"Yes sir!" I yelled back and took off into a slow run. I heard Meagan and Karlie slowly run behind me. I wasn't really mad at them. I was mad at myself, disappointed. I kept myself busy, so I wouldn't have to lie so much to their faces, but instead I found myself hurting everyone. It didn't matter, though. They could never know the truth. And then, there was Kyle. I was hurting him the most by lying to him and keeping him distant.
I dropped my backpack against the wall as I walked through the door. Aaronmon had brought me home after taekwondo. I didn’t feel comfortable around Kyle anymore.
"Please say we’re eating something from Earth. My stomach is not in the mood for foreign stuff right now," I called out.
"I actually just thought about ordering pizza." Aunt Trish appeared from the arch to the kitchen.
"That's a first," I said with a slight smile.
"I have started to run out of the Emréian food Aaronmon brought. I want to save some of it. But I’ll have some more when your mother arrives. Once she gets here, all we will be eating is Emréian food, because her stomach won't be used to Earth foods."
"I guess she’ll be arriving in a few days," I said slowly, realizing my time was nearly up here on Earth. "How long will we be staying on Earth from then?"
"According to Aaronmon, she will be staying for your graduation. Then we will leave. He talked to her and the council about how, on earth, the graduation is a representation of success and coming of age. He thought it would be nice if you got to be a part of something you grew up believing in."
"Really?" I asked surprised.
"Yeah." She smiled.
"That helps a little." I took in a breath and threw myself onto the couch.
"Is something bothering you?" Aunt Trish walked over and sat on the arm rest.
"I'm finally starting to get used to the idea of not being human, but I can't help feeling bad whenever I have to lie to my friends. I can't even lean on Kyle when I need him the most because he doesn't know. Then my friends think I'm spending too much time with Aaron and blame me for the distance I’ve been having with Kyle."
Aunt Trish grew silent for a few minutes. I resisted trying to read her feelings. Finally, Aunt Trish sighed.
"I know you are feeling conflicted. I wish I could help, but there isn't much I can do. Keeping your identity secret isn't just for your safety, but also for Kyle's. If he knew, he would be in a lot of danger."
"I know." I looked down at my hands.
Then Aunt Trish stood and walked to the coffee table across from the couch. She sat, facing me. Although I was trying to resist any of her emotions, I became curious when I felt sadness.
"Carson, I didn't want to tell you this now, but I think it would be safer if we didn't waste any time."
"Any time on what?" I asked, straightening my posture.
"It would be best if you cut off your ties with Kyle."
"What?" I stood up quickly. Trish followed and placed her hands on my shoulders.
"If the Bremoir ever did find out who you are, and they knew about him, they would use him to get to you. Just by being with him, you are putting him in danger."
"I would have to break his heart," I said angrily.
"It's necessary," she whispered.
I knew she was right, but that didn't keep my heart from pounding any less harder, or stop my eyes from stinging with tears.
"I know." I blinked trying to relieve the burn. "I’m going to have to leave the planet anyways. I might as well not prolong the inevitable."
"Carson, I'm sorry." She shook her head.
"Don't be. It can't be helped," I said.
After pizza, I found myself outside sitting on the tree stump facing the forest. I looked up into the night sky, guessing which star would be home. Of course, I wasn't alone. Philocalundra and a few others were close by.
"What are you doing out here?" I heard Aaronmon ask from behind me.
"Which star is Volva?"
I felt Aaronmon's shoulder brush mine as he sat beside me. I looked up to his face. His eyes shined under the full moon. He looked towards the sky, gazing for just a few seconds.
"That one," he said pointing into the night sky.
I looked up into the area he indicated.
"Which one?" I asked.
"See the constellation Earth calls Gemini?" He drew into the sky with his finger.
I searched for a second before finding the constellation.
"It's that star within the constellation." He pointed to one of the stars.
"So far, yet so close." I sighed and pulled my knees to my chest.
