No Aliens Allowed

- Twenty-Two -

I nodded, then turned, changing the subject abruptly. "I miss you, Allen. Why'd you say those things? Why did you push me away so many times?"

I knew I couldn't get true comfort from a dream, but I was still hurting and wanted answers, even if they were manufactured in my head.

Still, this was the most vivid dream I'd ever had.

"Rosalie was going to harm you again and again," Allen said. "You are strong, Kalea, but not indestructible. You will break eventually, and everything you know and love will be incinerated in the furious battle between me and Rosalie."

I opened the window. The air was much thinner on Eycloria, I could tell. Allen had told me that a long, long time ago.

I felt a hesitant touch on the side of my face, brushing back stray hair. I turned back to look at Allen again, who gave me a sad half-smile.

"So you don't actually hate me?" I asked, feeling pathetic for asking so.

"Of course not," Allen said, like it was obvious. "No matter what you do, Kali, I could never loathe you."

"Will you be my friend again?"

"Not by the definition of the word," Allen said. "It is a bit more complicated than that."

I had to give my brain props. It had really nailed the way Allen talked.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I seem to have accidentally activated a tier-three mental link."

"What the hell is a mental link? Do you mean that we can read each other's minds?" I asked, starting to freak out. There were a lot of things in my mind that Allen really didn't need to see.

"That would be tier-one," Allen said. "No, this one simply increases our understanding of each other and allows us to understand each other's simple thoughts just by making visual contact."

I thought about it. "That sort of makes sense," I said. "I mean, I don't know how you activate a mental link accidentally, but we do that all the time. I mean, not we," I said, pointing between the two of us. "But me and real life Allen."

"I was meaning to send a file, but the language filter on my computer had been corrupted. Everything was in my language — Eyclorian — not in English."

"Eyclorian is your first language, Allen," I said, laughing. "I think you got that confused."

"I am not befuddled. I am having trouble reading in my own language," Allen said, a little tightly.

"I think you're just tired," I said, brushing my thumbs over the bruise-like circles under his eyes.

"Maybe so," Allen said. "Nevertheless, I accidentally started the link program. Your data and information is the only file I have stored on that computer that has a DNA structure close to mine."

"And violà, a mind link," I said under my breath.

"Do not fret," Allen said. "It is not as potent as you fear."

"I'm not worried," I told him honestly.

He frowned. "Why not?"

I gave him a little smile. "I'm with you, Starboard."

****

I woke up the next morning peacefully. I remembered every second of the dream like it had actually happened, which was really nice. I missed talking to Allen. I missed spending time with him.

I just really missed him in general, alright? Now leave me alone about it.

"Happy December 26," I announced to nobody, then reached over and took my phone out of the speakers, where it was happily playing some Fun. I had three missed calls from my dad, four texts from Eason demanding to know why I'd skipped out on our meeting — fuck, forgot about that — and a call and some texts from my sisters.