I woke up the next day to an insistent beeping sound. I sat up and pressed my bracelet to the slot on the little time-piece like machine on the desk to switch it off. Once it stopped beeping, I stretched and yawned, rubbing my eyes.

The first thing I did was check my phone to see if I had received a reply for the message I had sent yesterday.

No new messages.

I sighed and placed my phone aside, rubbing my hands over my face. I sat there quietly for a few seconds, then stood up and walked to the bathroom.

Might as well get started on the day.

When I came out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel into my hair, I noticed the suit I had taken out to wear today.

I rubbed my fingers over the suit. This was Rafe's suit that he had given me. And he still had mine. A small smile formed on my face, unbidden.

Then it faded away when everything that happened yesterday came flooding back into my head. I let out a breath and pushed the suit away, taking out another one of mine and quickly pulling it on. I let my hair stay down because it was still wet and I walked out of the room after grabbing my communication device.

I met Ren at the exit of the Resting Station and he handed me something akin to a sandwich. We munched on our food in silence and I thought about how different this food was to the one I ate.

"Tonight we have a small bonfire," Ren said and I raised my eyebrows. And by we, he meant humans, I could tell.

"Oh. Wow. How come?" I asked.

Ren shrugged, "It's the beginning of a weekend...and it's been a month. I guess we're...celebrating and mourning Earth." He said.

I nodded silently and followed him down the trail back to the Fields.

My hood was up almost the whole time I was in the Fields because of the heat burning down my back. I had pulled my hair up into a knot to keep it off my neck.

My fingers were cramped and my shoulders and neck ached from the slouched position I had sat in. My thighs burned a little too, but I didn't care. It kept my thought at bay and that's all mattered.

By midday, we were ushered to the Kitchens (which was another half hour walk away) and after a quick lunch of something akin to rice and some vegetables, we all got down to work. We dusted, cleaned, peeled, organised and washed until my fingers were prune-y and stiff. Ren stayed close the whole time, but neither of us spoke, only took comfort in one another's company.

By the time evening rolled in, my whole body ached with every step I took and I wasn't even a little bothered by it. In fact, I felt guilty not feeling this way the past month.

This past month was everything I wasn't used to. Not working much...having everything...

I shook my head and sighed, then looked up when Ren nudged my shoulder.

"You okay? You've been really quiet today." He asked.

I just shrugged, "Mind's been a little quiet because of all the work." I admitted.

Ren nodded and was about to say something when one of Ren's friend's from yesterday came to nudge Ren on the shoulder.

"So, you two?" He asked, looking at the both of us with his deep brown eyes and raised eyebrows.

Ren and I laughed, sharing an affectionate look, before shaking our heads: no.

"So, will you be my date for the bonfire?" Asked the brown eyed guy with a grin.

He looked so joyful, his light brown hair in curls and his face so friendly and open, that I smiled back.

"She's actually my date," Ren said, smiling back at his friend.

I held a hand out, "Amour." I said and the brown eyed guy took my hand in his, lifting it to brush a kiss to my knuckles.

"Tyler. And it's a pleasure." He said.

Flirt.

But there was something so...genuine about him, that the gesture didn't seem fake. He truly seemed happy. He walked with a bounce in his step, even after such a long day (because of which the rest of us were slouching and dragging our feet along).

Then he looked at Ren, "Can she be my date, please?"

Before Ren could reply, he continued, "Rey has probably called dibs on you anyway." He said, with a playful smirk and a rib-poke at Ren with his elbow.

Ren tossed hm a frown and Tyler held his hands up in mock surrender before tossing me a grin and jogging away to toss his arms around two other humans who groaned and half-heartedly pushed at him, grumbling that they were tired.

I smiled softly at the innocence in the whole scene and looked down at my feet.

"He's a good guy." Ren said and I lifted my head to look up at Ren.

"Okay..?" I asked, unsure where this was heading.

Ren threw me a side-ways glance.

"He'd be good for you." Ren said.

My eyebrows raised, "Since when did you start playing Cupid?" I asked.

Ren let out a breath and stopped, catching me around the elbow and stopping me as well.

"I know it's none of my business. Trust me, I do. But that's doesn't stop me from worrying."

I looked up at him confused.

"This...alien guy. Whoever he is." Ren said, his hazel eyes considering me very seriously. So seriously, that it had me frozen in place.

"Just...don't." He finished finally.

I stared at Ren.

"Just don't what?" I asked.

Ren waved his hand in the air, "Don't...pursue anything with him. Leave it be. Don't-"

"Be with him?" I finished.

Ren looked at me and let out a slow breath, "Yeah," he said, "And trust me, I know it's not any of my-"

I stopped Ren with a hand up.

"Stop saying it's not any of your business. Because, yes. Yes, it is. You're my friend. You're family. And you're worried for me. I accept that." I said.

Ren smiled at me and I smiled back. Then I turned to look at where Tyler was-laughing with some of his other friends- my gaze thoughtful.

"And besides, I'm not even sure I am pursuing something with Rafe." I admitted softly.