"Are you okay? You didn't say anything at dinner, and you barely even made fun of me." He leaned his shoulder into mine.
Once again, I would be leaning on Aaronmon when I was upset. Karlie and Meagan were right about that, but they weren’t right about everything. I couldn’t talk to them about what was happening. I couldn’t tell them I had to break up with Kyle. I couldn’t tell them about my mother or even the danger I’d put them in. Aaronmon may not have understood how much it hurt for me to go through this transition, but he understood everything I was doing it for.
"For once, I’m not going to argue about something I don't want to do, but it’s going to break my heart to do it," I uttered, feeling my eyes burn with tears. I held back my emotions to keep them from being forced upon Aaronmon.
"Aunt Trish told me about your conversation earlier," Aaronmon said.
"You don't have to check up on me. I'm going to do it. I want to keep him safe-"
"I know." Aaronmon cut me off. I felt sympathy and understanding wash over me.
I didn't say anything at first.
"I tried to fool myself into thinking that we’d be okay, that this would just be an obstacle in our relationship, but I can't even tell him the truth. What kind of relationship is that? Then there is the Bremoir, and if they got to him..." I gasped slightly at the thought.
"Carsona." Aaronmon shifted.
"I'm sorry," I said. I took in a breath and held it.
"No, it's okay. You can't help that you love him, and you’re not a fool for wanting it to work. It's going to be hard to let him go, but in the end you are still doing it to protect him because you love him." He looked up into the sky, and sadness washed over me.
I looked curiously at him. I searched for the reasoning behind his sadness. Unfortunately, my empathy doesn't tell me the reasoning just the feeling.
"Aaronmon, when you first came I was annoyed. I was annoyed because I thought, if you had never come I would keep living a normal human life. But I know now that no matter what, I would have never been normal. Aunt Trish would have had to tell me at some point anyways." I gazed at his face, shining under the stars. He turned and faced me. His hazel eyes searched my face. "What I am trying to say is, I’m glad you came. I’m glad you’re my Garnix."
Aaronmon smiled and pulled me into his chest.
"I'm glad I came too," he whispered.
I inhaled the familiar scent of vanilla and cinnamon. The scent was intoxicating and electrifying to my senses. What is that cologne they wear?
I pulled away slightly and looked up to meet his face. I was about to ask about his cologne, but his gaze stopped me.
He was staring right into my eyes, heart and soul. My heart pounded loudly against my chest, and my mind told me to look away, but I didn't. I tilted my head up. He leaned in. My palms dampened with nerves. My eyes started to close. I could feel his breath brush my lips.
A rustling sound caught my attention. I pulled away from Aaronmon, and searched the forest with my eyes. Aaronmon stood up and clenched his fist.
"Is it them?" I asked, my stomach tightening in fear.
"I don't know. Stay behind me." Aaronmon stood in front of me.
I held my breath as the bushes rustled some more. Aaronmon stepped forward. He pulled out a small weapon, a Urex. I knew it was a gun that used electro waves to knock out or even destroy an opponent.
As Aaro
nmon got closer, he pulled his Urex up to a shooting position. He stopped and tensed up as he reached the bushes.
I felt a little bit of fear coming from whatever was in the bush. It was familiar.
"Aaronmon," I called out to him.
He turned slightly to face me.
"It's not a Bremoir," I told him.
He turned back to the bush. The bush rattled some more and he bent down and pushed back the leaves. A rabbit jumped out at Aaronmon's face.
"Ah!" he screamed and fell on his back.
The rabbit scurried away.
I held back my laughter. Aaronmon stood up, dusting off his pants. He walked slowly towards me.
I looked up into his hazel eyes. Then, my eyes wandered to his lips. My cheeks warmed. How could I have nearly... I looked down towards the ground, and Aaronmon cleared his throat.
"You should stay inside. It's not safe for anyone to stay outside anymore." Aaronmon put his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah." I nodded and turned towards the house. I took in a deep breath, trying to relieve my embarrassment.
