Page 15 of Stowaway to the Stars: A Duet
“Tell me the truth, Steph,” Darcy said after a beat of silence passed between them. “Did you hook up with the blue guy?What’s going on there? Because I can tell something happened. I’m not blind.”
Stephenie thought about lying, but what was the point? It wasn’t like she’d ever see him again. “I…may have hooked up with him,” she said carefully. Her cheeks flamed with shame. She really just admitted to hooking up with a damn alien.
Darcy gasped. “Stephenie! Really? An ALIEN?”
Stephenie glared in the direction her friend’s voice came. “I did what I thought I had to do to survive, Darcy.” At least, it started out that way…
“Is that why he’s helping us?”
“No.” Stephenie snapped. “It’s not like that… I mean, I thought it was at first. That’s why I did it in the first place, but… I fucked up, Darcy.” Stephenie felt her throat thicken with tears. “It turns out their species mates for life. Whoever they have sex with is who they stay with. And now he thinks I’m his mate, and he doesn’t understand why I want to leave him and go back to Earth. It’s like he- or really, their species- cannot process a one night stand.” The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. “I hurt him really bad, and I didn’t mean to. I feel awful.”
Plus, a little voice inside her said,You kind of like him too…at least a little bit.
“Damn,” was all Darcy said.
Another beat of silence passed between the two. Stephenie strained her ears, hoping to hear something going on outside in the hall.
“So what was it like?” Darcy asked, curiosity peppering her tone.
Stephenie’s cheeks warmed at the memory of their latest hookup. “Um… Well…” Leave it to Darcy to ask this question. At least her best friend wasn’t judging her too harshly about the situation. “They have two… You know.” Stephenie couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“You’re joking!” Darcy cried, a little too loudly.
Stephenie jumped and looked back in the general direction of the entrance. “Shh!” She said, reaching out and swatting at the air. She collided with something, and Darcy let out a whimper. “We have to be quiet! We don’t want anyone knowing we’re in here.”
“Sorry,” Darcy muttered. “Anyway… They have two dicks. Are you serious?”
“Yeah… And two tongues.”
“WOW. What must that be like?” Darcy said dreamily.
“Um… Well, I mean… If you’re asking how it was… It was actually really, really good.” Stephenie admitted. She could light a fire with how hot her cheeks were in embarrassment. In fact, she was surprised they weren’t glowing in the dark right now. “Like…the best I’ve ever had? I mean, he had TWO TONGUES, Darcy. And… He was kind of sweet about it, you know?” Stephenie bit her lower lip. “He wasn’t like some human guy that just wanted to get his rocks off. He made sure I felt good. He put my needs before his own… It was really nice. He’s really nice.”
“God, you sound like you’re in love with the alien,” Darcy said grudgingly.
“I am not in love with an alien,” Stephenie snapped back. “Don’t be ridiculous.” The words sounded false even to her own ears.
Holy fuck.
Was she in love with an alien?
No, it can’t be. That was preposterous. She had only known the guy for…what two days? Maybe three? If that! How could she be in love with someone that quickly? Also, he was an ALIEN for God’s sake! They weren’t even the same species. They were two totally different beings. Besides, what did she really know about him anyway?
It didn’t matter anyway. There was no future for them. She was going home- back to Earth, where she would finish college, start a career, and eventually marry someone…a HUMAN someone.
That’s what she wanted. That’s why she couldn’t stay here with him.
At least that’s what she told herself repeatedly.
The door opened with a whoosh. Smoke filled the hallway and bellowed into the tiny closet Stephenie and Darcy had been hiding in.
“Come now,” A-rec said. “There’s not much time.”
Chapter 11
Stephenieand Darcy followed behind A-rec, and he led them down the chrome hallway. A loud siren was screaming from somewhere unknown. The smoke was so thick that it was almost impossible to see and nearly impossible to breathe. Stephenie coughed into her hand and lifted her shirt above her mouth and nose in an effort to avoid inhaling too much smoke. She reached out blindly and found Darcy’s hand. They entangled their fingers, holding on to one another so they wouldn’t get lost.
A-rec led the way quickly and quietly. The only sound Stephenie could hear was the screaming siren coming from somewhere above them.
