magic happens."
But as I was saying that, I could see her perfect lips curved in some hidden joy.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing," she said. "I just like the way you talk."
I smiled back.
Then Allecra asked me about my ideal place to visit. When I told her it would be wonderful to sit in a hammock under a palm tree, sipping my drink from a pineapple with a mini parasol in it. Allecra wondered what on earth I wanted a parasol in my drink for.
"Unless you want to protect your drink from the rain!" she said and laughed.
"It's not like that!" I said, but I was laughing, too.
I guessed even though Allecra had seen the world and certainly knew a lot about many things, there was still some simple human natures she didn't have a clue about. But all these talks, unlike arguments, stimulated my brain cells and brought only binding acceptance for us both.
The car came to a crawl. We seemed to be in a traffic jam. We were behind a red trailer truck.
"Looks like we're stuck now," she said. The line of traffic stretched out long and slow.
Suddenly, Allecra groaned.
"Are you okay?" I asked in concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered a bit too quickly, but I noticed her hand went to her lower abdomen.
"Are you hurt or something?"
"Don't worry about it," she said. "It will go away."
But that uncomfortable scowl still etched on her face like she was secretly hurting. It made me uneasy, not only was it because I might have known the reason behind it but also because I was really worried about Allecra. She was probably under too much stress (yes, you know the kind!).
"Is it too difficult for you?" I asked.
"What?"
"To be like that?"
"Like what?" she asked again, glancing side way at me.
"I mean, do you have to suffer when you don't have...hmm...sex?"
"Well, it's uncomfortable like I said," she said a bit awkwardly. "It's the same like when girls have their period cramps."
I suddenly became curious about her anatomy again.
"Oh, so do you have periods, Allecra?"
"No, I don't," she said quickly, but I could see a tint of red on her face.
"Why not?" I said. "Aren't you half-girl, too?"
"Yeah, but it's more complicated, Nina," she said with some level of difficulty.
"Complicated how?"
She sighed.
"Well, I don't have periods because I...er...you know...helped myself," she said. A tint of red formed on her cheeks.
"Help yourself?"
"Oh gosh, Nina, please change the subject." She was blushing openly now.
"I don't quite understand the connection," I said again.
"You don't have to," she said.
"But I want to know," I insisted. "Please, Allecra!"
"Fine, but don't freak out," she said. "It's a complicated process. If I want to skip my...er...day of the month, I have to get it out of me—my fluid, I mean, otherwise I would have periods like any other girls."
"Oh my god!" I gasped, putting my hands over my gaping mouth. "I'm sorry, you told me not to freak out, but oh my god!"
Allecra shot me a pointed look through her sunglasses.
"If you don't wipe that look off your face, Nina, I swear I'm not telling you anything anymore," she said threateningly.
"No, no, please, I'm sorry," I said. "I mean... I wish I could avoid Mother Nature like that too! That's really cool."
"You think it's cool? You don't find it strange or anything?"
I shook my head back.
"I'm an inner weirdo," I said with a grin. "Strangeness fascinates me."
"So tell me, have you ever touched yourself?" Allecra turned to look at me. I could detect a smirk on her tightly pressed lips. Now the table had turned. I blinked hard.
"Well, that's my privacy," I said. Allecra looked flabbergasted.
"How dare you..." she said but had to groan again. She let a string of curses I didn't understand.
"What's wrong?" I asked again. "You don't look okay to me."
"It's nothing," she said, but she was breathing harder. I began to feel worried about her condition.
"Are you...hard...right now?"
"You mean the sole of my feet?"
"How could you joke at a time like this?" I said and slapped her thigh.
"Ow!"
I thought I did it lightly but the impact might have resonated through her body. I didn't know how intense that was.
"Sorry! Are you alright?" I turned to inspect her carefully.
"Uh-huh," she just said, but her face was tensed. She made a low sound in her throat again.
"You know, if it's too hard for you to resist, maybe...maybe I can help," I said faintly. Then I placed my hand on her knee. Allecra glanced down at it and back at my face.
Before she could protest, I unbuckled my seat belt and took her cheeks in my hands, taking her by surprise. I was aware that the windows were black-tinted, and no one could see us.
"Please, let me help you," I whispered. This time, it wasn't because of some mind-control by her sister. It was just my imminent craving for Allecra. Then my lips found hers, moist and soft and delicious.
"Nina...wait..." she couldn't seem to form a sentence between my lips.
"It's okay. You don't have to fight it," I said. My hand slowly snaked down to her belly. When I found the source of her warmth, I felt her body shuddered.
"Oh please, Nina stop!" she whimpered shakily. "You're gonna make me—oh geez—damn it!"
But I could feel her pants tighten under my touch. Oh my blessed, I can't believe this is really happening.