"But you said-"

"I know." I cut him off, turning to look at Ren again, "I know what I said. The signs are there...but I feel so unsure about everything. About him and me and where I stand with him, where he stands on the whole thing. I don't even know what I feel for him, exactly. And I just..." I trailed off.

"It's complicated?" Ren coaxed gently.

I let out a breath, "Yeah. It's complicated." And confusing. And amazing.

But I left that last part out.

Best not mention that.

__ __

When I headed to the bonfire, I was dressed in human clothing. Jeans and a long sleeved pink top. All my tops were long sleeved; thank you, Earth atmosphere.

I met up with Ren at the exit and headed with him and his friends into the night. A large (human) crowd had gathered a few hundred meters away from the resting station.

When I walked closer to the gathering, I realised what had been called a bonfire was actually a large ball of light entrapped in a plastic-like-material, that seemed to be giving out warmth as well-because couples were huddled close to it and pressing their hands to the orb. It stood to the height of my shoulder and it was actually quiet beautiful. Almost like the moon.

I wondered what my friends were up to today. Being the one month anniversary and all that.

Ren wrapped one arm around me and I leaned into him. I felt...like I belonged here. In the midst of all these humans.

"Home away from home, huh?" Someone murmured to my left.

I turned my head to smile at Tyler, who was also in human clothes, with his hands buried in his pockets and his blue cotton shirt stretched across his shoulders.

"Ren," a voice said and I felt Ren stiffen against me. I turned at the same time Ren did and met Rey's dark almost angry eyes.

"What're you doing here?" Ren asked.

"This is my planet." She said in response.

"And your company is always welcome," Tyler said, smiling.

Rey narrowed her eyes at him, unsure if he was making fun of her or not.

She looked away to meet Ren's eyes, "We need to talk."

"No we don't." Ren said in response.

My eyes widened, because I've never heard him talk to someone like that. He had turned around and was facing her, his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed.

My eyebrows raised. Huh.

Ren was never rude. No matter who it was.

Was something going on between these two?

Tyler nudged my shoulder and I turned to looked at him. He tipped his head to the side and I nodded.

"Thought we'd leave the couple alone," he murmured to me as we walked away from the two of them.

I looked back at Ren and found he still hasn't realised that I'd left. The two of them were engrossed in a heated debate of Lord knows what.

Interesting.

I walked up to Tyler's side as he took me a little away from the party, following a small trail. He then stopped and sat down on a large-almost flat- rock and patted the spot next to him.

I sat next to him. Both of us were quiet for sometime.

Then Tyler started humming.

I smiled when I recognised the song.

"You are seventeen going on eighteen, I'll depend on you." I sang when he got to that part.

He threw me a smile and hopped up, holding out a hand to me like a gentleman. I laughed and took it.

He lifted me up and started singing.

"You wait, little girl, on an empty stage, for fate to turn the light on. Your life, little girl, is an empty page. That men will want to write on."

"To write on," I sang.

Tyler's smile was wide as he twirled me around.

"You are sixteen going on seventeen. Baby, it's time to think. Better beware, be canny and careful. Baby, you're on the brink." He sang.

Then both of us paused, unsure of what came next. Then we laughed at our own expressions and Tyler hummed the rest of the song and danced with me. He twirled me, dipped me. Then pulled away and did a shimmy that had me in giggles and pulled me close in one quick move and danced with me.

And the whole time I was thinking, why isn't my heart beating like it had under the rain with Rafe?

__ __

The next day I woke up to a message. From a Chip ID that wasn't programmed into my communication device.

Would you happen to know a certain human man with brownish blonde hair and blue eyes?

I responded with a:

Who is this?

My answer: Ace.

I grinned. Then frowned as I read the description Ace had sent me, again. Why did it sound familiar...?

My eyes widened as I realised why.

I sent Ace a reply immediately : Yes. Surfer Guy!

The guy who had touched my butt on the elevator. Just before I'd gotten shot. Dread spread low in my stomach. I quickly messaged Ace again.

Why are you asking?

Ace: Just am.

I pressed my lips together in annoyance. Something had happened. And if Ace was asking me, then it had to do with someone who was currently the bane of my existence.

Me: What did Rafe do?

Ace: What makes you think he did something?

Me: You're pissing me off.

No response.

Me: Ace!

Ace: What?

Me: Why did you ask me that?

After sometime and a few more insistent messages on my side, Ace finally replied.

Ace: He's in the Health Care Unit.

I stilled. My hands cupped my mouth in horror.

Me: What happened to him?

Ace: Few broken bones.

In plural?!

I took a few deep breaths.

Me: A few?!

Ace: A few.

Me: What did he break, Ace?

Ace: The fingers of his right hand.

I pressed my eyes closed.

Me: Did his hand break? Or was it broken?

Specifically by someone else.

The response, when it came, was slower to come than the others.

Ace: A little bit of both.

I don't even know what that means. I kept my communication device aside and walked out of my room, heading to Ren's room.

I needed to talk to someone.

______________________________________

Dedicated to the person who has an unhealthy obsession with the book. *wink wink*

Until next time!