Thorn pulled down on the left red lever on the control board. “Let’s take her up into outer space.”
“First, think we can go back and get my stomach?” asked Mike, hunching over and holding his abdomen.
Casey shot him a smile. She could always trust him to find the funny side to everything. His eyes seemed to return the smile, but a shadow crossed his face.
Swallowing, she turned away. Watching Mike fight with his inner demons wasn’t helping her win her own case.
The spacecraft ripped through the thick cloud layer and, in a matter of seconds, raced across the atmosphere. She stared out into the distance, and her jaw dropped. Vibrant oranges and yellows splashed out across the sky like a glorious sunset. Dark clouds dotted the beautiful scene before her.
“We’re passing through the layers of Earth’s atmosphere,” said Thorn. “This is the troposphere, where all of the water vapor, clouds, and precipitation are located.”
The ship bolted up above white sheets of clouds, and the scene before her faded into a sky decorated with pink waves of light, fewer clouds, and finally a blue layer. She knew from science class that it had to be the upper atmosphere. The sky darkened, and all sunlight vanished.
“I don’t believe it!” said Mike, looking out the cockpit window. “We’re really in the cosmos! Dude, we have got to be the youngest cosmonauts ever.”
Casey smiled as she peered at the fathomless black void of space, but then her heart sank in her chest. For a moment, she’d felt the opportunity of escape whisper in her ear, but now it had all gone down the gutter. Tiny diamonds flashed in the distance, reminding her of a trip to the Painted Desert. Her parents used to lay out a thick blanket, and they would all snuggle up to admire millions of stars painted across the heavens. Her mom and dad would show her all the major constellations. It was one thing talking about the Milky Way but quite another to experience it live. Gazing out the window, she saw Earth and fell silent. The blue and green planet sparkled like the orb on all those screensavers she’d seen.
“Wow. Look at that,” whispered Mike, his voice filled with awe. “I’ve only seen pictures like this in books.”
“We’re hundreds of miles above your home planet,” said Thorn. “I marvel at its beauty every time.”
Casey’s mom had bought her a brand new canvas. She fell short of ideas after picking up the brush, spending hours on chasing her muse in her search for something her soul might have to express. But now, she felt her creative juices bubbling again inside, waiting to be released after all she’d seen. She couldn’t wait for the mission to be over and done with so she could return to her painting. Soon, she’d have stacks of portraits along the walls of her studio, the garage, the basement, the attic, and wherever else she could find a spot.
From the corner of her eye, something bumped and rolled against one of the windows. A black backpack floated across the room.
Mike tugged anxiously at his seatbelt. “That’s mine. I’ll get it.”
“Yes, but first, I want to show you something.” Thorn touched a silver button to the far left, and everything went dark. He pointed to the middle of the cockpit. A full-color, three-dimensional hologram of the Milky Way flickered into existence and filled the entire room. “Let’s zoom in on your solar system.”
Casey stared at the big, bright sun in the middle of the room, with all nine planets traveling in slow, circular paths around it. The hologram was complete with moons, comets, stars, and an asteroid belt. It was way better than the planetarium. She took off her shoulder harness and slowly lifted out of her seat, floating into the center of the solar system.
Countless pinpoints of light twinkled in the blackness of space. She gaped at the sight, her shark-tooth necklace floating in the weightless environment. As she tucked it neatly inside her uniform, she remembered Mike’s words about what the shark tooth represented: Like him, she was a survivor.
Zero gravity. She’d heard astronauts talk about it before on television, but experiencing the floating-like-a-feather feeling for herself was beyond cool. She was sure she could get used to it. Smiling, she flipped and looked at Mike upside down. “So this is how the astronauts must feel. It’s like swimming in a pool with no water.”
They spun around in all directions. Casey turned somersaults and giggled like a little girl, and Mike did big double flips in midair.
“I’m going downstairs to check the propulsion system,” called Thorn from below. “I’ll be back.”
Casey nodded, barely paying attention to him.