Philocalundra stood outside the door when I walked up to the house. I forgot how many eyes there were around my house now, but I didn't feel like searching to discover how much he had seen. He didn't say anything either.
When I got up to my room, I saw Aaronmon still outside. He was wandering around the garden and looking at the stars. I couldn't feel his empathy from here, but I wanted to.
I laid in my bed, staring at my phone. Kyle had called earlier, and guilt started to form a pit in my stomach.
I love you, I texted. I took in a deep breath and pulled the covers over my head. Not only I was ashamed of myself because I almost kissed Aaronmon, I was more ashamed of the disappointment I felt for not kissing him.
CHAPTER NINE
"Honey, are you going to school today?" Trish popped her head into my room.
It's true, I don't really have to because I’m a princess from another planet, I thought to myself sarcastically. However, if I didn't go, I would be wasting the precious time I could have with my friends. I only had until graduation to spend with them. On the other hand, if I went today, I would be ending the best relationship I ever gained on Earth. It’s to save him, I thought.
"Yes, I'm going," I said, my voice muffled through my pillow.
After getting dressed, I walked into the kitchen to find Trish cooking what I presumed to be an Emréian dish.
"I've got breakfast!" Trish said excitedly.
"No, thank you," I said. "I think I'll stop by Burger King to get some breakfast."
"I'm sorry, honey. This particular food will spoil soon if I don’t eat it now. I know how you feel, though. It took me a long time to get used to Earth foods."
"Don't worry about it. I will adjust, but I'm just not ready to completely convert." I smiled. "But thanks for the pizza last night."
"Enjoy your day." Aunt Trish nodded.
I suddenly realized that Aaronmon wasn’t there to take me to school.
"Is bodyguard Aaronmon escorting me today?" I asked.
"He said for you to go on to school. He won't be there today," Aunt Trish said, sitting at the table. My heart sank a little. It was like I wanted to see him today. Perhaps he didn't want to be around me after last night?
I left the house, hiding my disappointment from Trish.
I waited for the woman to take my order at the drive through. Instead, I received silence on the other end. I pulled around to the window. I was growing angry at being ignored. Finally, a woman appeared around the corner and poked her head through the window.
"Sorry. Due to the current situation, we are closed for the rest of the day," she said quickly and shut the window. Fear hung around her. Current situation? What situation? A shiver crawled down my spine.
I pulled up to the school. The school buses were lined up as if they were ready to reload. Odd, I wonder what's going on?
I walked through the hallway. No one was there. The hall was quiet.
Not even going to my locker, I went to my history class..
When I walked in, Mr. Marshal and the rest of the class were glued to the T.V.
Before I had a chance to look at it, everyone's emotions hit me like rocks in the face: fear, confusion, amazement, astonishment, and weariness. I slowly cut myself loose from the mixed feelings, but they were so strong it was hard to block.
"What's going on?" I managed to ask, but everyone was silent.
"As the world watches, our lives will be forever changed," I heard the woman on the television say. I turned my attention to her. "This morning, the U.S Air force sighted an unidentified object barreling towards Earth at high speeds. Another U.F.O crossed the military’s radar as it first entered the atmosphere. It is believed that the objects are some kind of spacecrafts. At 7:30 this morning, the second spacecraft shot down the first. The spacecraft landed in Lake Michigan." The picture went to an Emréian ship. It was big, wide, and a white silvery color. It was super fast, with lots of weaponry and could do extraordinary things. It was the ship that was crashed. Panic hit me. Was my mother on that ship?
"The other spacecraft has not been identified, yet, and has disappeared off the radar after attacking and destroying more than a dozen U.S fighter jets. The U.S Air Force is currently searching for the spacecraft. They have yet to release any statements. It is speculated that the craft is not from Earth."
I stood motionless, not even paying attention to what the news anchor said next. Everyone else remained silent.
