Alien Holiday by Tracy Lauren
Chapter 17
Lo
Morning light filters into the cave. It doesn’t seem like it’s raining just yet, and Resa and I are tangled together in the most amazing cuddle ever. I blink my eyes, and the second I focus in on my man we both lean in for a kiss. His scaled hands caress my face, pulling back my hair. I’m smiling and giddy. I want more. I want all of him. I probably shouldn’t have rushed things, him being a virgin and all, but the attraction is undeniable. Even when we couldn’t talk properly, Resa and I have been drawn together since our first meeting.
“Let’s fool around a bit and then head down to the village. I want to show you my room. We can decorate my tree and I’ll cook you breakfast—just the two of us. Everyone will want to meet you, but I’ll make them give us space today.”
Resa trails his lips along my neck. “No.”
I laugh. “What do you mean, no?”
“I’m not going to your village.”
I pull away from his kisses. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t like the aliens. I’m not going down there.”
“Those aliens you don’t like are my people—my family.”
“Your family is on Earth. Those are just people you live with. You could live with me now.”
I push Resa farther away. “No. The people in Beacon are mi familia, Resa. I thought I made that clear.”
He sighs. “I have said time and again, Lo, I do not like them. They are noisy and entitled.”
“What the hell, I’m one of them, Resa! You’re insulting me!”
“No, you are different than they are.”
“How would you even know that without coming and meeting everyone?”
“Lo, I will not sacrifice my solitude. I’ve made that clear.”
“That’s dumb!”
“That’s my decision. Family might be important to you, but my family is gone. All I have left is our cave and our way of life and I like my life like this. I never had any issues until your people took over my ancestors’ temple.”
“Okay, that’s not just dumb. That’s crazy. No one is meant to be alone, Resa! Especially not at Christmas!”
“Christmas in not my holiday! And those are not my people down there! They are invaders, invading my space, bothering my way of life—”
“Invading your space? Bothering your way of life? We don’t bother you, Resa, we didn’t even know you were up here on this mountain. No one comes here. You just watch us like a sour old Grinch and make shit up in your head.”
“I’m not going, Lo. You can stay if you like—”
I jump out of the bed, livid. “Pendejo! I’m not giving up mi familia! Not again! I’m going back!”
“Then go. Do not speak of me and let me get back to my life.”
I grab my pants off the floor and swat Resa with them. He blocks my hit, mildly irritated. “Let you get back to life?” I tug my pants on. “Like this is a life?” I wave my hand at his lonely cave. “This is waiting to die, Resa—waiting to die alone.”
“If you don’t want me to be alone then stay.” Resa says it like he doesn’t care either way. Angrily, I button my top.
“You want me to leave my people behind for you?”
Resa shrugs. “Do whatever you want.”
“Oh, you are an ass, you are. A selfish ass!”
“You knew how I felt.”
“I thought things changed! I thought last night changed things!”
Resa falls silent.
“Ugh! Fuck you!” I grab a handful of fake poinsettias and whack Resa over the head a few times until they fall apart. All I get from him is that look of mild irritation.
“Let me walk you down the mountain.”
“No, you can stay on your precious mountain. Have it and your solitude.” I stuff the last of my things into my bag. “I’ve bothered you for long enough.”
“You are not terrible,” Resa tells me. I scream and march out of the cave. Resa follows, not crossing the threshold. “I mean, you are not as annoying as I once thought.”
I stop in my tracks. Oh, what a damn mess this has become. Things are abundantly clear now however. I had romanticized my relationship with Resa, saw things that weren’t there because I wanted to see them. “Look, Resa, this was my mistake. I missed my familyand I projected that onto you. I didn’t think anyone would ever want to be so alone. Clearly I was wrong. I thought I was trying to help you, but it seems like I was trying to change you. Live whatever life you want, I’m going home.”