A tiny meteor changed course, heading straight for Mike’s head.
“Watch out!” Casey yelled.
Mike tried to catch it, but it passed right through his hands. “It’s just a hologram.”
She put her finger through one of the shining stars, watching the picture distort around her hand. “I know. Just wanted to see your expression when you freaked out. You look so cute when you’re scared.”
“How would you know?” Mike winked. “You’ve yet to see that.”
She let out a slight giggle. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I have this hazy memory of a blond guy hanging from a glass sidewalk, shouting that he didn’t want to die.”
He laughed. “No, you’ve got the facts wrong, babe. That was my twin brother.”
She swam long strokes to the middle of the blazing sun. “I didn’t know you had one. Is he just as cute?” Bright yellow light bathed her, and 3-D particles and gases swirled around her like fog.
“You wouldn’t like him. He’s way too arrogant and self-centered.”
“What?” She spun toward him. “Even more than you?”
“Without a doubt.” Mike’s eyes glinted as he raced over to be with her in the middle of the sun. He took her hands in his. For a moment, he regarded her in silence, his gaze connected with hers, and he took a deep breath. “You’re so…wow. Just so beautiful. I can’t take my eyes off you.” He kissed her, his lips warm and soft.
It’s funny what the right light will do for a person. She smiled, trying not to blush, but the tell-tale heat scorched her cheeks nonetheless. “I’m beyond flattered.”
“You should be. Coming from me and all, it means a lot.”
They were sharing such a beautiful moment, and then Mike had to stick his big fat foot in his mouth. She bit her lip and held back a remark. She wasn’t going to let him ruin the moment. “Why, you’ve swept me off my feet, Michael Pierce.”
He looked down and laughed. “That I have.”
“I feel like I’m floating on cloud nine…literally.”
Mike wrapped his arms around her waist and spun them through the zero gravity in a circle. “You take my breath away. I can’t stop thinking about our first kiss.” His finger trailed down her cheek, stopping on her upper lip.
“How was it?” Her heart fluttered, anxiously awaiting his reply.
“Magical,” he whispered, cupping her face. His breath brushed her lips as he drew closer. “What did you think?”
“A…” Her voice broke. Amazing. Then again, what girl hadn’t thought that about his kisses? What girl hadn’t been led to believe they were his “perfect girl”? It was what he did, the game he played, and he was far too good at it. She cleared her throat and tried again. “You totally blew my mind. Nobody has ever made me feel that way. It’s just…maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.”
His brows furrowed. “What makes you say that? I really thought we shared a moment.”
“We did, or so I thought.” She sighed, wondering if she should really say it. Cosmo always advised against confronting one’s man, but if she didn’t do it now, she might always remain a coward.
“Okay. So, uh…?” His beautiful green eyes stared into hers as he waited for an answer.
Drawing back a few inches, she peered at him. “What girl don’t you share a moment with, Mike? I guess I came back to reality. Remember, I’m your best friend and know everything about you.”
He shook his head and r
an a hand through his hair.
She snorted. “Those words don’t ring a bell? Remember back in the cave? You said the same thing to me.” He was unbelievable if he thought his reputation wouldn’t worry her.
He threw his hands up in the air. “So that’s the big deal? You’re worried about all the other girls I’ve dated? Come on, Casey. You know they didn’t matter, none of them. I’m interested in you and nobody else.”
Yeah, but for how long? She couldn’t stop the nagging thoughts at the back of her mind. If they ever broke up, would she join the “none-of-them-mattered” category too? She turned away, her heart pounding. “Listen, this isn’t the time to talk about this. Saving Earth is way more important than figuring out the future of our relationship.” Or lack thereof. She rolled her eyes at the infuriating thought. “We can talk about it more if we survive.”
He traced her bottom lip with his thumb. “And what if this is our very last conversation ever?”