Allecra squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth. At the same time, she seemed powerless to stop me. It was a strange thrilling moment to see her like this.
I started moving my hand, stroking her down there gently, so gently that I could feel the bulge in her pants rising. I didn't know what it was at first, but the growing outline between her legs soon became obvious.
"Oh my," I gasped, and we froze at the same time. I looked down and realized her 'secret' rising. Allecra looked as shocked as I was. But suddenly, we heard a loud honk from behind. It made us jump. I withdrew my hand and hurried back into my seat. The traffic was moving again.
"Oh, damn it!" Allecra cursed and stepped on the accelerator. The Lambo roared and jerked forward.
My heart was pounding faster than the speeding car. From the corner of my eyes, I could see her face flushed crimson. Her jaw set tight. We didn't talk again until we arrived at her house. We got out together. I guessed she was probably mad at my sexual advances.
Allecra didn't say anything and just took me by the hand and led me straight to a built-in elevator. I hadn't noticed there was an elevator in her house. It was hidden behind a sliding wall like a secret passa
ge. Then Allecra pulled me by the hips into hers. One of her hands came around my waist while the other tilted my head to look at her.
"You!" she growled.
"I'm sorry," I whimpered.
Her eyes were luminous with desire. Then she buried her nose in my neck and collar bones. My eyes fluttered open and close from the intensity. But before anything could happen, Allecra pushed me away and bent over with her hands on her knees as if to catch a breath.
"For the love of the universe, Nina! I don't know what I should do with you."
I was leaning against the elevator wall. My pulse roared in my ears, trying to calm my riotous heart.
"You're alright?" I asked. "I'm sorry."
"You should be," Allecra said. "I knew what you were doing. I almost pulled over into some quiet lane and bury all my need in you right then and there."
"Oh god," I gulped. If I was religious, I would have crossed my chest for that.
"Yeah," she said, nodding, but after a moment, she started giggling. Then I watched her stand up straight again. She took several deep breaths like she was trying to find her equilibrium. There was a long quietness, except the buzzing of the elevator.
"Are you alright now?" I asked.
"I guess so," she said. "Only if you promise not to provoke me again."
"You mean, provoke that thing," I murmured under my breath.
"Huh?"
"Nothing! So what are we doing here?" I asked instead.
"Oh, I almost forgot," she said and then pressed the button on the panel. "I want to show you something."
We descended to what must be the basement. When the elevator door slid open again, my jaw dropped to the floor. This wasn't an ordinary basement. The first thing I saw was white-painted bookcases that stood proudly around a well-lit room. It was, in fact, a private library, which took up an entire floor. There were books on every shelf. It was impossible not to be excited at the sight of them. I felt like Belle from the Beauty and the Beast.
"You never told me you have a library!" I said as my feet ventured out on their own accord. I went and ran my hand over the book spines. "Allecra, this is so amazing!"
The whiteness of the spacious interior was beautifully lit. The craft fabric lamps hung stylishly from the ceiling. There was a sunken living area that hosted cozy sofa and a wooden coffee table, standing on a white wool rug.
Allecra looked at my animated face and smiled. She seemed to relax again. When we entered the place, she went and sat down on the sofa with her long legs crossed. Her arms spread out on either side in a relaxing posture, but her eyes never left me.
"You like it?" she said.
"Yes," I said. "You built this?"
"Triton and I did. He's a bibliophile," Allecra told me. "Just so you know we're not just some petrol-heads."
"Right, at least you own more books than cars," I said, beaming while drifting around the room. "Have you read all of these?"
"While we were traveling around the world, looking for my potential one, Triton made me read books so that I would learn more about people on this planet," she said and shrugged coolly.
"That's a smart way to understanding humanity," I said with an approval nod.
"You like reading then?"
"What kind of a writer that doesn't like reading?" I said. "I do read quite a lot if I do say so myself."
"Oh really?" Allecra said in a challenging tone. "Have you read Wuthering Heights?"
"No," I said.
"How about Jane Eyre?"
"No."
"Pride and Prejudice?"
"No, but..."
"Gone with the Wind? Hamlet?"
"No and no," I said and started to feel humiliated and irritated as if Allecra had caught me in a lie.
"How come you become a writer if you haven't read those books?"
"I don't read classics, okay? Not in English," I retorted. "Besides, we have our own legendary writers."
"I see," Allecra said. "But you must read widely. Looks like you would have to be here with me more often."
"You think?"
"Yeah, we can form a book club, just you and me, right here on this couch," she said, pointing to the couch and us. I had to admit, this was a brilliant idea, but the way she suggested it sounded so perverted to me. I scowled back at her. I had always dreamed of finding someone whom I could just do things like this with — things like cooking together, reading books together, owning a pet together, or maybe, even having children together.
Oh geez, no no no, my maternal instinct is trying to kick in. You don't want children, Nina, cross that out!
