Caught in space

Keeping secrets

"Where did you hear that?" Ace looked shattered.
"Um, when I found this pendant, it was in pieces. My mom had given one piece to Andrew and one to Hannah, to keep it safe. Then she later erased their memories, so they had no recollection if the memory. But then I knew I had to activate the locket so before I was pulled into the vortex after joining the pieces together, I saw a vision of my mother. She had said those words. Then when I joined the pieces and after I saw the vision, I knew that to activate the necklace I had to say those words."
"Well, Georgia, that's the motto of our planet. Except you're saying it wrong. Your mother used different words for the same motto. Maybe your mother had made those words as a way to access the pendant to where your heart wants to go. I don't know how it works.
The words are 'Arcanum Sunt Nostrae Salutis.' Meaning, secrets are our salvation. On Ganymede, people are generally very secretive. Which is what makes you so different."
"Different how?"
"Well, look, when we first met, you told me everything. If it was someone, who wanted to kill you, they would use that information to, you know, kill you."
"That's right."
"You're from Ganymede. That much I can tell you. You're just different."
"Good different or bad?"
"Hmm, let's see. For me or the world?"
"Well, both."
"For the world you are different. Your enemies will try and use that against you. But your friends will help you."
"And you?"
"For me, you're different."
"And I come back to the same question. Good or bad?"
"You really want to hear it don't you?"
"I mean........" she started laughing. "I don't mind flattery"
"Oh" ace smiled sarcastically, "you think I'm going to compliment you?"
"Well, if you don't, I'll have to kill you." Ace came and sat next to Georgia.
"Hm, a little harsh punishment don't you think?" He removed a lock of hair from Georgia's face. Georgia smiled. "Why does my world feel exactly like a movie?"
"Why do you think that? Because I'm the perfect guy in it?" He was getting his sarcasm back. For that he was glad. But also that this meant that he was getting much more comfortable around Georgie, who he liked, and his feelings had no bounds.
"Well, don't give yourself so much credit. I mean you don't even deserve it." Georgia laughed. Ace laughed with her. It was 2 in the morning. They had been talking for 4 hours straight. Both of them seemed to realise that. Georgia smiled at him. He looked at her with his dazzling eyes. His hair seemed to have become a darker shade. It looked really good Goergia thought.
"You like my hair?" Ace said sarcastically, mocking her.
"Wh-huh?"Georgia's face was flushed.
"Well, you were looking at me and I was looking at you. Then you looked up. So...get it?"
"Wow, you're direct huh?"
"Yep." Then he gazed thoughtfully at the stars. "You know you loved that about me when we were young."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Come I'll tell you a story."
"Okay!" Georgia put her head on Ace's shoulder, her hands in his. "Don't stare at my hands. They're not so pretty. Just tell me the story" she laughed.
"Okay okay, stop doing my job of sarcasm please miss." He laughed. He noticed that whenever he was with her, he was always laughing. There was never a dull moment with her. He started, "We were in 3rd grade. There was this girl, she was a bully. She had hit you on your nose. I mean, it wasn't hard but it was bad enough for a 3rd grader. You came crying to me. I comforted you for sometime. Then I left. At that point you hated me for leaving you crying there. But I had actually gone to Olivia, that was her name, and told her off on her face. She and all her friends hated me after that. But I knew that since I had said that, she wouldn't bother you ever again, that was how much my words hurt her."
"What'd you say?"
"Haha I still remember what I said. I said, "I'm going to interpret this as an inability to express affection."
"Dang. You're amazing at sarcasm. I mean I try to be sarcastic but it's just not as good."
"Oh you? You're really good at sarcasm. The only tip I can give you is that your sarcastic statements should portray your feelings towards a person perfectly."
"Oh. Hey by the way, what's your surname?"
"What, willing to marry me?" Ace started laughing really hard.
"Ace!" Georgia loved this about Ace. He could make her laugh at anytime! Specially at a time she needed it. "What is it though?"
Ace was still laughing over his joke. With a lot of difficulty he said "It's Ace Miller."
"Oh! Okay then Ace Miller."
"Woah okay no! Don't call me that. It sounds weird coming from you. But you know what I want you to call me?"
She smiled. "What?"
"Jason. It's actually Jason Miller. My parents called me Ace because they thought the nickname sounded better than my actual name. I like Jason because my grandfather had given me that name. He believed in the same things I did. We had a special connection. But he passed away like a month back. So since then I've not told anybody my real name. Until you came along."
"Aww I'm so sorry". She hugged Jason.
"You don't need to be. You're the reason I was able to remember my grandfather again."
"Why?"
Jason smiled. Georgia could see he was nostalgic. "Because he once told me, and these are his exact words, 'when you find a girl, you can talk to anything about, remember me. Also, do not embarrass yourself. You do that a lot with your sarcastic talk. Georgia started giggling. I'm telling you. If you think that you see me in her, then just imagine that the gods have given you a chance to be with someone you love.
Jason instantly shied away. He realised what he had said and tensed his whole body. Georgia felt that. She looked at him and said, "You feel all that?"
"Well, wait what?"
"Look, your grandfather was very very smart. Much smarter than you will ever be. Don't argue" she said looking at Jason's face. "Look, my mother told me a similar thing when I was young. I always said that I don't need someone to live a happy life, and I still believe that. But my mom said, if you fall in love with someone someday, you'll know what I'm talking about."
"Do you know now?" Jason looked at her with his dazzling eyes.
All she said was, "I can see the initial effects of my mom's words."
Jason said, "Me too."
Georgia then looked at her watch, mother she though. She missed her so much. She saw that it was six o' clock already. She looked at Jason. "Hey dingbat!" Jason looked at her, laughing. "We should wake the two sleepy heads. It six already.
"Wow! It's six! We've been talking for 8 hours! I mean...yeahh, it took so long for the dark to turn to light." Georgia looked at Jason, rolled her eyes and bent down to kiss him on the cheek. "That's all for your sarcasm, not you." "Well, then I should be sarcastic more often."
"Sure sure dingbat"
"What you give insulting names to everyone!"
"Nope. I only give it to people who I sarcastically hate."
"Wow. Double sarcasm in one!"
"Well, don't get your hopes up. I'm not going to teach you."
"You know I feel we should have a competition on sarcasm. I doubt you'll win but I'll let you try."
"You know what this is going to go on and on. I should go wake them up. After all, my birthday is in 12 days."
"Oh yeah! You're turning 17. Dang. I turned seventeen last month so I'm older that you. Give me some respect."
"Sure sure I will."
"Let's go wake up those duffers."