She didn’t want to think about it, but he might have been right. “Then we’ve lost the opportunity forever.” She wanted him to believe she didn’t care, but she did deep down inside. If it really was their last chance, she might never find out what he truly felt. She stared at him for a moment, his skin aglow, his hair and face glistening from the yellow light. His hair flowed like an angel from the zero gravity. He was absolutely wow—absolutely beautiful, handsome, and gorgeous.
“You really wouldn’t care?”
When she didn’t answer, doubt crossed his face, followed by hesitation. He was just as insecure as she was—or maybe even more since he’d probably never experienced rejection, while she had. Every time she saw him with another girl, the moment pierced a hole in her heart. Hopefully, it wasn’t punctured beyond repair by now.
“I don’t believe that for a minute. You care just as much as I do.” He touched her cheek. “You know I want you in my life more than as a friend.”
No doubt, she’d love to have Mike as a boyfriend, and maybe it was the time to talk about it. He could put all of her doubts aside. She decided to get straight to the point. “Mike, are you trying to ask me what I think you’re asking? Do you want me to be your girlfriend?” She smiled at the thought. “Because nothing would make me happier.”
Mike leaned forward, pressing her body close. “I’m into you. You know that. I’d like to see where this goes.”
See where this goes? Her jaw dropped. “But that doesn’t answer my question.”
“You know I don’t make promises. There shouldn’t be any lies between us.” He lowered his voice. “All I know is I can’t stop thinking about you, and I want to take our friendship to the next level and see what happens.”
Casey took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. The sharp words cut her like a knife. She knew that would be the result, but the knowledge alone couldn’t fight the pain surging within her. She didn’t at all appreciate being treated like one of the dumb bimbos he picked up from the beach. Heat rushed across her face, making her cheeks burn. How dare him! She was more than that, and she deserved better. Surely, being his friend had to mean something. “Exactly how scared of commitment are you?” she asked.
“What?” He blinked, taken aback, and she knew she was right.
Stroking her hair, he said, “I’m not into the whole girlfriend thing, and it’s nothing to do with commitment phobia.”
She glared at him, a fake smile playing on her lips. Cosmo’s right: Men don’t commit because they are always waiting for something better to come along. They just didn’t commit. Period.
“I’ll tell you again, you’re all I think about, every hour of the day,” said Mike. “It’s like you’re in my head, and no matter how much I shake…” He shook his head to demonstrate his point. “…I can’t get you out.”
Boy, he loved to be theatrical, but she still believed him. He really was caught up with her, at least for the moment, but she was sure that sooner or later, that would stop when someone else invaded his mind. Why can’t he just declare his undying love and ask me to be his girlfriend? She stared into his bright green eyes and realized for the first time that she wanted something Mike could never give her—a monogamous relationship. Jack was right about Mike: He was a free spirit that couldn’t be tied down. He’d eventually resent her, and then their wonderful friendship would be shattered forever.
She nodded to herself as a light bulb switched on inside her head. Even if her heart screamed out for him, her mind knew better. Mike wasn’t the one. She’d cherish their friendship forever, but everything else was off limits. Sighing, she forced back the lump in her throat. Her tongue stuck to the cave of her mouth as she began to speak. “Listen…” She shook her head, unable to form the words. “We’ve shared a few wonderful kisses I’ll never forget, but that’s it. I’m sorry to say this’ll never go any further.”
“Wait.” Mike’s forehead wrinkled. “I don’t get it. I just told you I can’t stop thinking about you, and you’re brushing me off? Doesn’t it mean anything?”
She spun around, wondering whether Thorn really needed that long or whether he was just giving them time. Either way, having such an important conversation felt awkward and daunting. “It does, but…” She stopped again, peering at Mike, her heart aching while her mind screamed to finish what she’d started before it was too late. It was better to hurt his ego before he broke her heart. An ego like that could afford a few dents, and she was sure he’d find someone to mend it as soon as all this was over. But she might never find a guy to fill the punctures he’d left in her heart. She coughed to clear her throat. “Remember in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts says, ‘I want the fairytale’? Well, she hit the nail on the head. That’s what I want too—all or nothing.”
