Alek
As I paced the perimeter of my beach, I should have been counting down the seconds until Amber arrived. Excited to see my girl again..
Instead, I was praying for more time.
More time to formulate what to say to her. How to explain this situation? But who was I kidding, she was human. There was no way she would understand the mess I was in. Heck, I didn't even understand it.
My day had started out normal enough. I had been preparing to board the bus to head to another long day at school, when I was pulled to my father's office.
"What's going on?" I had asked, when I was again seated across from his intimidating form. "I'm not sure the bus is going to wait for me." I looked to my watch to find that if I didn't leave now there was no way I would make it in time.
"You're not going to school today." He barely spared a glance my way as he pulled up a hologram projection. Looking at something I couldn't see from my seat. "I'm going to need your help with preparations, while I handle the human authorities."
"What's going on?" If dad was pulling me to help, this had to be something major.
Before he could even answer, the door to his office slid open and my still very pregnant mother strutted in.
Being pregnant she naturally had a healthy glow that normally emitted from her. Today however, was different. She was beaming. Smiling from ear to ear in a way I had never seen from her before.
She had her hands clasped together in from of her, and was bouncing on her feet with excitement. "Have you told him yet?"
"Told me what?" I had turned back to my father. Needing an answer as to what was going on.
The sound of a roaring jet ski engine in the distance, brought me back to my present situation.
I knew it would be her before she even appeared around the bend. I knew by the picking up of the speed of my heart as my body reacted to her presence. I wasn't ready for this. I still had no clue what I was going to say to her. How to explain.
As she approached the beach on a jet ski she must have borrowed from Lindsey, the smile on her face transformed her.
She still had a sickly hue that I didn't like, and the sundress she wore hung on her thinned frame. But she looked radiant to me.
"I'm free." She exclaimed, jumping into my arms as soon as she had turned the engine off.
I allowed myself to enjoy this one last moment of having her in my arms. She had her arms wrapped around my neck. I hoisted her tiny body just a little bit closer, burrowing my head into her thick mane of hair. I inhaled her vanilla and cinnamon scent, knowing those scents would forever remind me of her.
I wanted to hold on to this moment forever. Not a single part of me wanted to let her go. I wanted to steal one last kiss.
But I couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to anyone. Not knowing what I knew now.
Though it about broke me, I gently disentangled myself from her hold.
"Amber..." I started to tell her. Then I looked into her sparking blue eyes that were filled with so much trust as she looked up at me. And I choked.
"Can you believe that I basically ran away from home?" In her excitement she was completely oblivious to my dilemma. "I'm staying at Lindsey's. I told you that already though didn't I?"
"You might of mentioned it." I ran a hand over my face and allowed her to grab my hand, leading me over to one of the logs where we sat down side by side.
"Look..." I tried once more.
"Her parents are being so supportive. I mean I've always loved her family, but what they are doing for me now is just over and beyond."
"That's great." I stiffened as she started tracing the markings on my forearm. I doubted she even realized she was doing it, but it sent chills down my spine. I wanted more than anything to relax into her touch. But I couldn't.
"Yeah. They're setting me up in their guest house." She squeezed my arm in excitement. "And her father's going to set me up with an oncologist he knows. He thinks they may be able to look into new treatments for me.
"Wouldn't it be great if they could get me off the chemotherapy all together?" Her eyes danced in excitement at the prospect. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for her to have those treatments her whole life. To never know what it was like to not feel bad.
"I mean I know my dad is just treating my leukemia how he sees best. But he's kind of old school and determined to not try new therapies." As she spoke the frown line appeared in her forehead. "At least I think he has my best interest in mind. I overhead a conversation..."
I couldn't take it any longer.
Her touch...her scent... the excitement in her voice.
I needed to rip off the band aide. Get this over with before I caved to the temptation of her.
"Amber." The seriousness in my tone finally broke through to her, stopping her mid sentence.
"What's wrong?" She turned on the log so she was facing me fully. Like a coward, I couldn't afford her the same courtesy. Instead I starred out over the water, which was a dark gray today, reflecting the overcast sky and my black mood.
"We need to talk?"
"Right, you mentioned that. What's up?" She placed a hand on my shoulder, a finger playing at a marking that peaked through the collar of my shirt. She still obviously had no clue what I was about to hit her with.
I had to clear my throat several times before words would leave my constricting throat. "News will probably be out about this by the time you get home. But if it's not, it's important that you keep what I tell you quiet until the news hits. Okay?"
I shouldn't be asking this of her. Not with the news I was dropping. But I had no choice. It was for her own safety as well.
"Of course. I won't tell anyone." She promised.
Get this over with Alek.
Finding the strength I looked over at her one last time. I took in her smiling blue eyes and lush mouth, her smooth olive skin over high cheek bones. Brown hair that fell in thick waves to her waist. I took one minute to memorize her just like this.
"There's another Zionian space ship."
I paused for a minute letting her absorb this news.
"Seriously? Where? Are they already here? How many more of you are there?" Questions flew from her lips.
"They came into our orbit just yesterday. We didn't even know there were any other survivors until they made contact with our compound."
"This is great news. Are they coming here? Is the government going to allow it?"
"My father is in negotiations at the moment. But, yes, ideally they will join with us here. But it's a large craft with a lot of Zionians' so they might have to expand the base." I had spent the majority of my day making housing plans. That is between sulking and dreading this conversation.
"This all sounds like good news. Yet, your frowning like someone just killed your puppy. What's wrong?"
Once again I had to turn back to the lake. I didn't have the strength to look into her shining eyes and break this to her.
"There's someone else on the ship. There's this...this girl."
"Okay, so do we not like this girl?" She probed, obviously not understanding where I was going.
I needed to stop stalling. I needed to just spit it out.
"No, I mean, I don't know." I dropped my head into my hands. "I don't even know her."
"I'm really confused her, Alek." I was too. I was so conflicted I couldn't form the words to tell her.
I forced myself to face her. I owed her at least that. "This girl. My parents have reason...I mean they believe...
"She may be my mate."