I heard whispers all around me.
"Wow, aliens?" one person questioned.
"Are they going to attack us?"
"Should we be finding places to hide?"
"Cool!"
Then there was another announcement.
"This just in! Washington D.C was attacked moments ago by the unknown spacecraft. There are many injured and some dead. We are still waiting for a count to be released. The President is safe and alive. He was not in D.C. at the time. The following video was sent in by a civilian who recorded the attack."
There was a dark silver ship. It was a Bremoir craft. I held my breath. The video was shaky. The person aiming was running the opposite direction. They were only a few blocks away from the ship. The ship then made a loud buzzing noise that sounded like a camera powering on. A big wave boomed over the area. Buildings started falling over. People, cars, and debris were all picked up and slung. In a matter of seconds, a huge chunk of the city looked like a tornado had wiped it out. The camera man started running as a smoke cloud raced towards him. He followed a few people into a storm drain. They were all yelling, cussing, and crying. I looked away.
Fear took over the entire room. No one said anything. People started calling their parents. A few kids had family in D.C.
One thing was clear: I had to get out of this room.
"Carson, come with me," a familiar voice uttered behind me.
Aaron grabbed my hand.
He led me into Principal Wilken's office.
"We’ll stay here until everybody else has left," Aaron said.
"Why? Can I not just leave?" I asked
"We are preparing at the house, but I want to be able to keep you in a safe place, just in case. We don't know if the Bremoir know who you are yet, but I don't think they do."
I sat in the chair and pressed my fingers to my head.
"What about my mother?" I asked and looked up to Aaronmon.
Aaronmon looked at me a little surprised. Realization hit.
"Don't worry. She wasn't on that ship."
My stomach eased up just slightly.
"She actually entered the atmosphere right before the attack. We are transporting her here, and she will arrive at the house in two days."
"Two days?" I said, my heart jumping.
"We have a lot to prepare for," Aaronmon claimed, ignoring my angst.
"Yeah," was all that I could say.
"Carsona." Aaronmon sighed. "I k
now you are worried about meeting your mother, but I need you to stay with me. Things have changed now that Earth knows about other beings. It's more important now that we keep your identity hidden from your friends. Fear has a way of making people turn against you."
I stared at the ground. Does the Universe have to revolve around me?
I looked around and realized that Principal Wilken should have been there.
"Where is Principal Wilken anyway?" I asked.
"Oh, that," Aaronmon hesitated. "Let's just say that Emréians are not the only ones who have been using earth as a refuge. She is a very close ally. She is letting us use the room privately until I can guarantee you safely get to the house."
I looked like a deer caught in headlights, but I didn't ask anything.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and noticed a text from Kyle. It read, "Hey where are you? Meet me by the swings."
My heart dropped. I knew that I couldn't wait any longer to end it with him. I was putting him in danger by waiting. But how could I do it now in the middle of a world crisis? I looked at Aaronmon. I remembered last night. It suddenly became uncomfortable to be around him. I turned away and tried to control my empathy.
"Can I go out to meet Kyle?" I asked Aaronmon.
"I need you to stay here."
"Look, your first priority is to keep me safe. Mine is to keep those I love safe. It will only be for a few minutes. Trust me. It won't take long." I stood.
Aaronmon didn't try to hold me back. I guessed he knew what I was about to do.
When I walked outside, I saw Kyle swinging on the swingset. His converse brushed the dirt back and forth. I walked slowly towards him. As I got closer, I felt anxiety. I figured it must've been from the recent news. Everyone was shaken up about it. My legs grew weak with each step. I sat down on the swing beside him.
For a moment, we both sat there in silence not knowing what to say.
"How are you doing with everything?" Kyle finally asked.
"I'm hanging in there." That was true for the main part. In some ways I felt relieved because I knew the truth behind everything, while everyone else was in the dark. But then there was that part of me that knew that this could mean danger for everyone.
Gemini of Emreiana Page 10