“I’m giving you all I have to offer, everything. Just look at me and the way I act. You’ve known me my entire life. You knew I was broken when you came into this. So what makes you back off now? You don’t have enough glue and tape to fix me?”
Clearly, he didn’t get that she was so over watching and waiting. Taking chances had never been her thing, and with Mike, it wasn’t a mere possibility that he’d drop her like a hot potato. He’d done it with stunning girls in the past. If those beauty queens couldn’t even keep him, she was sure she had no chance. “You’re wrong there. I’ve already been through hundreds of bottles of Elmer’s glue and thousands of rolls of Scotch tape, and I’d gladly do it all over again if I had to, but that’s not it, and you know it.”
“Humans and their emotions,” said Thorn.
Casey glanced down as Thorn turned off the hologram, the lights returning to normal. She’d been so engrossed in the Mike dilemma she hadn’t even heard him return.
“It’s time to get back in your seats. I’m turning on the artificial gravity.” He flipped a switch.
“No, Thorn!” yelled Mike. “Not yet.”
She was glad to be saved by the bell, as she didn’t want to discuss the issue with Mike for another minute. Her arms and legs felt heavy as iron, and her mind wasn’t in the best shape either. A click echoed to her right, and she went down with a thud, landing on her feet before stumbling to her knees.
Mike straightened and stepped closer. He held out his hand to help her up and then pulled her close. “There’s something going on between us that you can’t deny. I feel it, and so do you. We’re both stressed out right now. I think you might need a little space, some time to think.”
She pushed him away; she had already made up her mind. “Even if we get out of here alive, it won’t change a thing.” The fact that he considered her cute enough to kiss, but not worthy of being called girlfriend made her angry. In a bold moment, she stroked his cheek and whispered, “I hate to hurt you like this, but I feel ending it is the right thing to do.”
He nodded as if he understood.
She hoped her heart would, too, in time. She turned away quickly to hide the sudden tears in her eyes.
The control panel beeped with flashing red dots,
and a digital map flashed onto the screen. “I have the location of the mothership.” Thorn leaned in toward the view screen. “We’re about 10,000 kilometers away.”
The silver giant ahead grew larger as they approached at great speed. Casey rushed to her seat and fastened the seatbelt, mumbling, “It looks like a huge, flying, stretched-out football with lights.”
Thorn pushed up a glowing crystal. “Casey, hit the orange crystal on your left-hand side. That’ll transmit a distress trouble signal so they’ll pull us up.”
She followed his command and peered at him. “What now?”
Thorn’s eyes narrowed in his stern face. “Now we wait and hope they’ll fall for the plan.”
Moments passed. Casey watched Mike’s profile and wondered what he was thinking. Her heart ached as he caught her gaze and then quickly looked away. Is he hurt because I rejected him? What if we both die? She didn’t want to face the very last moments of her life with Mike mad at her, and she began to wonder why she opened her big trap and put her foot in her mouth.
In a blaze of light, a yellow beam dropped from the underside of the humongous vessel. A massive jolt rocked the ship, banging Casey’s head against the seat. She gasped. Talk about a bad case of whiplash. More brilliant light filled the cockpit, and she threw her hands up to shield her eyes. She could feel the powerful vibrations through her hands as she gripped the armrests. Even more vibrations shot up her legs. “What’s going on?”
Mike’s jaw dropped. “I don’t believe it! We’re being pulled up by some kind of tractor beam—you know, like in those sci-fi movies.”
She fluttered her eyes open, and peeked out through the light. Giant octagonal doors on the bottom of the mothership slowly opened. She clutched the armrests even tighter, shivers coursing through her. This was Star Wars at its finest.
Thorn’s voice rang through the cockpit. “Our plan’s working! They’re putting down their force field, opening the docking gates. Quick! Keep low and move to the back of the ship.”
Endure: Book 5 in The Trapped In The Hollow Earth Novelette Series Page 9
