Aisling's Summer Diary

Chapter 6 | Out of this World

It’s Siobhan, Ali, and I’s first night out in Trá Álainn, and we’re gate-crashing.  I’ve never done anything like this in my entire life!  I can’t believe I let Siobhan talk me into it.  I mean, we are SO putting ourselves out there to save uncle Ciaran’s hotel, and he’s bailed on us!  Again!  But I s’pose Ali and I aren’t risking another clash with the Lotus Lady for Ciaran.  We’re doing this for Siobhan.

8:15 p.m.

When we reached the stand of spindly palms hedging the hotel, we were met by a thumping wall of sound—an echoing, amped to the last reggae tune—and a horde of aliens and astronauts dancing laughing, spilling onto the balcony and the dunes in a strobe of aqua light.  We ducked inside, subconsciously checking and rechecking that our masks were in place, and wandered through a crush of gyrating Martians to the main hall.  At the head of the room, a Space Man whirred over the decks and dancers slathered in green face paint kicked up drifts of dry-iced smoke.  Galactic Rangers milled about, divvying out hors d’oeuvres and glasses bubbling with punch.  I have to hand it to Celia (AKA Lotus Lady)—she knows how to throw a party!   

Siobhan pulled us into a huddle.  “You all see what you can find out from the guests,” she said.  “I’m going to take some pictures.”  Ali was off straight away like a man on a mission.  In his Gavin get-up, you’d swear he was a different person entirely!  He cruised up to a pair of glowing aliens.  “Killer costume, man!” the first shouted to him over the bass line.  Ali bowed and reached up behind his ear, snapped his fingers, and voilà!  He let fly a fistful of glitter.  “Good one!  How’d you do that?” the second alien asked and clapped Ali on the back.  Without missing a beat, he whipped out his deck of magic cards and fanned them before his new friends—“THAT was only the beginning,” he beamed.

Siobhan crept away with her phone at the ready as more and more guests wandered over, their eyes glued to Ali as he swept about in his cape.  I stood off to the side and hugged my arms to my sides, not knowing what to do.  It was like my first week at my new school all over again.  I wished Ali could make ME disappear.   Then my phone bleeped.  A new message!  From Mom.  “Hope you’re having fun!”  My thoughts exactly.

One of the Space Rangers sidled over, and I grabbed a glass of punch from the tray and watched the party twist and heave about me over the rim.  The DJ kept trying to catch my eye, and I kept trying not to notice.  There was something familiar about him, but I couldn’t say what. 

All around Ali, aliens were sending up Oooohs and Ahhhhs.  Siobhan had made her way to the sideboard where she was snapping photos of the hotel’s flashy menu.  Out of the crowd came Celia—and Siobhan didn’t see her!  She looked Siobhan   Celia up and down, then tapped her on the shoulder.  I could see Siobhan nodding away at her, a big smile on her face, but I couldn’t make out what either of them said.  Had Celia recognized one of us?!

When I turned back to the crowd, a pudgy Space Hound had appeared.  He waved at me, and I waved back and then tried to sneak off.  Who WAS this guy?  Before I could slip away, the Hound called out over the music, “Where’s Siobhan?”  It was uncle Ciaran!  He said there was no way he would’ve left his favorite niece hanging on her first night in town.  I pointed him toward Siobhan, and he slunk off.  Great, I said to myself.  Alone again!

8:45 p.m.

I made my way outside and sank down the steps overlooking the beach, and without meaning to wished Murphy was there.  He would’ve been a big hit at the party with his moon-walking skills.  I took a deep breath and pulled his number up on my phone.  One call can’t hurt, I thought and pressed send.  It rang out—no signal. 

“If I tell you where the best signal is, will you tell me who you are?”  It was the DJ!  Without his mask, I recognized him immediately—Slater (the hottie) from the café!  He sat down next to me, and I tried my hardest to play it cool.  “I’m not sure I should make the call,” I said.  Slater moved a teensy bit closer.  “I know how that feels.  Boyfriend?”  I shook my head no.  He looked me over knowingly.  “The Ex.  Of course,” he said.  Am I THAT obvious? 

Slater looked out at the breakers and squinted.  “If you call, they’ll know you’re thinking of them.  If you don’t.  They’ll never know.”  “EXACTLY,” I said louder than I’d meant to.  Slater didn’t seem to notice.  “You spend so much time thinking about them,” he went on, “you want them to know ‘cause they’re doing your head in.”  I couldn’t help but smile at him.  “You do know what it’s like.”  “Yeah,” he said, smiling back, “classic Ex Syndrome.”  He leaned toward me and glanced at my mouth.  “Is there a cure?” I asked and cocked my head coyly.  “Maybe you just need to meet someone new.”  I closed my eyes. 

“SLATER!”  The hipster chic burst through the hotel doors and stalked over to us.  “Celia says it’s time for the music to be ‘a little less Slater.’”  He hesitated, not looking up at her.  “NOW!” she hollered.  He hopped up, “Alright, Fiona, I’m on it.”  He kept staring at me as he stood to go.  “See you ‘round, Space Cat,” he said. 

Once he was out of earshot, Fiona fixed me in a glare.  “Don’t get any ideas about a summer romance,” she said.  “You’re not his type.”  I stared right back at her—who does this girl think she is?  “You don’t even know me!” I said.  “No, but I know him.”  She pursed her mouth and pointed, mobster style, first at her own eyes, then at me.  Oh great.  She’d be watching!

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