Terrestrial Alien ✔

Chapter 21: A Little Conversation

Joshua

I feel bad about brushing Ying and Maggie off, but really, this is something I've needed to do for a long time now. I've just finally mustered the courage and resolve to talk this out.

This isn't exactly how I expected it to happen though.

I can feel Seth staring at my hand where it grips his wrist as I drag him through the crowd of excited high school athletes. I glance back to him, and I find his cheeks are flushed with that happy mint blush. His eyes dart up to meet mine, and his face lights up with a toothy, admittedly-adorable grin. Instantly I turn away from him and grumble, "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" He bubbles.

"I don't know, like—? Like I'm some hot girl holding your hand or something." I snap without looking back. The door out is in sight now, and I try to hurry towards it.

"But you're better than a hot girl!" He chirps, and I scowl, my face already starting to grow warm. Him and his goddamn embarrassing shit. I need him to just be quiet. Half my school is here; we can't do this now.

Seth adds, "And I mean..." I feel his grin grow as he pulls his wrist and twists his hand until he's twining his fingers in mine. My heart instantly leaps into my throat, and my nerves jolt in my gut.

"Woah!" I squawk, abruptly jerking my hand out of his on instinct, turning to look at him with my face burning. "Don't..!" I glance around and find only a couple people have noticed us. I try to catch my breath, holding my wrist in my other hand against my chest. "Don't... do that."

I see a bit of embarrassment and disappointment cross his features as he gives a small "Oh." Then he quickly hides it with a small, sheepish smile. "Sorry."

I look at him for a moment, eyes narrowed, then I force myself to relax. "It's alright." I mutter, and turn back to escape the gym into the the dark foyer that separates us from the outside doors and the pouring rain. One of the coaches eyes us, but he must assume we're going to the bathroom, because he doesn't stop us. Seth follows close behind me, and he lets the glass door shut behind him.

"So you wanted to talk?" He asks cautiously, eyeing me as I move to inspect Grand Junction's trophy case against the wall. After a moment, I turn and look back to him, crossing my arms and leaning back against the case. I nod.

My heart is pounding in my chest, and I vaguely wonder if he can hear it. Knowing him, I bet he can. Damn alien ears.

"Yes." I mumble. His gaze twitches to mine, and he moves to come near me, but I stiffen. "Stay there." I tell him, keeping a nervous hand out in front of me. "Please." He instantly freezes, and his demeanor deflates a bit.

"Okay." He responds softly, backing up a step to lean against wall beside the gym's double doors. He keeps his hands in his jeans pockets, and he glances to me every so often, unsure of what to do with himself.

For the longest moment, I can only stare at him. At this moment I don't know if I could handle him being any closer to me. In the midnight half-light of the foyer, I look over his features, and I find somewhere in me there's this desire to touch him. To move closer to him, to hold his face in my hands. But the other part of me doesn't want that. I don't know what I want anymore, and I'm afraid if I get close to him, I'm either going to punch him or kiss him.

Right now, both would be a mistake.

His luminescent emerald eyes are wide and feline and captivating as they always have been. His features are sharper now though, and his ears are longer than I remember them being—pointier, like some woodland elf. Part of me almost wants to reach out and tug on one. But there's the space of a room between us, and I don't.