Page 21 of Close Encounters of the Hot Kind

My thumbs hover over the keys. "Just having coffee with a friend at the Starbucks off the loop."

"Perfect. Casual but specific." Tessa nods in approval.

The reply comes instantly. "Enjoy your coffee, delicious one. I am sending you a gift."

"No, you don't have to—" I type back quickly.

"Enjoy." Just one word.

A whirring sound draws my attention to the window. A sleek black drone hovers outside, a metallic box clutched in its mechanical arms.

The drone's metallic sheen catches the sunlight in ways no delivery drone should. My hands shake as I step outside to retrieve the package.

"Please enjoy your gift," the drone chirps in a voice too musical for Earth tech. The box drops into my palm with perfect precision.

Back inside, Tessa bounces in her seat like a kid on Christmas morning. "Open it!"

The box feels warm against my skin. Not room temperature warm, but alive warm. The surface ripples under my fingers as I search for a seam or opening.

"How do you even?—"

The box dissolves, revealing a delicate crystal flower that catches the light in impossible ways. Rainbow fractals dance across our faces.

"Holy shit." Tessa's mouth hangs open. "That's not from Kay Jewelers."

"No kidding." The crystal feels both solid and fluid, like water frozen in mid-motion. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Maybe you weren't hallucinating after all." Tessa reaches out to touch it but pulls back. "Does it... hum?"

The subtle vibration travels up my arm. A text notification chimes:

"The crystal responds to your biorhythms. I hope it pleases you."

"Biorhythms?" Tessa peers at my phone. "Girl, your boyfriend is definitely not from around here."

The crystal pulses in time with my heartbeat, sending waves of warmth through my palm.

The crystal's warmth spreads up my arm as I set it carefully on the table. "Now, let's not be hasty. It could just be some rich guy thing..."

Tessa's perfectly groomed eyebrow arches so high it nearly disappears into her hairline.

My shoulders slump. The weight of everything - the flickering face, the strange tech, the otherworldly gift - crashes down. "Who am I kidding? He's definitely not from planet Earth."

Tessa's glare could melt steel. She leans forward, jabbing her finger at me. "Girl, I got just two words for ya: Who Cares?"

"What do you mean 'who cares'? He's literally not human!"

"And I repeat: Who. Cares?" Tessa ticks off points on her fingers. "He swept you off your feet. Took you to the most exclusive restaurant in Chicago. Showed you exactly how talented his tongue is. And now?" She gestures at the crystal. "He's taken buying flowers to a whole new level. Like, intergalactic level."

"But—"

"No buts. If you don't snap this guy up, alien or not, give me his number." She winks. "I wouldn't mind a crystal flower of my own."

"You're being awfully cavalier about a possible alien on Earth."

Tessa shrugs, stirring her coffee. "The government admitted UFOs are real like last year. Why should that rattle the foundations of my existence?" She takes a sip. "Besides, if a guy is treating my BFF like a queen, what does it matter if he's from another planet?"

I open my mouth to argue, but nothing comes out. The crystal pulses warmly in my palm, matching the flutter in my chest.

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