Rebirth *On Hold*

05

Ten Years Later

I sit beside my window on my hammock, looking out into the rain. My slim finger tracing the path each droplet takes down the glass.

A dark blue dress with long sleeves decorates my slim green form, matching the blue shoes on my feet, as well as a single gem ear ring. Mother only allowed me to have one piercing as it's a human concept I introduced to her months ago, and considered alien to Kymari customs.

"I've been sitting here for three minutes."

The sound of Kians fed-up voice startles me out of my admiration of the rain. I turn and see him indeed sitting on the edge of my bed. He isn't yet dressed for the company coming over soon, probably too focused on the rats nest on his head.

"Did you need something?"

He scoffs and gestures to his mess of hair hanging from his head. I grin widely and hop onto the bed space behind him.

"So, what hairstyle will it be today?"

"What do you think?"

I hum before I grab the brush on my bedside table. It'll take a while to brush out this knot of hair.

Kian and I are now fourteen years old in these body's. At school we have a small group of friends who I've taught how to French braid each other's hair. Unlike when we were younger, our use of English has become less and less. For fear of losing the language completely, we've decided to work together on keeping it intact in our memories after school. Meaning we sit in my room and do our homework whilst speaking English.

Mother and father still don't know about our pasts before this life, although they have no doubt observed and memorized some of mine and Kians unusual habits. For instance, the slightly off technique we both use during sports, how we both show "a unique way of going about everyday things", and even the way we carry ourselves.

Other than our progressive integration into this life nothing much has changed. Father has started getting protective over me about my guy friends at school, which is to be expected. Mother has been teaching us how to do house chores. The only reason it's happening so late is because of our lack of knowledge with alien technology. Literature still remains the hardest, and math is even harder. Good thing we both excel in sports.

"And.. done." I finish tying off Kians french fish tail braid. It's not very long, stopping around the nape of his neck.

"Do I get to know what it is?"

"Nope!" Before he can respond I hop off the bed and pull him with me. "It's time to help with dinner. If I'm not mistaken the neighbours are coming over soon."

"Nooo," he whines. "I don't wanna see the neighbours."

Laughing at his expense, I release him and walk to the kitchen where father cooks and mother sets the table in the dimly lit dining room.

"Oh good. Nala, help your father. Kian, please make yourself decent for visitors."

He glares at me as I snicker, before turning and going to do as mother said.

Hurrying over to father, I see he has prepared the two courses of food we'll eat when the neighbours get here. The first is a meat called atzack, a type of bird common in this part of the world, but obviously not native. It has a side of vegetables and a fancy blue dip to go with it. For the second he made some form of bread with what looked to be a form of discoloured jam spread over it.

Seven plates lay spread across the counter and I instantly go to load them with the first course.

"So, Nala," father starts, turning to face me work. "Claud and Serene are bringing over Aice for dinner. I want you sitting beside me."