I swept the thought to the corner of my mind before Allecra noticed my inward conflict.
The most interesting part about Allecra's library was how the books were arranged. It was not in alphabetical order but by their colors. It was probably the most alien idea I had ever seen. She also had various decorative objects displaying on the shelves, mostly some expensive toy cars. How could she chastise me for being obsessed with old fashioned typewriters?
Allecra turned on music on the home theater system. A soft heavenly violin song floated into the air like caressing breeze. It was so gentle and melodious that I stopped what I was doing and turned to look at her. Allecra caught me looking and smiled.
"Do you mind?" she asked.
"No, it's beautiful," I said.
"It's one of my favorite songs," Allecra told me.
"Who's the violinist?"
Allecra was silent for a time and I just understood. I might be the most detached girl to other people, but I picked up something subtle like this very quickly. I walked back from the bookshelf.
"It's one of your potentials, isn't it? What's her name? Eva?" I asked. Allecra nodded. I didn't know why my chest felt a little tight when I knew Allecra still had a place in her heart for one of her ex.
"Sorry, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, I'll turn it off," she said.
"No, that's okay," I said. She glanced over at my face and gave me an apologetic look. She walked over to me and her hands reached for my hips. As Allecra drew me closer to her, I looked away from her turquoise eyes without a reason.
"You need to know some people are magic, and others are just the illusion of it," she said.
"How could you be so sure I'm not one of the illusions?" I said.
"I fell in love with the way time seems to exist everywhere but between us, as if the clocks hold their breath when we kiss. That is magic," she said in a voice that was barely a whisper. "I keep getting lost in your smile and I hope I never find my way out. That is magic. And every touch you give me, every kiss, Nina, I hope it's as magical to you as it is to me."
I bit my lips from smiling but my heart was crying tears of joy. Allecra smiled at the funny look on my face, but at that moment, her bright eyes narrowed to my mouth.
"You need help biting those lips?" she asked in a low husky voice that always made me tremble inside. All of a sudden, I found it hard to breathe. A stir of heat went through my body.
"Yes," I whispered back. Allecra's turquoise eyes darkened. She wasted no time and just lunged at me.
Before I knew it, her mouth was hot on mine. She brought her hand to my neck as I felt her sleek long tongue slipped through my lips, filling my mouth. Her other hand snaked around my waist and pulled me into her. I moaned into our insatiable kiss, but I realized, as usual, she was angling her lower half away from touching me. I was annoyed at how careful she was. With a daring impulse, I pressed myself into hers and pushed us onto the couch with me on top.
Our tongues were still twisting around each other, but I sensed Allecra began to squirm as I wedged myself in between her legs. Part of me wanted to push our limits and see how far we could go.
I began to grind into her.
"Nina! Not like that," Allecra moaned. Her voice was raw with impending desire, and I marveled at her desperation. Her hands had found their way into my hair, but then she began to pull away from my mouth soundly.
>
"We need to stop," she said with heavy panting. "I don't think I could stand it any longer if we keep this up."
Then she shifted herself around uncomfortably. With a strained look on her face, I realized we both blushed scarlet.
"You know, Allecra," I said. "I think if it's so hard on you, maybe...maybe we don't have to wait."
"Of course, I will wait," she protested. And we went silent for a moment.
"Tell you the truth, I already saw it," I said.
"Saw what?"
"Xenon showed me your...er...’secret’...in my dream," I murmured. “I know what it would look like, or so I think."
Allecra's eyes widened.
"She still enters your subconscious mind?" she said and let out a frustrated growl. "I really have to talk to her about that."
"No, Allecra, you don't have to," I said. "I think she's no longer able to do that to me again."
She looked at me for a long moment.
"What do you mean?"
"I fought it."
"You fought it," she repeated. I smiled with a nod.
"I just want you to know that I'm not easily frightened by what you are anymore. Xenon might have tried to manipulate my mind, but after all, she was only speeding up the progression of my feelings. Now, I just wish I could be one with you."
"But I'm a masochist and have to keep us waiting for a while," she said. "I like the taste of this sweet anticipation."
"It's just a matter of time, right?" I asked.
"Not today, but soon, I promise," she said. "Now come here and sleep on my chest so I can whisper into your ear how happy you make me feel."
CHAPTER 27
Life was good after all, or at least as good as it could get while co-existing with someone from another planet. The three days before my birthday, I found that spending time with Allecra after school was a matter of self-disciplines coupling with a great deal of concentration. The amount of sexual tension between us was still insane. Some of the times we had to find something to distract ourselves from each other.
As in the case of today, Allecra decided to cook some special dishes she'd learned on her own. Even though she had just picked up the skill, it seemed she excelled at it already. In fact, she could do just about anything, but she usually didn't. She called this being 'laid-back'.
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