Alien Holiday by Tracy Lauren
Chapter 18
Lo
The lonely walk back gave me a lot of time to reflect on where I had been placing my energy. The thing is, I was abducted by aliens. Any number of horrible things could have happened to me—and they didn’t. I’m here now. I’m safe. It isn’t the life I planned, but I have a life to live and I’m going to just choose happiness.
At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. But I’ve got this stupid sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I felt something with Resa, something intense. Ugh, was it all just in my head? Did I want this too much? He was only in my life for a few days, why do I feel so distraught over this loss?
I’m pouting, kicking rocks all the way down the mountain, and sooner than I know it I’m entering the courtyard. A few people are milling about, enjoying the dry bits of the day because surely they won’t last. April sees me and leaves her spot at the long table.
“Hold up, I have something for you!”
I wait for her at my door and when she returns she’s got what looks like another gift. “Is that for me?”
“Some sly babe asked me to bring this to you,” she says…then her eyes go wide as she focuses in on my neck. I slap my hand over it, knowing instantly—I’ve got a hickey.
April grabs my arm and drags me into my room. “Dish, dish, dish!” she chants as she hurries to start a fire—the stone room has a bone-deep chill to it.
“Hold on, let me start some ceata and I’ll decide what I’m willing to tell.”
“Girl, you better give me the yummy yummy. I want sexy, juicy details and as many as possible. I don’t even care who it is, as long as you tell me about every rippling muscle in his six-pack. What’s his penis like? How alien are we talking?”
“You are exactly the kind of friend my mother wouldn’t want me to have. You know that, right?” April laughs, dropping down into a chair. I put the kettle over the fire and I cross my arms over my chest. “Where to start?”
“Open your present first, I can only deal with so much mystery at a time.”
“Oh yeah.” The gift. I pick up the package. It’s slender, heavy for its size, wrapped in brown paper with some red feathers tied to it like a bow. “That’s a nice touch.”
“Very pretty,” April agrees. “Now rip it open.”
I smile and follow her command. “Ooo, what is this?” It’s a bottle filled with…
“Booze! The best Christmas gift ever. Let’s crack it open and you can tell me all about your dirty secrets!”
I snort. “Yeah, I guess I could use something a little stronger than ceata right now.”
“Me too.” April grabs a couple mugs and I do the honors.
“So…I’ve been seeing a guy.” I grin, even though this story has a sad ending.
“How long has this been going on?”
“Not long.” I take a sip from my mug. It’s a sweet drink and it goes down easy. “Just a few days, but it’s over now.”
“Over so fast?”
“It was quickly apparent we didn’t share the same values.”
April cocks her head to the side, thinking about my response. “Do you guys have to have the same values? Maybe this is a relationship that’s more about having a little fun? A physical connection only? There’s no shame in that.”
I shake my head. “No, I think this is too big a conflict and…I wouldn’t be able to keep perspective when it comes to this guy.”
April sighs. “I know the type. You go in seeing all the red flags, you tell yourself you don’t care, you’re going to keep it casual anyway—and then you still end up losing your heart.”
I nod, looking down into my mug. That’s about right.
“I’m sorry, honey. I thought this was going to be a fun and sexy story. I didn’t know he hurt you.”
I wave my hand. “It isn’t like he meant to hurt me. He was just honest and I wanted something else. Could have been worse.”
“Better to know now than to figure it out months down the line.”
“Yeah…”
“Can I ask who it was?”
I look up at April and give her a closed-lip smile. “Sorry.”
She shrugs. “It’s okay, I’ll still try and guess.”
“At least it’s Christmas time and you have other things to focus on.”
“Yeah, like missing my family and all our holiday traditions.”
“Maybe it’s time to decorate?” April suggests. I look around my room. A tree really would make things more merry and bright in here…but I was hoping to do that kind of stuff with Resa.
I groan and polish off my cup. “Alright. Let’s go cut down a tree.”
“And finish the booze?”
I nod. “And finish the booze.”
“Good girl.” April throws her arm around me and we head out the door. Outside it’s begun raining again. April grins, rubbing her hands together for warmth.
“This weather! Really makes it feel like Christmas, huh?”
I force a smile. It makes it feel more like a funeral, but I don’t tell her that. No, I think it’s better that I don’t admit the depths of my feelings for Resa. Not to April, and not to myself.